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Transformer models have emerged as pivotal tools within the realm of drug discovery, distinguished by their unique architectural features and exceptional performance in managing intricate data landscapes. Leveraging the innate capabilities of transformer architectures to comprehend intricate hierarchical dependencies inherent in sequential data, these models showcase remarkable efficacy across various tasks, including new drug design and drug target identification. The adaptability of pre-trained transformer-based models renders them indispensable assets for driving data-centric advancements in drug discovery, chemistry, and biology, furnishing a robust framework that expedites innovation and discovery within these domains. Beyond their technical prowess, the success of transformer-based models in drug discovery, chemistry, and biology extends to their interdisciplinary potential, seamlessly combining biological, physical, chemical, and pharmacological insights to bridge gaps across diverse disciplines. This integrative approach not only enhances the depth and breadth of research endeavors but also fosters synergistic collaborations and exchange of ideas among disparate fields. In our review, we elucidate the myriad applications of transformers in drug discovery, as well as chemistry and biology, spanning from protein design and protein engineering, to molecular dynamics (MD), drug target identification, transformer-enabled drug virtual screening (VS), drug lead optimization, drug addiction, small data set challenges, chemical and biological image analysis, chemical language understanding, and single cell data. Finally, we conclude the survey by deliberating on promising trends in transformer models within the context of drug discovery and other sciences.

Intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS) has been widely applied as an important blood conservation measure in surgical operations. However, there is currently a lack of clinical practice guidelines for the implementation of IOCS in patients with malignant tumors. This report aims to provide clinicians with recommendations on the use of IOCS in patients with malignant tumors based on the review and assessment of the existed evidence. Data were derived from databases such as PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Wanfang. The guideline development team formulated recommendations based on the quality of evidence, balance of benefits and harms, patient preferences, and health economic assessments. This study constructed seven major clinical questions. The main conclusions of this guideline are as follows: 1) Compared with no perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion (NPABT), perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion (PABT) leads to a more unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients (Recommended); 2) Compared with the transfusion of allogeneic blood or no transfusion, IOCS does not lead to a more unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients (Recommended); 3) The implementation of IOCS in cancer patients is economically feasible (Recommended); 4) Leukocyte depletion filters (LDF) should be used when implementing IOCS in cancer patients (Strongly Recommended); 5) Irradiation treatment of autologous blood to be reinfused can be used when implementing IOCS in cancer patients (Recommended); 6) A careful assessment of the condition of cancer patients (meeting indications and excluding contraindications) should be conducted before implementing IOCS (Strongly Recommended); 7) Informed consent from cancer patients should be obtained when implementing IOCS, with a thorough pre-assessment of the patient's condition and the likelihood of blood loss, adherence to standardized internally audited management procedures, meeting corresponding conditions, and obtaining corresponding qualifications (Recommended). In brief, current evidence indicates that IOCS can be implemented for some malignant tumor patients who need allogeneic blood transfusion after physician full evaluation, and LDF or irradiation should be used during the implementation process.

The transcriptome sequencing based on Illumina Novaseq 6000 Platform was performed with the untreated seed embryo(DS), stratified seed embryo(SS), and germinated seed embryo(GS) of Zanthoxylum nitidum, aiming to explore the molecular mechanism regulating the seed dormancy and germination of Z. nitidum and uncover key differentially expressed genes(DEGs). A total of 61.41 Gb clean data was obtained, and 86 386 unigenes with an average length of 773.49 bp were assembled. A total of 29 290 DEGs were screened from three comparison groups(SS vs DS, GS vs SS, and GS vs DS), and these genes were annotated on 134 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathways. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the plant hormone signal transduction pathway is the richest pathway, containing 226 DEGs. Among all DEGs, 894 transcription factors were identified, which were distributed across 34 transcription factor families. These transcription factors were also mainly concentrated in plant hormone signal transduction and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathways. Further real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) validation of 12 DEGs showed that the transcriptome data is reliable. During the process of seed dormancy release and germination, a large number of DEGs involved in polysaccharide degradation, protein synthesis, lipid metabolism, and hormone signal transduction were expressed. These genes were involved in multiple metabolic pathways, forming a complex regulatory network for dormancy and germination. This study lays a solid foundation for analyzing the molecular mechanisms of seed dormancy and germination of Z. nitidum.
Zanthoxylum/metabolism* ; Plant Dormancy/genetics* ; Seeds/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Transcriptome ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Germination ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Plant Growth Regulators/genetics* ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To establish a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting human DNA based on real time quantitative PCR(qPCR)technique for the rapid detection of potential DNA con-tamination sources in DNA laboratories.Methods Primers and probes were designed with Primer Ex-pressTM software using the reference sequence of human 18S rRNA gene as a template,and the opti-mal prime-probe combination was screened by matrix method.The PCR products of the target se-quence of human 18S rRNA gene were used to construct the plasmid,and a plasmid standard was used to draw the standard curve of the qPCR system.According to the Minimum Information for Pub-lication of Quantitative Real-time PCR Experiments(MIQE)guidelines,the specificity,sensitivity,re-peatability and application effect of the qPCR system were evaluated.Results The sensitivity of the qPCR system established in this study was 5.3×10-5 ng/μL,which showed good specificity for human DNA samples.The correlation coefficient of the qPCR system was-0.999,and amplification efficiency was 100％.Both the intra-batch and inter-batch variation coefficients were less than 2％.Conclusion The established human DNA detection method based on qPCR technique has good specificity,high sen-sitivity,and robust stability.It can be used for rapid detection of DNA contamination and daily moni-toring of the accumulated human DNA in the laboratory environment.

Objective To verify the efficacy of a domestic human DNA quantification kit based on real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR in detecting the total human DNA concentration,male DNA concen-tration in mixed male/female DNA samples,the degree of DNA degradation and inhibitor tolerance.Methods Samples with different concentrations,different male/female ratios,different concentrations of inhibitors,and different degradation degrees were tested using the domestic human DNA quantification kit based on real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.This kit was compared with a similar product on the market and was applied to the detection of DNA from real cases.Results This human DNA quan-tification kit can effectively detect human DNA as low as 0.001 65 ng/μL,and 6.25 pg/μL of male DNA in mixed samples with a male-to-female ratio of 1∶15 000.Even when the sample contains as high as 400 ng/μL of humic acid or 1 000 μmol/L of hemin alone,the DNA concentration can still be accurately detected.The degradation index can effectively characterize the degradation degree of the sample.This kit has been successfully applied in forensic practice.Conclusion This human DNA quan-tification kit is accurate and reliable in detection.It can accurately reflect the degradation of DNA and inhibitor tolerance.It has good performance in quantitative accuracy,determination of the male/female ratio in mixed samples,and inhibitor tolerance.It has application potential in forensic case examination.

Objective To explore the relationship between dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)and clinical pathological features of invasive breast cancer and lymphovascular invasion(LVI).Methods Imaging and clinical pathological data were retrospectively collected from 508 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent breast DCE-MRI at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2019 to August 2021.Patients were divided into the LVI-positive(LVI+)group(n=79)and LVI-negative(LVI-)group(n=429)based on postoperative pathological results.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for LVI.Results Compared with LVI-group,LVI+group had a higher proportion of patients aged<45 years(44.3%vs.27.0%,P=0.002),non-mass-like enhancement(NME)(31.7%vs.17.7%,P=0.004),Ki-67 expression rate(40.0%vs.30.0%,P<0.001),high Ki-67 expression(94.9%vs.78.1%,P=0.001),Luminal B subtype(76.0%vs.60.1%,P=0.008),and positive axillary lymph nodes rate(72.2%vs.31.5%,P<0.001),while the proportion of Luminal A subtype was lower(2.5%vs.21.5%,P<0.001).Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that age≥45 years(OR=0.468,95%CI 0.280-0.783,P=0.004)was an independent protective factor for LVI,while NME(OR=1.987,95%CI 1.126-3.444,P=0.016)was an independent risk factor.Compared with Luminal A subtype,patients with Luminal B subtype(OR=10.482,95%CI 3.164-64.923,P=0.001),HER-2 overexpression subtype(OR=11.571,95%CI 2.755-79.341,P=0.003)and triple-negative subtypes(OR=8.433,95%CI 1.985-57.908,P=0.009)had a higher risk of LVI.Conclusions Age≥45 years is an independent protective factor for LVI,while NME is an independent risk factor.Among molecular subtypes,patients with Luminal B,HER-2 overexpression and triple-negative subtypes have a higher risk of LVI compared with the Luminal A subtype.

ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention effect of heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) on learning and memory impairment induced by combined exposure to lead and hypertension in mice, and the relative mechanism of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2). Methods Specific pathogen-free C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into control group, hypertension group, lead-exposed group and lead-exposed + hypertension group, or into control group, heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) control group, lead-exposed + hypertension group and HSP60 intervention group, with 10 mice in each group. Mice of hypertension group and lead-exposed + hypertension group were intraperitoneally injected with angiotensin Ⅱ at a dose of 0.5 mg/(kg·d) for seven consecutive days to induce hypertension model. Mice of the lead-exposed group, lead-exposed + hypertension group, and HSP60 intervention group were given lead acetate drinking water with a mass concentration of 250.0 mg/L, while mice in the control group, hypertension group, and HSP60 control group were given purified water for 12 weeks. Mice of the HSP60 control group and HSP60 intervention group were intraperitoneally injected with a solution of HSP60 at a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight, every other day for a total of three times at the 12th week. The learning and memory ability of mice was detected using the Morris water maze test. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the hippocampal tissues of the mice. The relative expression of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 (IBA1) and TREM2 protein in the hippocampus of mice was detected using Western blot. Results i) The number of platform crossings of the mice in the hypertension group and the lead-exposed group was lower than that in the control group (both P<0.05). The escape latency of the mice on the third day was longer and the number of platform crossings was lower in the lead-exposed + hypertension group compared with the control group, hypertension group and lead-exposed group (all P<0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the hippocampus of the other three groups increased compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The relative expression of IBA1 protein in the hippocampus of lead-exposed group and lead-exposed + hypertension group increased (all P<0.05), while the relative protein expression of TREM2 decreased compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and the relative protein expression of IBA1 protein in the hippocampus of the lead-exposed+hypertension group were higher (all P<0.05), and relative expression of TREM2 protein was lower (P<0.05) than those in the hypertension group. The level of TNF-α and the relative expression of IBA1 protein in the hippocampus of lead-exposed+hypertension group were higher than those in lead-exposed group (all P<0.05). ii) The escape latency of mice in the lead-exposed + hypertension group was longer than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the number of platform crossings was fewer than that in the control group (P<0.05). The escape latency of mice in the HSP60 intervention group was shortened (P<0.05), the number of platform crossings increased (P<0.05), and the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and relative expression of IBA1 protein decreased in the hippocampus (all P<0.05), while the relative expression of TREM2 protein increased (P<0.05) compared with the lead-exposed+hypertension group. Conclusion Combined exposure of lead and hypertension has a synergistic effect on learning and memory impairment in mice. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of TREM2 expression by lead in the hippocampus of hypertensive mice and aggravating the neuroinflammatory response. Intervention with TREM2 receptor agonist HSP60 can alleviate learning and memory impairment in mice exposed to lead and hypertension by up-regulating TREM2 expression in the hippocampus.

Tablets represent the most widely used oral solid dosage form in the pharmaceutical industry. Puerarin monohydrate (PUEM), a solid form of the natural antihypertensive drug puerarin, is commercially available. However, the low solubility of PUEM poses a significant challenge for the development of its tablet dosage form. In this study, we successfully prepared the sodium chelates of puerarin (PUE-Na·7H₂O) using reactive crystallization techniques. The crystal structure of PUE-Na·7H₂O was analyzed using single crystal technology, which revealed the structural characteristics of its metal chelate. Our thermodynamic studies demonstrated that the formation of PUE-Na·7H₂O involved the simultaneous deprotonation of PUE and the chelation of PUE^- and Na⁺. This reaction process was spontaneous and exothermic (ΔG < 0, ΔH < 0), and reducing the temperature facilitated the formation of the chelate. Nucleation kinetics studies revealed that chelate molecules were more likely to nucleate and crystallize under low temperature, high concentration, and high rotational speed conditions. Compared to commercially available PUEM, PUE-Na·7H₂O showed significantly improved water solubility, with a 33.5-fold increase in solubility and a 37.6-fold decrease in intrinsic dissolution rate. Our study identified drug-sodium chelation as an effective means for improving drug solubility and elucidated the mechanisms governing its formation kinetics and thermodynamics. These findings could provide new solutions for related product development and tremendous commercial opportunities.