OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism by which resveratrol improves renal injury in rats with uric acid nephropathy （UAN） through inhibition of the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase （PERK）/eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α （eIF2α） pathway.METHODS A UAN rat model was established via oral administration of adenine plus potassium oxonate， and the rats were divided into a UAN model group， a positive control group （allopurinol 10 mg/kg）， a resveratrol group （100 mg/kg）， and a resveratrol+tunicamycin group [resveratrol 100 mg/kg+tunicamycin （PERK activator） 1 mg/kg]. A control group （without modeling） was also established， with 6 rats in each group. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drug solution and/or normal saline via gavage or intraperitoneal injection once daily for 28 consecutive days. The contents of renal function-related parameters （24-hour urinary total protein， and uric acid， creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in serum）， the levels of inflammation-related markers [interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-18， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， IL-10， and nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 （NLRP3）]， and pathological changes in renal tissue were determined， and the score for tubular damage， the score for inflammatory infiltration， and the degree of mesangial proliferation were assessed. The mRNA expressions of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin （NGAL） and kidney injury molecule-1 （KIM-1）， as well as the expressions of proteins associated with the PERK/eIF2α pathway， were measured in renal tissue from each group.RESULTS Compared with the control group， rats in the UAN model group exhibited marked tubular damage， inflammatory cell infiltration， and mesangial proliferation. The contents of renal function-related parameters， levels of IL-6， IL-18， TNF-α and NLRP3， scores for tubular damage and inflammatory infiltration， degree of mesangial proliferation， mRNA expressions of NGAL and KIM-1， and phosphorylation levels of PERK and eIF2α， as well as the expressions of activating transcription factor 4 and C/EBP homologous protein， were all significantly increased or upregulated， while IL-10 levels were significantly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the UAN model group， the resveratrol group and the positive control group showed significant improvements in all of the aforementioned parameters （ P ＜0.05）. Tunicamycin could significantly reverse the beneficial effects of resveratrol on all quantitative parameters （ P ＜0.05）.CONCLUSIONS Resveratrol can reduce inflammatory responses in renal tissue of UAN rats， and improve tubular damage and renal function. These effects may be related to the inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress mediated by the PERK/eIF2α pathway.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）， formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）， has become a common chronic liver disease worldwide. Currently， the clinical methods for diagnosing liver diseases have limitations such as invasive procedures， insufficient sensitivity， and low diagnostic accuracy， posing challenges to the early identification and precise treatment of MAFLD. In recent years， the rapid development of multi-omics techniques has provided new ideas for the precise diagnosis and treatment of MAFLD. Genomics， metabolomics， lipidomics， microbiomics， and proteomics techniques not only offer new insights into the pathogenesis of MAFLD， but also identify novel biomarkers for disease prediction， diagnosis， and staging. Meanwhile， diagnostic models constructed based on multi-omics data have shown good clinical efficacy and laid an important foundation for the development of noninvasive precise diagnostic tools for MAFLD， and therefore， it is expected to realize the transition from traditional diagnosis and treatment to precision medicine. Although the clinical application value of multi-omics markers in the early diagnosis of MAFLD has been recognized to some extent， there are still challenges in clinical translation， such as the standardization of detection， individual heterogeneity， and cost-effectiveness.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)is a common respiratory emergency,but current clinical treatment remains at the level of symptomatic support and there is a lack of effective targeted treatment measures.Our previous study confirmed that inhalation of hydrogen gas can reduce the acute lung injury of ARDS,but the application of hydrogen has flammable and explosive safety concerns.Drinking hydrogen-rich liquid or inhaling hydrogen gas has been shown to play an important role in scavenging reactive oxygen species and maintaining mitochondrial quality control balance,thus improving ARDS in patients and animal models.Coral calcium hydrogenation(CCH)is a new solid molecular hydrogen carrier prepared from coral calcium(CC).Whether and how CCH affects acute lung injury in ARDS re-mains unstudied.In this study,we observed the therapeutic effect of CCH on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)induced acute lung injury in ARDS mice.The survival rate of mice treated with CCH and hydrogen inhalation was found to be comparable,demonstrating a significant improvement compared to the untreated ARDS model group.CCH treatment significantly reduced pulmonary hemorrhage and edema,and improved pulmonary function and local microcirculation in ARDS mice.CCH promoted mitochon-drial peripheral division in the early course of ARDS by activating mitochondrial thioredoxin 2(Trx2),improved lung mitochondrial dysfunction induced by LPS,and reduced oxidative stress damage.The results indicate that CCH is a highly efficient hydrogen-rich agent that can attenuate acute lung injury of ARDS by improving the mitochondrial function through Trx2 activation.

Objective:To examine frailty in residents aged over 50 in the Chengdu community, investigate the risk factors linked to frailty, and analyze the impact of exercise habits on frailty.Methods:This retrospective study utilized a stratified whole-sample method to select Chengdu residents aged over 50 from 6 communities.Relevant information was collected through face-to-face interactions using a self-developed frailty questionnaire between May 2022 and May 2023.Exercise habits were defined as engaging in physical activity more than three times a week for at least 30 minutes per session, consistently maintained for a minimum of five years prior to the survey.The frailty index(FI)was established based on the multiple-deficit cumulative model.Respondents were classified into categories of no frailty(FI<0.1), mild frailty(0.1 ≤ FI<0.2), and moderate-severe frailty(FI≥0.2).Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the factors influencing frailty and to compare the prevalence and progression of frailty among individuals with and without exercise habits across different age groups.Results:A total of 999 participants, comprising 483(48.3%)males and 516(51.7%)females, were enrolled in the study.The average age of the participants was 65.70±9.61 years.Among them, 346(34.6%)were classified as having mild frailty, while 107(10.7%)had moderate-severe frailty.Univariate analysis revealed that age, gender, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise habits were potential factors influencing frailty( P<0.05).Multifactorial logistic regression models indicated that individuals aged 70-79 and 80-85 were predictors of mild and moderate-severe frailty, respectively.Being female was identified as an independent risk factor for both mild frailty( OR: 1.196; 95% CI: 1.262-3.073)and moderate-severe frailty( OR: 2.721; 95% CI: 1.282-5.774).Additionally, not engaging in regular exercise was associated with an increased risk of mild frailty( OR: 1.588; 95% CI: 1.149-2.193)and moderate-severe frailty( OR: 3.186; 95% CI: 1.819-5.583).Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in frailty distribution and frailty index changes between individuals with and without exercise habits over the age of 60( P<0.05). Conclusions:Age and gender were found to be closely associated with frailty, with the impact of exercise habits on frailty becoming more pronounced after the age of 60.Encouraging middle-aged and older individuals to adopt regular exercise routines can play a significant role in promoting healthy aging in China.

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression level of HBV cccDNA in patients in the convalescence stage of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure （HBV-ACLF） and its correlation with HBV markers and liver histopathological changes. MethodsA total of 30 patients in the convalescence stage of HBV-ACL who were hospitalized in The Ninth Hospital of Nanchang from January 2015 to October 2023 were enrolled as liver failure group， and 9 patients with chronic hepatitis B （CHB）， matched for sex and age， were enrolled as control group. The content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue was measured， and its correlation with clinical data and laboratory markers was analyzed. The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and a one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups； the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A Spearman correlation analysis was performed. ResultsThe liver failure group had a significantly lower content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue than the control group （-0.92±0.70 log₁₀ copies/cell vs -0.13±0.91 log₁₀ copies/cell， t=2.761， P=0.009）. In the liver failure group， there was no significant difference in the content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue between the HBeAg-positive patients and the HBeAg-negative patients （P>0.05）； there was no significant difference in the content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue between the patients with different grades （G0-G2， G3， and G4） of liver inflammatory activity （P>0.05）； there was no significant difference in the content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue between the patients with different stages （S0-S2， S3， and S4） of liver fibrosis （P>0.05）； there was no significant difference in the content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue between the patients with negative HBV DNA and those with positive HBV DNA （P>0.05）. For the liver failure group， the content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue was positively correlated with the content of HBV DNA in liver tissue （r=0.426， P=0.043） and was not significantly correlated with the content of HBV DNA in serum （P>0.05）. ConclusionThere is a significant reduction in the content of HBV cccDNA in liver tissue in the convalescence stage of HBV-ACLF. HBV cccDNA exists continuously and stably in liver tissue and can better reflect the persistent infection and replication of HBV than HBV DNA in serum and liver tissue.

Panax ginseng as a perennial herb of Araliaceae, exhibits pharmacological effects such as central nervous system stimulation, anti-tumor properties, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection. The B3 gene family plays a crucial role in growth and development, antioxidant activity, stress resistance, and secondary metabolism regulation of plants and has been extensively studied in various plants. However, the identification and analysis of the B3 gene family in P. ginseng have not been reported. In this study, a total of 145 B3 genes(PgB3s) with complete open reading frames(ORF) were identified from P. ginseng and classified into five subfamilies based on domain types. Through correlation analysis with ginsenoside content, SNP/InDels analysis, and interaction analysis with key enzyme genes, 15 PgB3 transcripts were found to be significantly correlated with ginsenoside content and exhibited a close interaction network with key enzyme genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis, which indicated that these genes may participate in the regulation of ginsenoside biosynthesis. Additionally, this study found that PgB3 genes exhibited induced expression in response to methyl jasmonate(MeJA) stress, which aligned with the presence of abundant stress response elements in their promoters, confirming the important role of the B3 gene family in P. ginseng in stress resistance. The results of this study revealed the potential functions of PgB3 genes in ginsenoside biosynthesis and stress response, providing a significant theoretical basis for further research on the functions of PgB3 genes and their regulatory mechanisms.
Panax/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Ginsenosides/biosynthesis* ; Multigene Family ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVES: To explore potential keywords, research clusters, collaborative pattern, and research trends in the field of medical technology management (MTM) through bibliometric analysis, providing insights for researchers, policy makers, and hospital administrators. METHODS: A retrieval formula was applied to the title, abstract, and keywords in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection, along with system-recommended terms, to identify articles on MTM. A total of 181 articles published between 1974 and 2022 were retained for quantitative analysis. The global trend of research output; total citations, average citations, and H-index; and bibliographic coupling, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence were analyzed using VOSviewer. RESULTS: The number of articles on MTM has been steadily increasing year by year. The focus of research has shifted from addressing basic medical needs to prioritizing emergency response and medical information security. The United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom emerged as the main contributors, with the United States leading in both volume of publications (60 articles) and academic impact (H-index = 21). Authors from the United Kingdom and the United States led the way in cross-border cooperation. The top five institutions, ranked by total link strength among cross-institutional authors, were primarily located in Canada and Spain. CONCLUSIONS The field of MTM has experienced stable growth over the past three decades (1993-2022). The shift of research focus has prompted a heightened emphasis on protecting patient privacy and ensuring the security of medical data. Future research should emphasize interdisciplinary and professional collaboration, as well as international cooperation and open sharing of knowledge.
Bibliometrics ; Humans ; Biomedical Technology

Objective To investigate whether aberrant DNA methylation of ubiquinol-cytochrome C reductase core protein 1(UQCRC1)is related to cognitive impairment caused by neonatal sevoflurane exposure.Methods A total of 94 SPF C57 mice of either sex,aged 6 d,and weighing 4～6 g,were randomly divided into 7 groups:control group(Con,n=6),sevoflurane-6 and-24 h exposure groups(Sev-6 and-24 h,n=6),control+DMSO group(Con+DMSO,n=19),control+5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine(5-AZA,methylation inhibitor)group(Con+5-AZA,n=19),sevoflurane+DMSO group(Sev+DMSO group,n=19),and sevoflurane+5-AZA group(Sev+5-AZA group,n=19).From 6 to 8 d after birth,the mice of the Sev-6 and-24 h exposure groups were exposed to 3％sevoflurane daily(with 97％oxygen,2 L/min,2 h per day),while those from the Con groups were given exposure of 100％oxygen(2 L/min,2 h per day).For the mice of the 5-AZA and DMSO groups,1 mg/kg of 5-AZA or an equal volume of DMSO was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before daily exposure.In 6 and 24 h after the last exposure to sevoflurane,6 mice from the Con,Sev-6 h,and Sev-24 h groups were euthanized for biochemical analysis,and in 24 h post-exposure,6 mice from the Con+DMSO,Con+5-AZA,Sev+DMSO,and Sev+5-AZA groups were randomly selected for biochemical analysis,while another 3 mice from above each group were also randomly selected for morphological analysis.The remaining 10 mice in these groups underwent behavioral testing(open field test,novel object test,and Y-maze test)at 30～33 d after birth to assess cognitive function,and were euthanized in 24 h after the final behavioral test.RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the hippocampal expression of UQCRC1,DNA methyltransferases(Dnmts),and methyl CpG binding protein 2(Mecp2)at mRNA and protein levels,respectively.Immunofluorescence assay was employed to observe the distribution and expression of UQCRC1 in the hippocampus.Bisulfite sequencing PCR(BSP)was applied to measure the methylation in the UQCRC1 promoter region.Results Compared with the Con group,the mRNA and protein levels of UQCRC1 were down-regulated(P<0.05),and the mRNA level of Dnmts was up-regulated(P<0.05)in both the Sev-6 h and Sev-24 h exposure groups,while the methylation level in the UQCRC1 promoter region was enhanced in the Sev-24 h exposure group(P<0.05).Additionally,the Sev+5-AZA group had obviously increased mRNA and protein levels of UQCRC1(P<0.05),and notable improvement in cognitive impairment(P<0.05)when compared with the Sev+DMSO group.Conclusion Hypermethylation of UQCRC1 promoter region and thus down-regulating its mRNA and protein expression might be the main mechanism by which repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposure induces cognitive impairment later in life.

Clinical practice guidelines represent the best recommendations for patient care. They are developed through systematically reviewing currently available clinical evidence and weighing the relative benefits and risks of various interventions. However, clinical practice guidelines have to go through a long translation cycle from development and revision to clinical promotion and application, facing problems such as scattered distribution, high duplication rate, and low actual utilization. At present, the clinical practice guideline information platform can directly or indirectly solve the problems related to the lengthy revision cycles, decentralized dissemination and limited application of clinical practice guidelines. Therefore, this paper systematically examines different types of clinical practice guideline information platforms and investigates their corresponding challenges and emerging trends in platform design, data integration, and practical implementation, with the aim of clarifying the current status of this field and providing valuable reference for future research on clinical practice guideline information platforms.

Disorders of consciousness (DOC) are pathological conditions characterized by severely suppressed brain function and the persistent interruption or loss of consciousness. Accurate diagnosis and evaluation of DOC are prerequisites for precise treatment. Traditional assessment methods are primarily based on behavioral scales, which are inherently subjective and rely on observable behaviors. Moreover, traditional methods have a high misdiagnosis rate, particularly in distinguishing minimally conscious state (MCS) from vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS). This diagnostic uncertainty has driven the exploration of objective, reliable, and efficient assessment tools. Among these tools, electroencephalography (EEG) has garnered significant attention for its non-invasive nature, portability, and ability to capture real-time neurodynamics. This paper systematically reviews the application of EEG biomarkers in DOC assessment. These biomarkers are categorized into 3 main types: resting-state EEG features, task-related EEG features, and features derived from transcranial magnetic stimulation-EEG (TMS-EEG). Resting-state EEG biomarkers include features based on spectrum, microstates, nonlinear dynamics, and brain network metrics. These biomarkers provide baseline representations of brain activity in DOC patients. Studies have shown their ability to distinguish different levels of consciousness and predict clinical outcomes. However, because they are not task-specific, they are challenging to directly associate with specific brain functions or cognitive processes. Strengthening the correlation between resting-state EEG features and consciousness-related networks could offer more direct evidence for the pathophysiological mechanisms of DOC. Task-related EEG features include event-related potentials, event-related spectral modulations, and phase-related features. These features reveal the brain’s responses to external stimuli and provide dynamic information about residual cognitive functions, reflecting neurophysiological changes associated with specific cognitive, sensory, or behavioral tasks. Although these biomarkers demonstrate substantial value, their effectiveness rely on patient cooperation and task design. Developing experimental paradigms that are more effective at eliciting specific EEG features or creating composite paradigms capable of simultaneously inducing multiple features may more effectively capture the brain activity characteristics of DOC patients, thereby supporting clinical applications. TMS-EEG is a technique for probing the neurodynamics within thalamocortical networks without involving sensory, motor, or cognitive functions. Parameters such as the perturbational complexity index (PCI) have been proposed as reliable indicators of consciousness, providing objective quantification of cortical dynamics. However, despite its high sensitivity and objectivity compared to traditional EEG methods, TMS-EEG is constrained by physiological artifacts, operational complexity, and variability in stimulation parameters and targets across individuals. Future research should aim to standardize experimental protocols, optimize stimulation parameters, and develop automated analysis techniques to improve the feasibility of TMS-EEG in clinical applications. Our analysis suggests that no single EEG biomarker currently achieves an ideal balance between accuracy, robustness, and generalizability. Progress is constrained by inconsistencies in analysis methods, parameter settings, and experimental conditions. Additionally, the heterogeneity of DOC etiologies and dynamic changes in brain function add to the complexity of assessment. Future research should focus on the standardization of EEG biomarker research, integrating features from resting-state, task-related, and TMS-EEG paradigms to construct multimodal diagnostic models that enhance evaluation efficiency and accuracy. Multimodal data integration (e.g., combining EEG with functional near-infrared spectroscopy) and advancements in source localization algorithms can further improve the spatial precision of biomarkers. Leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to develop intelligent diagnostic tools will accelerate the clinical adoption of EEG biomarkers in DOC diagnosis and prognosis, allowing for more precise evaluations of consciousness states and personalized treatment strategies.