Objective To screen natural small-molecule compounds with anti-Helicobacter pylori urease(HPU)activity based on traditional Chinese medicine active ingredients and to systematically investigate their inhibitory mechanisms against HPU,as well as their regulatory effects on cellular inflammation and oxidative stress following Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection.Methods A multi-dimensional screening strategy was adopted.Firstly,virtual screening was performed on the traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound database based on the crystal structure of HPU,and the candidate molecules were selected in combination with bibliometric analysis.Subsequently,the modified Berthelot method was applied to verify urease inhibitory activity in vitro.Inhibition kinetics were analyzed with Lineweaver-Burk plots.The inhibitory sites were explored through sulfhydryl blocking agents and Ni2+competitive inhibitors,followed by molecular docking simulations with AutoDock Vina(version 1.2.3).A Hp-infected human gastric mucosal epithelial cells(GES-1)model was established.The compound's cytotoxicity was assessed with the CCK-8 assay and lactate dehydrogenase release assay.The mRNA expression levels of interleulain(IL)-6,IL-8,and IL-1β were quantified with quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels were measured with a DCFH-DA fluorescent probe.Results According to the screening results,the natural small-molecule compound rhodiosin(RHO)significantly inhibited HPU activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of(82.38±5.45)μmol/L.Enzyme kinetics analysis revealed that RHO acted as an anti-competitive inhibitor,showing an inhibition constant of(146.40±2.19)μmol/L;RHO-sulfhydryl/Ni2+-HPU interaction experiments confirmed that its target was located in the sulfhydryl group in the active center of HPU.Molecular docking simulations suggested that RHO is bound exactly to the Flap domain of the urease active pocket,with a binding energy of-8.678 kcal/mol.No significant cytotoxicity towards GES-1 cells was observed with RHO at 80 μmol/L in cellular experiments.Furthermore,RHO significantly down-regulates the mRNA overexpression of IL-6,IL-8,and IL-1β induced by Hp and reduces the production of ROS by 95%.Conclusion The monomer RHO of traditional Chinese medicine inhibits HPU through anti-competitive binding to the sulfhydryl site.It can effectively alleviate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress injury of GES-1 caused by Hp infection,providing a theoretical foundation for developing novel anti-Hp treatment strategies.

Objective To observe changes of white matter function in adolescent smoker(AS)with resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF)technique.Methods Forty-five adolescents(AS group)and 45 control subjects(control group)were prospectively enrolled,and brain rs-fMRI were acquired.Brain regions with fALFF being different between groups were observed,and the correlations with clinical indicators were analyzed.Results Compared with that in control group,fALFF of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus significantly elevated in AS group(FDR correct Q＜0.05),in which the peak of the cluster was positively correlated with score of Fagerstr?m test for nicotine dependence(FTND)(r=0.294,P=0.049).Conclusion White matter function changed in AS,presenting as significantly increased fALFF in right superior longitudinal fasciculus,which was positively correlated with nicotine dependence.

Objective To observe changes of white matter function in adolescent smoker(AS)with resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF)technique.Methods Forty-five adolescents(AS group)and 45 control subjects(control group)were prospectively enrolled,and brain rs-fMRI were acquired.Brain regions with fALFF being different between groups were observed,and the correlations with clinical indicators were analyzed.Results Compared with that in control group,fALFF of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus significantly elevated in AS group(FDR correct Q＜0.05),in which the peak of the cluster was positively correlated with score of Fagerstr?m test for nicotine dependence(FTND)(r=0.294,P=0.049).Conclusion White matter function changed in AS,presenting as significantly increased fALFF in right superior longitudinal fasciculus,which was positively correlated with nicotine dependence.

Objective To screen natural small-molecule compounds with anti-Helicobacter pylori urease(HPU)activity based on traditional Chinese medicine active ingredients and to systematically investigate their inhibitory mechanisms against HPU,as well as their regulatory effects on cellular inflammation and oxidative stress following Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection.Methods A multi-dimensional screening strategy was adopted.Firstly,virtual screening was performed on the traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound database based on the crystal structure of HPU,and the candidate molecules were selected in combination with bibliometric analysis.Subsequently,the modified Berthelot method was applied to verify urease inhibitory activity in vitro.Inhibition kinetics were analyzed with Lineweaver-Burk plots.The inhibitory sites were explored through sulfhydryl blocking agents and Ni2+competitive inhibitors,followed by molecular docking simulations with AutoDock Vina(version 1.2.3).A Hp-infected human gastric mucosal epithelial cells(GES-1)model was established.The compound's cytotoxicity was assessed with the CCK-8 assay and lactate dehydrogenase release assay.The mRNA expression levels of interleulain(IL)-6,IL-8,and IL-1β were quantified with quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels were measured with a DCFH-DA fluorescent probe.Results According to the screening results,the natural small-molecule compound rhodiosin(RHO)significantly inhibited HPU activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of(82.38±5.45)μmol/L.Enzyme kinetics analysis revealed that RHO acted as an anti-competitive inhibitor,showing an inhibition constant of(146.40±2.19)μmol/L;RHO-sulfhydryl/Ni2+-HPU interaction experiments confirmed that its target was located in the sulfhydryl group in the active center of HPU.Molecular docking simulations suggested that RHO is bound exactly to the Flap domain of the urease active pocket,with a binding energy of-8.678 kcal/mol.No significant cytotoxicity towards GES-1 cells was observed with RHO at 80 μmol/L in cellular experiments.Furthermore,RHO significantly down-regulates the mRNA overexpression of IL-6,IL-8,and IL-1β induced by Hp and reduces the production of ROS by 95%.Conclusion The monomer RHO of traditional Chinese medicine inhibits HPU through anti-competitive binding to the sulfhydryl site.It can effectively alleviate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress injury of GES-1 caused by Hp infection,providing a theoretical foundation for developing novel anti-Hp treatment strategies.

Objective To investigate the dynamic functional connectivity differences between insomnia patients and healthy controls in triple brain networks[the significant network(SN),the default mode network(DMN),and the executive control network(ECN)]using functional magnetic resonance imaging,and uncover their associations with cognitive ability.Methods Dynamic functional connectivity analysis was performed on functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 40 insomnia patients and 40 healthy controls.The changes in dynamic functional connectivity values were studied for SN,DMN,ECN[including the left executive control network(LECN)and the right executive control network(RECN)];the similarities and differences in time characteristic indicators such as time score,average dwell time,and conversion rate were explored;and their associations with clinical information were analyzed.Results The SN-LECN and DMN-RECN dynamic functional connectivity was significantly higher in insomnia patients than in healthy controls(P=0.013,0.047),while the RECN-LECN and RECN internal functional connectivity strength was lower in insomnia patients than in healthy controls(P<0.001).Additionally,the fractional time in state 2 in insomnia group was significantly higher than that in healthy controls(P<0.001),and it was positively correlated with the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(r=0.524,P=0.001).Conclusion Insomnia patients exhibit significant abnormalities in triple brain network dynamic functional connectivity,which may be related to abnormalities in cognitive control and sensory processing in insomnia patients.These findings provide a new perspective for further research on the neural mechanisms and potential intervention strategies for insomnia.

tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs)—small RNA fragments derived from transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA)—fall into the category of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs). They can be categorized into two major types: tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) and tRNA-derived stress-induced small RNAs (tiRNAs). With the rapid advancement in high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics, tsRNAs have been involved in a variety of biological processes, including gene expression, signal transduction, and epigenetic inheritance, while also playing a significant role in tumor progression. The efficacy of radiotherapy is primarily affected by radiation-induced damage to normal tissues and the resistance of tumor cells to radiotherapy. It has been found that tsRNAs plays a significant role in radiation-induced cellular damage, as well as the modulation of radiation sensitivity and resistance. This highlights their potential as promising therapeutic targets in radiotherapy for tumors. This study reviews the origins, classification, biological functions of tRFs, as well as the advances in research on their role in tumor formation and progression and their applications in radiotherapy for tumors. This study aims to explore the research value of tRFs and their potential for application in radiotherapy for tumors.

Background: Viral hepatitis causes annual deaths of 1.4 million people. Antiviral therapy rarely cures the disease, and patients are usually required to maintain lifelong medication, leading to cumulative drug toxicity. Schisandrae Fructus (SF) is efficacious in the treatment of viral hepatitis. Objective: The systematic review and meta-analysis aim to examine the efficacy and safety of SF alone or in combination with specific and nonspecific treatments for treating viral hepatitis by analyzing the clinical trials performed up to date. Methods: An extensive literature was searched in 7 databases from inception to May 2023. Final outcomes were divided into the primary outcomes containing the total effective rate and virological responses, as well as the secondary outcomes containing liver biochemical functions and frequencies of adverse events. RevMan 5.3 and GRADE pro 3.6 software were used for meta-analysis and assessment of evidence quality. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the source of the heterogeneity. Results: Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. SF treatment was comparable with western medicines or other traditional Chinese treatments in terms of primary and secondary outcomes. In combination with specific treatments with antiviral medicines, SF group reduced 18.45 U/L of alanine aminotransferase levels [weighted mean difference: 18.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): (16.12, 20.78), p < 0.000 01] and 8.37 U/L of aspartate aminotransferase levels [weighted mean difference: 8.37, 95% CI: (1.25, 15.48), p = 0.02], and it decreased the levels of hyaluronic acid (HA) [standard mean difference (SMD): 0.92, 95% CI: (0.58, 1.27), p < 0.000 01], laminin (LN) [SMD: 0.64, 95% CI: (0.38, 0.90), p < 0.000 01], and procollagen type III [SMD: 0.48, 95% CI: (0.28, 0.67), p < 0.000 01], while increasing the total effective rate by 24% [risk ratio: 1.24, 95% CI: (1.15, 1.32), p < 0.000 01]. There were no severe adverse events during treatment. Conclusions: SF was a potential adjuvant for antiviral therapy in restoring liver function. However, the poor quality of the included randomized controlled trials limited the recommendations. More long-term, randomized, and double-blind studies should be performed to assess the efficacy and safety of combination therapy.

Background: Viral hepatitis causes annual deaths of 1.4 million people. Antiviral therapy rarely cures the disease, and patients are usually required to maintain lifelong medication, leading to cumulative drug toxicity. Schisandrae Fructus (SF) is efficacious in the treatment of viral hepatitis. Objective: The systematic review and meta-analysis aim to examine the efficacy and safety of SF alone or in combination with specific and nonspecific treatments for treating viral hepatitis by analyzing the clinical trials performed up to date. Methods: An extensive literature was searched in 7 databases from inception to May 2023. Final outcomes were divided into the primary outcomes containing the total effective rate and virological responses, as well as the secondary outcomes containing liver biochemical functions and frequencies of adverse events. RevMan 5.3 and GRADE pro 3.6 software were used for meta-analysis and assessment of evidence quality. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the source of the heterogeneity. Results: Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. SF treatment was comparable with western medicines or other traditional Chinese treatments in terms of primary and secondary outcomes. In combination with specific treatments with antiviral medicines, SF group reduced 18.45 U/L of alanine aminotransferase levels [weighted mean difference: 18.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): (16.12, 20.78), p < 0.000 01] and 8.37 U/L of aspartate aminotransferase levels [weighted mean difference: 8.37, 95% CI: (1.25, 15.48), p = 0.02], and it decreased the levels of hyaluronic acid (HA) [standard mean difference (SMD): 0.92, 95% CI: (0.58, 1.27), p < 0.000 01], laminin (LN) [SMD: 0.64, 95% CI: (0.38, 0.90), p < 0.000 01], and procollagen type III [SMD: 0.48, 95% CI: (0.28, 0.67), p < 0.000 01], while increasing the total effective rate by 24% [risk ratio: 1.24, 95% CI: (1.15, 1.32), p < 0.000 01]. There were no severe adverse events during treatment. Conclusions: SF was a potential adjuvant for antiviral therapy in restoring liver function. However, the poor quality of the included randomized controlled trials limited the recommendations. More long-term, randomized, and double-blind studies should be performed to assess the efficacy and safety of combination therapy.

Background: Viral hepatitis causes annual deaths of 1.4 million people. Antiviral therapy rarely cures the disease, and patients are usually required to maintain lifelong medication, leading to cumulative drug toxicity. Schisandrae Fructus (SF) is efficacious in the treatment of viral hepatitis. Objective: The systematic review and meta-analysis aim to examine the efficacy and safety of SF alone or in combination with specific and nonspecific treatments for treating viral hepatitis by analyzing the clinical trials performed up to date. Methods: An extensive literature was searched in 7 databases from inception to May 2023. Final outcomes were divided into the primary outcomes containing the total effective rate and virological responses, as well as the secondary outcomes containing liver biochemical functions and frequencies of adverse events. RevMan 5.3 and GRADE pro 3.6 software were used for meta-analysis and assessment of evidence quality. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the source of the heterogeneity. Results: Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. SF treatment was comparable with western medicines or other traditional Chinese treatments in terms of primary and secondary outcomes. In combination with specific treatments with antiviral medicines, SF group reduced 18.45 U/L of alanine aminotransferase levels [weighted mean difference: 18.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): (16.12, 20.78), p < 0.000 01] and 8.37 U/L of aspartate aminotransferase levels [weighted mean difference: 8.37, 95% CI: (1.25, 15.48), p = 0.02], and it decreased the levels of hyaluronic acid (HA) [standard mean difference (SMD): 0.92, 95% CI: (0.58, 1.27), p < 0.000 01], laminin (LN) [SMD: 0.64, 95% CI: (0.38, 0.90), p < 0.000 01], and procollagen type III [SMD: 0.48, 95% CI: (0.28, 0.67), p < 0.000 01], while increasing the total effective rate by 24% [risk ratio: 1.24, 95% CI: (1.15, 1.32), p < 0.000 01]. There were no severe adverse events during treatment. Conclusions: SF was a potential adjuvant for antiviral therapy in restoring liver function. However, the poor quality of the included randomized controlled trials limited the recommendations. More long-term, randomized, and double-blind studies should be performed to assess the efficacy and safety of combination therapy.

tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs)—small RNA fragments derived from transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA)—fall into the category of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs). They can be categorized into two major types: tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) and tRNA-derived stress-induced small RNAs (tiRNAs). With the rapid advancement in high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics, tsRNAs have been involved in a variety of biological processes, including gene expression, signal transduction, and epigenetic inheritance, while also playing a significant role in tumor progression. The efficacy of radiotherapy is primarily affected by radiation-induced damage to normal tissues and the resistance of tumor cells to radiotherapy. It has been found that tsRNAs plays a significant role in radiation-induced cellular damage, as well as the modulation of radiation sensitivity and resistance. This highlights their potential as promising therapeutic targets in radiotherapy for tumors. This study reviews the origins, classification, biological functions of tRFs, as well as the advances in research on their role in tumor formation and progression and their applications in radiotherapy for tumors. This study aims to explore the research value of tRFs and their potential for application in radiotherapy for tumors.