OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression levels of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like recep-tor pyrin domain-associated protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway and toll-like receptors(TLRs)pathway in serofast patients with syphilis infection,and their correlation with helper T lymphocytes(Th)1/Th2.METHODS A total of 549 patients with syphilis admitted to Tianjin Chest Hospital and Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from Jan.2021 to Dec.2022 were selected.Among them,62 patients who had not received anti-syphilis treatment were assigned to the syphilis group,238 patients whose serum remained positive after anti-syphilis treatment were selected as the fixed group,249 patients whose serum turned negative after anti-syphilis treatment were selected as the negative conversion group,and another 565 healthy people who underwent medical examina-tion in the hospital during the same period were selected as the control group.TLR2,TLR4,nuclear factor(NF)-κB,NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC),cysteinyl aspartate proteolytic enzyme 1(Caspase-1),in-terleukin(IL)-1β mRNA and interferon-γ(IFN-γ),IL-12,IL-13 and IL-10 levels were compared between each group.Pearson's analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the mRNA expression of TLR2,TLR4,NF-κB,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,and IL-1β and the levels of IFN-γ,IL-12,IL-13,and IL-10 in serologically fixed patients with syphilis.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the mRNA expression of TLR2,TLR4,NF-κB,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 and IL-1β was elevated in the negative conversion and the syphilis groups,and the expres-sion of the above indicators was decreased in the fixed group(P＜0.05).Compared with negative conversion group,mR-NA expressions of TLR2,TLR4,NF-κB,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 and IL-1β were increased in syphilis group,while the expression of the above indicators was decreased in fixed group(P＜0.05).Compared with fixed group,mRNA ex-pressions of TLR2,TLR4,NF-κB,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 and IL-1β in syphilis group were increased in the syphilis group(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,IFN-γ and IL-12 levels were decreased in the negative conversion group,syphilis group and fixed group,and IL-13 and IL-10 levels were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the nega-tive conversion group,IFN-γ and IL-12 levels in the syphilis group and fixed group were decreased,while IL-13 and IL-10 levels were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the fixed group,the levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 in syphilis group were increased,while the levels of IL-13 and IL-10 were decreased(P＜0.05).The mRNA levels of TLR2,TLR4,NF-κB,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 and IL-1β were positively correlated with the levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 in serum fixed patients with syphilis infection(r=0.698,0.602,0.636,0.702,0.645,0.617,0.583 and 0.669,and 0.693,0.641,0.702,0.623,0.618 and 0.647,respectively,all P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with the levels of IL-13 and IL-10(r=-0.639,-0.705,-0.614,-0.590,-0.598,-0.651 and-0.628,and-0.704,-0.649,-0.606,-0.655,-0.650,-0.641 and-0.539,respectively,all P＜0.05).CONCLUSION The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and TLRs pathway are abnormally expressed in sero-fast patients with syphilis infection,positively correlated with the expression of Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12,and negatively correlated with the expression of Th2 cytokines IL-13 and IL-10.

Objective:To investigate the technical application pathways of artificial intelligence(AI)in laboratory information management systems(LIMS)and its role in promoting laboratory management efficiency and intelli-gence.Methods:Through the integration of traditional AI technologies(e.g.,machine learning,computer vision)with large language models,this study demonstrated the application of various AI technologies in scenarios such as intelligent Q&A for local knowledge bases,comprehensive review of inspection processes,intelligent data visualization,and image recognition.Results:Through the implementation of AI applications in laboratory settings,AI significantly enhanced management efficiency:the intelligent Q&A system achieved over 90％accuracy,auto-mated inspection processes reduced manual workload by 40％,and image recognition precision reached 89％-100％.Conclusion:AI provides efficient and precise solutions for laboratory management via multimodal integration and process optimization.Future efforts should focus on strengthening data security and model interpret-ability to promote comprehensive intelligent development.

Objective:To investigate the technical application pathways of artificial intelligence(AI)in laboratory information management systems(LIMS)and its role in promoting laboratory management efficiency and intelli-gence.Methods:Through the integration of traditional AI technologies(e.g.,machine learning,computer vision)with large language models,this study demonstrated the application of various AI technologies in scenarios such as intelligent Q&A for local knowledge bases,comprehensive review of inspection processes,intelligent data visualization,and image recognition.Results:Through the implementation of AI applications in laboratory settings,AI significantly enhanced management efficiency:the intelligent Q&A system achieved over 90％accuracy,auto-mated inspection processes reduced manual workload by 40％,and image recognition precision reached 89％-100％.Conclusion:AI provides efficient and precise solutions for laboratory management via multimodal integration and process optimization.Future efforts should focus on strengthening data security and model interpret-ability to promote comprehensive intelligent development.

Objective:To explore risk factors for delayed onset of lactogenesis in prenatally overweight women and construct risk prediction models based on machine learning for early identification of high-risk individuals.Methods:Convenience sampling was adopted to select 338 prenatally overweight women who delivered in the Obstetrics Departments of four ClassⅢ Grade A hospitals in Hengyang City from October 2023 to June 2024 for the study. Delivery women were randomly divided into training set and test set in the ratio of 7∶3. The survey was conducted with the General Information Questionnaire, Breastfeeding Self-efficacy Scale Short Form, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, LATCH Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. One-way analysis and LASSO regression were used to screen predictors using delayed onset of lactogenesis as the outcome variable. Risk prediction models were constructed based on three machine learning algorithms of Logistic regression, support vector, and random forest, respectively. The models were tuned by ten-fold cross-validation to filter out the best models.Results:Delayed onset of lactogenesis occurred in 140 of 338 prenatally overweight women, an incidence of 41.4%. Among the three predictive model performances, the random forest model had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 value. The importance of each predictor was ranked according to the fandom forest algorithm, and in descending order of importance, they were breastfeeding 1 h after the birth of the newborn, number of previous deliveries, age, feeding mode 3 d postpartum, pregnancy complications, mode of delivery, number of breastfeeding 24 h postpartum, and monthly household income.Conclusions:Risk prediction models for delayed onset of lactogenesis in prenatally overweight women are constructed based on three machine learning algorithms, aiming to help provide a scientific basis for clinical healthcare professionals to take relevant decisions.

This study aimed to identify,characterize,and functionally analyze the CYP450 gene fam-ily within Hyalomma asiaticum unfed nymphs(HasiUN)under regular physiological conditions,laying the groundwork for further study into the biosynthesis and metabolism of exogenous sub-stances associated with the CYP450 gene in HasiUN.Through our methods,we identified and characterized HasiUNCYP450 genes.We then annotated them using the gene ontology(GO)and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG).This was achieved with the help of bioinforma-tics,based on the transcriptome of 2-week-old HasiUN.Further on,we conducted a preliminary a-nalysis of tissue expression,distribution,and potential function with qRT-PCR and network inter-action predictions.Our analyses showed that 87 HasiUN CYP450 genes,ranging in size from 1089 to 1692 bp,encoded predominantly basic,hydrophilic,and unstable protein sequences.These se-quences had nearly identical numbers of transmembrane regions,both with and without a signal peptide.Phylogenetic and domain analyses indicated that HasiUN CYP450,having a complete CYP450 domain,were distributed among various clans,with most members found in clan 3.CYP20 clans,present in 13 species from 2 families and 7 genera,required either one-host or three-hosts to undergo their full life cycle.MEME analysis results hint at different clans having variations in the amount and combination of motifs.Expression level analysis showed that HasiUN CYP450 was expressed at different levels,with the highest distribution of normally expressed genes in clan 3 and low expression of all mito clan genes.Functional annotation revealed HasiUN CYP450 key as-sociation with biological processes,metabolism,and organismal systems according to the GO and KEGG annotations.Distribution results showed that HasiUN CYP20a1 was expressed in specific tissues,including salivary glands and ovaries.Functional analysis points to CYP20a1's role in UV-induced toxic metabolism,endocrine disruptor metabolism,and hazardous substance metabolism in the nervous system.Our research presents the first analysis of HasiUN CYP450 gene's biological characteristics and expression pattern under normal physiological conditions.Additionally,investi-gations into the distribution and function of a new category,HasiUN CYP20a1,were embarked upon.These findings establish a theoretical foundation for continued functional study of HasiUN CYP45 gene.

Objective To investigate the effects of Echinococcus multilocularis infection on levels of memory T (Tm) cells and their subsets in lymph nodes of mice at different stages of infection, so as to provide new insights into immunotherapy for alveolarechinococcosis. MethodsTwenty-four C57BL/6J mice aged 6 to 9 weeks were randomly divided into the infection group and the control group, of 12 mice in each group. Mice in the infection group were administered with 3 000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces via portal venous injection, while animals in the control group were administered with an equal volume of physiological saline. Three mice from each group were sacrificed 4, 12 weeks and 24 weeks post-infection, and lymph nodes were sampled and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) to investigate the histopathological changes of mouse lymph nodes in the infection group. The expression and localization of T lymphocyte surface markers CD3, CD4, and CD8 were observed in mouse lymph nodes using immunohistochemical staining. In addition, lymphocyte suspensions were prepared from mouse lymph nodes in both groups at different time points post-infection, and the levels of Tm cell subsets and their secreted cytokines were detected using flow cytometry. Results HE staining showed diffuse structural alterations in the subcapsular cortical and paracortical regions of mouse lymph nodes in the infection group 4 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis. Immunohistochemical staining detected CD3, CD4 and CD8 expression in mouse lymph nodes in both groups. Flow cytometry revealed higher proportions of CD4⁺ Tm cells [(55.3 ± 4.8)% vs. (38.8 ± 6.1)%; t = -4.259, P < 0.05] and CD4⁺ tissue-resident Tm (Trm) cells [(57.7 ± 3.7)% vs. (34.1 ± 11.2)%; t = -3.990, P < 0.05] in mouse lymph nodes in the infection group than in the control group 4 weeks post-infection, and higher proportions of CD4⁺ Tm cells [(34.6 ± 3.2)% vs. (23.3 ± 7.5)%; t = -2.764, P < 0.05] and CD4⁺ Trm cells [(44.0 ± 1.9)% vs. (31.2 ± 1.5)%; t = -4.039, P < 0.05] in mouse lymph nodes in the infection group than in the control group 24 weeks post-infection. The proportions of CD8⁺ Tm cells were higher in the infection group than in the control group 4 weeks [(56.8 ± 2.7)% vs. (43.9 ± 5.2)%; t = -4.416, P < 0.01] and 12 weeks post-infection [(25.4 ± 2.7)% vs. (12.0 ± 2.6)%; t = -2.552, P < 0.05], while the proportions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α⁺ CD4⁺ T cells [(15.7 ± 5.0)% vs. (49.4 ± 6.4)%; t = 7.150, P < 0.01], TNF-α⁺CD8⁺ T cells [(20.7 ± 5.5)% vs. (57.5 ± 8.4)%; t = -6.694, P < 0.01], and TNF-α⁺ CD8⁺ Tm cells [7.0% (1.0%) vs. 31.0% (11.0%); Z = -2.236, P < 0.05] were lower in the infection group than in the control group 24 weeks post-infection. Conclusions Tm cells levels are consistently increased in lymph nodes of mice at different stages of E. multilocularis infection, with Trm cells as the predominantly elevated subset. The impaired capacity of CD8⁺ Tm cells to secrete the effector molecule TNF-α in mouse lymph nodes at the late-stage infection may facilitate chronic parasitism of E. multilocularis.

Diabetic retinopathy, a prevalent and vision-threatening microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, is the leading cause of blindness among middle-aged and elderly individuals. Natural diterpenoids isolated from Siegesbeckia pubescens demonstrate potent anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to identify novel bioactive diterpenoids from S. pubescens and investigate their effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in diabetic retinopathy, both in vitro and in vivo. Three new ent-pimarane-type diterpenoids (1-3) and six known compounds (4-9) were isolated from the aerial parts of S. pubescens. Their structures were elucidated through spectroscopic data interpretation, and absolute configurations were determined by comparing calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Among these compounds, 14β,16-epoxy-ent-3β,15α,19-trihydroxypimar-7-ene (5) exhibited the most potent protective effect against high glucose and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-stimulated human retinal endothelial cells. Mechanistically, compound 5 promoted endothelial cell survival while ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy, both in vivo and in vitro. These findings not only suggest that diterpenoids such as compound 5 are important anti-inflammatory constituents in S. pubescens, but also indicate that compound 5 may serve as a lead compound for preventing or treating vascular complications associated with diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic Retinopathy/metabolism* ; Humans ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Animals ; Diterpenes, Kaurane/administration & dosage* ; Asteraceae/chemistry* ; Male ; Endothelial Cells/drug effects* ; Abietanes/administration & dosage* ; Molecular Structure ; Mice ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/chemistry* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Objective: To screen and identify the key active molecules, signaling pathways, and therapeutic targets of Shuxuening (SXN) injection for treating liver cirrhosis (LC) and to evaluate its therapeutic potential using a mouse model. Methods: Target genes of SXN and LC were retrieved from public databases, and enrichment analysis was performed. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING), and hub genes were identified using Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE). LC was induced in rats and mice via intraperitoneal injections of diethylnitrosamine and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 12 weeks. Starting at week 7, SXN was administered intraperitoneally to the mice in the treatment group. Serum and liver tissues of the mice were collected for the detection of indicators, pathological staining, and expression analysis of hub targets using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: We identified 368 overlapping genes (OLGs) between SXN and LC targets. These OLGs were subsequently used to build a PPI network and to screen for hub genes. Enrichment analysis showed that these genes were associated with cancer-related pathways, including phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and various cellular processes, such as responses to chemicals and metabolic regulation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that SXN treatment significantly improved liver function and pathology in CCl4-induced LC mice by reducing inflammation and collagen deposition. Furthermore, qRT-PCR demonstrated that SXN regulated the expression of MAPK8, AR and CASP3 in the livers of LC mice. Conclusion This study highlighted the therapeutic effects of SXN in alleviating LC using both bioinformatics and experimental methods. The observed effect was associated with modulation of hub gene expression, particularly MAPK8, and CASP3.

Objective To investigate the multi-target mechanisms of quercetin in treating endometriosis(EMT)through integrative network pharmacology analysis.Methods Active targets of quercetin were collected from the TCMSP database,while EMT-related differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified through the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)dataset.A comparative analysis was conducted to pinpoint potential therapeutic targets of quercetin for EMT treatment.Functional enrichment analyses were employed to investigate the biological functions associated with these targets,and a protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was conducted to identify core targets.Molecular docking and dynamics simulations were performed to validate the binding characteristics between quercetin and the core targets.The top 2 target protein pairs,HSP90AB1 and AR,exhibiting the lowest binding energy,were selected for subsequent cellular experimental validation.Human EMT-immortalized ectopic endometrial epithelial cell line 12Z(n=6,independent replicates)was subjected,and CCK-8 assay was used to determine ehe effects of quercetin on cell viability and proliferation,and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was calculated at 48 h after treatment.Then the 12Z cells were treated with quercetin at a concentration gradient of 0,30,60 and 90 μmol/L,the migration and invasion abilities were assessed with cell scratch and cell invasion assays.Western blotting was conducted to detect the changes in the expression of HSP90AB1 and AR proteins after different doses of treatment.Results There were 49 potential EMT-related therapeutic targets and 10 core targets identified.Functional enrichment analyses revealed that these targets were significant enriched in inflammation-related signaling pathways,including AGE-RAGE,ErbB and TNF;immune-related pathways,such as Th17 cell differentiation,T/B cell receptor signaling;angiogenesis-related pathways like VEGF;and hormonal regulatory pathways involving estrogen and GnRH.Molecular docking demonstrated that quercetin exhibited favorable binding activity(binding energy<-5 kcal/mol)with all core target proteins,with particularly strong binding energies(<-7 kcal/mol)observed for AR,EGFR,FOS,ERBB2,and HSP90AB1.Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that quercetin forms sustained hydrogen bond interactions with AR and HSP90AB1,facilitating the formation of stable complexes.CCK-8 assay,cell scratch assay,and transwell invasion assay indicated that quercetin inhibited the proliferative activity,and migrative and invasive abilities of 12Z cells in a concentration-dependent manner,with more pronounced inhibitory effects observed at 60 and 90 μmol/L quercetin(P<0.001);Western blotting revealed that treatment of 12Z cells with varying quercetin concentrations for 48 h up-regulated the expression of HSP90AB1 and AR,with the most significant increase observed at 90 μmol/L quercetin(HSP90AB1,P<0.05;AR,P<0.001).The restored expression levels of HSP90AB1 and AR showed positive correlations with the proliferative activity,migrative and invasive abilities of ectopic endometrial cells.Conclusion Quercetin effectively addresses endometriosis through multiple molecular targets and signaling pathways,and stabilization of the HSP90AB1/AR complex and subsequent protein upregulation represents a key therapeutic mechanism.

Increasing evidence showed that histone deacetylase 6(HDAC6)dysfunction is directly associated with the onset and progression of various diseases,especially cancers,making the development of HDAC6-targeted anti-tumor agents a research hotspot.In this study,artificial intelligence(AI)technology and molecular simulation strategies were fully integrated to construct an efficient and precise drug screening pipeline,which combined Voting strategy based on compound-protein interaction(CPI)prediction models,cascade molecular docking,and molecular dynamic(MD)simulations.The biological potential of the screened compounds was further evaluated through enzymatic and cellular activity assays.Among the identified compounds,Cmpd.18 exhibited more potent HDAC6 enzyme inhibitory activity(IC50=5.41 nM)than that of tubastatin A(TubA)(IC50=15.11 nM),along with a favorable subtype selectivity profile(selectivity index ≈ 117.23 for HDAC1),which was further verified by the Western blot analysis.Additionally,Cmpd.18 induced G2/M phase arrest and promoted apoptosis in HCT-116 cells,exerting desirable antiproliferative activity(IC50=2.59 μM).Furthermore,based on long-term MD simulation trajectory,the key residues facilitating Cmpd.18's binding were identified by decomposition free energy analysis,thereby elucidating its binding mechanism.Moreover,the representative conformation analysis also indicated that Cmpd.18 could stably bind to the active pocket in an effective conformation,thus demonstrating the potential for in-depth research of the 2-(2-phenoxyethyl)pyridazin-3(2H)-one scaffold.