Objective: To investigate the relationship between night-time noise exposure and depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students, so as to provide evidence to support strategies for promoting their physical and mental health. Methods: From September 2024 to December 2025, 2 900 junior and senior high school students were selected using stratified cluster random sampling in the three cities of Nanning, Lhasa, and Yanji. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to assess depressive symptoms in junior and senior high school students, and a noise exposure survey was conducted. Chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence of depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students with different types of night-time noise exposure, and Logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between night-time noise exposure and depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students without night-time noise exposure was 33.0%, while that among junior and senior high school students with night-time noise exposure was 49.0%; the difference was statistically significant ( χ 2= 45.85 , P <0.01) . After adjusting for gender, age and region, Logistic regression analysis showed that exposure to night-time traffic noise, neighborhood noise, air conditioner noise, and other types of noise showed increased risk of detecting depressive symptoms in junior and senior high school students ( OR =2.22, 1.84, 2.41, 2.17, all P <0.05). Conclusion Night-time noise exposure is associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students.

The blue fluorescent carbon dots(TMCDs)and cyan fluorescent carbon dots(TMCDs-H2O)were synthesized fromm-phenylenediamine and tricarballylic acid through air-assisted melting polymerization and one-step hydrothermal method,respectively.Air purging could effectively inhibit the side reactions and reduce the derivative structures in the carbon dots product.The structure and morphology of these two materials were systematically characterized using liquid nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(NMR),mass spectrometry(MS),and transmission electron microscopy.Compared to TMCDs-H2O((3.12±0.63)nm),TMCDs showed a smaller average particle size(approximately(1.85±0.02)nm).The NMR and MS analysis revealed that although the main structure of both types of carbon dots was similar,TMCDs exhibited a simpler structure with higher degree of polymerization.These results suggested that supramolecular interactions might introduce numerous small molecule derivatives into TMCDs-H2O particles,resulting in lower polymerization degree,multiple substructures,and larger particle size characteristics for this material.When employed as chemical sensors for metal ion detection,in the linear range of 1×10-5-5×10-4 mol/L,the detection limits of Fe3+by TMCDs and TMCDs-H2O were 3.3×10-6 mol/L and 3.8×10-6 mol/L,respectively.The experimental results demonstrated that the recoveries of CDs and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer(ICP-OES)were similarity,whereas TMCDs displayed a considerable relative standard deviation.This study demonstrated that endogenously derived structures in CDs could enhance the performance of metal ion sensing.

6-Thioguanine(6-TG)is an antineoplastic agent used in treatment of acute leukemia.However,significant interindividual variability in dosing regimens and frequent clinical manifestations of hepatotoxicity and myelosuppression as adverse effects have affected its therapeutic efficacy.Consequently,the development of rapid analytical methods for 6-TG in clinical samples,enabling continuous therapeutic drug monitoring of plasma concentrations,holds substantial significance in optimizing dosage regimens,mitigating adverse reactions,and investigating drug metabolism mechanisms.In this study,multi-tipped gold nanostars(AuNSs)were prepared.With bis-(p-sulfonylphenyl)phenylphosphine molecule as the protecting agent and internal standard molecule,the AuNSs were assembled onto a highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman(SERS)substrate for developing a ratio-based SERS quantitative analysis method for 6-TG in serum.The AuNSs containing multiple tips and gaps exhibited strong local surface plasmon resonance effect and SERS activity,ensuring the sensitivity of the analytical method.Furthermore,the introduction of internal standard molecules could improve the reproducibility,which guaranteed this method suitable for rapid analysis of drug molecules in complex samples.Quantitative analysis of 6-TG was achieved with linear detetion range of 1.0×10?4-1.0 mmol/L.In the spiked recovery experiments of serum,the RSD was less than 5.32%,and the recoveries were 94%-104%,which proved that this method could be used for rapid quantitative determination of 6-TG in serum.This method provided a powerful tool for studying drug pharmacokinetics,which could promote the optimization of the usage methods of anti-cancer drugs,and it was expected to further enhance the clinical efficacy and safety of 6-TG,enabling it to achieve the best therapeutic effect.

Background and purpose:Polo-like kinase 4(PLK4)is a cell cycle regulatory protein,which is closely related to the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors.The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PLK4 in the proliferation,invasion and apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Methods:Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2(GEPIA2)and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Data Analysis Portal(UALCAN)were used to analyze the expression of PLK4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and surrounding normal tissues.Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RTFQ-PCR)and Western blot were employed to evaluate the mRNA and protein expression of PLK4 in OSCC cells.We further analyzed PLK4,phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase(p-PI3K),protein kinase B(AKT),phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT),survivin,and cyclin D1 protein expression.The effects of PLK4 on cell proliferation,apoptosis and invasion were analyzed by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay,flow cytometry and transwell assay.In addition,12 4-week-old SPF BALB/c female nude mice were divided into sh-NC group(n=6)and sh-PLK4 group(n=6)by random number table method.The sh-NC/sh-PLK4 cells were injected into the right anterior armpit of nude mice for subcutaneous tumor formation.The body weight,tumor volume and tumor weight of the two groups of nude mice were observed,and the stripped tumor tissues were analyzed by H-E staining.The animal experiments were approved by the Animal Experiment Center of Shandong Second Medical University(No:2024SDL840).Results:The results of GEPIA2 and UALCAN online databases showed that PLK4 was highly expressed in OSCC compared with normal tissues.In addition,PLK4 was highly expressed in OSCC cell lines(HN6,Cal-27,SCC-4,SCC-9,SCC-25)compared with oral mucosal epithelial cells(P＜0.05).Western blot results showed that the expression levels of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway proteins p-PI3K,p-AKT,cyclin D1 and survivin were decreased after PLK4 knockdown and increased after PLK4 overexpression in OSCC cells(P＜0.05).The cell proliferation activity and the number of transmembrane cells were positively correlated with the decrease and increase of PLK4 expression(P＜0.05),while the cell apoptotic rate was negatively correlated(P＜0.05),indicating that cell proliferation and apoptosis were both affected.In addition,compared with the sh-NC group,the tumor volume and weight of the nude mice in the sh-PLK4 group were decreased(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference in the body weight of the nude mice between the two groups(P＞0.05).Moreover,the nuclear atypia of tumor tissues in sh-PLK4 group was lower than that in sh-NC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:PLK4 can regulate the invasion,proliferation and apoptosis of OSCC cells,potentially through the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Aim To investigate the effects of Congrong San(CRS)on learning and memory ability,hippocam-pal neuronal injury,and ferroptosis in rats with Alzhei-mer's disease(AD)and to explore the related mecha-nisms.Methods AD rat models were established and divided into Sham,Model,CRS low-dose,CRS medium-dose,CRS high-dose,and memantine groups.After treatment,Morris water maze,HE and Nissl staining,transmission electron microscopy,immunofluorescence staining,Western blot,and kit assays were performed to assess learning and memory ability,hippocampal neuro-nal injury,ferroptosis-related indicatorsand glucose reg-ulated protein 78 ku(GRP78)-(proteinkinaseR-li-keERkinase)PERK-(activating transcription factor 4)ATF4 pathway protein expression.Results Com-pared with the model group,rats in the CRS medium-and high-dose groups and the memantine group showed significant improvement in learning and memory abili-ty,reduced hippocampal neuronal injury,increased number of Nissl bodies,and ameliorated endoplasmic reticulum swelling and mitochondrial damage.In addi-tion,the expressions of GRP78,p-PERK/PERK,and ATF4 were downregulated,while GPX4 expression was upregulated in the CRS medium-and high-dose groups and the memantine group.Moreover,MDA content de-creased,and SOD and GSH-PX levels increased in these groups.Conclusions CRS can improve the learning and memory ability in AD rats,reduce hipp-ocampal neuronal injury and ferroptosis,and its mecha-nism may be related to the inhibition of the GRP78-PERK-ATF4 pathway,enhancement of GPX4 expres-sion,and reduction of oxidative stress levels,providing a new approach for the clinical treatment of AD.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection's effect on gestational liver function, pregnancy and delivery complications, and neonatal development. METHODS: A total of 157 HCV antibody-positive (anti-HCV[+]) and HCV RNA(+) patients (Group C) and 121 anti-HCV(+) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group B) were included as study participants, while 142 anti-HCV(-) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group A) were the control group. Data on biochemical indices during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, delivery-related information, and neonatal complications were also collected. RESULTS: Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) rates in Group C during early, middle, and late pregnancy were 59.87%, 43.95%, and 42.04%, respectively-significantly higher than Groups B (26.45%, 15.70%, 10.74%) and A (23.94%, 19.01%, 6.34%) ( P < 0.05). Median ALT levels in Group C were significantly higher than in Groups A and B at all pregnancy stages ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in neonatal malformation rates across groups ( P > 0.05). However, neonatal jaundice incidence was significantly greater in Group C (75.16%) compared to Groups A (42.25%) and B (57.02%) ( χ ² = 33.552, P < 0.001). HCV RNA positivity during pregnancy was an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice ( OR = 2.111, 95% CI 1.242-3.588, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Chronic HCV infection can affect the liver function of pregnant women, but does not increase the pregnancy or delivery complication risks. HCV RNA(+) is an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Infant, Newborn ; Viremia/virology* ; Hepatitis C ; Hepacivirus/physiology* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology* ; Young Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood*

Kv1.3,a voltage-gated potassium channel,is highly expressed in T lymphocytes,the nervous system,and vascular smooth muscle cells.It plays a critical role in membrane excitability and electrical signal transduction,serving as an important target for studying T-cell function and providing a promising direction for developing therapeutics against autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.Therefore,the de-velopment of specific inhibitors of Kv1.3 channel has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy for these disorders.In this study,we isolated and purified a novel Kv1.3-inhibitory peptide toxin,LmKTx13,from the venom of the scorpion Lychas mucronatus using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chroma-tography(RP-HPLC).LmKTx13 consists of 38 amino acid residues,including six cysteines that form three disulfide bonds.Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings revealed that LmKTx13 potently inhibited Kv1.3 with an IC50 of 7.92±3.0 nmol/L.Selectivity analysis showed that 2 μmol/L LmKTx13 also in-hibited Kv1.2 and Kv1.7,but exhibited no significant effects on other potassium channel subtypes or voltage-gated sodium channels.Further investigation into the mechanism demonstrated that LmKTx13 acts as a pore-blocking inhibitor of Kv1.3.By analyzing the effects of LmKTx13 on Kv1.3 channel gating ki-netics and performing sequence alignment of the pore regions of Kv1.3 and Kv1.5,we constructed site-directed mutants and identified the pore region of Kv1.3 as the critical binding site for LmKTx13.Key residues involved in the interaction included T425,G427,and H451.In summary,we discovered a no-vel pore-blocking Kv1.3 inhibitor,LmKTx13,from L.mucronatus venom,which exhibits high affinity and selectivity for Kv1.3.These findings highlight its potential as a potential lead molecule for developing Kv1.3-targeted therapeutics.

Objective:To establish a rapid and precise dose measurement method with EBT4 film and ensure its measurement accuracy to be within the required range through strict operational procedures for the purpose of addressing the two essential issues of poor measurement accuracy and timeliness of EBT film under FLASH conditions.Methods:After storing under different humidity conditions for a certain period of time, the film was exposed to radiation for analyzing the influence of air humidity on the intrinsic performance of EBT film. By means of repeated scanning operations and the film angle rotation, the influences of repeated scanning and film placement angle were analuzed. Parabolic correction method was used to reduce the spatial position influence during the scanning process. By analying the relationship between net optical density (netOD) and absorbed dose through the comparison of three fitting method, the optimal fitting curve was selected. After irradiation of the same batch of films for 5 min and 24 h, the film doses were calibrated and then compared with ionization chamber-measured result. The rapid and precise film dosimetry method was used to measure both the percentage depth dose from X-rays at ultra-high dose rate and the dose distribution at a depth of 2 cm in water.Results:Air humidity had the greatest influence on the intrinsic performance of EBT film (approximately 20%). The average deviation of repeated scans is within 0.5%. The angle at which the film is placed significantly affected the readouts of the film with the maximum influence approximately 70%. The net optical density combined with polynomial fitting can control the fitting residuals of 1-16 Gy within 3%. The change rate of light channels at 5 min already mostly met the requirements of the rapid mode (< 0.5%). Compared with the measurement result obtained using the reference ionization chamber, the deviations of the 5 min or 24 h dose calibration curves were all within 2%.Conclusions:The EBT4 film can be employed as a precise dosimeter to quickly measure the FLASH radiation dose. Rapid and precise FLASH dose measurements can meet the stringent requirements of both preclinical and clinical FLASH research.

Background and purpose:Polo-like kinase 4(PLK4)is a cell cycle regulatory protein,which is closely related to the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors.The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PLK4 in the proliferation,invasion and apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Methods:Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2(GEPIA2)and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Data Analysis Portal(UALCAN)were used to analyze the expression of PLK4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and surrounding normal tissues.Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RTFQ-PCR)and Western blot were employed to evaluate the mRNA and protein expression of PLK4 in OSCC cells.We further analyzed PLK4,phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase(p-PI3K),protein kinase B(AKT),phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT),survivin,and cyclin D1 protein expression.The effects of PLK4 on cell proliferation,apoptosis and invasion were analyzed by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay,flow cytometry and transwell assay.In addition,12 4-week-old SPF BALB/c female nude mice were divided into sh-NC group(n=6)and sh-PLK4 group(n=6)by random number table method.The sh-NC/sh-PLK4 cells were injected into the right anterior armpit of nude mice for subcutaneous tumor formation.The body weight,tumor volume and tumor weight of the two groups of nude mice were observed,and the stripped tumor tissues were analyzed by H-E staining.The animal experiments were approved by the Animal Experiment Center of Shandong Second Medical University(No:2024SDL840).Results:The results of GEPIA2 and UALCAN online databases showed that PLK4 was highly expressed in OSCC compared with normal tissues.In addition,PLK4 was highly expressed in OSCC cell lines(HN6,Cal-27,SCC-4,SCC-9,SCC-25)compared with oral mucosal epithelial cells(P＜0.05).Western blot results showed that the expression levels of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway proteins p-PI3K,p-AKT,cyclin D1 and survivin were decreased after PLK4 knockdown and increased after PLK4 overexpression in OSCC cells(P＜0.05).The cell proliferation activity and the number of transmembrane cells were positively correlated with the decrease and increase of PLK4 expression(P＜0.05),while the cell apoptotic rate was negatively correlated(P＜0.05),indicating that cell proliferation and apoptosis were both affected.In addition,compared with the sh-NC group,the tumor volume and weight of the nude mice in the sh-PLK4 group were decreased(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference in the body weight of the nude mice between the two groups(P＞0.05).Moreover,the nuclear atypia of tumor tissues in sh-PLK4 group was lower than that in sh-NC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:PLK4 can regulate the invasion,proliferation and apoptosis of OSCC cells,potentially through the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.