OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic mechanism of Flos Sophorae (FS) for treatment of psoriasis. METHODS: The active ingredients, targets and psoriasis-related disease targets of FS were obtained from TCMSP, GeneCards, OMIM, DisGeNET and String databases, and Cytoscape 3.8.0 software was used to construct the "FS -active ingredient-key target-signaling pathway-psoriasis" network. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the key targets were conducted, and molecular docking was performed using Discovery Studio 2019. In a BALB/c mouse model of imiquimod-induced psoriasis, the effects of vaseline, FS at high, medium and low doses (3.00, 1.50 and 0.75 g/kg, respectively) and a positive drug, given 1 week before and during modeling, were evaluated on body weight changes, spleen coefficient, psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score and skin pathological changes. Phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT proteins were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS: A total of 10 active components and 110 key targets were screened. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested that FS improved psoriasis primarily through the PI3K/AKT, TNF, and IL-17 signaling pathways. Molecular docking showed that both quercetin and kaempferol could spontaneously bind to AKT1, TNF and other sites. In the mouse model of psoriasis, treatment with low-dose FS significantly improved epidermal thickening, increased body weight, lowered PASI score, and reduced phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT proteins. CONCLUSIONS The therapeutic mechanism of FS for psoriasis involves multiple components, targets, and pathways that mediate the inhibition of the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT proteins to suppress the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Animals ; Psoriasis/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Imiquimod ; Phosphorylation

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*

It is proposed that cold qi-induced accumulation encapsulates the core pathogenesis of the inflammation-cancer transformation in inflammatory bowel disease （IBD）. Cold pathogens may serve as the initiating factor. When first invading the intestines， cold pathogens obstruct the flow of qi； over time， the lingering cold impairs the middle jiao （焦）， eventually leading to the accumulation of cold-phlegm and blood stasis. Based on the progressive nature of this transformation， the process can be divided into three stages， active stage， remission stage， and carcinogenic stage. In the active stage， the main pathogenesis involves stagnation of cold qi and accumulation of damp-heat in the intestines； in the remission stage， cold qi impairs the spleen， disrupting its transport and transformation functions； and in the carcinogenic stage， the mechanisms include cold-induced accumulation， phlegm accumulation from cold， and stagnation of cold and blood stasis. Accordingly， the treatment strategies are proposed.In the active stage， regulating qi， relieving stagnation， and harmonizing cold and heat； in the remission stage， warming yang， dispersing cold， tonifying qi， and strengthening the spleen； and in the carcinogenic stage， promoting qi circulation， dispersing cold， resolving phlegm， activating yang， and eliminating stasis to remove accumulation. These approaches aim to interrupt the transformation of IBD into colorectal cancer.

Objective:To study the risk factors and the molecular epidemiology characteristics for Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae(CRE) colonization in neonatal inpatients in Shenzhen region, China, which provide reference for the prevention and control of clinical CRE infection.Methods:This study is a prospective case-control study.Anal samples from inpatients between January 2023 and December 2023 at Longgang Maternity and Child Institute of Shantou University Medical College and Shenzhen Children's Hospital were collected for screening CRE strain. Drug susceptibility test, modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method (mCIM) test, drug resistance-related gene sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed for isolated CRE strains.Meanwhile, the clinical data were collected for analyzing the risk factors of CRE intestinal colonization by multivariate regression analysis.Results:A total of 1 517 patients were screened, 26 CRE(1.7%, 26/1 517) were identified which including 14 Escherichia coli(53.8%, 14/26), 11 Klebsiella pneumoniae(42.3%, 11/26), 1 Enterobacter cloacae(3.9%, 1/26). The predominant carbapenemase gene was New Delhi Metallo(NDM) (92.4%, 24/26), followed by Imipenem (IMP) (3.8%, 1/26) and Guiana extended spectrum gene (GES) (3.8%, 1/26).Among the carried NDM resistance genes, New Delhi Metallo 5 (NDM5) was the main one, accounting for 84.6% (22/26).The MLST typing of Escherichia coli was mainly Sequence Type 48 (ST48) (6/14), while that of Klebsiella pneumoniae was mainly Sequence Type 35 (ST35) (10/11). All CRE isolates were resistant to penicillin, penicillinase inhibitors, cephalosporins, ertapenem and imipenem.The resistance rates of Escherichia coli to amikacin, levofloxacin was 1/14, 4/14, respectively. All isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae were sensitive to amikacin, and the resistance rate to levofloxacin is 1/11. Risk factors for CRE colonization include the older age, length of hospital stay, tracheal intubation, invasive respiration, lumbar puncture, Apgar <7 score, and exposure to antibiotics.Conclusions:NDM5 is the predominant resistant gene in CRE isolated from neonatal patients feces in Shenzhen region.It is necessary to strengthen the screening of CRE colonization in neonate for prevention and control of CRE infection.

Nanchang University and Queen Mary University of London have integrated their educational and teaching advantageous resources to establish a Sino-foreign cooperative clinical medicine program in China. The program awards the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences and Bachelor of Clinical Medicine, aiming to cultivate well-rounded medical talents with both clinical and scientific research capabilities and an international perspective. By introducing biomedical courses and integrating them with basic medical courses, the program emphasizes basic knowledge, practical training, active learning, and the cultivation of scientific research skills and critical thinking ability. The evaluation parameters include academic output, innovation competitions, and the number of students pursuing graduate education. The results showed substantial increases in the number of SCI academic articles published by students in this program, the number of awards in innovation competitions, and the number of students pursuing graduate education. This program is a new attempt in the reform of medical education in China.

Objective To construct a macrophage-related risk assessment model,explore the impact of macrophages on the survival of patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma(LUSC),and predict immune status.Methods We downloaded the data of macrophages and LUSC from the Molecular Signatures DataBase(MSigDB)and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database,respectively,screened for differentially expressed macrophage-related genes,and constructed a risk score model using Cox regression analysis.Based on the median value of the risk score,LUSC in the TCGA database was divided into high-and low-risk groups.Kaplan-Meier analyses,receiver operating characteristic curve analyses,clinical case characteristics,and immune analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic model.Finally,we determined the relationship between anticancer drug sensitivity and the risk score using the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer(GDSC).Results A total of 124 macrophage-related genes were identified in LUSC.High-risk patients had shorter overall survival and higher infiltration of immunosuppressive cells.Ruxolitinib,vinorelbine,paclitaxel,and sorafenib seemingly exhibited better efficacy in low-risk patients.The mortality rate of LUSC patients decreasd with the reduction of risk scores,and CSF2 and EDN2 had a significant impact on overall survival.Conclusion In this study,we constructed a macrophage gene risk score model for predicting the prognosis of LUSC.The model genes CSF2 and END2 can be used as potential targets for subsequent studies of LUSC.

AIM:To evaluate the application effec-tiveness of a Bayesian mixture model based on the principal stratum strategy for estimating the com-plier average causal effect(CACE)in clinical trials with non-compliance.METHODS:Using a non-infe-riority randomized controlled trial investigating a novel drug for primary type 2 diabetes mellitus(non-inferiority margin:-0.4)as a case study,the primary analysis applied a Bayesian mixture model under the monotonicity assumption to estimate CACE of between-group differences in glycated he-moglobin(HbA1c)changes within the compliant stratum,followed by non-inferiority testing.Sensi-tivity analyses included a Bayesian mixture model relaxing the monotonicity assumption and compar-ing results with per-protocol set(PPS)analysis.RE-SULTS:In the primary analysis,the posterior mean of CACE for HbA1c change in the compliant stratum was 0.081％,with a one-sided 97.5％credible inter-val lower bound of-0.124,exceeding the non-infe-riority margin(-0.4％),supporting the non-inferiori-ty efficacy of the novel drug in the compliant stra-tum(P(H1|Data)=1).Consistent findings were ob-served in PPS analyses(estimated effect:0.136％;one-sided 97.5％credible interval lower bound:-0.069％),further validating methodological robust-ness.CONCLUSION:In clinical trials with noncom-pliance as an intercurrent event,the Bayesian mix-ture model under the principal stratum strategy ef-fectively adjusts for compliance-related bias and yields conservative,robust estimates of causal ef-fects,supporting its value in efficacy evaluation un-der complex compliance scenarios.

To explore the application of sequential analysis in post-market safety dynamic surveillance of vaccines. Under the dynamic monitoring data of vaccines post-market approval, this research introduces the fundamental principles of maximizing sequential probability ratio test (MaxSPRT) and Bayesian sequential analysis, employing R software. Through an example of dynamic safety monitoring data of vaccines post-market approval, we analyze using the MaxSPRT and Bayesian sequential analysis. The MaxSPRT identified a safety signal in week 4 ( P<0.05), while Bayesian sequential analysis indicated that the 95% highest density interval for the RR value at week 4 is 1.13-3.27, suggesting the first appearance of a safety signal at week 4. The MaxSPRT and Bayesian sequential analysis effectively leverage continuously accumulating dynamic monitoring data, thereby serving as a valuable method for post-market safety surveillance of vaccines.

Knee osteoarthritis(KOA)is a prevalent chronic degenerative disorder among older adults,with biomechanical factors playing a crucial role in its pathogenesis and progression.This article aims to direct clinical studies on Tai Ji Quan(Shadow Boxing)therapeutic intervention for KOA by analyzing biomechanical factors in the pathogenesis of KOA and generalizing the biomechanical characteristics of Tai Ji Quan exercise and its impact on the gait pattern,overall mechanical balance,muscle function,plantar pressure,and proprioception of KOA patients,as well as summarizing the limitations in current clinical research.