ObjectiveTo determine whether Jinshui Huanxian component formula Ⅱ （ECC-JHF Ⅱ） and matrix hardness interfere with the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） during pulmonary fibrosis by regulating integrin β₁ （ITG β₁）， and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. MethodsA pulmonary fibrosis mouse model was established by a single intratracheal instillation of bleomycin （BLM）. To observe the disease progression at various time points， the mice were sacrificed before modeling and on days 7， 14， 21， 28 and 42 after modeling for assessment of relevant indicators. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of drug intervention， the mice were given ECC-JHF Ⅱ and pirfenidone （PFD） by gavage starting on day 29 after modeling for 14 days of treatment， after which the mice were sacrificed. Pulmonary function， pathological changes， collagen deposition， lung tissue hardness and EMT markers were detected. Polyethylene glycol （PEG） composite hydrogels with different hardness were prepared in vitro using biomaterials such as eight-arm polyethylene glycol thiol （PEG-SH） and eight-arm polyethylene glycol maleimide （PEG-MAL）. Human type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells cultured in hard matrix culture dishes were treated with low， medium， and high doses of ECC-JHF Ⅱ （15.31， 30.63， 61.25 mg·L^-1） to observe the intervention effect of ECC-JHF Ⅱ on EMT induced by transforming growth factor beta 1 （TGF-β₁）. Human type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells cultured on soft （3.8 kPa） and hard （culture dishes， ~ GPa） matrices were treated with ECC-JHF Ⅱ， respectively. The mRNA and fluorescence expression levels of the epithelial marker E-cadherin （CDH1）， the mesenchymal marker N-cadherin （CDH2） and vimentin （VIM）， as well as ITG β₁， were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and immunofluorescence. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of CDH1， CDH2 and ITG β₁， and the biomechanical mechanism of ECC-JHF Ⅱ on EMT and pulmonary fibrosis was further verified by knocking down and specific activation of ITG β₁. ResultsECC-JHF Ⅱ treatment improved BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice， as evidenced by significantly increased minute ventilation （MV） and 50% expiratory flow at tidal volume （EF₅₀） （P<0.05）， and significantly increased tidal volume （TV） after treatment （P<0.01） compared with the model group. Immunohistopathological analysis revealed attenuated inflammation and alveolar injury， reduced deposition of type Ⅰ collagen （Col-Ⅰ）， and significantly decreased lung tissue stiffness （P<0.01）， thereby alleviating disease progression. The real-time PCR results showed that， compared with the model group， the ECC-JHF Ⅱ group showed increased CDH1 expression and decreased CDH2 and VIM expression in mouse lung tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that ECC-JHF Ⅱ inhibited the EMT process to ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis. In vitro experimental results showed that both ECC-JHF Ⅱ and matrix softening reversed the EMT phenotype switch. Specifically， compared with the hard matrix group， the cells cultured on the soft matrix exhibited significantly upregulated expression of the epithelial marker CDH1 （P<0.01） and significantly downregulated expression of the mesenchymal markers CDH2 and VIM （P<0.05）. Furthermore， ECC-JHF Ⅱ inhibited the expression of ITG β₁ both in vitro and in vivo. Knockdown and specific activation of ITG β₁ further confirmed that ITG β₁ is involved in the regulatory process by which ECC-JHF Ⅱ inhibits EMT and ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis. ConclusionECC-JHF Ⅱ and matrix softening can block the EMT process and ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis， and the underlying mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of ITG β₁-mediated mechanotransduction. This study reveals a novel mechanism of ECC-JHF Ⅱ intervention in pulmonary fibrosis from a biomechanical perspective.

ObjectiveTo screen for and validate key differentially expressed proteins in serum of patients with metabolic dysfunction‑associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）， and to provide a basis for identifying diagnostic biomarkers and developing intervention strategies for this disease. MethodsA total of 20 patients who were diagnosed with MAFLD in the third affiliated hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from December 2024 to January 2025 were enrolled as MAFLD group， and 20 healthy controls were enrolled as HC group. Demographic data and serum biochemical parameters were collected from both groups. Data-independent acquisition （DIA） quantitative proteomics was used to measure the relative expression levels of serum proteins， and related methods were used to obtain significantly differentially expressed proteins， including the gene ontology functional enrichment analysis， the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis， protein-protein interaction （PPI） network， Hub node interaction， and weighted gene co-expression network analysis （WGCNA）. Rats were given a high-fat diet to establish a model of MAFLD， and randomly assigned to the control group and model group. Serum biochemical parameters and inflammatory factors were measured， liver histopathological changes were observed， and the protein expression levels of MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase （MERTK） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in liver tissue were verified. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， while the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data or data with heterogeneity of variance between groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. ResultsCompared with the HC group， the MAFLD group had significant increases in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （t=-7.348， P<0.05）， alanine aminotransferase （Z=5.088， P<0.05）， alkaline phosphatase （t=-3.943， P<0.05）， triglyceride （Z=2.070， P<0.05）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （t=3.867， P<0.05）. A total of 3 559 proteins were identified by DIA serum proteomics， among which 160 differentially expressed proteins were mainly enriched in pathways including metabolic disorders， immune inflammatory response， and extracellular matrix remodeling. The PPI network and the Hub node analysis showed that serpin family E member 1， MMP-9， and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 were core regulatory proteins. WGCNA showed that the MEyellow module was significantly positively correlated with MAFLD phenotype （cor=0.55， P<0.001）， which was functionally enriched in the efferocytosis pathway. MERTK （P<0.001） and MMP-9 （P<0.001） showed the most significant differential expression in this module. A rat model of MAFLD was successfully established using a high-fat diet， and compared with the control group， the model group had enlarged， yellowish， and greasy liver and disordered structure of hepatic lobules， hepatocyte fatty degeneration， and inflammatory cell infiltration based on HE staining， as well as massive lipid droplet deposition based on oil red O staining， while no obvious fibrous cords were observed in Masson staining. Compared with the control group， the model group had significant increases in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （t=-5.148， P<0.05）， alanine aminotransferase （t=-5.663， P<0.05）， total bilirubin （t=-13.061， P<0.05）， triglyceride （Z=-2.722， P<0.05）， total cholesterol （t=3.588， P<0.05）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （t=-16.741， P<0.05）， as well as significant increases in the protein expression levels of MERTK （t=-11.448， P<0.001） and MMP-9 （t=-10.875， P<0.001） in liver tissue. ConclusionMMP-9 and MERTK are abnormally expressed in MAFLD and may be used as potential diagnostic biomarkers for this disease.

Xenogeneic kidney transplantation is an important approach to alleviate the shortage of donor kidneys, but acute rejection remains the main obstacle in its clinical application. Xenogeneic acute rejection shows a clear temporal sequence: in the early stage, it is mainly mediated by antibodies and occurs through humoral rejection, with pre-existing antibodies targeting α-Gal and non-Gal antigens, activating complement and inducing thrombotic microangiopathy; in the later stage, it gradually transforms into a cellular rejection driven by infiltration of T cells and macrophages. In terms of diagnosis, donor-derived cell-free DNA can serve as an early non-invasive warning indicator, and histopathological biopsy remains the gold standard. In 2024, the Banff Working Group on Transplant Pathology of xenogeneic kidney transplantation released the first consensus on the pathological assessment of pig-human kidney/heart xenogeneic transplantation. However, this is currently only a reporting framework, and an independent grading system still awaits more clinical data. The treatment mainly focuses on multi-gene-modified donors combined with intensified immunosuppression, but it still faces challenges such as immature immunization regimens, the absence of monitoring systems and prominent infection risks. This article reviews the mechanisms, diagnostic monitoring, treatment strategies and clinical dilemmas of acute rejection, providing a reference for subsequent research.

[Objective] To compare the diagnostic accuracy of three imaging modalities, inlducing CT urography (CTU), contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI), and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the qualitative diagnosis of renal space-occupying lesions. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was performed on 542 patients with renal lesions confirmed by surgical pathology in our hospital during Jan.2019 and May 2024.The diagnostic results of CTU, CE-MRI and CEUS were compared and analyzed based on the patients' clinical and pathological data. [Results] The diagnostic accuracy rate of CTU, CE-MRI and CEUS were 84.50%, 83.14% and 86.14%, respectively.For the 161 patients who underwent all three examinations, CEUS was significantly more accurate than CTU (84.16% vs. 77.02%, P=0.018), while there was no significant difference between CTU or CEUS and CE-MRI (79.81%) (P>0.05). Further analysis found that for lesions ≤4 cm, the accuracy of the three examinations was as follows: CEUS=CTU 79.55%, CE-MRI 76.14%, with no significant difference (P>0.05). However, for lesions >4 cm, CEUS ranked the first, followed by CE-MRI and CTU (89.73% vs. 84.25% vs. 73.97%), and CEUS and CE-MRI were better than CTU (P<0.05). Additionally, for the diagnosis of clear cell renal carcinoma and benign renal space-occupying lesions, there was no statistically significant difference among the three imaging modalities (P>0.05), while for the qualitative diagnosis of non-clear cell renal carcinoma, CEUS ranked the first, followed by CE-MRI and CTU (83.87% vs. 74.19% vs. 56.45%), and CE-MRI and CEUS were better than CTU (P<0.05). [Conclusion] All of them have important diagnostic value, and the appropriate selection should be based on patients' specifc conditions.CEUS and CE-MRI are more accurate in the qualitative diagnosis of renal space-occupying lesions than CTU, especially for large lesions and non-clear cell carcinoma.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder with complex etiologies, manifests through a cascade of pathological changes before clinical symptoms become apparent. Among these early changes, alterations in the expression of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as pivotal events. In this study, we focused on the aberrant expression of ncRNAs and revealed that Lamr1-ps1, a pseudogene of the laminin receptor, significantly exacerbates early spatial learning and memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Through a combination of bioinformatics prediction and experimental validation, we identified the miR-29c/Bace1 pathway as a potential regulatory mechanism by which Lamr1-ps1 influences AD pathology. Importantly, augmenting the miR-29c-3p levels in mice ameliorated memory deficits, underscoring the therapeutic potential of targeting miR-29c-3p in early AD intervention. This study not only provides new insights into the role of pseudogenes in AD but also consolidates a foundational basis for considering miR-29c as a viable therapeutic target, offering a novel avenue for AD research and treatment strategies.
Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Pseudogenes/genetics* ; Mice ; Memory Disorders/metabolism* ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Spatial Learning/physiology* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Presenilin-1/genetics* ; Male ; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases/metabolism*

BACKGROUND:The mechanisms underlying the occurrence of pressure injuries are complex,and it is not entirely clear which factors play a central role in the development of pressure injuries and how these factors operate. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship between Piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1(Piezo1)and the occurrence of pressure injuries. METHODS:(1)Cellular experiment:Human immortalized keratinocytes(HaCaT)were treated with Yoda1,a Piezo1 agonist,at different concentrations.Cell viability,calcium ion influx,Piezo1,and apoptosis-related protein expression were detected.(2)Animal experiment:Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group and three experimental groups,with three rats in each group.The control group was not subjected to pressure,while in the three experimental groups,magnets with a thickness of 1,2,and 3 mm were used to press on both sides of the rats'back for 1 hour,respectively,to establish the animal models of pressure injuries.After modeling,all traumatic tissues were excised and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin,Masson,immunofluorescence staining and western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cellular experiments:The results of live/dead cell staining showed that HaCaT cell apoptosis increased with the increase of Yoda1 concentration(0,2.5,5,and 10 μmol/L),and calcium ion influx increased with the increase of Yoda1 concentration(0,5,and 10 μmol/L),as well as with the prolongation of treatment time.Western blot assay results showed an increase in the expression of BAX,TG2,and PIEZO1 and a decrease in the expression of the expression of Bcl-2 protein in HaCaT cells in 5 and 10 μmol/L Yoda1 groups compared with the control group(0 μmol/L Yoda1).Animal experiments:The results of hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining showed that the skin structure of the three experimental groups was damaged at the compression site,there was subcutaneous fat liquefaction and necrosis,and collagen was sparse and disorganized,and damage to the skin structure at the compression site was aggravated with the increase of magnet thickness.Immunofluorescence staining and western blot results showed that compared with the control group,the expression of BAX,TG2,Yap1 and PIEZO1 proteins was elevated,and the expression of Bcl-2 proteins was lowered in the three experimental groups.Moreover,the expression of related proteins showed more significant changes with the increase of magnet thickness(pressure).To conclude,skin compression activates PIEZO1,leading to a significant influx of calcium ions.As the pressure increases,this ultimately results in cell apoptosis due to calcium overload.

Diaphragmatic dysfunction often occurs in ICU patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation, which seriously affects patients′prognosis. This article reviewed the progress of rehabilitation treatment of diaphragmatic dysfunction in ICU patients with mechanical ventilation, focused on the concept and assessment of diaphragm rehabilitation, the current status, evaluation indexes, emphasized the importance of nurses, analyzed the dilemmas and countermeasures in the application, which aimed to provide a reference for the promotion of diaphragm rehabilitation in clinical practice.

To address the current issues of data imbalance and scarcity in photoplethysmography (PPG) data for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prediction, this study proposes an improved conditional Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty (CWGAN-GP). The algorithm integrated gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks and self-attention mechanisms to construct a generator, aiming to produce high-quality PPG signals. Various data augmentation methods, including the improved CWGAN-GP, were employed to expand the PPG dataset, and multiple classifiers were applied for T2DM prediction analysis. Experimental results showed that the model trained on data generated by the improved CWGAN-GP achieved the optimal prediction performance. The highest accuracy reached 0.895 0, and compared with other data enhancement methods, this approach exhibited significant advantages in terms of precision and F1-score. The generated data notably enhances the accuracy and generalization ability of T2DM prediction models, providing a more reliable technical basis for non-invasive early T2DM screening based on PPG signals.
Photoplethysmography/methods* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Algorithms ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Prediction Algorithms

Objective To summarize the best evidence for diaphragm rehabilitation in mechanically ven-tilated ICU patients with ventilator-associated diaphragm dysfunction based on evidence-based methods.Meth-ods A systematic search was conducted across guideline websites,professional associations,and Chinese/English databases for evidence regarding diaphragm rehabilitation in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.The search timeframe spanned from database inception to December 31,2024.Two researchers independently per-formed quality assessment and synthesized the evidence.Results Twenty articles were included:2 clinical de-cisions,1 guideline,2 evidence summaries,3 systematic reviews,7 randomized controlled trials(RCT),and 5 expert consensuses/opinions.Twenty-seven pieces of evidence were formed across 6 themes:rehabilitation team,rehabilitation assessment,rehabilitation interventions,outcome evaluation,precautions,and education/training.Conclusion This study summarizes the best evidence for diaphragm rehabilitation in ICU mechani-cally ventilated patients.Healthcare professionals should implement diaphragm rehabilitation by integrating this evidence with specific clinical contexts to improve patient outcomes and enhance nursing quality.

Objective: Data on syncopal donation-related vasovagal reaction (DRVR) collected from 74 blood centers between 2020 and 2023 was statistically analyzed to provide a reference for developing preventive strategies against syncopal DRVR. Methods: Data on blood donation adverse reactions and basic information of donors from 2020 to 2023 were collected through the information management system at monitoring sentinel sites. Statistical analysis was performed on the following aspects of syncopal DRVR: characteristics of donors who experienced syncope, reported incidence, triggers, duration, presence and occurrence time of syncope-related trauma, clinical management including outpatient and inpatient treatment, and severity grading. Results: From 2020 to 2023, 45 966 donation-related adverse reactions were recorded. Of these, 1 665 (3.72%) cases were syncopal DRVR. The incidence of syncopal DRVR decreased with age, being the highest in the 18-22 age group. Incidence was significantly higher in female donors than male donors, in first-time donors than repeat donors, and in university and individual donors than group donors (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among different blood donation locations (P>0.05). The top three triggers were tension, fatigue, and needle phobia or fear of blood. Among syncopal DRVR cases, 60.36% occurred during blood collection, 87.63% lasted for less than 60 seconds, and 5.05% were accompanied by trauma. Notably, 57.14% of these traumas occurred after donor had left the blood collection site. Syncope severity was graded based on required treatment: grade 1 (fully recovered without treatment, 95.50%); grade 2 (recovered after outpatient treatment, 4.02%); and grade 3 (recovered after inpatient treatment, 0.48%). Conclusion: By analyzing the data of syncopal DRVR cases, it is possible to provide a reference for formulating blood donor safety policies.