Objective To evaluate the radiation impact of a self-developed digital miniature CT on the human body and the environment under simulated scanning conditions, and verify its safety and regulatory compliance. Methods Under typical head scanning conditions with the digital miniature CT (70 kV/10 mA), the equivalent doses received at the body surface sites corresponding to the thyroid, breast, stomach, liver, kidney, and gonads of the phantom were measured without protection and with 0.5 mmPb equivalent protection using LiF (Mg, Cu, P) thermoluminescent dosimeters. The ambient dose equivalent rates at the bed level inside the CT room at different directions and distances from the scanning center were measured using a model AT1121 X/γ dosimeter. The equivalent doses of organs on both sides of the phantom and the ambient equivalent dose rates on the left and right sides of the longitudinal axis of the bed in the CT room were compared. The Mann-Whitney test was used at a significance level of P < 0.05. Results During a single scan of the head with the digital miniature CT, the equivalent doses at the body surface sites corresponding to the thyroid, breast, stomach, liver, kidney, and gonads without protection were 1.04, 0.95, 0.55, 0.57, 0.40, and 0.12 mSv, respectively, which were only 0.84% to 8.24% of the doses inside the irradiation field. With 0.5 mm Pb equivalent protection, the equivalent dose of the thyroid decreased from 8.24 mSv to 3.27 mSv with a reduction of 60.3%, and the doses of the other organs were reduced to 1.5-11.5 μSv with the maximum reduction of 14 times. In the longitudinal axis direction of the CT bed, the ambient dose equivalent rate at a distance of 2 m from the scanning center was reduced to 0.066 mSv/h, which was only 9.6% of the ambient equivalent dose rate at a distance of 50 cm from the scanning center. Conclusion The digital miniature CT has advantages in ensuring patient safety, optimizing imaging quality, and promoting technological development, demonstrating promising application potential. However, the radiation protection of personal and CT room should not be ignored.

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） in mice and explore its possible mechanisms. MethodSixty male SPF C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups： control group， model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum group （0.75， 1.5， 3 g·kg^-1）， and metformin group （0.075 g·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in each group. NAFLD mouse models were induced by high-fat diet feeding for 24 weeks. The low， medium， and high-dose Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum groups were administered corresponding doses of Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum by gavage， while the control and model groups received an equivalent amount of saline for four weeks. Serum total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， free fatty acids （FFA）， and liver function markers including alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and oil red O staining were used to detect liver lipid deposition， and Prussian blue staining was used to measure liver ferrous ion levels. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of key proteins in the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）-glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） axis. ResultAfter 24 weeks of high-fat feeding， compared with the control group， the model group showed significant increases in body weight， liver weight and liver index， and serum lipid levels （P<0.01）， as well as substantial hepatic lipid deposition with marked steatosis. Compared with the model group， Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum intervention reduced body weight （P<0.01）， liver weight and liver index （P<0.01）， and serum lipid levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， improved liver function （P<0.01）， and decreased hepatic lipid deposition， with the low-dose Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum group showing the best effect. Western blot results showed that compared with those in the control group， the expression levels of Nrf2， heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）， kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1（Keap1）， and GPX4 proteins in the model group were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Coptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum increased the expression levels of these proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionCoptidis Rhizoma-Fermentum Rubrum can alleviate fatty liver in mice， improve liver function， and reduce hepatic lipid deposition， possibly by regulating the Nrf2/GPX4 ferroptosis axis.

Fungal keratitis is a serious blinding eye disease. The development of fungal infections depends primarily on the interaction of fungal virulence with host immune defense factors. The cornea is considered an immune-privileged organ, and resident macrophages are the main immune cells that respond to the heterogeneity exhibited by the microenvironment with their polarization. In the early stage of infection, macrophages polarize towards M1, which promotes inflammation and facilitates fungal clearance but produces a cellular storm that exacerbates immune damage; in the late stage of infection, macrophages polarize towards M2, which suppresses the inflammatory response and facilitates tissue repair, but may be immunosuppressed or even immune escape to the detriment of pathogen clearance. The balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses is key to maintaining the functional integrity of the cornea. Current antifungal drug therapy is limited, so it is particularly important to find a therapeutic target for the inflammatory response triggered by the immune response in addition to antifungal therapy. In this review, the functional and phenotypic characterization of macrophage subsets associated with fungal keratitis was reviewed, more in-depth research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms by which macrophage polarization and their impact on fungal keratitis. Targeted regulation of macrophage differentiation based on their phenotype and function could be an effective approach to treat and manage fungal keratitis in the future.

Objective To explore the value of plaque-to-aorta CT value ratio(standardized CT value)in differentiating coronary lipid and fibrous plaques,and to preliminarily analyze the stability of the cutoff.Methods Patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)and intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)within 1 week were included.The plaque CT value was obtained by measuring the all,four and two short-axis planes,respectively.The CT value of the ascending aorta was measured and standardized(plaque-to-aorta CT value ratio).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves of the standardized and the traditional CT values were drawn.Results A total of 60 patients with 74 plaques were included,35 lipid and 39 fibrous plaques were diagnosed by IVUS.The aorta CT value was significantly correlated with the plaque(r=0.420,P<0.01);the cutoffs for the CT value of all,four and two plaque slices were 55 HU,48 HU and 52 HU,respectively,and all there of the cutoffs of standardized CT value were 0.149;the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value(PPV)and negative predictive value(NPV)of four-slice traditional and standardized CT values to differentiate lipid and fibrous plaques were 69%,87%,83%,76%and 91%,82%,82%,91%,respectively.Conclusion Compared with traditional CT value,the standardized CT value can greatly improve the sensitivity and NPV in differentiating coronary lipid and fibrous plaques,while maintaining modest to high specificity and PPV.Furthermore,the cutoff is stable.

Objective To prepare a postbiotic using soybean fermentation product of Lactobacillus paracasei TK1501 and evaluate its inhibitory effect against Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection in mice.Methods L.paracasei TK1501 was cultured for 32 h at 37℃in an anaerobic condition for solid substrate fermentation with a solid to water ratio of 1:1.5 in the substrate and an inoculation density of 5×107 CFU/mL.The postbiotic was isolated and purified using macroporous resin XAD-16N adsorption,cation exchange chromatography and HPLC,and its stability and antibacterial activity were assessed.The inhibitory effect of this postbiotic against Hp infection was evaluated in a mouse model with gastric mucosal Hp infection,which were treated with the postbiotic via gavage for 4 weeks at the dose of 0.02 or 0.1 mL.Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β of the mice were analyzed after the treatments,and gastric tissues of the mice were collected for HE staining.Results L.paracasei TK1501 postbiotic could be easily degraded by protease and had good thermal stability and tolerance to exposures to acid,base,and organic solvents.In the in vitro experiment,the postbiotic showed strong inhibitory effects in bacterial cultures of Staphylococcus aureus,Hp and other common pathogenic bacteria without obviously affecting the resident bacteria in the digestive tract.In the mouse models,treatment with the postbiotic at the dose of 0.1 mL significantly alleviated Hp infection and lowered the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β of the mice.Conclusion L.paracasei TK1501 postbiotic has strong inhibitory effects on Hp and Staphylococcus aureus but not on normal intestinal flora in mice.

Objective To prepare a postbiotic using soybean fermentation product of Lactobacillus paracasei TK1501 and evaluate its inhibitory effect against Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection in mice.Methods L.paracasei TK1501 was cultured for 32 h at 37℃in an anaerobic condition for solid substrate fermentation with a solid to water ratio of 1:1.5 in the substrate and an inoculation density of 5×107 CFU/mL.The postbiotic was isolated and purified using macroporous resin XAD-16N adsorption,cation exchange chromatography and HPLC,and its stability and antibacterial activity were assessed.The inhibitory effect of this postbiotic against Hp infection was evaluated in a mouse model with gastric mucosal Hp infection,which were treated with the postbiotic via gavage for 4 weeks at the dose of 0.02 or 0.1 mL.Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β of the mice were analyzed after the treatments,and gastric tissues of the mice were collected for HE staining.Results L.paracasei TK1501 postbiotic could be easily degraded by protease and had good thermal stability and tolerance to exposures to acid,base,and organic solvents.In the in vitro experiment,the postbiotic showed strong inhibitory effects in bacterial cultures of Staphylococcus aureus,Hp and other common pathogenic bacteria without obviously affecting the resident bacteria in the digestive tract.In the mouse models,treatment with the postbiotic at the dose of 0.1 mL significantly alleviated Hp infection and lowered the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β of the mice.Conclusion L.paracasei TK1501 postbiotic has strong inhibitory effects on Hp and Staphylococcus aureus but not on normal intestinal flora in mice.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of circadian clock protein Bmal1(Bmal1)on renal injury with chronic periodontitis,we established an experimental rat periodontitis model.Methods Twelve male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control and periodontitis groups(n=6,each group).The first maxillary molars on both sides of the upper jaw of rats with periodontitis were ligated by using orthodontic ligature wires,whereas the control group re-ceived no intervention measures.After 8 weeks,clinical periodontal parameters,including probing depth,bleeding index,and tooth mobility,were evaluated in both groups.Micro-CT scanning and three-dimensional image recon-struction were performed on the maxillary bones of the rats for the assessment of alveolar bone resorption.Histopatholo-gical observations of periodontal and renal tissues were conducted using hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS)staining.Renal function indicators,such as creatinine,albumin,and blood urea nitrogen levels,and oxida-tive stress markers,including superoxide dismutase,glutathione,and malondialdehyde levels,were measured using bio-chemical assay kits.MitoSOX red staining was used to detect reactive oxygen species(ROS)content in the kidneys.The gene and protein expression levels of Bmal1,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)in rat renal tissues were assessed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and immuno-histochemical staining.Results Micro-CT and HE staining results showed significant bone resorption and attachment loss in the maxillary first molar region of the periodontitis group.Histological examination through HE and PAS staining revealed substantial histopathological damage to the renal tissues of the rats in the periodontitis group.The findings of the assessment of renal function and oxidative stress markers indicated that the periodontitis group exhibited abnormal levels of oxidative stress,whereas the renal function levels showed abnormalities without statistical significance.Mito-SOX Red staining results showed that the content of ROS in the renal tissue of the periodontitis group was significantly higher than that of the control group,and RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression levels of Bmal1,Nrf2,and HO-1 in the renal tissues of the rats in the periodontitis group showed a decreasing trend.Conclu-sion Circadian clock protein Bmal1 plays an important role in the oxidative damage process involved in the renal of rats with periodontitis.

Objective This study aims to explore changes in uncoupling protein 2(UCP2)in experimental periodonti-tis-associated renal injury induced by ligation and investigate the effect of UCP2 on renal injury induced by periodontitis.Methods Twelve Wistar male rats were randomly divided into two groups:control and periodontitis groups.A periodon-tal model was built by ligating the maxillary first molars area with 0.2 mm orthodontic ligature wire.After 8 weeks,the in-traoral condition of the rats was observed and periodontal clinical indices such as gingival bleeding index(BI),periodontal probing depth(PD),and tooth mobility(TM)were detected.The maxillary bone was scanned by Micro CT to observe the alveolar bone resorption.The tissue mineral density(TMD),bone mineral density(BMD),bone volume fraction(BV/TV),trabecular thickness(Tb.Th),trabecular bone separation(Tb.Sp)were recorded,and the distance from the enamel bone boundary to the alveolar crest(CEJ-ABC)of the maxillary first molar was measured.The oxidative stress indexes such as malondialdehyde,glutathione(GSH),and superoxide dismutase(SOD)were detected using frozen rat kidney tissue.The gene expression of UCP2,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α(PGC-1α)was observed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)test.The gingival tissue of the rats was used for immunohistochemical staining to observe the expression of the UCP2 protein.The fixed rat kidney tissue was used for hematoxylin-eosin(HE),periodic acid-schiff(PAS),MitoSOX Red,JC-1,and immu-nohistochemical staining to observe the renal histopathology,the level of reactive oxygen species(ROS),the level of mito-chondrial membrane potential,and the expression of UCP2,Nrf2,and PGC-1α protein.Rat serum was collected to detect renal function indices,namely,blood urea nitrogen(BUN),creatinine(Cre),and albumin(Alb).Results Compared with the control group,the periodontitis group showed red,swollen,and soft gingival tissue,with gingival probing bleeding,periodontal PD increased,tooth loosening,alveolar bone resorption,decreased TMD,BMD,BV/TV,and Tb.Th indices,and increased Tb.Sp index,CEJ-ABC,and gingival UCP2 protein expression.Compared with the control group,the levels of MDA and ROS in the kidney tissue of periodontitis rats and the gene and protein expression of UCP2 increased,and the levels of MMP,GSH,and SOD and the gene and protein expression of Nrf2 and PGC-1α decreased.Renal functional indi-ces,namely,BUN,Cre,and Alb,were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion UCP2 may play a role in renal injury induced by periodontitis through oxidative stress.

Objective:To investigate the effect of oroxylin A (OrA) on macrophage pyroptosis induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb) infection and the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods:An in vitro infection model was constructed by infecting J774A.1 cells with Mtb. The MTT method was used to detect the effect of OrA on the viability of J774A.1 cells. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay kit was used to detect the release of LDH by J774A.1 cells. Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of pyroptosis-related proteins such as NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3), GSDMD-N, caspase1-p20, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) as well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. ELISA was used to detect the levels of IL-1β in each group. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect the expression and localization of α7nAChR. Results:MTT results showed that OrA had no cytotoxicity to J774A.1 cells at concentrations below 80 μmol/L. OrA reduced the release of IL-1β, down-regulated the expression of NLRP3, GSDMD-N and caspase1-p20 at protein level, inhibited ASC oligomerization, promoted the expression of α7nAChR at protein level, and inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. In the presence of α7nAChR agonist PNU282987, the protein levels of GSDMD-N decreased and the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 was inhibited.Conclusions:OrA may inhibits Mtb infection-induced macrophage pyroptosis through regulating cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ( 18F-FDG) PET-CT metabolic parameters for the recurrence of type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Methods:Eighty-six patients with type 1 AIP who met the International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria (ICDC) and underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT before interventional treatment at the PLA General Hospital between May 2009 and June 2021 were included and divided into recurrence group ( n=43) and no-recurrence group ( n=43) according to whether they recurred after treatment. The standard uptake value (SUV)≥2.5 fixed threshold was used to outline the pancreatic lesion volume of interest (VOI) in three dimensions, and the three-dimensional diameter of the lesion, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), peak standardized uptake value (SUVpeak), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), target-to-bench ratio (TBR) and standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) were measured to compare the clinical characteristics, biochemical indices and treatment of the two groups; univariate and multifactorial regression analysis were used to examine 18F-FDG PET/CT visual indices of pancreatic lesions and extra-pancreatic involved organs as well as metabolic parameters in the two groups. A recurrence prediction model was constructed and its predictive efficacy was assessed. Results:The proportion of patients receiving glucocorticoid maintenance therapy was significantly higher in the no-recurrence group than in the recurrence group (58% vs 23.3%), and the serum IgG4 levels before treatment were significantly higher in the recurrence group [(15 309±11 724) mg/L vs (8 816±7 169) mg/L]. The results of univariate analysis showed that the proportion of extra-pancreatic salivary gland involvement and VOI, SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVR, TBR, MTV, and TLG were significantly higher in the recurrence group than in the no-recurrence group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P values <0.05); the results of multivariate analysis showed that VOI ( OR=1.012, 95% CI 1.001-1.023 ), SUV max ( OR=1.398, 95% CI 1.029-1.899), SUV peak ( OR=1.408, 95% CI1.002-1.978), SUVR ( OR=1.977, 95% CI1.036-3.771) and MTV ( OR=1.012, 95% CI1.000- 1.022) in the recurrence group were significantly higher than those in the no-recurrence group, and all differences were statistically significant (all P values <0.05). The prediction model was constructed by multifactorial binary logistic regression analysis of SUVR>2, MTV>36 cm 3, and IgG4>11 400 mg/L, which had an AUC of 0.800 (95% CI 0.704-0.897), sensitivity of 81.4% (95% CI 0.661-0.911), specificity of 74.4% (95% CI 0.585-0.860), and prediction accuracy of 77.9%. Conclusions:18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters can be used as predictors of type 1 AIP recurrence; a multiparameter model constructed based on metabolic parameters SUVR, MTV and IgG4 has a good predictive efficacy for predicting type 1 AIP recurrence.