Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

Aim To explore the therapeutic effect of Shenwuyishen tablets(SWYST)in treating chronic kidney disease(CKD)and the underlying mechanism.Methods The pharmacological action of SWYST was evaluated in folic acid(FA)-induced mouse models by levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen,in-dexes of tubulointerstitial inflammation and tubular in-jury,and degrees of renal fibrosis.Differential genes from 22 types of cells in kidney tissue of CKD were i-dentified by single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequen-cing datasets.Network pharmacology was used to pre-dict key ingredients,cells,and targets.The binding mode between the key ingredients and key targets was elucidated using molecular docking and molecular dy-namics simulation.Results Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels,tubulointerstitial inflamma-tion and tubular injury indexes,and renal fibrosis de-grees were significantly reduced by SWYST administra-tion.Quercetin,kaempferol,luteolin,baicalein and wogonin were considered as key components that main-ly acted through FOS and JUN of endothelial cells,neu-trophils and thick ascending limb cells to ameliorate CKD.Molecular docking and molecular dynamics sim-ulation revealed that quercetin stably occupied the cross pocket of FOS-JUN heterodimers to inhibit the binding between FOS-JUN heterodimers and DNA.Conclusion SWYST inhibits the binding of FOS-JUN heterodimers and DNA of endothelial cells,neutrophils and thick ascending limb cells to ameliorate CKD.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Aim To explore the therapeutic effect of Shenwuyishen tablets(SWYST)in treating chronic kidney disease(CKD)and the underlying mechanism.Methods The pharmacological action of SWYST was evaluated in folic acid(FA)-induced mouse models by levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen,in-dexes of tubulointerstitial inflammation and tubular in-jury,and degrees of renal fibrosis.Differential genes from 22 types of cells in kidney tissue of CKD were i-dentified by single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequen-cing datasets.Network pharmacology was used to pre-dict key ingredients,cells,and targets.The binding mode between the key ingredients and key targets was elucidated using molecular docking and molecular dy-namics simulation.Results Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels,tubulointerstitial inflamma-tion and tubular injury indexes,and renal fibrosis de-grees were significantly reduced by SWYST administra-tion.Quercetin,kaempferol,luteolin,baicalein and wogonin were considered as key components that main-ly acted through FOS and JUN of endothelial cells,neu-trophils and thick ascending limb cells to ameliorate CKD.Molecular docking and molecular dynamics sim-ulation revealed that quercetin stably occupied the cross pocket of FOS-JUN heterodimers to inhibit the binding between FOS-JUN heterodimers and DNA.Conclusion SWYST inhibits the binding of FOS-JUN heterodimers and DNA of endothelial cells,neutrophils and thick ascending limb cells to ameliorate CKD.

Objective To design a performance testing platform to evaluate the working status and performance characteristics of the ventilator proportional solenoid valve.Methods The performance testing platform had its hardware including a high-pressure gas source,a pressure regulating valve,sensors and etc,and its software designed based on PyQt5 and composed of several modules for data acquisition,parameter setting,image display,indicator computation,result output and etc.Two kinds of proportional solenoid valves(Valve 1、Valve2)were selected for static and dynamic tests to verify the performance of the platform.Results The platform developed facilitated the proportional solenoid valve to carry out accurate computation of static and dynamic indicators at real time and time domain and waveform feature extraction of sensor data by precision control and data acquisition for the proportional solenoid valve.Static tests showed that Valve 1 gained advantages over Valve 2 in static flow characteristics involving in lowered repeatability,return error and offset while enhanced stability;dynamic tests indicated Valve 2 had rapid flow variations and significant flow fluctuation impacts,Valve 1 showed smooth dynamic response changes,and Valve 2 behaved better than Valve 1 in dynamic performance.Conclusion The testing platform developed comprehensively demonstrates the performance characteristics and working performance of the ventilator proportional solenoid valve,which is of great significance to enhance the reliability and safety of the ventilator.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(1):13-19]

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of Slc1a2 overexpression on cognitive dysfunction in sleep-deprived mice.Methods A total of 130 mice were divided into five groups:normal sleep(NS),NS+ov-Slc1a2,sleep deprivation(SD),SD+ov-NC,and SD+ov-Slc1a2,with 26 mice in each group.The SD mice model was established using an automatic system based on a rotating rod,and overexpress Slc1a2 adenovirus was injected into the prefrontal cortex(PFC).Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of Slc1a2 in the mouse PFC.Electrophysiological tests were used to evaluate non-rapid eye movement(NREM)sleep time,rapid eye movement(REM)sleep time,and wakefulness time in mice.Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of glutamate(Glu)and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)metabolic enzymes in the mouse PFC.Whole-cell patch-clamp recording was used to detect the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents(mEPSC)in mouse PFC.Immunofluorescence was used to detect the proportion of GABA-positive cells in the mouse PFC.The C11-BODIPY fluorescent probe was used to detect lipid reac-tive oxygen species(ROS)levels in mouse PFC.Commercial kits were used to detect Fe2+and malondialdehyde(MDA)levels in the mouse PFC.Cognitive function in mice was evaluated using the open field,novel object recognition,and Y-maze tests.Results Compared with the NS group,the NREM sleep time,REM sleep time,central area stay time,recognition index,and novel wall selection index increased significantly,while wakefulness time decreased significantly in the NS+ov-Slc1a2 group(all P＜0.05).The percentage of Slc1a2+GFAP+cells,expression of Slc1a2 protein,expression of Glul,Slc6a1,and Abat mRNA,frequency and amplitude of mEPSC,and proportion of GABA-positive cells in the PFC increased significantly,whereas lipid ROS,Fe2+,and MDA levels decreased significantly(all P＜0.05).Compared with the NS group,the NREM sleep time,REM sleep time,central area stay time,recognition index,and novel wall selection index of the SD group and the SD+ov-NC group were significantly decreased,whereas wakefulness time was significantly increased(all P＜0.05).The percentage of Slc1a2+GFAP+cells,expression of Slc1a2 protein,expression of Glul,Slc6a1,and Abat mRNA,frequency and amplitude of mEPSC,and proportion of GABA-positive cells in the mouse PFC decreased significantly,whereas lipid ROS,Fe2+,and MDA levels increased significantly(all P＜0.05).Compared with the SD and SD+ov-NC groups,the NREM sleep time,REM sleep time,central area stay time,recognition index,and novel wall selection index of the SD+ov-Slc1a2 group increased significantly,whereas the wakeful-ness time decreased significantly(all P＜0.05).The percentage of Slc1a2+GFAP+cells,the expression of Slc1a2 protein,the expression of Glul,Slc6a1,and Abat mRNA,the frequency and amplitude of mEPSC,and the proportion of GABA-positive cells in the mouse PFC increased significantly,whereas lipid ROS,Fe2+,and MDA levels decreased significantly(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Ectopic overexpres-sion of Slc1a2 in the PFC can improve sleep disorders in SD mice,reduce the damage caused by SD to excitatory synaptic transmission and GABAergic neuron function in the PFC,and alleviate cognitive impairment and anxiety-like behavior in these mice.Its mechanism may be related to the improvement of Glu/GABA metabolic imbalance in the PFC and inhibition of ferroptosis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of local food-source enteral nutrition(EN) to improve the nutritional status of stroke patients.Methods:The clinical data of 180 patients with ischemic stroke admitted to the First People′s Hospital of Chengdu and the Second People′s Hospital of Chengdu during the period from June 2021 to June 2023 were selected retrospectively, patients in both groups received EN at 24 to 48 h after admission, and total energy intake was evaluated 7 d later, which was divided into the standard calorie group (90 cases) and the low- calorie group (90 cases) according to total energy intake. The total energy intake of patients in the standard calorie group increased to 125 -146 kJ/ (kg·d) after 7 d. Patients in the low-calorie group gradually increased to 105 kJ/ (kg·d) after 7 d. The changes in inflammatory factors and nutritional indexes before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the incidence of malnutrition and neurological function deficit before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.Results:After treatment, the levels of serum interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, ultrasensitive C-reactive protein in the low-calorie group were lower than those in the standard calorie group: (16.74 ± 4.33) ng/L vs. (20.15 ± 5.68) ng/L, (25.58 ± 5.09)ng/L vs. (30.04 ± 6.46) ng/L, (12.41 ± 3.29) mg/L vs.(15.24 ± 4.18) mg/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); the levels of serum total protein, albumin, transferrin were higher than those in the standard calorie group: (66.42 ± 8.32) g/L vs. (60.58 ± 8.32) g/L, (46.32 ± 6.39) g/L vs. (41.42 ± 5.34) g/L, (3.44 ± 0.65) g/L vs. (3.12 ± 0.31) g/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The incidence of malnutrition in the low-calorie group was lower than that in the standard calorie group: 3.33%(3/90) vs. 12.22%(11/90), there was statistical difference ( χ2 = 9.05, P<0.05). After 1 month and 3 months of treatment, the scores of National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) scores in the low-calorie group were lower than that in the standard calorie group: (15.76 ± 3.54) scores vs. (22.34 ± 6.24) scores, (8.65 ± 2.74) scores vs. (11.76 ± 4.83) scores, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Early local food-borne EN can improve the nutritional status of stroke patients, reduce the expression of inflammatory factors, and facilitate the improvement of neurological damage.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and independent risk factors of severe disease in patients with anti-nuclear matrix protein (NXP) 2 antibody-positive juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 219 anti-NXP2 antibody-positive JDM patients admitted to 23 children′s hospitals across China from July 2011 to July 2023. Patients were classified into severe and non-severe groups based on classification criteria for severe dermatomyositis. Demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and laboratory parameters were compared between the 2 groups using independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or χ2 test. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for severe disease. The receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to calculate optimal cut-off values. Results:Among the 219 patients, 108 were male and 111 were female, with an age at onset of 6.3 (3.5, 9.4) years. The severe group comprised 69 patients, and the non-severe group 150 patients. The severe group had significantly higher rates of fever, heliotrope rash, subcutaneous edema, periorbital edema, anti-Ro52 antibody positivity, as well as elevated levels of ferritin-to-albumin ratio (FAR), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis identified anti-Ro52 antibody positivity ( OR=13.26, 95% CI 1.37-128.29) and elevated FAR ( OR=1.90, 95% CI 1.09-2.31) as independent risk factors for severe anti-NXP2 antibody-positive JDM (both P<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a FAR cutoff value of 6.82 predicted severe disease with an area under the curve of 0.87 (95% CI 0.81-0.94, P<0.001), sensitivity of 0.85, and specificity of 0.70. All patients received glucocorticoid therapy, and the severe group received higher proportions of steroid pulse therapy, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, intravenous immunoglobulin, biologics, and adjuvant treatments compared to the non-severe group (all P<0.05). In terms of outcomes, 2 patients (2.9%) in the severe group died (due to neurological involvement and intestinal perforation, respectively), while the remaining patients achieved complete clinical response or remission. All patients in the non-severe group achieved remission. Conclusions:The primary clinical features of anti-NXP2 antibody-positive JDM included fever, heliotrope rash, subcutaneous edema, periorbital edema, anti-Ro52 antibody positivity, and elevated levels of CK, AST, LDH, and FAR. Furthermore, anti-Ro52 antibody positivity and a FAR>6.82 were identified as independent risk factors.

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.

This paper investigated the inhibitory effect of carbonized Scutellariae Radix(Cb-SR) on pyroptosis in endometrial epithelial cells of mice with endometritis and its correlation with the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis. Mice model of endometritis was established by using an intrauterine injection of 10 μL polysaccharides(LPS, 5 mg·mL~(-1)), and the mice were randomly divided into model group(LPS), low-dose group of Cb-SR(L-Cb-SR, 0.55 g·kg~(-1)), medium-dose group of Cb-SR(M-Cb-SR, 1.10 g·kg~(-1)), high-dose group of Cb-SR(H-Cb-SR, 2.20 g·kg~(-1)), crude Scutellariae Radix group(Cr-SR, 1.63 g·kg~(-1)), and Fuke Qianjin Capsule group(FQC, 0.30 g·kg~(-1)), with 10 mice in each group. Ten healthy female mice were selected and injected with PBS of equal volume into the bilateral uterus, and they were set as the sham group. The mice in the drug treatment groups were given the corresponding doses of Cb-SR, Cr-SR, FQC, or physiological saline of equal volume by gavage twice a day for seven days. Thirty minutes after the last administration, each mouse was euthanized by cervical dislocation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy were applied to observe the histopathological morphology of the uterine tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD38 and CD138. Myeloperoxidase(MPO) values in neutrophils were measured by the kit; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the secretion of interleukin-18(IL-18), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to analyze the expression of the proteins related to the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis. Mouse endometrial epithelial cells(MEECs) were separated and purified from the uterine tissue of pregnant female mice through in vitro experiments and injured by LPS for 24 h, and then they were cultured with Cb-SR-containing serum. The anti-endometritis effect of Cb-SR was investigated by CCK-8 assay, scanning electron microscopy, and Western blot. The results showed that Cb-SR significantly reduced MPO values, attenuated uterine tissue damage, inhibited the expression of CD38 and CD138, decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and inhibited the expression of proteins associated with IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis in mice with endometritis. In addition, Cb-SR-containing serum reduced swelling of MEECs organelles induced by LPS, decreased the expression of inflammatory factors, and suppressed the expression of IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis-related proteins. These results suggest that Cb-SR can inhibit endometrial epithelial cell pyroptosis in endometritis by suppressing the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis.
Animals ; Female ; Mice ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Endometritis/chemically induced* ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry* ; Humans ; Epithelial Cells/drug effects*