Objective: To retrospectively analyze the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among voluntary blood donors in Qinghai Province over a ten-year period and to provide evidence for refining blood safety screening strategies. Methods: Blood samples from 362 066 blood donors in Qinghai collected between January 2015 and April 2024 were simultaneously screened using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nucleic acid testing (NAT). Follow-up was conducted for donors with reactive HCV RNA screening results, and alanine transaminase (ALT) was detected by rate method. Results: The HCV positive rate among blood donors in Qinghai was 0.22%. Gender, marital status, number of blood donations, and educational level were associated with HCV infection. Significant differences in HCV positive rates were observed among donors across regions and ethnic groups. The HCV positive rate among donors in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (with an average altitude of 4 330 m) was significantly higher than that in Xining (0.52% vs 0.21%, P<0.001). Positivity rates were also significantly higher in Salar (0.84%), Hui (0.81%), Zang (0.60%), and Tu (0.45%) ethnic groups compared to the Han ethnic group (0.17%) (P<0.001). The abnormal rate of ALT in HCV-positive donors was higher than in non-HCV donors (6.13% vs 1.55%) (P<0.001). Conclusion: The relatively high HCV positivity rate among blood donors in Qinghai highlights the need for further investigation into viral sources, risk factors, and transmission routes. Optimized screening strategies are essential to ensure blood safety.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and identify predictive factors for spontaneous passage of common bile duct (CBD) stones.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed as having choledocholithiasis via abdominal imaging at outpatient and emergency departments of Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine and other medical institutions from January 2021 to November 2023. Participants were stratified into spontaneous passage versus non-passage groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for the spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones.Results:Spontaneous stone passage were confirmed in 70 cases (15.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that an admission diagnosis of acute biliary pancreatitis ( OR=3.317, 95% CI: 1.427-7.713, P=0.005), larger common bile duct diameter ( OR=1.117, 95% CI: 1.000-1.248, P=0.049), and solitary stones ( OR=11.135, 95% CI: 3.602-34.418, P<0.001) significantly increased the probability of spontaneous stones. In contrast, larger stone long diameter ( OR=0.539, 95% CI: 0.441-0.659, P<0.001) markedly decreased passage likelihood. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that the common bile duct diameter predicted spontaneous stone passage with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.662, yielding sensitivity of 52.9% (37/70) and specificity of 73.6% (51/70) at a cutoff value of 9.5 mm. The common bile duct stone diameter achieved an AUC of 0.852 for predicting spontaneous stone passage, with sensitivity of 75.7% (53/70) and specificity of 89.0% (62/70) at a cutoff value of 4.5 mm. Conclusion:Solitary small stones, ductal dilation, and an admission diagnosis of acute biliary pancreatitis are key predictive factors for spontaneous common bile duct stone passage. A common bile duct diameter ≥9.5 mm and stone long diameter ≤4.5 mm are more likely to result in spontaneous stone passage.

Objective Vascular dementia(VD)is a common cognitive dysfunction associated with cerebrovascular disease.This study is aimed at investigating the therapeutic effect of anisodine hydromide(AH)on VD and the potential antioxidative stress mechanisms involved.Methods A VD model was established in Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats through permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion.The rats were divided into a sham group,a VD model group,and AH treatment groups receiving AH at low,medium,or high doses(n=4).The neurological function of the rats in each group was evaluated using the Bederson scale,and limb coordination ability was assessed using the pole climbing test.Superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels in the serum and brain were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)to assess the level of oxidative stress.In addition,apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL assay,and reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in neuronal cells were determined using dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)probe.The potential mechanism of action of AH on M receptors was investigated using M1-M5 inhibitors.Results Compared with the sham group,the nerve function and limb coordination of rats in the VD model group were significantly impaired(P＜0.01),and the SOD levels were significantly decreased in the serum([100.70±18.95]U/mL vs.[44.22±7.11]U/mL,P＜0.001)and the brain([131.77±8.34]U/mg vs.[84.39±4.10]U/mg,P＜0.01),MDA levels were significantly increased in the serum([12.03±1.01]nmol/mL vs.[17.74±1.00]nmol/mL,P＜0.001)and the brain([4.41±0.30]nmol/mg vs.[6.17±0.70]nmol/mg,P＜0.05).AH treatment significantly improved the neurological function and limb coordination ability of VD rats.In comparison with the VD group,the high-dose AH treatment group,in particular,exhibited the most significant increase in SOD levels in the serum([44.22±7.11]U/mL vs.[98.67±0.86]U/mL,P＜0.001)and the brain([84.39±4.10]U/mg vs.[162.83±17.36]U/mg,P＜0.001),and the most significant decrease in MDA levels in the serum([17.74±1.00]nmol/mL vs.[6.68±0.06]nmol/mL,P＜0.001)and the brain([6.17±0.70]nmol/mg vs.[3.96±0.77]nmol/mg,P＜0.01).AH also reduced the number of TUNEL positive cells(P＜0.01)in a dose-dependent manner.The percentage of apoptotic cells was(36.10±9.07)％,(9.60±5.63)％,and(3.43±0.92)％,respectively,for AH treatment at low,medium,and high concentrations,indicating that AH had an inhibitory effect on apoptosis.According to findings from the in vitro experiments,AH treatment reduced the MDA content(P＜0.01),increased the SOD activity(P＜0.01),and decreased the ROS levels of HT22 and NSC-34 cells in a dose-dependent manner.M2 receptor inhibitors could reduce the ROS level in oxidative stress injury,suggesting that AH,as an M receptor antagonist,might exert its effect by inhibiting the M2 receptor.Conclusion AH modulates SOD and MDA levels and reduces oxidative stress injury,thereby improving neurological function and limb coordination and showing potential therapeutic effects in VD.The neuroprotective effects of AH may be related to its antioxidative stress and antiapoptotic mechanisms,and the M2 receptor may be a potential target of its actions.These findings provide an important theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for VD.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of metformin （Met） on liver injury in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） rats by regulating the PI3K/AKT/PDGF signaling pathway. METHODS NASH model was constructed by feeding rats with a high- glucose and high-fat diet， and assigned into Model group， Met low-dose group （Met-L group， 100 mg/kg）， Met medium-dose group （Met-M group， 200 mg/kg）， Met high-dose group （Met-H group， 400 mg/kg）， and high dose of Met+PI3K activator group （Met-H+740 Y-P group， 400 mg/kg Met+50 mg/kg 740 Y-P）， with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 rats were regarded as the Control group. Each group of rats was orally administered/injected with the corresponding medication once a day for 6 consecutive weeks. The changes in body weight and liver index of rats were recorded and analyzed. The pathological damage [evaluation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score （NAS）]， lipid deposition （calculation of the proportion of oil red O-positive staining area）， and fibrosis （calculation of collagen deposition score） were observed in liver tissue of rats. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）] in serum and liver tissue， the levels of serum lipid metabolism indicators [total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）] and liver function indicators [aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine Δ 基金项目 武汉市知识创新专项项目（No.2022020801010588）； aminotransferase （ALT）] were measured. The expression levels of PI3K/AKT/PDGF signaling pathway-related proteins and Caspase-3 in liver tissue of rats were determined. RESULTS Compared with the Control group， body weight， liver index， the levels of serum lipid metabolism indicators and liver function indicators， the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum and liver tissue， the NAS， the proportion of oil red O-positive staining area， the collagen deposition fraction， and the levels of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT proteins， as well as the expression levels of PDGF and Caspase-3 proteins in liver tissue， were all significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The liver tissue showed severe pathological damage， characterized by an abundance of lipid droplets and pronounced collagen deposition. After the intervention with Met， the aforementioned quantitative indicators and pathological changes in rats were significantly improved in a dose- dependent manner （P＜0.05）. 740 Y-P could reverse the improvement effects of high dose of Met on the above indexes of rats （P＜ 0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Met can improve liver damage， and alleviate inflammatory reactions and liver fibrosis of NASH rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting PI3K/AKT/PDGF signaling pathway.

[Objective] To investigate the factors associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) abnormalities in multi-ethnic blood donors across five Zang autonomous prefectures in the plateau regions of Qinghai Province, and to provide evidence for ensuring blood safety and formulating screening strategies. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was performed on the ALT abnormal test results of blood donors in the Zang autonomous prefectures of Qinghai from 2022 to 2024. The correlations between ALT levels and factors including gender, age, altitude, and infectious markers were investigated. [Results] The overall ALT unqualified rate among blood donors in this region was 9.01%. Significant differences in ALT levels were observed across genders and age groups (P<0.05). Variations in ALT abnormality rates were also noted among different plateau regions (P<0.05). Overall, ALT values exhibited an increasing trend with rising altitude. The average ALT unqualified rates were 11.19% in Zang donors, 7.96% in Han donors, and 4.79% in donors from other ethnic groups (P<0.05). No statistically significant association was observed between ALT abnormality and the presence of HBV/HCV infectious markers (P>0.05). [Conclusion] In the plateau areas of Qinghai, multi-ethnic blood donors have a relatively high ALT levels and ALT unqualified rates, showing distinct regional characteristics. ALT elevation in voluntary blood donors is related to non-pathological factors such as gender, age, and dietary habits, but not to infectious indicators.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and identify predictive factors for spontaneous passage of common bile duct (CBD) stones.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed as having choledocholithiasis via abdominal imaging at outpatient and emergency departments of Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine and other medical institutions from January 2021 to November 2023. Participants were stratified into spontaneous passage versus non-passage groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for the spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones.Results:Spontaneous stone passage were confirmed in 70 cases (15.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that an admission diagnosis of acute biliary pancreatitis ( OR=3.317, 95% CI: 1.427-7.713, P=0.005), larger common bile duct diameter ( OR=1.117, 95% CI: 1.000-1.248, P=0.049), and solitary stones ( OR=11.135, 95% CI: 3.602-34.418, P<0.001) significantly increased the probability of spontaneous stones. In contrast, larger stone long diameter ( OR=0.539, 95% CI: 0.441-0.659, P<0.001) markedly decreased passage likelihood. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that the common bile duct diameter predicted spontaneous stone passage with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.662, yielding sensitivity of 52.9% (37/70) and specificity of 73.6% (51/70) at a cutoff value of 9.5 mm. The common bile duct stone diameter achieved an AUC of 0.852 for predicting spontaneous stone passage, with sensitivity of 75.7% (53/70) and specificity of 89.0% (62/70) at a cutoff value of 4.5 mm. Conclusion:Solitary small stones, ductal dilation, and an admission diagnosis of acute biliary pancreatitis are key predictive factors for spontaneous common bile duct stone passage. A common bile duct diameter ≥9.5 mm and stone long diameter ≤4.5 mm are more likely to result in spontaneous stone passage.

Objective To investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 4A1 (SLCO4A1-AS1) targeting microRNA-615-5p (miR-615-5p) in esophageal cancer cells on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and expression of inflammatory factors. Methods Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze the expression of LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 and miR-615-5p in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines. Eca109 cells were transfected with si-NC, si-LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1, miR-NC, miR-615-5p mimic, pcDNA, pcDNA-LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1, si-LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1+anti-miR-NC, and si-LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1+anti-miR-615-5p. Cell viability and apoptosis rate were measured by CCK-8 and flow cytometry, respectively; cell proliferation was determined by plate cloning assay; and levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the culture medium were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. A dual luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the relationship between LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 and miR-615-5p. Results Expression of LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 was upregulated, and miR-615-5p expression was downregulated in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines. After inhibiting LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 expression, cell viability, the number of cell clones, and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the culture medium decreased, while miR-615-5p expression and apoptosis rate increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the miR-NC group, the miR-615-5p group showed increased miR-615-5p expression, levels of Cleaved-caspase-3 protein, and apoptosis rate, and decreased cell viability, the number of cell clones, and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the culture medium (P < 0.05). Compared with the si-LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1+anti-miR-NC group, the si-LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1+anti-miR-615-5p group showed decreased miR-615-5p expression, levels of Cleaved-caspase-3 protein, and apoptosis rate, and increased cell viability, the number of cell clones, and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the culture medium (P < 0.05). Conclusion LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 can promote the occurrence and development of esophageal cancer. Inhibiting LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 can reduce the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells, decrease the expression of inflammatory factors, and induce apoptosis.

Objective To explore the differences in brain functions between individuals with good acclimatization to high altitudes and those with poor acclimatization based on microstate and functional connectivity analysis of resting-state electroencephalogram(EEG)activities.Methods A total of 44 residents exposed to the high-altitude environment of 3 650 m above sea level were enrolled.They were divided into two groups according to their findings for the high-altitude acclimatization index(AAI),with 22 in the good acclimatization group and 22 in the poor acclimatization group.The good acclimatization group had 10 males and 12 females of the mean age of(20.48±2.09)years.Among them,10 were Tibetans,and 12 were Han Chinese.The poor acclimatization group consisted of 18 males and 4 females,with a mean age of(18.90±1.25)years.Among them,7 were Tibetans,and 15 were Han Chinese.The K-means clustering algorithm was used to classify EEG microstates into four categories of A,B,C,and D.The average duration,coverage,occurrence frequency,and transition probabilities between microstates were compared.Coherence analysis(COH)was performed to assess the strength of brain network connectivity.Results Compared to the good acclimatization group,the poor acclimatization group exhibited a longer duration,higher occurrence frequency,and coverage of microstate C.The coverage of microstate D was also higher,while the occurrence frequency and coverage of microstate B were lower.The poor acclimatization group showed a decrease in transitions from microstate B to A or D,while transitions from C to B or D,and those from D to A or C increased,showing statistically significant differences between the groups(P＜0.05).In the α,β,δ,and θ frequency bands,the poor acclimatization group had higher COH strength in regions such as the frontal and occipital lobes,showing symmetrical functional connectivity between the left and right hemispheres.Conclusion The good and poor high-altitude acclimatization groups exhibit different neural mechanisms in terms of microstates and functional connectivity.There are significant differences between individuals with good acclimatization and those with poor acclimatization regarding visual information processing,interference resistance,brain network stability,and coherence.

Objective:To analyze the application and regularity of acupoint selection of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) based on data mining.Methods:Search for literatures in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Pubmed, the clinical researches of acupuncture on Sanyinjiao (SP 6) point were selected, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the retrieval period was from database construction to September 30th, 2021. Excel 2016, SPSS Statistics 25.0, SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used to perform descriptive analysis, association analysis and cluster analysis.Results:After literature screening, a total of 261 literatures were included, involving 73 kinds of diseases, mainly including mental and behavioral disorders, genitourinary diseases, endocrine and nutritional metabolism diseases and nervous system diseases. The most frequently used acupoints in Sanyinjiao (SP 6) compatibility are Zusanli (ST 36), Baihui (GV 20), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Taichong (LR 3), most of which focus on stomach meridian, conception channel, governor channel and bladder meridian. Seven categories were extracted among high-frequency acupoints by cluster analysis. The association rule analysis showed that the commonly used combination of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were Zusanli (ST 36)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Baihui (GV 20)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Guanyuan (CV 4)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6).Conclusions:Sanyinjiao (SP 6) is widely used in clinical application, and it is always compatible with stomach meridian, conception vessel, governor channel acupoints, especially those acupoints on the outer and inner meridians and the upper and lower parts. Sanyinjiao (SP 6) combined with other acupoints can treat diseases of multiple systems, such as insomnia, stroke, anxiety and depression, dysmenorrhea, infertility, etc. Clustering and association analysis found the core compatibility law of Sanyinjiao (SP 6), which can be used as a reference for clinical acupoint selection.