ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of gingerol， an active component of ginger， on Staphylococcus aureus （S. aureus） infection， and to preliminarily explore its mechanism related to extracellular vesicles （EVs）. MethodsS.aureus infection models were established in human umbilical vein endothelial cell （HUVECs）， Vero E6 cells， and C57BL/6 mice. Experimental groups included control， infection， and gingerol-treated groups. Bacterial load and VE-cadherin protein expression were detected using immunofluorescence and Western blot. EVs were isolated by size exclusion chromatography and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. miRNA sequencing was performed on EVs. ResultsGingerol treatment significantly reduced the bacterial load in both in vitro and in vivo infection models and upregulated VE-cadherin expression. miRNA sequencing of EVs revealed that S. aureus infection upregulated the expression of hsa-miR-320c， while gingerol treatment reversed this abnormal expression. Bioinformatic analysis further predicted that the target genes of hsa-miR-320c were significantly enriched in cell junction-related pathways. ConclusionGingerol exhibits clear antibacterial and host-protective effects， by regulating hsa-miR-320c in EVs to maintain endothelial barrier integrity.

Sigma-1 receptor (σ ₁R) has become a focus point of drug discovery for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. A series of novel 1-phenylethan-1-one O-(2-aminoethyl) oxime derivatives were synthesized. In vitro biological evaluation led to the identification of 1a, 14a, 15d and 16d as the most high-affinity (K _i < 4 nmol/L) and selective σ ₁R agonists. Among these, 15d, the most metabolically stable derivative exhibited high selectivity for σ ₁R in relation to σ ₂R and 52 other human targets. In addition to low CYP450 inhibition and induction, 15d also exhibited high brain permeability and excellent oral bioavailability. Importantly, 15d demonstrated effective antipsychotic potency, particularly for alleviating negative symptoms and improving cognitive impairment in experimental animal models, both of which are major challenges for schizophrenia treatment. Moreover, 15d produced no significant extrapyramidal symptoms, exhibiting superior pharmacological profiles in relation to current antipsychotic drugs. Mechanistically, 15d inhibited GSK3β and enhanced prefrontal BDNF expression and excitatory synaptic transmission in pyramidal neurons. Collectively, these in vivo proof-of-concept findings provide substantial experimental evidence to demonstrate that modulating σ ₁R represents a potential new therapeutic approach for schizophrenia. The novel chemical entity along with its favorable drug-like and pharmacological profile of 15d renders it a promising candidate for treating schizophrenia.

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) protein inhibitors are a promising class of therapeutics, but research on molecules that effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains limited, which is crucial for treating central nervous system (CNS) malignancies. Although molecular generation models have recently advanced drug discovery, they often overlook the complexity of biological and chemical factors, leaving room for improvement. In this study, we present a structure-constrained molecular generation workflow designed to optimize lead compounds for both drug efficacy and drug absorption properties. Our approach utilizes a variational autoencoder (VAE) generative model integrated with reinforcement learning for multi-objective optimization. This method specifically aims to enhance BBB permeability (BBBp) while maintaining high-affinity substructures of KRAS inhibitors. To support this, we incorporate a specialized KRAS BBB predictor based on active learning and an affinity predictor employing comparative learning models. Additionally, we introduce two novel metrics, the knowledge-integrated reproduction score (KIRS) and the composite diversity score (CDS), to assess structural performance and biological relevance. Retrospective validation with KRAS inhibitors, AMG510 and MRTX849, demonstrates the framework's effectiveness in optimizing BBBp and highlights its potential for real-world drug development applications. This study provides a robust framework for accelerating the structural enhancement of lead compounds, advancing the drug development process across diverse targets.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI (GenAI), has already brought, and will continue to bring, revolutionary changes to our daily production and life, as well as create new opportunities and challenges for diagnostic and therapeutic practices in the medical field. Haihe Hospital of Tianjin University collaborates with the National Supercomputer Center in Tianjin, Tianjin University, and other institutions to carry out research in areas such as smart healthcare, smart services, and smart management. We have conducted research and development of a full-process disease diagnosis and treatment assistance system based on GenAI in the field of smart healthcare. The development of this project is of great significance. The first goal is to upgrade and transform the hospital's information center, organically integrate it with existing information systems, and provide the necessary computing power storage support for intelligent services within the hospital. We have implemented the localized deployment of three models: Tianhe "Tianyuan", WiNGPT, and DeepSeek. The second is to create a digital avatar of the chief physician/chief physician's voice and image by integrating multimodal intelligent interaction technology. With generative intelligence as the core, this solution provides patients with a visual medical interaction solution. The third is to achieve deep adaptation between generative intelligence and the entire process of patient medical treatment. In this project, we have developed assistant tools such as intelligent inquiry, intelligent diagnosis and recognition, intelligent treatment plan generation, and intelligent assisted medical record generation to improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of the diagnosis and treatment process. This study introduces the content of a full-process disease diagnosis and treatment assistance system, aiming to provide references and insights for the digital transformation of the healthcare industry.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Delivery of Health Care ; Generative Artificial Intelligence

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and the live birth rate (LBR) using different propensity score methods. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, eligible women who underwent a COH were divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. The primary outcome was LBR, as determined by propensity score matching (PSM). LBR was defined as the delivery of one or more living infants that reached a gestational age over 28 weeks after embryo transfer. The propensity score model encompassed 16 confounding variables. To validate the results, sensitivity analyses were conducted using three additional propensity score methods: propensity score adjustment, inverse probability weighting (IPW), and IPW with a "doubly robust" estimator. RESULTS: The primary cohort encompassed 9751 patients (1830 [18.76%] in the acupuncture group and 7921 [81.23%] in the non-acupuncture group). Following 1:1 PSM, a higher LBR was found in the acupuncture cohort (41.4% [755/1824] vs 36.4% [664/1824], with an odds ratio of 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41]). Three additional propensity score methods produced essentially similar results. The risk of serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION This retrospective study revealed an association between acupuncture and an increased LBR among patients undergoing COH, and that acupuncture is a safe and valuable treatment option. Please cite this article as: Zheng XY, Jiang ZY, Li YT, Li CL, Zhu H, Yu Z, Yu SY, Yang LL, Tang SY, Lü XY, Liang FR, Yang J. Association between acupuncture and live birth rates after fresh embryo transfer: A cohort study based on different propensity score methods. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):528-536.
Humans ; Female ; Propensity Score ; Embryo Transfer ; Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy ; Live Birth ; Birth Rate ; Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between long-term glycemic control and cerebral infarction risk in patients with diabetes through a large-scale cohort study. METHODS: This prospective, community-based cohort study included 12,054 patients with diabetes. From 2006 to 2012, 38,272 fasting blood glucose (FBG) measurements were obtained from these participants. FBG trajectory patterns were generated using latent mixture modelling. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to assess the subsequent risk of cerebral infarction associated with different FBG trajectory patterns. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean age of the participants was 55.2 years. Four distinct FBG trajectories were identified based on FBG concentrations and their changes over the 6-year follow-up period. After a median follow-up of 6.9 years, 786 cerebral infarction events were recorded. Different trajectory patterns were associated with significantly varied outcome risks (Log-Rank P < 0.001). Compared with the low-stability group, Hazard Ratio ( HR) adjusted for potential confounders were 1.37 for the moderate-increasing group, 1.23 for the elevated-decreasing group, and 2.08 for the elevated-stable group. CONCLUSION Sustained high FBG levels were found to play a critical role in the development of ischemic stroke among patients with diabetes. Controlling FBG levels may reduce the risk of cerebral infarction.
Humans ; Cerebral Infarction/blood* ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; Fasting/blood* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Adult ; Proportional Hazards Models

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to reexplore minimum iodine excretion and to build a dietary iodine recommendation for Chinese adults using the obligatory iodine loss hypothesis. METHODS: Data from 171 Chinese adults (19-21 years old) were collected and analyzed based on three balance studies in Shenzhen, Yinchuan, and Changzhi. The single exponential equation was accordingly used to simulate the trajectory of 24 h urinary iodine excretion as the low iodine experimental diets offered (iodine intake: 11-26 μg/day) and to further deduce the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for iodine, including estimated average requirement (EAR) and recommended nutrient intake (RNI). RESULTS: The minimum iodine excretion was estimated as 57, 58, and 51 μg/day in three balance studies, respectively. Moreover, it was further suggested as 57, 58, and 51 μg/day for iodine EAR, and 80, 81, and 71 μg/day for iodine RNI or expressed as 1.42, 1.41, and 1.20 μg/(day·kg) of body weight. CONCLUSION The iodine DRIs for Chinese adults were established based on the obligatory iodine loss hypothesis, which provides scientific support for the amendment of nutrient requirements.
Humans ; Iodine/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Female ; China ; Young Adult ; Diet ; Adult ; Nutritional Requirements ; East Asian People

In this experiment, self-assembled nanoparticles(SANs) were prepared by the pH-driven method, and Her-HCP SAN was constructed by using herpetrione(Her) and Herpetospermum caudigerum polysaccharides(HCPs). The average particle size and polydispersity index(PDI) were used as evaluation indexes for process optimization, and the quality of the final formulation was evaluated in terms of particle size, PDI, Zeta potential, and microstructure. The proposed Her-HCP SAN showed a spheroid structure and uniform morphology, with an average particle size of(244.58±16.84) nm, a PDI of 0.147 1±0.014 8, and a Zeta potential of(-38.52±2.11) mV. Her-HCP SAN significantly increased the saturation solubility of Her by 2.69 times, with a cumulative release of 90.18% within eight hours. The results of in vivo unidirectional intestinal perfusion reveal that Her active pharmaceutical ingredient(API) is most effectively absorbed in the jejunum, where both K_a and P_(app) are significantly higher compared to the ileum(P<0.001). However, the addition of HCP leads to a significant reduction in the P_(app) of Her in the jejunum(P<0.05). Furthermore, the formation of the Her-HCP SAN results in a notably lower P_(app) in the jejunum compared to Her API alone(P<0.001), while both K_a and P_(app) in the ileum are significantly increased(P<0.001, P<0.05). The absorption of Her-HCP SAN at different concentrations in the ileum shows no significant differences, and the pH has no significant effect on the absorption of Her-HCP SAN in the ileum. The addition of the transporter protein inhibitors(indomethacin and rifampicin) significantly increases the absorption parameters K_a and P_(app) of Her-HCP SAN in the ileum(P<0.05,P<0.01), whereas the addition of verapamil has no significant effect on the intestinal absorption parameters of Her-HCP SAN, suggesting that Her may be a substrate for multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 and breast cancer resistance proteins but not a substrate of P-glycoprotein.
Nanoparticles/metabolism* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacokinetics* ; Intestinal Absorption/drug effects* ; Animals ; Rats ; Particle Size ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacokinetics* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Drug Compounding ; Cucurbitaceae/chemistry*

This study investigated the effects of total flavonoids of Dracocephalum moldavica(TFDM) on apoptosis in rat H9c2 cells induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS) established by oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation(OGD/R) injury and tunicamycin(TM), and explored the potential mechanisms. After successful modeling, the following groups were set in this experiment: control group, model(OGD/R or TM) group, and TFDM low-, medium-, and high-dose groups(12.5, 25, and 50 μg·mL~(-1)). The OGD/R injury model was constructed in vitro. Cell proliferation was assessed using the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme(CKMB) in the cell supernatant were detected. Western blot was used to assess the expression of ERS-related proteins, including glucose regulatory protein 78(GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP), activating transcription factor 6(ATF6), and apoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax). Apoptosis was detected using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL) method. In the TM-induced ERS model, Western blot was used to measure the expression of ERS pathway-related proteins GRP78, CHOP, inositol-requiring enzyme 1(IRE1), X-box binding protein 1(XBP1), protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK), eukaryotic initiation factor 2α(eIF2α), ATF6, p-ATF6, and apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bax, cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-12(caspase-12), and cleaved caspase-12. Gene expression of GRP78, CHOP, PERK, and ATF6 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR). Apoptosis was again detected using the TUNEL method. The results showed that in the OGD/R model, compared with the control group, the levels of LDH and CKMB in the cell supernatant were significantly increased in the OGD/R group. Compared with the OGD/R group, the levels of LDH and CKMB in the TFDM group were significantly reduced. Western blot results revealed that compared with the control group, the expression of ERS-related proteins and Bax in the OGD/R group was significantly increased, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased. Compared with the OGD/R group, the expression of ERS-related proteins and Bax in the TFDM groups was significantly reduced, and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased. TUNEL assay showed that apoptosis was significantly decreased after TFDM treatment. In the TM-induced ERS experiment, compared with the control group, the expression of ERS-related genes, ERS-related proteins, and apoptotic proteins in the TM group was significantly increased, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased. Compared with the TM group, the expression of ERS-related genes, ERS-related proteins, and apoptotic proteins in the TFDM group was significantly reduced, and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased. These results suggest that ERS exists in the OGD/R-injured H9c2 cell model, and TFDM can effectively inhibit ERS-induced apoptosis. The mechanism may be related to the downregulation of ERS pathway-related proteins and apoptotic proteins.
Animals ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Rats ; Flavonoids/pharmacology* ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Lamiaceae/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Oxygen/metabolism* ; Reperfusion Injury/physiopathology* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology*

This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified＿f＿Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Lung/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Capsules ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Influenza A virus/physiology* ; Influenza, Human/virology*