Despite therapy with potent antiviral agents, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients remain at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While metabolites have been rediscovered as active drivers of biological processes including carcinogenesis, the specific metabolites modulating HCC risk in CHB patients are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that baseline plasma from CHB patients who later developed HCC during follow-up exhibits growth-promoting properties in a case-control design nested within a large-scale, prospective cohort. Metabolomics analysis reveals a reduction in long-chain acylcarnitines (LCACs) in the baseline plasma of patients with HCC development. LCACs preferentially inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro at a physiological concentration and prevent the occurrence of HCC in vivo without hepatorenal toxicity. Uptake and metabolism of circulating LCACs increase the intracellular level of acetyl coenzyme A, which upregulates histone H3 Lys14 acetylation at the promoter region of KLF6 gene and thereby activates KLF6/p21 pathway. Indeed, blocking LCAC metabolism attenuates the difference in KLF6/p21 expression induced by baseline plasma of HCC/non-HCC patients. The deficiency of circulating LCACs represents a driver of HCC in CHB patients with viral control. These insights provide a promising direction for developing therapeutic strategies to reduce HCC risk further in the antiviral era.

The interest in covalent drugs has resurged in recent decades, spurring the development of numerous specialized computational docking tools to facilitate covalent ligand design and screening. Herein, we present CarsiDock-Cov, a new paradigm distinguishing itself as the first deep learning (DL)-guided approach for covalent docking. CarsiDock-Cov retains the core components of its non-covalent predecessor, leveraging a DL model pretrained on millions of docking complexes to predict protein-ligand distance matrices, along with a dedicated-designed geometric optimization procedure to convert these distances into refined binding poses. Additionally, it incorporates several key enhancements specifically tailored to optimize the protocol for covalent docking applications. Our approach has been extensively validated on multiple public datasets regarding the docking and screening of covalent ligands, and the results indicate that our approach not only achieves comparably improved applicability compared to its non-covalent predecessor, but also exhibits competitive performance against various state-of-the-art covalent docking tools. Collectively, our approach represents a significant advance in covalent docking methodology, offering an automated and efficient solution that shows considerable promise for accelerating covalent drug discovery and design.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is an irreversible sensorineural hearing loss that severely endangers workers’ health, making early screening crucial. This article reviewed the research progress on early screening methods for occupational NIHL, introduced the testing mechanisms of three core screening methods—tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and extended high-frequency audiometry —and summarized their clinical application advantages and limitations. It is proposed that multimodal combined detection (e.g., the combination of tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and extended high-frequency audiometry) can significantly improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of early screening. Meanwhile, future studies with prospective cohort design are encouraged to verify the long-term monitoring value of each method and to strengthen the joint development of screening technologies with cutting-edge approaches such as machine learning, in order to further improve screening efficiency and provide stronger protection for workers’ hearing health.

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of the combined concentrated liquid extract of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi root (P. lobata, Ge Gen) and Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (H. dulcis, Zhi Ju Zi) against ethanol-induced liver damage in vitro, using a human hepatoma cell line G2 (HepG2) cell model. Methods: HepG2 cells were cultured in medium containing 4% ethanol to establish a model of alcoholic liver damage. The cells were then treated with the combined extract obtained via cryogenic extraction. Biochemical assays and Western blot analyses were performed to assess the levels of oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines. In addition, activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway was examined to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of the extract. Results: Treatment with the extract contributed to a significant reduction in the release of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in the ethanol-treated HepG2 cells; promoted the elevated expression of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione, indicating enhanced antioxidant defenses; and showed strong free radical-scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals. In addition, by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, treatment promoted increases in the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and its downstream targets, subsequently inhibiting apoptosis. Moreover. inflammatory responses were mitigated, as indicated by reductions in the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, and we detected reduction in the levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, thereby indicating hepatoprotective effects. Conclusion The combined P. lobata root and H. dulcis extract was established to have notable antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, effectively alleviating ethanol-induced liver damage in vitro. These findings highlight the potential applicability of this extract as a candidate for treating alcoholic liver disease.

Background and objective Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma(IMA)was a rare and specific type of lung adenocarcinoma,which was often characterized by fewer lymphatic metastases.Therefore,it was difficult to evaluate the prognosis of these tumors based on the existing tumor-node-metastasis(TNM)staging.So,this study aimed to develop Nomo-grams to predict outcomes of patients with pathologic N0 in resected IMA.Methods According to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria,IMA patients with pathologic N0 in The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University(training cohort,n=78)and Ningbo No.2 Hospital(validation cohort,n=66)were reviewed between July 2012 and May 2017.The prognostic value of the clinicopathological features in the training cohort was analyzed and prognostic prediction models were established,and the performances of models were evaluated.Finally,the validation cohort data was put in for external validation.Results Univariate analysis showed that pneumonic type,larger tumor size,mixed mucinous/non-mucinous component,and higher overall stage were significant influence factors of 5-year progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS).Multivariate analysis further indicated that type of imaging,tumor size,mucinous component were the independent prognostic factors for poor 5-year PFS and OS.Moreover,the 5-year PFS and OS rates were 62.82％and 75.64％,respectively.In subgroups,the sur-vival analysis also showed that the pneumonic type and mixed mucinous/non-mucinous patients had significantly poorer 5-year PFS and OS compared with solitary type and pure mucinous patients,respectively.The C-index of Nomograms with 5-year PFS and OS were 0.815(95％CI:0.741-0.889)and 0.767(95％CI:0.669-0.865).The calibration curve and decision curve analysis(DCA)of both models showed good predictive performances in both cohorts.Conclusion The Nomograms based on clinicopathological characteristics in a certain extent,can be used as an effective prognostic tool for patients with pathologic N0 after IMA resection.

Objective To explore the potential value of serum lipoxin A4 (LXA4) in monitoring bacterial load and anti-tuberculosis treatment progression in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Methods From January 2021 to January 2022, forty patients with active PTB, who were admitted to Shaanxi Provincial Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Hospital, were selected as the active PTB group, 38 patients with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) were selected as the LTBI group, and 28 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examination in our hospital during the same period were included as the healthy control group. The active PTB patients received a 2-month standard anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, while the other two groups were untreated. Fasting venous blood was drawn from the three groups at enrollment (baseline), after 2 months of treatment, and upon the completion of 6 months of treatment in the active PTB group to measure serum LXA4 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The relationship between serum LXA4 level and clinical manifestations, bacterial load, chest imaging manifestations, and treatment progress was analyzed. Results At baseline, serum LXA4 levels in the active PTB group, LTBI group, and healthy control group were [397.72 (210.68, 573.00)], [178.18 (108.17, 271.87)], and [131.06 (76.24, 166.04)] pg/mL, respectively. The levels in the active PTB and LTBI groups were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group, with statistical significance (P<0.01). According to the grading of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smears at diagnosis, baseline serum LXA4 level increased in the active PTB group with AFB sputum smear grade (P<0.001), and there was a positive correlation between serum LXA4 level and sputum smear grade (rs=0.209, P=0.003). After 6 months of treatment, the serum LXA4 level in the active PTB group was lower than the baseline value (P=0.002). The serum LXA4 level can predict treatment progress, with a baseline sensitivity of 55.0% (22/40), and after 6 months of treatment, 8 patients (20.0%) still showed positive serum LXA4 levels. Conclusions Serum LXA4 may be a useful biomarker for monitoring the progression of PTB treatment.

Objective To explore the phenotypic conversion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the lungs of mice with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)-affected mice. Methods A total of 20 newborn C57BL/6 mice were divided into air group and hyperoxia group, with 10 mice in each group. The BPD model was established by exposing the newborn mice to hyperoxia. Lung tissues from five mice in each group were collected on postnatal days 7 and 14, respectively. Histopathological changes of the lung tissues was detected by HE staining. The expression level of surfactant protein C (SP-C) in the lung tissues was examined by Western blot analysis. Flow cytometry was performed to assess the proportion of FOXP3⁺ Tregs and RORγt⁺FOXP3⁺ Tregs in CD4⁺ lymphocytes. The concentrations of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and IL-6 in lung homogenate were measured by using ELISA. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between FOXP3⁺Treg and the expression of SP-C and the correlation between RORγt⁺FOXP3⁺ Tregs and the content of IL-17A and IL-6. Results The hyperoxia group exhibited significantly decreased levels of SP-C and radical alveolar counts in comparison to the control group. The proportion of FOXP3⁺Tregs was reduced and that of RORγt⁺FOXP3⁺Tregs was increased. IL-17A and IL-6 concentrations were significantly increased. SP-C was positively correlated with the expression level of RORγt⁺FOXP3⁺ Tregs. RORγt⁺FOXP3⁺ Tregs and IL-17A and IL-6 concentrations were also positively correlated. Conclusion The number of FOXP3⁺ Tregs in lung tissue of BPD mice is decreased and converted to RORγt⁺ FOXP3⁺ Tregs, which may be involved in hyperoxy-induced lung injury.
Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Interleukin-17 ; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 ; Hyperoxia ; Interleukin-6 ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; Lung

Background::Endometriosis (EM) is a complex benign gynecological disease, but it has malignant biological behavior and can invade any part of the body. Clinical manifestations include pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, infertility, pelvic nodules, and masses. Our previous study successfully detected circulating endometrial cells (CECs) in the peripheral blood of patients with EM. The purpose of this study is to overcome the limitation of cell size in the previous microfluidic chip method, to further accurately capture CECs, understand the characteristics of these cells, and explore the relationship between CECs and the clinical course characteristics of patients with EM.Methods::Human peripheral venous blood used to detect CECs and circulating vascular endothelial cells (CVECs) was taken from EM patients ( n = 34) hospitalized in the Peking University People’s Hospital. We used the subtraction enrichment and immunostaining fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH) method to exclude the interference of red blood cells, white blood cells, and CVECs, so as to accurately capture the CECs in the peripheral blood of patients with EM. Then we clarified the size and ploidy number of chromosome 8 of CECs, and a second grouping of patients was performed based on clinical characteristics to determine the relationship between CECs and clinical course characteristics. Results::The peripheral blood of 34 EM patients and 12 non-EM patients was evaluated by SE-iFISH. Overall, 34 eligible EM patients were enrolled. The results showed that the detection rates of CECs were 58.8% in EM patients and 16.7% in the control group. However, after classification according to clinical characteristics, more CECs could be detected in the peripheral blood of patients with rapidly progressive EM, with a detection rate of 94.4% (17/18). In total, 63.5% (40/63) of these cells were small cells with diameters below 5 μm, and 44.4% (28/63) were aneuploid cells. No significant association was found between the number of CECs and EM stage.Conclusion::The number and characteristics of CECs are related to the clinical course characteristics of patients with EM, such as pain and changes in lesion size, and may be used as biomarkers for personalized treatment and management of EM in the future.

The macrophages,as a crucial component of the body's immune system,can be polarized into M1 and M2 types by different cellular molecules in various environments,and contribute to the progression of various diseases.In inflammatory responses,the M1 macrophages are primarily regarded as the pro-inflammatory cells,facilitate the inflammation progression,tissue destruction,and bone resorption,while M2 macrophages,as inflammatory cells,participate in tissue healing and bone repairment.In the tumor microenvironment,the roles of M1 and M2 macrophages are reversed.The periodontitis,pulpitis,and oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)are the most prevalent inflammation and tumor in the oral cavity.Therefore,this article summarizes the relevant researches from home and abroad on the polarization of macrophages in oral inflammatory responses such as periodontitis,peri-implantitis,and pulpitis,bone remodeling during orthodontic treatment,and OSCC,and elucidate the metabolic activities of macrophages in infiammation,tumor,and bone remodeling and the mechanism of regulating the onset and development of diseases by the macrophage polarization,and provides new perspectives for the clinical treatment.

Objective To systematically evaluate the value of optical coherence tomography angiogra-phy (OCTA) for detecting the vessel density (VD) changes after open-angle glaucoma (OAG) surgery.Meth-ods The studies on OCTA for detecting the VD changes after OAG surgery were searched in the CNKI,WanFang,VIP,SinoMed,PubMed,Embase and Web of Science databases from the database establishment to May 2024.Literature screening,data extraction and risk of bias assessment of included studies were conducted independently by two reviewers.Descriptive analysis was adopoted for the systematic evaluation,the meta a-nalysis was conducted by using the R software and mean difference (MD) and its 95％CI were calculated.Re-sults A total of 13 studies were included,involving 472 patients with 500 tested eyes.The results of meta-a-nalysis showed that compared with pre-surgery,VD around the optic nerve head (ONH) and in nasal superi-or,temporal inferior,temporal superior,superior temporal and superior nasal regions at postoperative 6 months were significantly decreased.VD in the perimacular,perimacular superior hemisphere,permacular su-perior hemisphere,perimacular superior and permacular superior regions at postoperative 6 months were sig-nificantly increased.Conclusion OCTA could effectively detect the postoperative VD changes in the patients with OAG and predict postoperative visual function changes in glaucoma,and could serve as an effective test means for assessing the clinical treatment effect of the patients with OAG.