ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription improves renal fibrosis in rats with chronic kidney disease （CKD） through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodsSeventy specific pathogen-free （SPF） Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a control group （n=15） and a modeling group （n=55）. Rats in the modeling group were administered a 2.5% adenine suspension at a dose of 200 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 by gavage for 4 weeks to establish a CKD model. Successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group， an irbesartan group （20.25 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， and Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （5.82， 11.64， and 23.28 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively）， with 10 rats in each group. Each group was administered an equal volume of physiological saline， the corresponding concentration of irbesartan， or Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription by gavage for 12 weeks. Body weight and renal function indices were dynamically monitored. Serum creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio （ACR）， 24-hour urinary total protein （24 hUTP）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） levels were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Renal histopathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson staining. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expression of PI3K， Akt， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， and mTOR in renal tissues. Western blot was performed to assess the protein expression of PI3K， p-Akt， Akt， phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR）， and mTOR in renal tissues. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR in renal tissues. ResultsCompared with the model group， rats in the irbesartan group and the low-， medium-， and high-dose Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription groups showed significantly decreased levels of SCr， BUN， ACR， 24 hUTP， IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α （P<0.01）. AST levels were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while no significant difference was observed in ALT levels. Histopathological examination revealed that， compared with the model group， renal tubular epithelial cell edema and necrosis and Bowman's capsule dilation were alleviated， inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced， and interstitial and glomerular fibrosis was markedly improved in all treatment groups， with the most pronounced effect observed in the high-dose Bushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription group. Real-time PCR results showed that mRNA expression levels of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR were significantly downregulated in the high-dose group （P<0.01）. IHC results demonstrated that PI3K and p-Akt expression levels in renal tissues were significantly decreased in the high-dose group （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis further confirmed that the expression levels of PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly reduced in the high-dose group （P<0.01）. ConclusionBushen Tongluo Jiangzhuo prescription improves renal function indices in CKD rats， reduces collagen deposition in renal tissues， and decreases serum inflammatory factor levels. Its protective effect on renal function may be achieved by activating autophagy through downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， thereby alleviating renal fibrosis.

Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.

Parkinson disease （PD） is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder and predominantly impacts the extrapyramidal system. This condition arises from the degeneration of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. In recent years， studies have shown that PD pathology and lesions are not limited to the center nervous system， and that PD is a systemic and multisystem disease. The concurrence of PD with peripheral neuropathy （PN） has been increasingly acknowledged， although its pathogenesis remains elusive. The motor symptoms in PD patients often mask the symptoms of PN， leading to relatively low clinical recognition of PD coexisting with PN. This poses challenges in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PD. This review comprehensively summarize the pathogenesis of PD coexisting with PN.
Parkinson Disease

OBJECTIVE To investigate and analyze the pharmaceutical care needs of the elderly， thus providing a reference for improving the pharmaceutical care for the elderly. METHODS Based on the Kano model， a questionnaire was designed， and 1 200 community-dwelling elderly in the main urban area of Chongqing were selected as the survey subjects. The study analyzed the attributes and urgency of their pharmaceutical care needs to put forward optimization strategies. RESULTS A total of 1 200 questionnaires were distributed in the study， and 1 062 valid questionnaires were collected， with an effective response rate of 88.50%. The gender distribution of respondents was relatively balanced， with the majority aged between 60 and 69 （43.41%）， and generally possessing a relatively low level of educational attainment. The results showed that medication education and medication consultation were must-be needs； home-based pharmaceutical care was an expected need； drug reorganization， medication monitoring， pharmaceutical science popularization， and pharmaceutical ward round were attractive needs； internet-based pharmaceutical care was indifferent need. The urgent order of demand was medication education ＞ medication consultation ＞ home-based pharmaceutical care ＞ pharmaceutical science popularization ＞ drug reorganization ＞ medication monitoring ＞ pharmaceutical ward round ＞ internet-based pharmaceutical care. CONCLUSIONS The community elderly in Chongqing have high expectations for pharmaceutical care as a whole. Medical institutions should fully guarantee the two essential needs of medication education and medication consultation， and focus on ensuring the expected needs for home-based pharmaceutical care. Efforts should be made to develop the four attractive needs of pharmaceutical science popularization， drug reorganization， medication monitoring， and pharmaceutical ward round， and actively carry out age-friendly adaptations for internet-based pharmaceutical care.

T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) is one of the simplest known RNA polymerases. Its unique structural features make it a critical model for studying the mechanisms of RNA synthesis. This review systematically examines the static crystal structure of T7 RNAP, beginning with an in-depth examination of its characteristic “thumb”, “palm”, and “finger” domains, which form the classic “right-hand-like” architecture. By detailing these structural elements, this review establishes a foundation for understanding the overall organization of T7 RNAP. This review systematically maps the functional roles of secondary structural elements and their subdomains in transcriptional catalysis, progressively elucidating the fundamental relationships between structure and function. Further, the intrinsic flexibility of T7 RNAP and its applications in research are also discussed. Additionally, the review presents the structural diagrams of the enzyme at different stages of the transcription process, and through these diagrams, it provides a detailed description of the complete transcription process of T7 RNAP. By integrating structural dynamics and kinetics analyses, the review constructs a comprehensive framework that bridges static structure to dynamic processes. Despite its advantages, T7 RNAP has a notable limitation: it generates double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a byproduct. The presence of dsRNA not only compromises the purity of mRNA products but also elicits nonspecific immune responses, which pose significant challenges for biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review provides a detailed exploration of the mechanisms underlying dsRNA formation during T7 RNAP catalysis, reviews current strategies to mitigate this issue, and highlights recent progress in the field. A key focus is the semi-rational design of T7 RNAP mutants engineered to minimize dsRNA generation and enhance catalytic performance. Beyond its role in transcription, T7 RNAP exhibits rapid development and extensive application in fields, including gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccines. This review systematically examines the structure-function relationships of T7 RNAP, elucidates the mechanisms of dsRNA formation, and discusses engineering strategies to optimize its performance. It further explores the engineering optimization and functional expansion of T7 RNAP. Furthermore, this review also addresses the pressing issues that currently need resolution, discusses the major challenges in the practical application of T7 RNAP, and provides an outlook on potential future research directions. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of T7 RNAP, ranging from its structural architecture to cutting-edge applications. We systematically examine: (1) the characteristic right-hand domains (thumb, palm, fingers) that define its minimalistic structure; (2) the structure-function relationships underlying transcriptional catalysis; and (3) the dynamic transitions during the complete transcription cycle. While highlighting T7 RNAP’s versatility in gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccine production, we critically address its major limitation—dsRNA byproduct formation—and evaluate engineering solutions including semi-rationally designed mutants. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying key challenges, this work aims to provide novel insights for the development and application of T7 RNAP and to foster further thought and progress in related fields.

Isosteviol is a tetracyclic diterpenoid compound obtained by hydrolysis of natural stevia glycoside under acidic conditions. It has many pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Due to its low water solubility, low activity and low bioavailability, isosteviol has poor performance. In order to overcome these shortcomings, scholars have obtained a large number of isosteviol derivatives with novel structures and excellent activity. In this paper, we review the recent progress in the research on the structure modification, biological activity, structure-activity relationship and microbial transformation of isosteviol, in order to provide a reference for the development of new drugs of isosteviol and its derivatives.

Objective To analyze the cellular and histopathological characteristics of underdiagnosed thyroid nodules of Chinese thyroid imaging reporting and data system(C-TIRADS) categories 3 and 4a,thus improving the understanding of these lesions. Methods The data of ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology were collected from 683 nodules diagnosed based on pathological evidence in 549 patients undergoing thyroid surgery.The cellular and histopathological characteristics of C-TIRADS 3 and 4a nodules were analyzed. Results Two hundred and sixty-eight nodules were classified as C-TIRADS category 3,including 236 benign nodules,12 low-risk ones,and 20 (7.46%) malignant ones.Two hundred and twenty-one nodules were classified as C-TIRADS category 4a,including 133 benign nodules,7 low-risk ones,and 81 (36.65%) malignant ones.The malignancy rates differed between C-TIRADS 3 and 4a nodules (χ²=58.93,P<0.001),and both were higher than the recommended malignancy rate in the guidelines for malignancy risk stratification of thyroid nodules (C-TIRADS) (both P<0.001).According to the pathological evidence,the underdiagnosed C-TIRADS 3/4a nodules were mainly papillary thyroid carcinoma,especially in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis.There was not a consistent one-to-one match between each ultrasound result and each cytological classification of low-risk thyroid nodules.Conclusions When the malignant features in preoprative ultrasound imaging are atypical or absent,papillary thyroid carcinoma (especially with Hashimoto thyroiditis),follicular carcinoma,and medullary carcinoma are likely to be underdiagnosed as C-TIRADS 3 or 4a nodules.Therefore,efforts should be made to fully understand the cellular and pathological characteristics of these lesions.
Humans ; Thyroid Nodule/diagnostic imaging* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Ultrasonography ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Aged ; Young Adult ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Adolescent

Objective:To construct the over-expressed lentivirus vector of PRDM5 gene and establish the Neuro-2a cells stably transfected PRDM5,and to provide the basis evidence for exploring the effect of PRDM5 in pathogenesis of ischemic stroke(IS).Methods:The sequence of PRDM5 was searched and designed based on NCBI.The PRDM5 gene was amplified by PCR and ligated with the lentiviral vector GV492 digested by BamH Ⅰ and Age Ⅰ restriction enzymes to form the GV492-PRDM5 over-expression recombinant plasmid.The positive clones with similar length and size to the target gene fragment were screened by PCR and sent to Shenggong Bioengineering(Shanghai)Co.Ltd.for identification.The correctly-sequenced GV492-control plasmid and GV492-PRDM5 over-expression recombinant plasmid were transfected into the HEK293T cells,respectively.After 48 h of transfection,the lentiviruses were collected by centrifugation,and they were GV492-control lentivirus and GV492-PRDMS over-expression lentivirus;the titers of these two lentiviruses were determined by lentiviral titer assay.The Neuro-2a cells were divided into GV492-control group and GV492-PRDM5 group,and then infected with GV492-control lentivirus and GV492-PRDM5 over-expression lentivirus,respectively,with a lentivirus multiplicity of infection(MOI)of 100.The Neuro-2a cells successfully infected with GV492-control lentivirus and GV492-PRDM5 over-expression lentivirus were screened with puromycin(10 mng-L-1)after 72 h of infection.The growth status and the expression of green fluorescence protein of Neuro-2a cells in GV492-control group and GV492-PRDM5 group were observed by fluorescence microscope.The expression levels of PRDM5 mRNA and PRDM5 protein in the Neuro-2a cells in two groups were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative RCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting methods.Results:The PCR results showed that the length of the positive transformant of GV492-PRDM5 recombinant plasmid was about 684 bp,and the gene sequence of GV492-PRDM5 over-expression recombinant plasmid was consistent with the designed and synthesized PRDM5 over-expression sequence.The titers of GV492-control lentivirus and GV492-PRDM5 over-expression lentivirus were both 2.5×108TU·mL-1 The Neuro-2a cells in GV492-control group and GV492-PRDM5 group grew well,and the expressions of green fluorescence protein were found under fluorescence microscope.The RT-qPCR results showed that the expression level of PRDM5 mRNA in the Neuro-2a cells in GV492-PRDM5 group was significantly increased compared with GV492-control group(P＜0.01).The Western blotting results showed that the specific bands appeared in the Neuro-2a cells in GV492-control group and GV492-PRDM5 group with a relative molecular weight of 75 000;compared with GV492-control group,the expression level of PRDM5 protein in the Neuro-2a cells in GV492-PRDM5 group was increased(P＜0.01).Conclusion:The over-expression lentivirus vector of PRDM5 gene is successfully constructed,and the stably transfected GV492-PRDM5-Neuro-2a cells are established.

Objective To construct an intelligent segmentation and T-stage diagnostic model for esophageal cancer based on the DAEUnet and ConvNeXt networks using transfer learning.Methods Dicom raw data from 126 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer between January 2018 and April 2022 were collected,including 100 cases from Department of Thoracic Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University and 26 cases from the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Shanxi Cancer Hospital.After data augmentation,a total of 60 275 images were obtained.The DAEUnet esophageal cancer intelligent segmentation network was built,and on this basis,3 classification networks,ConvNeXt,Swin Transformer,and ResNet were constructed for T-stage diagnosis of esophageal cancer.Results The Dice similarity coefficient(DSC)for esophageal cancer intelligent segmentation using the DAEUnet network was 0.82,and the DSC value of the esophagus,aorta,normal esophagus,mediastinal lymph nodes,and heart was 72.4％,87.5％,79.3％,60.5％ and 96.8％,respectively.Among the 3 T-stage diagnosis models for esophageal cancer,the ConvNeXt model performed the best,with a precision value for T1～T4 stages of 0.65,0.727,0.889 and 0.92,respectively,and an AUC value of 0.892,which were superior to the ResNet and Swin Transformer networks.Conclusion The proposed DAEUnet and ConvNeXt-based intelligent segmentation and T-stage diagnosis model for esophageal cancer improves T-stage accuracy and treatment efficiency.