ObjectiveThe nucleolar protein PES1 (Pescadillo homolog 1) plays critical roles in ribosome biogenesis and cell cycle regulation, yet its involvement in cellular senescence remains poorly understood. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the functional consequences of PES1 suppression in cellular senescence and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its regulatory role. MethodsInitially, we assessed PES1 expression patterns in two distinct senescence models: replicative senescent mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and doxorubicin-induced senescent human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Subsequently, PES1 expression was specifically downregulated using siRNA-mediated knockdown in these cell lines as well as additional relevant cell types. Cellular proliferation and senescence were assessed by EdU incorporation and SA-β-gal staining assays, respectively. The expression of senescence-associated proteins (p53, p21, and Rb) and SASP factors (IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8) were analyzed by Western blot or qPCR. Furthermore, Northern blot and immunofluorescence were employed to evaluate pre-rRNA processing and nucleolar morphology. ResultsPES1 expression was significantly downregulated in senescent MEFs and HepG2 cells. PES1 knockdown resulted in decreased EdU-positive cells and increased SA‑β‑gal-positive cells, indicating proliferation inhibition and senescence induction. Mechanistically, PES1 suppression activated the p53-p21 pathway without affecting Rb expression, while upregulating IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8 production. Notably, PES1 depletion impaired pre-rRNA maturation and induced nucleolar stress, as evidenced by aberrant nucleolar morphology. ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that PES1 deficiency triggers nucleolar stress and promotes p53-dependent (but Rb-independent) cellular senescence, highlighting its crucial role in maintaining nucleolar homeostasis and regulating senescence-associated pathways.

This study applied the grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation(GRADE) system and the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine(Eff-iEC) to evaluate the evidence for 12 commonly used Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis, which are frequently recommended in guidelines or expert consensuses. The results showed that Xianling Gubao Capsules/Tablets were rated as C(low-level evidence) according to the GRADE system, and as BA~+B~+(intermediate evidence) according to the Eff-iEC system. Jintiange Capsules were rated as C(low-level evidence) by the GRADE system, and as AA~+B(high-level evidence) by the Eff-iEC system. Gushukang Granules/Capsules were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BA~+B~+(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Zuogui Pills were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Qianggu Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~+B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Zhuanggu Zhitong Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BA~+B(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Jingui Shenqi Pills were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~+B(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Quanduzhong Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AD~+B~+(low-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Epimedium Total Flavones Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AAB~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Yougui Pills were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~(+ )(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Qigu Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BB~+B(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Liuwei Dihuang Pills were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Overall, the Eff-iEC system provides a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness evidence for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) than the GRADE system. However, it still has certain limitations that hinder its wider promotion and application. In terms of clinical evidence evaluation, both the Eff-iEC and GRADE systems reflect that the current clinical research quality on Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis is generally low. High-quality clinical trials are still needed in the future to further validate clinical efficacy.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Nonprescription Drugs/therapeutic use* ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Poor water solubility is the primary obstacle preventing the development of many pharmacologically active compounds into oral preparations. Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) have become a widely used strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs by inducing a supersaturated state, thereby improving their apparent solubility and dissolution rate. However, the supersaturated solutions formed in SNEDDS are thermodynamically unstable systems with solubility levels exceeding the crystalline equilibrium solubility, making them prone to drug precipitation in the gastrointestinal tract and ultimately hindering drug absorption. Therefore, maintaining a stable supersaturated state is crucial for the effective delivery of poorly soluble drugs. Incorporating polymers as precipitation inhibitors(PPIs) into the formulation of supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(S-SNEDDS) can inhibit drug aggregation and crystallization, thus maintaining a stable supersaturated state. This has emerged as a novel preparation strategy and a key focus in SNEDDS research. This review explores the preparation design of SNEDDS and the technical challenges involved, with a particular focus on polymer-based S-SNEDDS for enhancing the solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. It further elucidates the mechanisms by which polymers participate in transmembrane transport, summarizes the principles by which polymers sustain a supersaturated state, and discusses strategies for enhancing drug absorption. Altogether, this review provides a structured framework for the development of S-SNEDDS preparations with stable quality and reduced development risk, and offers a theoretical reference for the application of S-SNEDDS technology in improving the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Solubility ; Administration, Oral ; Polymers/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods* ; Humans ; Emulsions/chemistry* ; Biological Availability ; Animals ; Pharmaceutical Preparations/administration & dosage*

PURPOSE: Septic shock is associated with high mortality and poor outcomes among sepsis patients with coagulopathy. Although traditional statistical methods or machine learning (ML) algorithms have been proposed to predict septic shock, these potential approaches have never been systematically compared. The present work aimed to develop and compare models to predict septic shock among patients with sepsis. METHODS: It is a retrospective cohort study based on 484 patients with sepsis who were admitted to our intensive care units between May 2018 and November 2022. Patients from the 908th Hospital of Chinese PLA Logistical Support Force and Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were respectively allocated to training (n=311) and validation (n=173) sets. All clinical and laboratory data of sepsis patients characterized by comprehensive coagulation indexes were collected. We developed 5 models based on ML algorithms and 1 model based on a traditional statistical method to predict septic shock in the training cohort. The performance of all models was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration plots. Decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the net benefit of the models. The validation set was applied to verify the predictive accuracy of the models. This study also used Shapley additive explanations method to assess variable importance and explain the prediction made by a ML algorithm. RESULTS: Among all patients, 37.2% experienced septic shock. The characteristic curves of the 6 models ranged from 0.833 to 0.962 and 0.630 to 0.744 in the training and validation sets, respectively. The model with the best prediction performance was based on the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, which was constructed by age, tissue plasminogen activator-inhibitor complex, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, white blood cells, and platelet counts. The SVM model showed good calibration and discrimination and a greater net benefit in decision curve analysis. CONCLUSION The SVM algorithm may be superior to other ML and traditional statistical algorithms for predicting septic shock. Physicians can better understand the reliability of the predictive model by Shapley additive explanations value analysis.
Humans ; Shock, Septic/blood* ; Machine Learning ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Sepsis/complications* ; ROC Curve ; Cohort Studies ; Adult ; Intensive Care Units ; Algorithms ; Blood Coagulation ; Critical Illness

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the genomic characteristics and prognostic factors of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) with RAS mutations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of JMML children with RAS mutations treated at the Hematology Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2008 to November 2022. RESULTS: A total of 34 children were included, with 17 cases (50%) having isolated NRAS mutations, 9 cases (27%) having isolated KRAS mutations, and 8 cases (24%) having compound mutations. Compared to children with isolated NRAS mutations, those with NRAS compound mutations showed statistically significant differences in age at onset, platelet count, and fetal hemoglobin proportion (P<0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis revealed that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and hepatomegaly (≥2 cm below the costal margin) were factors affecting the survival rate of JMML children with RAS mutations (P<0.05); hepatomegaly was a factor affecting survival in the non-HSCT group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Children with NRAS compound mutations have a later onset age compared to those with isolated NRAS mutations. At initial diagnosis, children with NRAS compound mutations have poorer peripheral platelet and fetal hemoglobin levels than those with isolated NRAS mutations. Liver size at initial diagnosis is related to the prognosis of JMML children with RAS mutations. HSCT can improve the prognosis of JMML children with RAS mutations.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile/therapy* ; Mutation ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Child ; Infant ; GTP Phosphohydrolases/genetics* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Adolescent ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics* ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate urban-rural disparities in its prevalence and management in elderly Chinese. METHODS: Consecutive participants aged ≥ 65 years attending outpatient clinics were enrolled for AF screening using handheld single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from April 2017 to December 2022. Each ECG rhythm strip was reviewed from the research team. AF or uninterpretable single-lead ECGs were referred for 12-lead ECG. Primary study outcome comparison was between rural and urban areas for the prevalence of AF. The Student's t-test was used to compare mean values of clinical characteristics between rural and urban participants, while the Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare between-group proportions. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between AF and various patient characteristics. RESULTS: The 29,166 study participants included 13,253 men (45.4%) and had a mean age of 72.2 years. The 7073 rural participants differed significantly (P ≤ 0.02) from the 22,093 urban participants in several major characteristics, such as older age, greater body mass index, and so on. The overall prevalence of AF was 4.6% (n = 1347). AF was more prevalent in 7073 rural participants than 22,093 urban participants (5.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.01), before and after adjustment for age, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and prior medical history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified overweight/obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.54) in urban areas and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93) in rural areas as specific risk factors for prevalent AF. In patients with known AF in urban areas (n = 781) and rural areas (n = 338), 60.6% and 45.9%, respectively, received AF treatment (P < 0.01), and only 22.4% and 17.2%, respectively, received anticoagulation therapy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In China, there are urban-rural disparities in AF in the elderly, with a higher prevalence and worse management in rural areas than urban areas. Our study findings provide insight for health policymakers to consider urban-rural disparity in the prevention and treatment of AF.

The rapid screening of bioactive constituents within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) presents a significant challenge to researchers. Prevailing strategies for the screening of active components in TCM often overlook trace components owing to their concealment by more abundant constituents. To address this limitation, a fishing strategy based on offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) combined with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was utilized to screen bioactive trace components targeting peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3), using Uncaria alkaloids (UAs) as a case study. Initially, an orthogonal preparative offline 2D-LC system combining a positively charged C₁₈ column and a conventional C₁₈ column under disparate mobile phase conditions was constructed. To fully reveal the trace alkaloids, 13 2D fractions of UAs were prepared, and their components were characterized using mass spectrometry (MS). Subsequently, employing PRDX3 as the targeting protein, a SPR-based screening approach was established and rigorously validated with geissoschizine methyl ether (GSM) serving as a positive control for binding. Employing this refined strategy, 29 candidate binding alkaloids were fished from the 13 2D fractions. Notably, combining offline 2D-LC with SPR increased the yield of candidate binding components from 10 to 29 when compared to SPR-based screening alone. Subsequent binding affinity assays confirmed that PRDX3 was a direct binding target for the 12 fished alkaloids, with isovallesiachotamine (IV), corynoxeine N-oxide (CO-N), and cadambine (CAD) demonstrating the highest affinity for PRDX3. Their interactions were further validated through molecular docking analysis. Subsequent intracellular H₂O₂ measurement assays and transfection experiments confirmed that these three trace alkaloids enhanced PRDX3-mediated H₂O₂ clearance. In conclusion, this study introduced an innovative strategy for the identification of active trace components in TCM. This approach holds promise for accelerating research on medicinal components within this field.

Objective To analyze the relationship between frailty and acute kidney injury(AKI)after hip fracture surgery in the elderly.Methods A total of 405 elderly patients who underwent hip fracture surgery in Jieyang People's Hospital from August 2021 to January 2023 were retrospectively analysed.According to the modified frailty index(mFI),they were divided into frail group(mFI≥0.27,n=112)and non-frail group(mFI<0.27,n=293).Postoperative AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease:Improving Global Outcomes(KDIGO)criteria.After 1:1 propensity score matching(PSM),100 cases in each group were successfully matched.Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models,propensity score adjustment,PSM,inverse probability of treatment weighting(IPTW),standardized mortality ratio weighting(SMRW),pairwise algorithm(PA)weighting,and overlap weighting(OW)methods were used to analyze the relationship between frailty and postoperative AKI.Stratified analyses were performed according to age(≥80 or<80 years),gender,whether angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEI)/angiotensin Ⅱreceptor antagonists(ARB)were used,and whether intraoperative hypotension occurred.Results After PSM,there were no significant differences between the two groups in age,sex,surgical type,ACEI/ARB,blood urea nitrogen,serum creatinine,intraoperative blood loss,and intraoperative hypotension[standardized mean difference(SMD)<0.1].In both the original cohort and the matched cohort,the incidence of AKI was higher in frail group than in non-frail group(25.9%vs.8.9%,P<0.001;28.0%vs.11.0%,P=0.002).Analysis of the risk of postoperative AKI in elderly hip fracture patients in frail group found that compared with the non-frail group,in the univariate logistic regression model the odds ratio(OR)and a 95%confidence interval(CI)for the frail group was 3.59(2.00-6.43),P<0.001,and in the multivariable logistic regression model,the OR(95%CI)for frail group was 3.04(1.55-5.95),P=0.001.After adjustment for propensity score,the OR(95%CI)for frail group was 2.85(1.52-5.34),P=0.001,and the OR(95%CI)for frail group after PSM was 3.15(1.47-6.75),P=0.003.After IPTW,SMRW,PA weighting,and OW,the OR(95%CI)for frail group were 2.48(1.37-4.50),2.43(1.41-4.19),2.63(1.25-5.54),and 2.69(1.07-6.78),respectively,with P<0.05.The interaction tests were not statistically significant for age,sex,use of ACEI/ARB,and intraoperative hypotension(P>0.05).Conclusion In elderly patients with hip fractures,preoperative frailty may be a risk factor for postoperative AKI.

Objective To investigate the density,species composition,and seasonal prevalence of domestic rodents in different habitats within Lanzhou garrisons,providing basic information for rodent prevention and control.Methods A total of 12 monitoring sites were sampled across urban,suburban,and rural residential areas from 2014 to 2022.Rodent density was monitored using the night-trapping method in the middle of odd-numbered months.Results From 2014 to 2022,346 domestic rodents were captured using 122 035 effective traps,with an average domestic rodent density of 0.28％.The highest domestic rodent density was 0.63％in 2016,and the lowest was 0.07％in 2020,showing significant differences across years,with an overall trend of initially decreasing and then increasing(χ2=136.555,P<0.001).The dominant species was Rattus norvegicus,accounting for 83.24％of the total rodents captured.Rattus norvegicus accounted for a relatively high proportion across different years,with a statistically significant difference in species composition(χ2=20.931,P<0.05).Rodent densities and species composition also varied significantly among the monitored habitats(P<0.001),with the highest densities observed in rural residential areas and the lowest in urban areas.Seasonal variation in rodent densities showed a bimodal pattern,with smaller peaks in January or March and a larger peak in July.Conclusions Domestic rodent density in Lanzhou garrisons has shown an upward trend in the past few years.Rodent control measures should focus on barracks in rural residential areas,with targeted interventions to reduce the risk of rodent-borne diseases.

Objective: To investigate the relationships among psychological resilience, parental control, and behavioral problems in middle school students, aiming to provide evidencebased recommendations for the prevention and intervention of behavioral issues in middle school students, as well as for the development of related policies. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 2 745 participants from three cities in Guizhou Province with different levels of economic development from August to December 2021. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Parental Control Questionnaire, and Psychological Resilience Questionnaire were administered to junior high school students and their parents. A network analysis method was employed to construct a network analysis model of factors influencing behavioral problems. Results: The detection rate of behavioral problems among junior high school students in Guizhou Province was 22.62%. The scores for psychological resilience (goal focus, emotional control, positive cognition, family support, and interpersonal assistance) and proactive inquiry in behavior control were higher in the group without behavioral problems than in the group with behavioral problems. Scores for psychological control (inducing guilt, with drawing affection, and asserting authority) were higher in the group with behavioral problems than in the group without behavioral problems, with statistically significant differences (t=9.80, 17.76, 6.21, 12.20, 13.18, 6.28, 11.58, 11.10, 10.74, P<0.05). The network model showed that among the same variable factors, the strongest connection weight was between inducing guilt and withdrawing affection, with a weight of 0.79. Between different variables, there were negative correlation between behavioral problems and psychological resilience (goal focus, emotional control, positive cognition, family support, interpersonal assistance) and behavior control (proactive inquiry, behavioral restraint) with correlation coefficients (r=-0.25, -0.42, -0.16, -0.31, -0.33, -0.17, -0.03, P<0.05), respectively. There were positive correlation between psychological control factors (inducing guilt, withdrawing affection, and asserting authority) and behavioral problems (r=0.29, 0.27, 0.27), and a negative correlation between these psychological control factors and psychological resilience factors (goal focus, emotional control, positive cognition, family support, interpersonal assistance)(r=-0.53--0.13)(P<0.05). The strongest connection weight was between withdrawing affection and family support, with a connection weight of -0.53. Family support was an important bridge symptom connecting the entire behavioral problem network model, with a high centrality. Conclusions The detection rate of behavioral problems among junior high school students in Guizhou Province is relatively high. Assisting adolescents in establishing a supportive family environment facilitates the cultivation of their psychological resilience, thereby mitigating the occurrence of behavioral problems.