Protein structure determines function, and structural information is critical for predicting protein thermostability. This study proposes a novel method for protein thermostability prediction by integrating graph embedding features and network topological features. By constructing residue interaction networks (RINs) to characterize protein structures, we calculated network topological features and utilize deep neural networks (DNN) to mine inherent characteristics. Using DeepWalk and Node2vec algorithms, we obtained node embeddings and extracted graph embedding features through a TopN strategy combined with bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) networks. Additionally, we introduced the Doc2vec algorithm to replace the Word2vec module in graph embedding algorithms, generating graph embedding feature vector encodings. By employing an attention mechanism to fuse graph embedding features with network topological features, we constructed a high-precision prediction model, achieving 87.85% prediction accuracy on a bacterial protein dataset. Furthermore, we analyzed the differences in the contributions of network topological features in the model and the differences among various graph embedding methods, and found that the combination of DeepWalk features with Doc2vec and all topological features was crucial for the identification of thermostable proteins. This study provides a practical and effective new method for protein thermostability prediction, and at the same time offers theoretical guidance for exploring protein diversity, discovering new thermostable proteins, and the intelligent modification of mesophilic proteins.
Neural Networks, Computer ; Algorithms ; Protein Stability ; Proteins/chemistry* ; Protein Conformation ; Temperature

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical effects of sterilization of vas deferens by irrigation in clinic. METHODS: Eighty-six male patients with voluntary sterilization were divided into control group (usual vasectomy, n=50) and observation group (sterilization of vas deferens by irrigation, n=36). The age, testicular volume, preoperative average concentration of spern, serum testosterone level, recovery duration evaluated by Artificial Obstruction Azoospermia (AOA) and degree of satisfaction were compared between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: There were significant differences in recovery duration, degree of satisfaction between the two groups (P<0.05). And there was no significant difference in age （［32.0±5.5］years vs ［31.0±6.3］years）, testicular volume （［16.0±4.8］mL vs ［17.0±4.4］mL）, preoperative average concentration of sperm (［39.6±20.2］ ×106/mL vs ［40.2±22.6］ ×106/mL) and levels of blood testosterone （［4.3±0.8］ng/mL vs ［4.4±0.8］ ng/mL）. There was significant difference in patency rate between the two sides of testicular ducts（91.7% vs 83.3%, P<0.05）. CONCLUSION The method of sterilization of vas deferens by irrigation is worth popularizing in clinic.
Humans ; Male ; Vas Deferens/surgery* ; Adult ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Vasectomy/methods* ; Young Adult ; Sterilization, Reproductive/methods*

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) encompasses damage to nerves located outside the central nervous system, adversely affecting both motor and sensory functions. Although peripheral nerves possess an intrinsic capacity for self-repair, severe injuries frequently result in significant tissue loss and erroneous axonal junctions, thereby impeding complete recovery and potentially causing neuropathic pain. Various therapeutic strategies, including surgical interventions, biomaterials, and pharmacological agents, have been developed to enhance nerve repair processes. While preclinical studies in animal models have demonstrated the efficacy of certain pharmacological agents in promoting nerve regeneration and mitigating inflammation, only a limited number of these agents have been translated into clinical practice to expedite nerve regeneration. Chinese herb medicine (CHM) possesses a longstanding history in the treatment of various ailments and demonstrates potential efficacy in addressing PNI through its distinctive, cost-effective, and multifaceted methodologies. This review critically examines the advancements in the application of CHM for PNI treatment and nerve regeneration. In particular, we have summarized the most commonly employed and rigorously investigated CHM prescriptions, individual herbs, and natural products, elucidating their respective functions and underlying mechanisms in the context of PNI treatment. Furthermore, we have deliberated on the prospective development of CHM in both clinical practice and fundamental research.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Nerve Regeneration/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates anxiety and fear behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), focusing on the role of lipocalin-2 (Lcn2). METHODS: The PTSD mouse model was subjected to single prolonged stress and shock (SPS&S), and the animals received 15 min sessions of EA at Shenmen acupoint (HT7). Behavioral tests were used to investigate the effects of EA at HT7 on anxiety and fear. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to quantify Lcn2 and inflammatory cytokine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Additionally, the activity of PFC neurons was evaluated by immunofluorescence and in vivo electrophysiology. RESULTS: Mice subjected to SPS&S presented increased anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. Lcn2 expression in the PFC was significantly upregulated following SPS&S, leading to increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and suppression of PFC neuronal activity. However, EA at HT7 inhibited Lcn2 release, reducing neuroinflammation and hypoexcitability in the PFC. Lcn2 overexpression mitigated the effects of EA at HT7, resulting in anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. CONCLUSION EA at HT7 can ameliorate PTSD-associated anxiety and fear, and its mechanism of action appears to involve the inhibition of Lcn2-mediated neural activity and inflammation in the PFC. Please cite this article as: Yang YD, Zhong W, Chen M, Tang QC, Li Y, Yao LL, et al. Electroacupuncture alleviates behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder by modulating lipocalin-2-mediated neuroinflammation and neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):537-547.
Electroacupuncture ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/metabolism* ; Animals ; Lipocalin-2/metabolism* ; Prefrontal Cortex/physiopathology* ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons/physiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fear ; Behavior, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Anxiety/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points

L-valine is an important branched-chain amino acid widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and feed industries. Microbial fermentation has become the primary production method for L-valine. However, current industrial production still faces issues such as inefficient carbon flux utilization, imbalance in cofactor supply and demand, and suboptimal fermentation processes, which limit the efficient synthesis of L-valine. To further enhance the production performance of L-valine, In this study, metabolic engineering was conducted for a previously constructed Escherichia coli strain with a high yield of L-valine to optimize carbon flux distribution and balance cofactor consumption. Dual-phase oxygen-controlled fermentation was carried out to enhance L-valine production. Firstly, to address the pyruvate loss, we knocked out multiple competing pathway genes (ldhA, poxB, pflB, frdA, and pta), which resulted in a 48% increase in flask yield of the constructed strain VL-04. Next, we optimized the cofactor supply and demand balance by replacing ilvE with bcd (NADH-preferential) from Bacillus subtilis to construct the strain VL-06, which achieved a flask yield of 22.80 g/L, a further improvement of 25.8%. Subsequently, the fermentation conditions of VL-06 were optimized in a 5 L bioreactor with dual-phase oxygen-controlled fermentation. After optimization, the L-valine production reached 86.44 g/L in 26 h, with a glucose-to-acid conversion rate of 44.08% and a production intensity of 3.32 g/(L·h). This study not only shortens the time for L-valine production but also improves the economic efficiency, providing insights for similar fermentation processes employing dual-phase oxygen control.
Metabolic Engineering/methods* ; Escherichia coli/genetics* ; Valine/biosynthesis* ; Fermentation ; Bacillus subtilis/genetics*

ObjectiveExosomes are microvesicles which could be secreted by all cell types with diameters between 30 and 150 nm. It was widely distributed in body fluids including blood, urine, and breast milk. Exosomes are considered as potential biomarkers and drug carriers by reason of containing nucleic acids, lipids, proteins and other bioactive molecules. Milk-derived exosomes have been widely used as drug delivery carriers to treat targeted diseases with a lower cost, higher biocompatibility and lower immunogenicity. Until now, there is no research about the milk-derived exosomes phosphorylation to reveal the difference of protein phosphorylation in different species of milk. To investigate the pathways and proteins with specific functions, phosphorylated proteomic analysis of milk-derived exosomes from different species is performed, and provide new ideas for exploring diversified treatments of disease. MethodsWhey and exosomes derived from bovine, porcine and caprine milk were performed for proteomics and phosphoproteomics analysis. The relationship between milk exosome proteins from different species and signaling pathways were analyzed using bioinformatics tools. ResultsA total of 4 191 global proteins, 1 640 phosphoproteins and 4 064 phosphosites were identified from 3 species of milk-derived exosomes, and the exosome proteins and phosphoproteins from different species were significantly higher than those of whey. Meanwhile, some special pathways were enriched like Fcγ-mediated phagocytosis from bovine exosomes, pathways related with neural and immune system from caprine exosomes, positive and negative regulation of multiple activities from porcine exosomes. ConclusionIn this study, the proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses of exosomes and whey from bovine, porcine and caprine milk were carried out to reveal the difference of composition and related signaling pathways of milk exosome from different species. These results provided powerful support for the application of exosomes from different milk sources in the field of disease treatment.

Objective To explore the influencing factors for Hook-wire precise positioning under CT guidance, determine the best positioning management strategy, and develop Nomogram prediction model. Methods Patients who underwent CT-guided Hook-wire puncture positioning in our hospital from July 2018 to November 2022 were selected. They were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set with a ratio of 7 : 3. Clinical data of the patients were analyzed, and the logistic analysis was used to screen out the risk factors that affected CT-guided Hook-wire precise positioning for the training set. The Nomogram prediction model was constructed according to the risk factors, and the goodness of fit test and clinical decision curve analysis were performed. Results A total of 199 patients with CT-guided Hook-wire puncture were included in this study, including 72 males and 127 females, aged 25-83 years. There were 139 patients in the training set and 60 patients in the validation set. In the training set, 70 patients were accurately located, with an incidence of 50.36%. Logistic regression analysis showed that height [OR=3.46, 95%CI (1.44, 8.35), P=0.006], locating needle perpendicular to the horizontal plane [OR=3.40, 95%CI (1.37, 8.43), P=0.008], locating needle perpendicular to the tangent line of skin surface [OR=6.01, 95%CI (2.38, 15.20), P＜0.001], CT scanning times [OR=3.03, 95%CI (1.25, 7.33), P=0.014], occlusion [OR=10.56, 95%CI (1.98, 56.48), P=0.006] were independent risk factors for CT-guided Hook-wire precise localization. The verification results of the Nomogram prediction model based on these independent risk factors showed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.843 [95%CI (0.776, 0.910)], and the predicted value of the correction curve was basically consistent with the measured value. The AUC of the model in the validation set was 0.854 [95%CI (0.759, 0.950)]. The decision curves showed that when the threshold probability was within the range of 8%-85% in the training set and 18%-99% in the validation set, there was a high net benefit value. Conclusion Height, the locating needle perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the locating needle perpendicular to the tangent line of skin surface, number of CT scans, and occlusion are independent risk factors for CT-guided Hook-wire accurate localization. The Nomogram model established based on the above risk factors can accurately assess and quantify the risk of CT-guided Hook-wire accurate localization.

Objective To examine the application effectiveness of dual 8F ultrafine pigtail drainage tubes versus a single 28F large-bore chest tube in single-port thoracoscopic lobectomy/segmentectomy. Methods Clinical data of patients who underwent single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy/segmentectomy within our medical group from January 2020 to August 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. They were categorized into two groups based on postoperative drainage methods: a dual 8F ultrafine pigtail tubes group and a single 28F large-bore chest tube group. Comparative analysis was performed on perioperative data for the two groups of patients. Results The dual 8F ultrafine pigtail tubes group comprised of 68 patients, with 41 females and 27 males, and an average age of (54.72±13.34) years, while the single 28F large-bore chest tube group comprised of 80 patients, with 40 females and 40 males, and an average age of (57.60±11.04) years. There were statistical differences between the two groups in terms of postoperative drainage volume on day 1, day 2, and day 3, total postoperative drainage volume, postoperative tube placement time, postoperative pain score at 48 hours, maximum postoperative pain score, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications related to drainage tubes, and emergency use of pain-relieving medication after surgery (P＜0.05). Conclusion After single-port thoracoscopic lobectomy/segmentectomy, the application of dual ultrafine 8F pigtail drainage tubes can lead to a reduction in postoperative drainage volume and shorten the duration of postoperative drainage tube placement and hospital stay, thereby decreasing postoperative pain and the frequency of emergency pain-relieving medication. Moreover, it lowers the incidence of drainage tube-related complications. In alignment with current enhanced recovery after surgery principles, this approach is advantageous for postoperative recovery.

With the widespread adoption of low-dose computed tomography(LDCT)and advancements in computed tomography image resolution,the detection rate of pulmonary nodules,especially smaller ones,has significantly improved.The risk of developing malignant tumors increases with the pulmonary nodule diameter.Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS)stands out as the preferred surgical method.The accurate localization of pulmonary nodules is crucial for the success of VATS and remains a significant challenge for thoracic surgeons.Currently,commonly employed localization methods include CT-guided percutaneous positioning,bronchoscope-guided positioning,intraoperative ultrasound positioning,augmented reality(AR),and 3D print-assisted positioning.This review explores recent research progress,highlights the strengths and weaknesses of various pulmonary nodule localization methods.The aim is to provide valuable insights for clinical applications and guide future developments in this field.

The emerging biomedical industry has an increasing demand for the professional talents and puts forward higher requirements for the quality, especially the innovation ability of the talents. Exploring a new model for fostering the innovation ability of postgraduates majoring in biological and medical sciences based on the principle of integrating production, education and research is of practical significance for improving the quality of professional talents and empowering the bio-economic development. Taking the training of innovation ability of postgraduates majoring in biological and medical sciences at Jiangnan University as an example, this paper introduced a new training system of "six integration and six optimizations". This system included ideological guidance, discipline system, training program, faculty, research innovation platform, and communication and cooperation. Satisfactory cultivation results were achieved with this new system. This paper is expected to provide reference for the training of innovative talents in the biological and medical industry.
Biological Science Disciplines/education* ; China ; Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Inventions