BACKGROUND:Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease.Early diagnosis is crucial for preventing disease progression and for effective treatment.Therefore,it is of significance to investigate the diagnostic characteristics and immune cell infiltration of rheumatoid arthritis. OBJECTIVE:Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database,to screen potential diagnostic markers of rheumatoid arthritis using machine learning algorithms and to investigate the relationship between the diagnostic characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis and immune cell infiltration in this pathology. METHODS:The gene expression datasets of synovial tissues related to rheumatoid arthritis were obtained from the GEO database.The data sets were merged using a batch effect removal method.Differential expression analysis and functional correlation analysis of genes were performed using R software.Bioinformatics analysis and three machine learning algorithms were used for the extraction of disease signature genes,and key genes related to rheumatoid arthritis were screened.Furthermore,we analyzed immune cell infiltration on all differentially expressed genes to examine the inflammatory state of rheumatoid arthritis and investigate the correlation between their diagnostic characteristics and infiltrating immune cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In both rheumatoid arthritis and normal synovial tissues,we identified 179 differentially expressed genes,with 124 genes up-regulated and 55 genes down-regulated.Enrichment analysis revealed a significant correlation between rheumatoid arthritis and immune response.Three machine learning algorithms identified LRRC15 and MICB as potential biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis.LRRC15(area under the curve=0.964,95%confidence interval:0.924-0.992)and MICB(area under the curve=0.961,95%confidence interval:0.923-0.990)demonstrated strong diagnostic performance on the validation dataset.The infiltration of 13 types of immune cells was altered,with macrophages being the most affected.In rheumatoid arthritis,the majority of proinflammatory pathways in immune cell function were activated.Immunocorrelation analysis revealed that LRRC15 and MICB had the strongest correlation with M1 macrophages.To conclude,this study identified LRRC15 and MICB as potential diagnostic markers for rheumatoid arthritis,with strong diagnostic performance and significant correlation with immune cell infiltration.Machine learning and bioinformatics analysis deepened the understanding of immune infiltration in rheumatoid arthritis and provided new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To investigate the association between screen time (ST) during leisure time and anxiety-depression symptoms among middle school students, so as to provide a basis for formulating relevant intervention measures. Methods: From November to December 2023, a stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 2 542 students from junior and senior high school in Taiyuan City. A self designed questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used to investigate ST and anxiety/depression symptoms among middle school students. The Logistic regression model was used to explore the association of ST with symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as with anxiety and depression comorbiditles (CAD). Results: The detection rates of anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and CAD were 13.69%, 15.77%, and 10.11%, respectively. The median ST was 2.00 h/d [interquartile range ( IQR =2.38) for weekly averages], with 0.33 h/d ( IQR =1.67) on work days and 5.00 h/d ( IQR=5.50) on rest days. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the total ST of mobile phones during rest days ( OR =1.07, 1.10, 1.11) and the averages ST of mobile phones over a week ( OR = 1.20 , 1.22, 1.29), as well as the total ST of all screen types during rest days ( OR =1.04, 1.04, 1.05) and the averages ST of all screen types over a week ( OR =1.08, 1.09, 1.21) were positively correlated with anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and CAD (all P <0.01). Conclusions Among middle school students in Taiyuan City, screen time is positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety or depression and the comorbidity of anxiety and depression, especially smartphone screen time and weekend screen use. Therefore, measures should be implemented to reduce unnecessary screen time among middle school students, especially the use of mobile phones, in order to mitigate the occurrence of anxiety and depression.

Objective To analyze the status of coronary collateral circulation(CCC)in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)and explore its relationship with thrombus burden.Meth-ods Convenient sampling was used to select 161 AMI patients diagnosed and treated in Tongling People's Hospital from May 2022 to March 2024.Their CCC status was assessed by Rentrop clas-sification,and according to the results,they were divided into well-(grade 2～3,84 cases)and poorly-developed CCC groups(grade 0～1,77 cases).The general clinical data,cardiac function in-dicators and thrombus burden were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic re-gression was employed to identify the independent influencing factors for CCC status in AMI pa-tients,and ROC curve was plotted to analyze the relationship between CCC status and thrombus burden.Results In the 161 AMI patients,the incidence of adverse CCC was 47.83％(77/161).The poorly-developed CCC group had significantly lower Gensini score,and higher white blood cell count than the well-developed CCC group(P＜0.01);There is a statistically significant differ-ence in proportion of infarct related blood vessels between two groups(P＜0.01).The rate of high thrombus burden in the poorly-developed CCC group was obviously higher than that in the well-developed group(79.22％vs 26.19％,P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that infarction-related vessels(left anterior descending coronary artery),white blood cell count and thrombus burden were independent risk factors for poor development of CCC,while Gensini score was independent protective factors(OR=2.051,95％CI:1.071-3.928;OR=1.647,95％CI:1.353-2.006;OR=6.418,95％CI:2.654-15.519;OR=0.973,95％CI:0.948-0.999).ROC curve analysis indicated that the AUC value of thrombus burden was 0.752(95％CI:0.678-0.817).Conclusion It is quite common of poorly developed CCC in AMI patients,which is associ-ated with the increase of thrombus burden.

Objective:To observe the effect of bone forming protein 4 (BMP4) on the proliferation and migration of human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells under oxidative stress, and to preliminarily explore its effect on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of RPE cells.Methods:Human RPE cells cultured in vitro were divided into normal group, pure 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) group (4-HNE group), 4-HNE+NC group and 4-HNE+ small interfering BMP (siBMP4) group. The effect of 4-HNE on the proliferation of RPE cells was detected by thiazole blue colorimetry. The effects of 4-HNE and BMP4 on cell migration were determined by cell scratch test. The expression of BMP4 was detected by immunofluorescence staining, Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The transfection efficiency of siBMP4 was observed by fluorescence microscopy. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (MitoSOX) were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of EMT markers E-cadherin and Fibronection were detected by immunofluorescence assay. t-test was used for comparison between the two groups, and one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between the three groups. Results:Compared with normal group, cell proliferation and migration ability of 4-HNE group were significantly enhanced, with statistical significance ( t=21.619, 24.469; P<0.05). The expression of BMP4 in cells was significantly increased, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=19.441, P<0.05). The relative expression levels of BMP4 mRNA and protein were also significantly increased, with statistical significance ( t=26.163, 37.163; P<0.05). After transfection with siBMP4 for 24 h, the transfection efficiency of BMP4 in RPE cells was>90%. Compared with 4-HNE group and 4-HNE+NC group, the relative expression levels of BMP4 protein ( F=27.241), mRNA ( F=36.943), cell mobility ( F=46.723) and MitoSOX expression levels ( F=39.721) in normal group and 4-HNE+siBMP4 group were significantly decreased. The differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The epithelial marker E-cadherin increased significantly, while the mesenchymal marker Fibronection decreased significantly, with statistical significance ( F= 51.722, 45.153; P<0.05). Conclusions:BMP4 inhibits RPE proliferation and migration under oxidative stress. BMP4 is involved in inducing EMT in RPE cells.

Objective To study the effects of vision on human postural control and the connection mechanisms of the brain's functional network.Methods 15 healthy male adults were required to perform 30 s of balanced standing on both legs with eyes open and eyes closed.The center of pressure(COP)and electroencephalograph(EEG)were recorded during balance.The sample entropy(sample En)of the COP was calculated.The phase lag index(PLI)in θ-,α-,β-band of EEG was calculated to construct the brain functional networks,and the clustering coefficient(C),characteristic path length(L),and the criteria(σ)of the small-world network were calculated based on graph theory.Results During balanced standing on both legs,the SampleEn of the COPY with eyes closed was significantly higher than that with eyes open(P＜0.05).The mean value of PLI in the α-band under the eyes closed state was significantly higher than that under the eyes open state(P＜0.05).The C and σ values in the α-band under the eyes closed state were significantly higher than those under the eyes open state,and the L value was significantly lower than that under the eyes open state(P＜0.05).The frontal-central-parietal connectivity and the central-parietal connectivity strength in the α-band under the eyes closed state were significantly higher than those under the eyes open state(P＜0.05).The average PLI and C values in the α-band were moderately negatively correlated with the SampleEn of COPY (P＜0.05).The average PLI of the left prefrontal area,left parietal area,and left occipital area in the α-band under the eyes closed state had a moderate negative correlation with the SampleEn of COPY.The average PLI of the left central region and the right occipital area in the eyes-closed state was moderately negatively correlated with the SampleEn of COPY.Conclusions During the standing balance,when there is no visual input,the stability of body balance decreases,accompanied by enhanced brain network connectivity in α-band and the requirement for efficiency enhancement in information processing in the brain.The brain adopts different neural strategies when performing postural control under various visual conditions.

Objective:To construct a predictive model of radiomics based on laparoscopic grayscale ultrasound features and investigate its value in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during laparoscopic liver resection.Methods:A total of 74 patients (74 lesions)with HCC confirmed by postoperative pathology, who underwent a laparoscopic ultrasonography during laparoscopic hepatectomy were prospectively enrolled in Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from March 2022 to August 2023. The general clinical information of the patients was recorded, and the features were extracted and screened from tumor regions in gray-scale ultrasound images, and eventually the radiomics prediction models were constructed, respectively. Pathological results were used as gold standard to compare the effectiveness of different models in predicting MVI.Results:In the 74 HCC lesions, 12 lesions were MVI positive.The MVI imaging prediction model of HCC lesions was constructed from the screened clinical features, laparoscopic gray scale ultrasound image features, as well as combined screened clinical features, respectively. The obtained data sets were randomly divided into 5 parts (4 parts with 15 lesions, 1 part with 14 lesions), and the effectiveness of the model was trained and tested by the method of 5 folds interaction validation. The performance of support vector machine(SVM) radiomics model based on the characteristics of laparoscopic gray scale ultrasound in predicting the MVI of HCC was the best. Compared with clinical model and combined Adaboost model, the SVM, radiomics model had higher area under ROC curve (0.836 vs 0.696, 0.804), accuracy (0.852 vs 0.687, 0.838), sensitivity (0.900 vs 0.900, 0.833) and specificity (0.837 vs 0.644, 0.838). Conclusions:The radiomics model based on the characteristics of laparoscopic gray-scale ultrasound is an innovative potential approach to predict the MVI status of HCC lesions during laparoscopic hepatectomy.

Objective·To investigate the effect of neferine(Nef)on renal tissues of diabetic nephropathy(DN)rats and its related mechanism.Methods·DN model rats were constructed by feeding high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin,and the successfully constructed rats were randomly divided into DN group,Nef(low,medium and high)dose groups and Nef high-dose+pathway antagonist(AMD3100)group,with 10 rats in each group.At the same time,10 common rats were selected as the normal group.The levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG),24 h urinary protein,serum glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),serum creatinine(Scr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and renal index of rats in the six groups were measured.Hematoxylin-eosin(H-E)and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes of renal tissues.The content of malondialdehyde(MDA)in renal tissues was determined by thiobarbituric acid(TBA)method,and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase(CAT)in renal tissues were determined by water soluble tetrazolium(WST-1)method and ammonium molybdate method,respectively.The mRNA and protein expressions of stromal cell-derived factor-1(SDF-1)and CXC chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4)in renal tissues were detected by quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting,respectively.Rat renal tubular epithelium cells NRK-52E were induced by high glucose(30 mmol/L glucose)to establish DN cell model.The cells were divided into control group,high glucose(HG)group,HG+Nef(low,medium and high)dose(i.e.HG+Nef-L,M and H)group,and HG+Nef-H +AMD3100 group.SOD and CAT activities were detected by WST-1 method and ammonium molybdate method,respectively.MDA content was detected by TBA method.The mRNA and protein expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR4 were detected by qPCR and Western blotting,respectively.CCK-8 method and flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability and apoptosis rate,respecti-vely.Results·Compared with the DN group,the levels of FBG,24 h urinary protein,HbA1c,Scr,BUN,renal index and MDA content in Nef(low,medium and high)dose groups and Nef high-dose+AMD3100 group were decreased,the mRNA and protein expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR4 were increased,and the activities of SOD and CAT were increased(all P<0.05).The degree of pathological damage and fibrosis of renal tissues was reduced;all of the above changes were dose-dependent.AMD3100 could weaken the renal protective effect of high-dose Nef on DN rats.Compared with the HG group,NRK-52E cell viability,SOD and CAT activities,and the mRNA and protein expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR4 were increased in HG+Nef-L,M and H groups,while apoptosis rate and MDA content were decreased(all P<0.05).AMD3100 could reverse the protective effect of Nef-H on NRK-52E cell damage.Conclusion·Nef may control blood glucose levels on DN rats and improve antioxidant capacity by activating the SDF-1/CXCR4 signal pathway,playing a renal protective role.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of thyme herbal tea （BLX） on the proliferation of human coronavirus OC43 （HCoV-OC43） in vitro and in vivo. MethodThe chemical composition of BLX was analyzed by UPLC-MS. The cytotoxicity of BLX in HRT-18 cells and the effect of BLX treatment on the proliferation of HCoV-OC43 in cells were analyzed. Copies of viral gene were detected by real-time PCR. The effect of BLX treatment on the life cycle of HCoV-OC43 was detected by time-of-addition assay. The maximum tolerated dose of BLX and the influences of BLX on the body weight and survival time of suckling mice infected with HCoV-OC43 were determined. The expression of viral protein in the brain and lung tissue was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. ResultThere were 11 chemical components identified in BLX by UPLC-MS. BLX showed the 50% cytotoxic concentration （CC₅₀） of （13 859.56±319） mg·L^-1， the median inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of （1 439.09±200） mg·L^-1， and the selection index of 8.26-11.44 for HCoV-OC43 in HRT-18 cells. Compared with the cells infected with HCoV-OC43， BLX at the concentrations of 1 500， 1 000， 500 mg·L^-1 inhibited the proliferation of this virus （P<0.05， P<0.01）. BLX exhibited antiviral effect in the early stage of virus infection， and the inhibition role in the attachment stage was more significant than that in the entry stage （P<0.05）. In the suckling mice infected with HCoV-OC43， BLX at 1200 and 600 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 alleviated the symptoms， prolonged the survival period， reduced the death rate， and down-regulated the mRNA level of nucleocapsid protein in the mice. Moreover， BLX at 1 200 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 down-regulated the expression of nucleocapsid protein in the brain （P<0.01） and the lung （P<0.01）. ConclusionBLX contained multiple antiviral ingredients. It inhibited the proliferation of HCoV-OC43 both in vitro and in vivo by interference with viral attachment. This study provides theoretical reference for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infection with HCoV-OC43 and for further development and application of BLX.

Objective To develop liver cancer-targeted nanoparticles(LA-CMGL)co-loaded with miR-145/camp-tothecin(CPT)and assess their targeting specificity,combined anti-tumor effects,and magnetic resonance imaging efficacy.Methods Laser scanning confocal microscopy and flow cytometry were utilized to evaluate the targeted uptake of lactobionic acid-modified and unmodified nanoparticles by HepG2 cells and HepaRG cells;quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)was employed to assess miR-145 content in tumor cells and tissues.The cytotox-icity of CPT,LA-CPT-LNPs and LA-CMGL on HepG2 cells were assessed using the CCK-8 assay.qPCR was also used to evaluate the effect of CPT,LA-CPT-LNPs and LA-CMGL on apoptosis of HepG2 cells.MRI was performed to measure the relaxation rate of LA-CMGL and evaluate its targeting imaging effect on liver cancer cells.Results The uptake rate of LA-CMGL by HepG2 cells surpassed that of CMGL significantly.The relative miR-145 content in liver cancer cells and mouse liver cancer tissues in the LA-CMGL group was markedly higher compared to free miR-145 and CMGL groups(P＜0.001).The apoptosis rate of HepG2 cells in the LA-CMGL group exceeded that in the CMGL group and CPT group(P＜0.01).At the same Gd3+concentration,the relaxation rate of LA-CMGL significantly surpassed that of Gd-DOTA,and the MRI signal of LA-CMGL in HepG2 cells markedly increased com-pared to CMGL and Gd-DOTA.Conclusion LA-CMGL exhibits promising liver cancer-targeted delivery,com-bined anti-tumor effects,and MRI liver cancer cell-targeted imaging,offering a novel avenue for combined drug/gene therapy for liver cancer.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for portopulmonary hypertension(POPH)in liver cirrhosis,and to construct a noninvasive predictive model.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 310 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension who were hospitalized in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2013 to August 2022,and according to whether pulmonary artery systolic pressure was≥40 mmHg on ultrasound,the patients were divided into POPH group with 31 patients and non-POPH group with 279 patients.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups,and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups;the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.A binary Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for POPH,and a nomogram prediction model was constructed.The Bootstrap resampling method was used for internal validation,and C-index and calibration curve were used to assess the discriminatory ability and consistency of the model.The rms package was used to plot the nomogram.Results Compared with the non-POPH group,the POPH group had a significantly younger age,a significantly higher proportion of women or patients with hepatic encephalopathy or Child-Pugh class C disease,and significantly higher levels of direct bilirubin,Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score,albumin-bilirubin(ALBI)score,international normalized ratio,prothrombin time,FIB-4 index,LOK score,and Forns index,as well as significantly lower levels of serum albumin,alanine aminotransferase,gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase,hemoglobin,total cholesterol,and triglycerides(all P<0.05).The multivariate analysis showed that sex(odds ratio[OR]=0.172,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.064-0.462,P<0.001),age(OR=0.944,95%CI:0.901-0.989,P=0.016),ALBI score(OR=3.091,95%CI:1.100-8.687,P=0.032),and hepatic encephalopathy(OR=3.466,95%CI:1.331-9.031,P=0.011)were independent risk factors for POPH.A predictive model for POPH in liver cirrhosis was established based on the above independent risk factors,with a C-index of 0.796(95%CI:0.701-0.890),suggesting that the model had good discriminatory ability,and the calibration curve showed that the model had good calibration ability,suggesting that the model had certain predictive efficacy.Conclusion Young female individuals,elevated ALBI score,and comorbidity with hepatic encephalopathy are independent risk factors for POPH in patients with liver cirrhosis,and the predictive model established based on these factors has a certain clinical application value.