ObjectiveBased on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we investigated the brain activity characteristics of gross motor tasks in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and motor dysfunctions (MDs) to provide a theoretical basis for further understanding the mechanism of MDs in children with ASD and designing targeted intervention programs from a central perspective. MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 children with ASD accompanied by MDs were recruited into the ASD group and 40 children with typically developing (TD) into the TD group. The fNIRS device was used to collect the information of blood oxygen changes in the cortical motor-related brain regions during single-handed bag throwing and tiptoe walking, and the differences in brain activation and functional connectivity between the two groups of children were analyzed from the perspective of brain activation and functional connectivity. ResultsCompared to the TD group, in the object manipulative motor task (one-handed bag throwing), the ASD group showed significantly reduced activation in both left sensorimotor cortex (SMC) and right secondary visual cortex (V2) (P<0.05), whereas the right pre-motor and supplementary motor cortex (PMC&SMA) had significantly higher activation (P<0.01) and showed bilateral brain region activity; in terms of brain functional integration, there was a significant decrease in the strength of brain functional connectivity (P<0.05) and was mainly associated with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and V2. In the body stability motor task (tiptoe walking), the ASD group had significantly higher activation in motor-related brain regions such as the DLPFC, SMC, and PMC&SMA (P<0.05) and showed bilateral brain region activity; in terms of brain functional integration, the ASD group had lower strength of brain functional connectivity (P<0.05) and was mainly associated with PMC&SMA and V2. ConclusionChildren with ASD exhibit abnormal brain functional activity characteristics specific to different gross motor tasks in object manipulative and body stability, reflecting insufficient or excessive compensatory activation of local brain regions and impaired cross-regions integration, which may be a potential reason for the poorer gross motor performance of children with ASD, and meanwhile provides data support for further unraveling the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of MDs in the context of ASD and designing targeted intervention programs from a central perspective.

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) solid waste is characterized by widespread availability, renewability, and substantial production volume. In the context of the "dual carbon" goals, the pyrolysis of TCM solid waste for producing fuel gas for recycling in pharmaceutical production has emerged as a crucial strategy for optimizing the energy structure in the TCM industry and developing renewable energy. This paper comprehensively reviews both internal and external factors that influence the pyrolysis of TCM solid waste. Internal factors encompass moisture content, particle size, ash content, and the morphology of the raw materials, while external factors include pyrolysis conditions, equivalence ratios, types of gasifiers, and gasifying agents. Furthermore, this paper details the challenges associated with the pyrolysis of TCM solid waste, such as the dispersion of feedstocks, the diversity of resources, the complexity of the pyrolysis process, and the variations in gasifier performance. Finally, this paper proposes measures to address these challenges. This paper aims to provide insights into the development of a circular economy for TCM resources and the advancement of low-carbon energy utilization in the TCM industry.
Pyrolysis ; Carbon/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Solid Waste/analysis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Gases/chemistry*

This study aims to explore the intervention effects of isorhamnetin(Isor) on acute lung injury(ALI) and its regulatory effects on pyroptosis mediated by the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)/apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC)/cysteine aspartate-specific protease-1(caspase-1) axis. In the in vivo experiments, 60 BALB/c mice were divided into five groups. Except for the control group, the other groups were administered Isor by gavage 1 hour before intratracheal instillation of LPS to induce ALI, and tissues were collected after 12 hours. In the in vitro experiments, RAW264.7 cells were divided into five groups. Except for the control group, the other groups were pretreated with Isor for 2 hours before LPS stimulation and subsequent assessments. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue, while lung swelling, protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), and myeloperoxidase(MPO) levels in lung tissue were measured. Cell proliferation toxicity and viability were assessed using the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-6, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, cleaved caspase-1, and the N-terminal fragment of gasdermin D(GSDMD-N) were evaluated using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. The results showed that in the in vivo experiments, Isor significantly improved pathological damage in lung tissue, reduced lung swelling, protein levels in BALF, MPO levels in lung tissue, and levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α, and inhibited the high expression of the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis and the pyroptosis core gene GSDMD-N. In the in vitro experiments, the safe dose of Isor was determined through cell proliferation toxicity assays. Isor reduced cell death and inhibited the expression levels of the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis, GSDMD-N, and inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, Isor may alleviate ALI by modulating pyroptosis mediated by the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis.
Animals ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Acute Lung Injury/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Quercetin/pharmacology* ; Caspase 1/genetics* ; CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins/genetics* ; Male ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Humans ; Lung/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To study the results, re-donation situation and characteristics of single-reagent reactive blood donors who were put into the reentry strategy in Wuhan area, explore the rationality and effectiveness of the current reentry strategy, and provide data support for the improvement of the reentry process of blood donors. METHODS: From January 2020 to December 2023, blood donors who conform the reentry criteria and voluntarily applied for returning to Wuhan Blood Center were tested and the results were analyzed. According to the reentry strategy, serological testing and nucleic acid testing were carried out in parallel, serological testing was performed by ELISA with reagents from two different manufacturers, and the primary reactive samples were tested by double-well retest, and HBV/HCV/HIV nucleic acid detection was performed by RT-PCR with an individual donor test mode. Supplementary HBcAb testing was applied for HBV single reagent reactivity by chemiluminescence method. Supplementary TP-WB testing was applied for returning blood donors with repeated TP single reagent reactivity. If returning blood donors with HIV single reagent reactivity were repeated single reagent reactivity, the samples were sent to local CDC for confirmatory test. RESULTS: 7 098 blood donors were qualified for reentry, 716 donors voluntarily applied for reentry, 436 donors successfully reentry, 251 donors entered the next round, 29 donors could not reentry. The reentry rates for the past four years were 66.67%（42/63）, 54.73%（81/148）, 60.71%（136/224） and 62.99%（177/281）, respectively. Up to December 31, 2023, 275 donors donated blood again, and the donation rates for past four years were 76.19%（32/42）, 72.84%（59/81）, 61.76%（84/136） and 56.50%（100/177）, respectively. After donating blood, 31 donors were disqualified again by blood screening and subjected to permanent deferral. The results of returning to the team had statistical differences in reentry items, educational level, age, and marriage（P < 0.05）. CONCLUSION The current reentry strategy adopted by the blood donation and supply institution can effectively retain part of blood donors, reduce the negative emotions of blood donors and increase blood resources.
Humans ; Blood Donors ; China ; Hepatitis B ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepatitis C ; Male

Arginine methylation is a critical post-translational modification that plays multifaceted biological functions. However, the manipulation of protein arginine methylation largely depends on genetic or pharmaceutic inhibition of the regulatory enzymes, protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), or non-methylation substitution of corresponding arginine residue to lysine or alanine of protein of interest (POI), which inevitably affects other substrates, or disrupts the structure of POI. Thus, it urges an approach to specifically modulate the arginine methylation of a POI under physiological conditions. To this end, we report the discovery of a methylation tagging system (MeTAG), that enables targeted modification of protein arginine methylation. Through bridging the methyltransferase PRMT5 proximity to a POI, MeTAG facilitates the arginine methylation of POIs, including known arginine methylated proteins, androgen receptor (AR) and protein kinase B (AKT), as well as a neo-substrate E1A binding protein (p300), in a reversible and PRMT5-dependent manner. Moreover, MeTAG can regulate downstream signaling in a methylation dependent manner, leading to downregulation of PSMA mRNA level and activation of AKT. Therefore, MeTAG represents a feasible approach to modulate protein methylation and thereby perturbs protein function in biological and therapeutic contexts.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment. The dysregulation of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) signaling in T2D patients results in impaired adaptive responses to hypoxia, thereby accelerating the progression of complications. However, limited knowledge is available regarding its precise function in diabetes-associated cognitive impairment (DACI). Here, elevated HIF-1α levels were observed in brain endothelial cells (ECs) of db/db mice. Functionally, brain ECs-specific knockdown of H if1 a significantly ameliorated T2D-induced memory loss and neuronal damage. Glycolysis in brain ECs was inhibited in this process, as indicated by RNA-seq, leading to decreased hippocampal lactate production through reduced LDHA expression. Notably, T2D patients showed increased cerebrospinal fluid lactate levels, which were strongly associated with their cognitive dysfunction. Intrahippocampal injection of lactate accelerated cognitive dysfunction and impaired adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in db/db mice. Conversely, reducing hippocampal lactate levels through the intrahippocampal injection of oxamate delayed the onset of memory deficits. Furthermore, asiatic acid was discovered to protect db/db mice from cognitive impairment by decreasing brain endothelial HIF-1α expression and subsequently reducing hippocampal lactate-induced AHN damage. Overall, this study elucidates the inhibiting role played by endothelial HIF-1α-driven lactate in AHN and highlights a potential tactic of targeting HIF-1α in brain ECs for treating cognitive impairment.

Objective:To explore the genetic etiology of a pedigree with intellectual disability and explore its pathogenesis.Methods:A Chinese pedigree which had presented at the Henan Provincial People′s Hospital in March 2023 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the pedigree were collected, along with peripheral venous blood samples from its members. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out, and candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Amniotic fluid was collected for prenatal diagnosis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Henan Provincial People′s Hospital (No. 2019-134).Results:Both the proband (a 6-year-old male) and his mother (30 years old) had various degrees of intellectual and motor impairment. WES revealed that the proband has harbored a de novo heterozygous c. 2563_2567dup (p.Lys856fs) variant of the UBE3A gene, while his mother, maternal grandmother and fetus had all harbored a novel heterozygous c. 409+ 1G>A variant of the RNF13 gene. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), both variants were predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+ PS1+ PM2_Supporting; PVS1+ PM2_Supporting+ PP3). Conclusion:Based on the clinical manifestations and the result of genetic testing, the heterozygous c.2563_2567dup (p.Lys856fs) variant of the UBE3A gene probably underlay the intellectual disability and developmental delay in the proband, whilst the heterozygous c. 409+ 1G>A variant of the RNF13 gene may underlie the intellectual disability in the proband′s mother and grandmother. Above results have enabled genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this pedigree.

Objective Based on the acupuncture literature data set,a named entity recognition method of acupuncture literature based on dictionary and deep learning model is proposed to improve the effect of acupuncture literature entity recognition.Methods In this paper,the entity recognition methods of acupuncture literature were explored,and the vector representation effects based on word2vec and ALBERTmodels and ALBERT+domain dictionary were compared.On this basis,a named entity extraction method combining domain dictionary and ALBERT-BiLSTM-CRF deep learning model was proposed.Results According to the extraction effect of three model entities,the P value of word2vec-BiLSTM-CRF is 81.82%,the R value is 70.76%,and the F1 value is 75.48%;ALBERT-BiLSTM-CRF has an P value of 83.10%,a R value of 81.14%and a F1 value of 81.98%."ALBERT-BiLSTM-CRF+dictionary"is 92.57%,91.42%and 91.85%.In terms of entity categories,the top three entities with the highest accuracy rate are acupuncture,needling and needling site,which are 98%,ninety-seven percent and ninety-seven percent respectively,while the three entities with the lowest accuracy rate are acupoint matching corresponding symptoms,disease names and sample size,which are 50.00%,50.68%and 52.43%respectively.Conclusion Compared with the original ALBERT-BiLSTM-CRF model,the precision rate,recall rate and F1 value increased after adding the dictionary,and the convergence speed of the model after adding the dictionary was twice that without adding the dictionary.It is effective to use"ALBERT-BiLSTM-CRF+dictionary"model to identify named entities in acupuncture literature.

Background::Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination are a priority in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, limited information is available on vaccination coverage among patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in China. This study aimed to determine the rates and associated factors of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in patients hospitalized with AECOPD.Methods::Baseline data from a national, multicenter, hospital-based study that included adult inpatients with AECOPD between 2017 and 2021 were analyzed. The outcomes of interest were the influenza vaccination in the past year and the pneumococcal vaccination in the past 5 years. To ensure national representativeness, rates were weighted according to the distribution of hospital levels and types enrolled in this study. Multivariable Poisson regression based on mixed-effects models were used to determine the associated factors. The independent variables included the region and hospital features where the participants were located, sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, rural/urban residence, education, etc.), and clinical indicators (COPD disease history, lung function parameters, comorbidities, etc.). The treatment profiles of the vaccinated and unvaccinated participants were compared.Results::Of 6949 eligible participants, the weighted rates of influenza/pneumococcal, influenza, and pneumococcal vaccination were 2.72% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.34%-3.10%), 2.09% (95% CI: 1.76%-2.43%), and 1.25% (95% CI: 0.99%-1.51%), respectively. In multivariable models, age ≥60 years (60-69 years, odds ratio [OR]: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.11-3.25; ≥80 years, OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.06-3.78), geographical regions (Northern China relative to Eastern China, OR: 5.09, 95% CI: 1.96-13.21), urban residence (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.07-2.66), a higher education level (junior high school, OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.21-2.58; senior high school or above, OR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.69-4.03), former smoking (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.15-2.79), and regular inhaled medication treatment (OR: 3.28, 95% CI: 2.29-4.70) were positively associated with vaccination. Patients who had experienced severe exacerbations in the past year were less likely to be vaccinated (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.45-0.96). Compared with unvaccinated participants, vaccinated participants adhered better to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment.Conclusions::Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage are extremely low. Urgent measures are necessary to increase vaccination coverage among inpatients with AECOPD in China.

Background::Although overnight fasting is recommended prior to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the benefits and safety of high-carbohydrate fluid diet (CFD) intake 2 h before ERCP remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze whether high-CFD intake 2 h before ERCP can be safe and accelerate patients’ recovery.Methods::This prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial involved 15 tertiary ERCP centers. A total of 1330 patients were randomized into CFD group ( n = 665) and fasting group ( n = 665). The CFD group received 400 mL of maltodextrin orally 2 h before ERCP, while the control group abstained from food/water overnight (>6 h) before ERCP. All ERCP procedures were performed using deep sedation with intravenous propofol. The investigators were blinded but not the patients. The primary outcomes included postoperative fatigue and abdominal pain score, and the secondary outcomes included complications and changes in metabolic indicators. The outcomes were analyzed according to a modified intention-to-treat principle. Results::The post-ERCP fatigue scores were significantly lower at 4 h (4.1 ± 2.6 vs. 4.8 ± 2.8, t = 4.23, P <0.001) and 20 h (2.4 ± 2.1 vs. 3.4 ± 2.4, t= 7.94, P <0.001) in the CFD group, with least-squares mean differences of 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26–0.71, P <0.001) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.57–0.95, P <0.001), respectively. The 4-h pain scores (2.1 ± 1.7 vs. 2.2 ± 1.7, t = 2.60, P = 0.009, with a least-squares mean difference of 0.21 [95% CI: 0.05–0.37]) and positive urine ketone levels (7.7% [39/509] vs. 15.4% [82/533], χ2 = 15.13, P <0.001) were lower in the CFD group. The CFD group had significantly less cholangitis (2.1% [13/634] vs. 4.0% [26/658], χ2 = 3.99, P = 0.046) but not pancreatitis (5.5% [35/634] vs. 6.5% [43/658], χ2 = 0.59, P = 0.444). Subgroup analysis revealed that CFD reduced the incidence of complications in patients with native papilla (odds ratio [OR]: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39–0.95, P = 0.028) in the multivariable models. Conclusion::Ingesting 400 mL of CFD 2 h before ERCP is safe, with a reduction in post-ERCP fatigue, abdominal pain, and cholangitis during recovery.Trail Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT03075280.