Objective: To explore the association between the HLA antibody positivity rate in female blood donors and pregnancy history, number of pregnancies, interval from the last pregnancy to blood donation, and age, to identify associated variables using a univariate generalized additive model (GAM), and to further analyze the predictive role of characteristic variables for HLA antibody positivity using a random forest model. Methods: HLA antibody detection was performed on 391 female blood donors using the Luminex immunomagnetic bead method. The correlation between pregnancy-related factors and HLA antibodies was analyzed using the Chi-square test. Based on R software, a univariate GAM was first constructed to analyze the association types between characteristic variables and the HLA antibody positivity rate, followed by the construction of a random forest model to evaluate the predictive value of the variables. Results: Among the 391 female blood donors without a transfusion history, the overall HLA antibody positivity rate was 26.34%. The positivity rate in donors with a pregnancy history was significantly higher than that in those without (30.09% vs 9.72%, P<0.05), and HLA antibody positivity rate increased linearly with the number of pregnancies (P<0.05). In the univariate GAM, age and number of deliveries exhibited a non-linear association with the HLA antibody positivity rate (the positivity rate increased sharply between 25-35 years of age and stabilized after 3 deliveries). Besides, the interval from the last pregnancy to blood donation showed a linear association with the HLA antibody positivity rate, and the positivity rate decreased as the interval prolonged (P<0.05). In the random forest model, age (mean decrease gini=29.26) and interval from the last pregnancy to blood donation (mean decrease gini=22.02) were core predictive variables: age was more conducive to identifying positive samples, while the interval from the last pregnancy to blood donation was more helpful for excluding negative samples. The number of deliveries (mean decrease accuracy=16.98) made a significant contribution to predicting positive samples, whereas the number of abortions had no impact. The model had an AUC of 0.583 (95% CI: 0.593 8-0.770 2), indicating a certain predictive value. Conclusion: The associated variables identified by the univariate GAM model, including age, interval from the last pregnancy to blood donation, and number of deliveries, provide a basis for key variables in the random forest model. All three variables have predictive value for HLA antibody positivity, which can provide evidence-based support for personalized transfusion management and stratified screening of female blood donors in this region.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of thyroid nodules in the physical examination population in Mianyang region and analyze its association with metabolic syndrome. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 9 978 individuals who underwent health examinations at our hospital from January 2024 to May 2025. Thyroid examinations were performed using color Doppler ultrasound to analyze the prevalence of thyroid nodules in this population. Clinical data of all subjects were collected, and logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of thyroid nodule development. Results The prevalence of thyroid nodules in the physical examination population of Mianyang region was 17.98% (1 794/9 978). The logistic regression results showed that after adjusting for gender, age, BMI, occupation, consumption of non-iodized salt, staying up late, daily sleep duration, anxiety, and depression, metabolic syndrome (OR=6.593, 95% CI: 3.961-10.975) was associated with thyroid nodules (P<0.05). Conclusion The prevalence of thyroid nodules among the physical examination population in the Mianyang area is 17.98%, and metabolic syndrome remains associated with the risk of thyroid nodules after effectively controlling for confounding factors.

Background and aims The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown. Methods The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways. Conclusions PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.

ObjectiveThis study leverages structural data from antigen-antibody complexes of the influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) protein to investigate the spatial recognition relationship between the antigenic epitopes and antibody paratopes. MethodsStructural data on NA protein antigen-antibody complexes were comprehensively collected from the SAbDab database, and processed to obtain the amino acid sequences and spatial distribution information on antigenic epitopes and corresponding antibody paratopes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the antibody sequences, frequency of use of genes, amino acid preferences, and the lengths of complementarity determining regions (CDR). Epitope hotspots for antibody binding were analyzed, and the spatial structural similarity of antibody paratopes was calculated and subjected to clustering, which allowed for a comprehensively exploration of the spatial recognition relationship between antigenic epitopes and antibodies. The specificity of antibodies targeting different antigenic epitope clusters was further validated through bio-layer interferometry (BLI) experiments. ResultsThe collected data revealed that the antigen-antibody complex structure data of influenza A virus NA protein in SAbDab database were mainly from H3N2, H7N9 and H1N1 subtypes. The hotspot regions of antigen epitopes were primarily located around the catalytic active site. The antibodies used for structural analysis were primarily derived from human and murine sources. Among murine antibodies, the most frequently used V-J gene combination was IGHV1-12*01/IGHJ2*01, while for human antibodies, the most common combination was IGHV1-69*01/IGHJ6*01. There were significant differences in the lengths and usage preferences of heavy chain CDR amino acids between antibodies that bind within the catalytic active site and those that bind to regions outside the catalytic active site. The results revealed that structurally similar antibodies could recognize the same epitopes, indicating a specific spatial recognition between antibody and antigen epitopes. Structural overlap in the binding regions was observed for antibodies with similar paratope structures, and the competitive binding of these antibodies to the epitope was confirmed through BLI experiments. ConclusionThe antigen epitopes of NA protein mainly ditributed around the catalytic active site and its surrounding loops. Spatial complementarity and electrostatic interactions play crucial roles in the recognition and binding of antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the catalytic region. There existed a spatial recognition relationship between antigens and antibodies that was independent of the uniqueness of antibody sequences, which means that antibodies with different sequences could potentially form similar local spatial structures and recognize the same epitopes.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of colon dialysis with Yishen Decoction (YS) in improving the autophagy disorder of intestinal epithelial cells in chronic renal failure (CRF) in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal, CRF, and colonic dialysis with YS groups by a random number table method (n=10). The CRF model was established by orally gavage of adenine 200 mg/(kg•d) for 4 weeks. CRF rats in the YS group were treated with colonic dialysis using YS 20 g/(kg•d) for 14 consecutive days. The serum creatinine (SCr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pathological changes of kidney and colon tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Autophagosome changes in colonic epithelial cells was observed with electron microscopy. In vitro experiments, human colon cancer epithelial cells (T84) were cultured and divided into normal, urea model (74U), YS colon dialysis, autophagy activator rapamycin (Ra), autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA), and SIRT1 activator resveratrol (Re) groups. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Claudin-1, silent information regulator sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), LC3, and Beclin-1 both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Colonic dialysis with YS decreased SCr and BUN levels in CRF rats (P<0.05), and alleviated the pathological changes of renal and colon tissues. Expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, Claudin-1, Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were increased in the YS group compared with the CRF group in vivo (P<0.05). In in vitro study, compared with normal group, the expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 were decreased, and expressions of Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were increased in the 74U group (P<0.05). Compared with the 74U group, expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 were increased, whereas Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were decreased in the YS group (P<0.05). The treatment of 3-MA and rapamycin regulated autophagy and the expression of SIRT1. SIRT1 activator intervention up-regulated autophagy as well as the expressions of ZO-1 and Claudin-1 compared with the 74U group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Colonic dialysis with YS could improve autophagy disorder and repair CRF intestinal mucosal barrier injury by regulating SIRT1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells.
Animals ; Sirtuin 1/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Male ; Intestinal Mucosa/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Colon/drug effects* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Renal Dialysis ; Rats ; Kidney/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

ObjectiveTo analyze the impact of maternal postpartum depression (PPD) at 2 months postpartum on caregiving for infants aged2 to 24 months, and to provide a scientific basis for future maternal and infant healthcare services. MethodsBased on the Shanghai Maternal-Child Pairs Cohort, 1 060 mother-child pairs were selected from those fully participating in follow-up visits at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months postpartum. Pregnancy and childbirth-related information was collected using standardized questionnaire surveys and hospital obstetric and maternity records. The Edinburgh postpartum depression scale was used to assess the maternal postpartum depressive symptoms at 2 months postpartum. At 2, 6, 12, and 24 months postpartum, questionnaire survey was used to evaluate the maternal responsiveness in caregiving and the provision of early learning opportunities for infants. Scores for responsive caregiving and early learning opportunities at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months were grouped based on the 25th percentile (P₂₅) of total scores. The mixed-effects model was used to analyze the longitudinal impact of maternal postpartum depression at 2 months on the caregiving of 2 to 24-month-old infants. ResultsThe longitudinal results from the mixed-effects model did not show an impact of maternal PPD on infant responsive caregiving within 12 months and early learning opportunities within24 months. However, cross-sectional analysis revealed that, compared to the non-PPD group, the risk of low responsive caregiving at 2 months in the PPD group was 93% higher (OR=1.931, 95%CI: 1.113‒3.364, P=0.019). The risks for low provision of early learning opportunities at2 months and 24 months increased by 59% (OR=1.589, 95%CI: 1.082‒2.324, P=0.017) and 60% (OR=1.598, 95%CI:1.120‒2.279, P=0.010), respectively. ConclusionMaternal postpartum depression increases the risk of low responsive caregiving at 2 months, but its long-term effects warrant further research.

The Department of Thoracic Surgery of Shanghai Chest Hospital has performed esophageal function testing for over 30 years, being the only department of its kind in China with this capability. The pressure testing and 24-hour pH/impedance monitoring of the esophagus is of great help to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant esophageal diseases related to it. Thanks to the esophageal function test, in addition to the routine various endoscopic anti-reflux procedures, our hospital has taken the lead in China in recent years to carry out a series of clinical and research work for benign esophageal diseases, such as the development of magnetic ring, double nedoscopic combination and new anti-reflux endoscopic techniques. In recent years, we have carried out high-resolution esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH/impedance monitoring for patients with interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis suspected to be caused by gastroesophageal acid reflux. We can better assess the correlation between gastroesophageal reflux and pulmonary fibrosis, and to provide the different clinical treatments and even surgical interventions. The Bravo capsule is used more often in the United States, and it has obvious advantages over traditional approach for acid measurement. We strongly call for the collaboration between industry and academic institutions in this field, and the development of our own related products with independent intellectual property rights.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which Senegenin(SEN)alleviates microglial inflammatory response through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)pathway.Methods BV2 mouse microglia cells were randomly divided into control group,model group,SEN group and MCC950 group.Cells in control group were not treated,and cells in model group were added with 1 μg/ml lipopolysaccharide(LPS);Cells in SEN group were added with 1 μg/ml LPS+4 μmol/L SEN,and cells in MCC950 group were added with 1 μg/ml LPS+10 μmol/L MCC950 for 24 hours.CCK-8 method was used to detect the effect of different concentrations of SEN on the viability of BV2 cells.Griess method was used to determine the release amount of nitric oxide(NO)in the supernatant.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of NLRP3,lymphocyte apoptosis-associated spect-like protein containing a CARD(ASC),caspase-1,interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 mRNA.Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression levels of ASC,IL-1β,Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1).Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of NLRP3,caspase-1,ASC,IL-1β,IL-18,Nrf2,HO-1,nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS).Results The results of CCK-8 method showed that there was no significant difference in the viability of BV2 cells treated with 2～20 μmol/L SEN compared with control group(P>0.05).Compared with control group,the viability of BV2 cells in model group decreased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with model group,the viability of BV2 cells in 4 μmol/L SEN group was significantly restored(P<0.05).Compared with control group,the results of Griess method showed that the release amount of NO in cells of model group increased significantly(P<0.05);the results of real-time PCR showed that the expression levels of NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,IL-1β and IL-18 mRNA in cells of model group increased significantly(P<0.05);the results of Western blotting showed that the protein expression levels of NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,IL-1β and IL-18 proteins in cells of model group increased significantly(P<0.05),and the immunofluorescence staining results showed that the expression levels of iNOS and NF-κB protein in cells of model group increased,and the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 decreased,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Compared with model group,the release amount of NO in cells of SEN group and MCC950 group decreased,and the expression levels of NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,IL-1β and IL-18 mRNA and proteins decreased,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05);in the SEN group,the expression levels of iNOS and NF-κB decreased,and immunofluorescence staining showed that Nrf2 was translocated into the nucleus,and the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins increased significantly,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Conclusions SEN could alleviate the inflammatory response of mouse microglia cells induced by LPS and inhibit the activation and expression of NLRP3 inflammasome,with an effect comparable to that of the inflammasome inhibitor MCC950.The mechanism may be related to the regulation of the expression of upstream factors Nrf2 and HO-1.

Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality among malignant tumors in China.Persistent subsolid nodules(SSNs)are closely associated with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma.Artificial intelligence(AI),as an emerging technology,is capable of performing in-depth analysis of large-scale imaging data through autonomous learning and possesses the ability to predict outcomes from new data,demonstrating great potential and application prospects in the assessment of SSNs.AI can not only effectively assist radiologists in diagnosis and treatment,but also improve work efficiency while reducing misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rates.This review summarizes the recent applications and research progress of AI in the assessment of SSNs,to provide new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of SSNs.