Background: Chinese herbal pieces are an essential component of traditional Chinese medicine. Accurate identification and classification of these materials are crucial in clinical practice. Objective: This study aims to enhance the recognition efficiency of Chinese herbal pieces using deep learning technology, while addressing the limitations of traditional manual classification methods in terms of both quality and efficiency. Methods: A comprehensive dataset containing 201 types of Chinese herbal pieces was established. Based on Real-time Detection Transformer (RT-DETR), we designed and integrated a Feature-focused Diffusion Network (FDN), resulting in an improved model termed RT-DETR-FDN. The proposed FDN includes a Feature-focus Module and a feature diffusion mechanism, enabling the model to capture more extensive feature information from Chinese herbal pieces and diffuse it across multiple detection scales. Results: Experimental results show that RT-DETR-FDN achieved a precision of 0.925, a recall of 0.943, and an mAP50-95 of 0.851. In addition, the model was compared with representative You Only Look Once series models commonly used in object detection. Compared with these models, RT-DETR-FDN achieved higher recognition accuracy while maintaining a lightweight architecture. Conclusion: This study integrates deep learning with traditional Chinese medicine, providing a more effective solution for the recognition of Chinese herbal pieces.

Primary biliary cholangitis （PBC） is a cholestatic autoimmune liver disease characterized by the injury of small intrahepatic bile ducts， and at present， the pathogenesis of PBC remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that bile acid metabolism disorder and gut microbiota imbalance play a key role in the development and progression of PBC， and they form a complex and dynamic interaction network via the “gut-liver axis” and regulate core physiopathological processes such as immune response， metabolic homeostasis， and inflammatory response in a synergistic manner. This article systematically elaborates on the abnormal features of bile acid metabolism and gut microbiota in PBC， discusses their synergistic mechanisms in PBC， and then proposes a combined strategy of targeting bile acid receptors and modulating gut microbiota， in order to overcome the limitations of current treatment modalities and provide new insights and directions for the clinical management of PBC.

Background: Psoralea corylifolia L. (Buguzhi, BGZ), known for its efficacy in supporting pregnancy and preventing miscarriage, has been used in China for over 1000 years. Recently, BGZ has been identified as a potential cause of drug-induced liver injury. However, its safety during pregnancy remains unclear, which significantly hinders its routine clinical application. Objective: To investigate the effects of BGZ administration during pregnancy on the liver of mouse mothers and their weaned 21-day-old offspring. Methods: Mice were orally administered BGZ at doses of 2.5 and 10 g/kg during pregnancy, with BGZ withdrawal during the lactation period. Liver histopathology (hematoxylin-eosin staining), biochemical analysis, and evaluation of liver bile acid metabolism were performed after the lactation period. Results: BGZ administration at doses of 2.5 and 10 g/kg during pregnancy, followed by withdrawal during the lactation period, caused mild liver damage in both mothers and their 21-day-old offspring. Serum total bile acid (TBA) levels were elevated compared with those in the control group. Additionally, changes were observed in the levels and proportions of various bile acids (BAs) in the liver, suggesting mild effects on BA metabolism. Conclusion: BGZ administration during pregnancy caused mild liver damage and increased serum TBA levels in both mouse mothers and their 21-day-old offspring. This phenomenon may be associated with imbalanced BA metabolism in the liver. Based on the present study and the limited toxicological research on BGZ, pregnant women should avoid prolonged use of BGZ. If BGZ is administered during pregnancy, serum TBA levels should be monitored, and if elevated, BGZ should be discontinued.

Objective To observe the value of prenatal ultrasound evaluation on morphology of Sylvian fissure(SF)during the second and third trimesters for screening fetal abnormal cerebral cortical development.Methods Totally 876 fetuses in the second and third trimesters were retrospectively included.Prenatal ultrasound was performed to observe the morphology of fetal SF and whether there was complicated abnormalities of the development of cerebral cortical and other structures.Then prenatal ultrasound was regularly reexamined,and the pregnancy outcome,while the growth and development of newborns were followed up.Results Among 876 fetuses,normal SF morphology was observed in 861 fetuses(861/876,98.29％),while 11 fetuses(11/876,1.26％)had delayed SF development(normal SF morphology but inconsistent with gestational week)and 4 fetuses(4/876,0.46％)had abnormal SF morphology,all complicated with abnormal cerebral cortical development and/or intracranial and extracranial structural malformations,and reexamination of prenatal ultrasound showed that SF morphology was consistent with the gestational week in 4 fetuses,SF morphology still did not match the gestational week in 4 fetuses,and SF morphology was still abnormal in 2 fetuses.Among these 15 fetuses,6 were successfully born and grew well after followed up until 10-15 months,4 were induced labor,while the rest 4(3 with delayed SF development and 1 with abnormal SF morphology)complicated with other severe malformations and 1 with abnormal SF morphology were induced labor or lost to follow-up,hence not undergoing ultrasound re-examination.Conclusion Prenatal ultrasound evaluation on SF morphology during the second and third trimesters had important value for screening fetal abnormal cerebral cortical development.

Pigeon circovirus(PiCV)is globally widespread and is considered a potential cause of young pigeon sickness syndrome(YPDS),which leads to severe immunosuppression and high mortality.Due to the inability of PiCV to be cultured in cells,the development of traditional vac-cines is severely limited,and no effective vaccines is currently available.To develop a novel PiCV DNA candidate vaccine,we cloned the △Cap gene lacking a nuclear localization signal(NLS),and fused it at its C-terminus with the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions of the Newcastle dis-ease virus(NDV)F protein(△Cap-TMCT).Two DNA vaccine candidates were constructed:pCAGG-△Cap,targeting intracellular expression,and pCAGG-△Capt,for cell surface expression,respectively.The results of indirect immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses confirmed suc-cessful expression of both recombinant plasmids in DF1 cells.Immunization studies in mice re-vealed that pCAGG-△Capt induced significantly higher levels of specific IgG antibodies,T-cell re-sponses,and cytokine secretion compared to pCAGG-△Cap,as assessed by ELISA,flow cytome-try,and ELISpot assays.These findings suggest that targeting △Cap-TMCT fusion protein to the cell surface can effectively enhance its immunogenicity,highlighting its potential as a PiCV DNA vaccine candidate.This study provides new strategies and theoretical foundations for the design and development of PiCV DNA vaccines.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, and gene rearrangement status of hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma (HCCC) of the salivary glands, in order to better understand this rare tumor and improve its precision diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A total of 65 cases of salivary gland HCCC diagnosed at the Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China between January 2001 and May 2024 were collected. Clinical features, pathological characteristics, EWSR1 gene rearrangement, and follow-up data were analyzed.Results:There were 33 males and 32 females. The age of the patients ranged from 22 to 85 years, with a median age of 54.0 (40.0, 63.5) years. 93.8% (61/65) of the tumors occurred in the minor salivary glands, most commonly in the palate. Microscopically, the tumors were mainly composed of clear tumor cells. Squamous differentiation was observed in 66.2% (43/65) of the tumors, and mucinous cells in 36.9% (24/65). The tumor stroma showed delicate fibrous septa or hyalinized sheets between tumor nests. Lymph node metastasis occurred in 12.3% (8/65) of the cases, and high-grade transformation was observed in 6.2% (4/65). Tumor cells were all positive for p40 and p63, while SOX10 was positive in 12.3% (8/65) of them. Myoepithelial markers were negative. EWSR1 gene rearrangement was detected in 96.6% of the tumors. Follow-up data showed a 5-year overall survival rate of 93.8%, a local recurrence rate of 9.2%, and a distant metastasis rate of 4.6%.Conclusions:HCCC predominantly arises in minor salivary glands and generally has a favorable prognosis. However, a small proportion of the cases may show high-grade transformation, lymph node metastasis, local recurrence, or distant metastasis. It thus requires long-term and regular follow-up. Accurate diagnosis should be based on a comprehensive assessment of histopathological features, immunophenotype, and gene fusion status.

Acute kidney injury（AKI）is defined as a clinical syndrome characterized by a rapid decline in renal function over a short period.Oxidative stress，inflammatory responses，and apoptosis play crucial roles in the pathogenesis and progression of AKI.Although symptomatic treatment and renal replacement therapies are widely used in clinical practice，effective therapeutic interventions remain limited.With the rapid advancement of nanotechnology，nanomaterials have demonstrated better potential for application in disease prevention，diagnosis，and treatment.Owing to their unique size effects，tunable surface properties，and excellent biocompatibility，nanomaterials hold great value for targeted drug delivery，anti-inflammatory，and antioxidative therapies，offering new advances in the treatment strategies of kidney diseases.This article summarizes the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of nanomaterials in AKI.

Bartter syndrome（BS）is a group of disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding ion transport proteins in the renal tubular epithelium，which leads to impaired salt reabsorption in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. The common features include hypokalemia，metabolic alkalosis，hyperreninemia，and hyperaldosteronism，with normal or low blood pressure. In pediatric patients，BS often has an insidious onset and nonspecific clinical manifestations，making its diagnosis and differential diagnosis challenging. This review systematically elaborates the pathophysiological mechanisms，molecular genetic basis，clinical spectrum，diagnostic approaches，and key points for differential diagnosis of pediatric BS，as well as explores the application of gene sequencing in this disorder，aiming to provide clinicians with a clear framework for its diagnosis and management.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis in humans and animals. Mtb invades the host′s lungs via airborne transmission, infects macrophages and causes tuberculosis. In some cases, the infection can spread to other tissues and organs. Despite the availability of several drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis, the emergence of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis has led to high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for researchers to develop new anti-tuberculosis drugs that can treat tuberculosis more efficiently. Recent studies have shown that the virulence factors of Mtb play a crucial role in its pathogenicity. These factors primarily include secreted proteins, transcription factors, proteases, stress response proteins, metabolism-associated proteins, and cell-surface components. By evading the host′s immune surveillance through mechanisms such as anti-oxidative stress, regulating nutrient synthesis and metabolism, and modulating host cells apoptosis, Mtb is able to achieve long-term survival and spread with in the host. Understanding the mechanisms of Mtb virulence factors can provide new directions for targeted tuberculosis therapy. Therefore, knowledge of these virulence factors is essential for the development of new vaccines and anti-tuberculosis drugs. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress in the virulence factors of Mtb to provide a reference for targeted treatment of tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of apolipoprotein C1 (APOC1) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its effects on proliferation and apoptosis of PTC cells. METHODS: The expression level of APOC1 in PTC and its impact on prognosis were analyzed using GEPIA 2 and Kaplan-Meier databases. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of APOC1 in PTC and adjacent tissues and in 3 PTC cell lines and normal thyroid Nthyori 3-1 cells. In TPC-1 and BCPAP cells, the effect of Lipofectamine 2000-mediated transfection with APOC1 siRNA or an APOC1-overexpressing plasmid on cell growth and colony formation ability were examined by observing the growth curves and using colony-forming assay. The changes in cell cycle and apoptosis of the transfected cells were analyzed with flow cytometry. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the changes in expressions of P21, P27, CDK4, cyclin D1, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 and the key proteins in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. RESULTS: APOC1 expression was significantly higher in PTC tissues and the 3 PTC cell lines than in the adjacent tissues and Nthyori 3-1 cells, respectively. In TPC-1 and BCPAP cells, APOC1 knockdown obviously reduced cell proliferative activity, increased the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells, lowered the percentages of S and G2 phase cells, promoted cell apoptosis, and downregulated mRNA and protein expression levels of CDK4, cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 and the protein levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3. APOC1 overexpression in the cells produced the opposite effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle and the mRNA and protein expressions. The application of AG490, a JAK2 inhibitor, strongly attenuated APOC1 overexpression-induced activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in BCPAP cells. CONCLUSIONS APOC1 overexpression promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of PTC cells possibly by activating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and accelerating cell cycle progression.
Humans ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Janus Kinase 2/metabolism* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology* ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Papillary