Objective: To investigate the objective characteristics of tongue manifestation in different stages of damp-heat syndrome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 134 patients with DKD G3-5 stages who met the diagnostic criteria for damp-heat syndrome in DKD. The patients were treated at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, from May 2023 to January 2024. The patients were divided into three groups: DKD G3, DKD G4, and DKD G5 stage, with 53, 33, and 48 patients in each group, respectively. Clinical general data (gender, age, and body mass index) and damp-heat syndrome scores were collected from the patients. The YZAI-02 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) AI Tongue Image Acquisition Device was used to capture tongue images from these patients. The accompanying AI Open Platform for TCM Tongue Diagnosis of the device was used to analyze and extract tongue manifestation features, including objective data on tongue color, tongue quality, coating color, and coating texture. Clinical data and objective tongue manifestation characteristics were compared among patients with DKD G3-5 based on their DKD damp-heat syndrome status. Results: No statistically significant difference in gender or body mass index was observed among the three patient groups. The DKD G3 stage group had the highest age (P<0.05). The DKD G3 stage group had a lower score for symptoms of poor appetite and anorexia(P<0.05) than the DKD G5 group. No statistically significant difference was observed in damp-heat syndrome scores among the three groups. Compared with the DKD G5 stage group, the DKD G3 stage group showed a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue (P<0.05). The DKD G4 stage group exhibited an increased proportion of crimson at the root of the tongue, a decreased proportion of thick white tongue coating at the root, a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue, an increased hue value (indicating color tone) of the tongue color in the middle, an increased brightness value (indicating color lightness) of the tongue coating color in the middle, and an increased thickness of the tongue coating (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in other tongue color proportions, color chroma values, body characteristics, coating color proportions, coating color chroma values, and coating texture characteristics among the three groups. Conclusion Tongue features differ in different stages of DKD damp-heat syndrome in multiple dimensions, enabling the inference that during the DKD G5 stage, the degree of qi and blood deficiency in the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach is prominent. Dampness is more likely to accumulate in the lower jiao, particularly in the kidneys, whereas heat evil in the spleen and stomach is the most severe. These insights provide novel ideas for the clinical treatment of DKD.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a scale for evaluating responsive feeding behaviors among caregivers of children aged 0-24 months in China, and to examine its reliability and validity. METHODS: An initial item pool was constructed through literature review, expert panel discussions, and caregiver interviews. Items were screened and revised using expert consultation and item analysis. A total of 523 caregivers of children aged 0-24 months were randomly selected from urban community health service centers in Nanjing for a formal survey to assess the scale's reliability and validity. RESULTS: The scale comprised two age-specific subscales: 0-6 months (4 dimensions, 18 items) and 7-24 months (5 dimensions, 29 items). Cronbach's alpha values for the two subscales were 0.766 and 0.850, respectively; split-half reliability coefficients were 0.616 and 0.716. Content validity indices were 0.83 for the 0-6 months subscale and 0.86 for the 7-24 months subscale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the structural validity of both subscales, with all fit indices within acceptable ranges. CONCLUSIONS The two age-specific subscales demonstrate good reliability and validity and can serve as practical tools for assessing caregivers' responsive feeding behaviors in children aged 0-24 months, suitable for clinical application and dissemination.
Humans ; Infant ; Caregivers/psychology* ; Male ; Female ; Feeding Behavior ; Child, Preschool ; Infant, Newborn ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effects of two traditional mineral medicines (TMMs), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao, GF) and Terra Flava Usta (Zaoxintu, TFU), on gut-beneficial bacteria in mice, and preliminarily explore their mechanisms of action. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10 per group): the control group (standard diet), the GF group (diet supplemented with 2% GF), and the TFU group (diet supplemented with 2% TFU). After 4-week intervention, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the changes in the gut microbiota (GM). Scanning electron microscopy, in combination with coumarin A tetramethyl rhodamine conjugate and Hoechst stainings, was used to observe the bacteria and biofilm formation. RESULTS: Principal coordinate analysis revealed that GF and TFU significantly altered the GM composition in mice. Further analysis revealed that GF and TFU affected different types of gut bacteria, suggesting that different TMMs may selectively modulate specific bacterial populations. For certain bacteria, such as Faecalibaculum and Ileibacterium, both GF and TFU exhibited growth-promoting effects, implying that they may be sensitive to TMMs and that different TMMs can increase their abundance through their respective mechanisms. Notably, Lactobacillus reuteri, a widely recognized and used probiotic, was significantly enriched in the GF group. Random forest analysis identified Ileibacterium valens as a potential indicator bacterium for TMMs' impact on GM. Further mechanistic studies showed that gut bacteria formed biofilm structures on the TFU surface. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new insights into the interaction between TMMs and GM. As safe and effective natural clays, GF and TFU hold promise as potential candidates for prebiotic development.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Bacteria/growth & development* ; Mice ; Biofilms/drug effects* ; Male ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the expression profile of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and their potential roles in prognosis and progression of Wilms' tumor (WT). METHODS: Four pairs of WT and adjacent tissues were collected for high-throughput circRNA sequencing to identify the differentially expressed circular RNAs. RT-qPCR was used to verify the expression levels of the top 6 candidate circRNAs in the clinical samples. hsa_circ_0001900 was selected for analysis of its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis in 34 patients with WT. Sanger sequencing and RNase R digestion experiments were used to verify the cycling site and structural stability of hsa_circ_0001900 molecule. RESULTS: A total of 23 978 circular RNA molecules were identified in WT tissues by high-throughput circular RNA sequencing, and among them 614 were differentially expressed in WT. hsa_circ_0001900 showed the highest expression level among the differentially expressed circRNAs, which was consistent with the findings in clinical tumor samples and the sequencing results. Correlation analysis showed that hsa_circ_0001900 expression level was positively correlated with WT volume, and the children with high hsa_circ_0001900 expression had a lowered recurrence-free survival rate. The results of Sanger sequencing verified the circular splice site sequence of the molecule, and Rnase R digestion assay confirmed its stable covalent structure. CONCLUSIONS This study presents a comprehensive expression profile of circular RNAs in WT, and the expression level of hsa_circ_0001900 is related to the size of WT and the patients' prognosis, suggesting its possible role as a key driving gene in WT progression.
Humans ; RNA, Circular ; Wilms Tumor/pathology* ; Prognosis ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Kidney Neoplasms/genetics* ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Male ; Female

Host-derived small RNAs are emerging as critical regulators in the dynamic interactions between host tissues and the microbiome, with implications for microbial pathogenesis and host defense. Among these, transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) have garnered attention for their roles in modulating microbial behavior. However, the bacterial factors mediating tsRNA interaction and functionality remain poorly understood. In this study, using RNA affinity pull-down assay in combination with mass spectrometry, we identified a putative membrane-bound protein, annotated as P-type ATPase transporter (PtaT) in Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), which binds Fn-targeting tsRNAs in a sequence-specific manner. Through targeted mutagenesis and phenotypic characterization, we showed that in both the Fn type strain and a clinical tumor isolate, deletion of ptaT led to reduced tsRNA intake and enhanced resistance to tsRNA-induced growth inhibition. Global RNA sequencing and label-free Raman spectroscopy revealed the phenotypic differences between Fn wild type and PtaT-deficient mutant, highlighting the functional significance of PtaT in purine and pyrimidine metabolism. Furthermore, AlphaFold 3 prediction provides evidence supporting the specific binding between PtaT and Fn-targeting tsRNA. By uncovering the first RNA-binding protein in Fn implicated in growth modulation through interactions with host-derived small RNAs (sRNAs), our study offers new insights into sRNA-mediated host-pathogen interplay within the context of microbiome-host interactions.
Fusobacterium nucleatum/growth & development* ; RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics* ; RNA, Bacterial/metabolism* ; Humans ; RNA, Transfer/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: This study examines utilizes the advantages of machine learning algorithms to discern key determinants in prognosticate postoperative circulatory complications (PCCs) for older patients. METHODS: This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involved 1,720 elderly participants in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Participants aged 60-90 years undergoing major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. The primary outcome metric of the study was the occurrence of PCCs, according to the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Anaesthesiology diagnostic criteria. The analysis metrics contained 67 candidate variables, including baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, and scale assessments. RESULTS: Our feature selection process identified key variables that significantly impact patient outcomes, including the duration of ICU stay, surgery, and anesthesia; APACHE-II score; intraoperative average heart rate and blood loss; cumulative opioid use during surgery; patient age; VAS-Move-Median score on the 1st to 3rd day; Charlson comorbidity score; volumes of intraoperative plasma, crystalloid, and colloid fluids; cumulative red blood cell transfusion during surgery; and endotracheal intubation duration. Notably, our Random Forest model demonstrated exceptional performance with an accuracy of 0.9872. CONCLUSION We have developed and validated an algorithm for predicting PCCs in elderly patients by identifying key risk factors.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Machine Learning ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Risk Factors ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Secondary Data Analysis

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of ubiquitin-associated domain-containing protein 2(UBAC2)mediated by m6A methylation modification on the invasion and migration abilities of colorectal cancer cells.Methods The GEPIA2.0 database was utilized to analyze the expression differences of UBAC2 mRNA between colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues,as well as its expression in colorectal cancer tissues at different stages.The correlation between Wilms tumor 1-associated protein(WTAP)and UBAC2 expression was analyzed.The Kaplan-Meier plotter online tool was applied to analyze the correlation between UBAC2 and the overall survival rate of colorectal cancer patients.The RMVar and SRAMP databases were employed to predict potential m6A methylation modification sites in the UBAC2 gene.Quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression levels of UBAC2 mRNA and protein in colorectal cancer cell lines.For UBAC2 knockdown experiments,SW480 cells were divided into control group(no treatment),sh-NC group(transfected with sh-NC negative control plasmid),and sh-UBAC2 group(transfected with sh-UBAC2 plasmid).For WTAP knockdown experiments,groups included control group(no treatment),si-NC group(transfected with negative control siRNA),and si-WTAP group(transfected with WTAP-targeting siRNA).For UBAC2 overexpression experiments,groups were control group(no treatment),si-WTAP group(transfected with pcDNA3.1 empty plasmid),and si-WTAP+OE-UBAC2 group(transfected with UBAC2 overexpression plasmid pcDNA3.1-UBAC2).Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of UBAC2,WTAP,E-cadherin,N-cadherin,and Vimentin;qRT-PCR was applied to detect the expression level of UBAC2 mRNA;Transwell assays were conducted to assess cell invasion and migration abilities.MeRIP-qPCR was employed to detect the m6A methylation modification of UBAC2 mRNA;RIP-qPCR experiments were conducted to verify the binding of WTAP to UBAC2 mRNA.In nude mouse colorectal cancer lung metastasis experiments,groups included LV-sh-NC group(tail vein injection of SW480 cells stably infected with LV-sh-NC)and LV-sh-UBAC2 group(tail vein injection of SW480 cells stably infected with LV-sh-UBAC2).After 42 d of tumor-implantation in nude mice,lung tissues were harvested:the number of lung nodules observed by hematoxylin/eosin(HE)staining,and the expression level of Luc2 mRNA detected by qRT-PCR.Results GEPIA2.0 database analysis revealed that the expression level of UBAC2 mRNA in colorectal cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues,and it gradually increased with the progression of tumor stage(P<0.05).The expression levels of UBAC2 mRNA and protein in multiple colorectal cancer cell lines were significantly higher than those in normal colonic epithelial cells(P<0.05).Compared with sh-NC group,sh-UBAC2 group showed significantly increased E-cadherin protein expression,significantly decreased N-cadherin and Vimentin protein expression,and significantly reduced number of invaded and migrated SW480 cells(P<0.05).GEPIA2.0 database analysis results indicated a positive correlation between WTAP and UBAC2 expression(r=0.24,P<0.001).Compared with si-NC group,si-WTAP group showed significantly decreased expression levels of WTAP and UBAC2 mRNA and protein in SW480 cells(P<0.05).MeRIP-qPCR results demonstrated that the m6A modification level of UBAC2 mRNA in si-WTAP group was significantly lower than that in si-NC group(P<0.05).RIP-qPCR further confirmed that WTAP could bind to UBAC2 mRNA.Compared with control group,si-WTAP group showed significantly increased E-cadherin protein expression and significantly decreased N-cadherin and Vimentin protein expression in SW480 cells(P<0.05);compared with si-WTAP group,si-WTAP+OE-UBAC2 group showed significantly decreased E-cadherin protein expression and significantly increased N-cadherin and Vimentin protein expression in SW480 cells(P<0.05).The number of lung nodules in LV-sh-UBAC2 group was significantly fewer than that in LV-sh-NC group,and the expression level of Luc2 mRNA in lung tissues was significantly lower than that in LV-sh-NC group(P<0.05).Conclusion UBAC2 mediated by m6A methylation modification can regulate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)process in colorectal cancer cells,thereby affecting the invasion and migration abilities of colorectal cancer cells.