Objective To investigate the current distribution of radiotherapy resources in Gansu Province, evaluate the equity of resource allocation, and provide a scientific basis for optimizing regional resource allocation. Methods A questionnaire survey was carried out to assess radiotherapy resources in medical institutions across Gansu Province, China. The equity of radiotherapy resource distribution and associated disparities were assessed using the Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, and Theil index. Results A total of 23 medical institutions in Gansu Province provided radiotherapy services, comprising 39 radiotherapy devices and 438 professionals, of whom medical physicists accounted for 16.9%. The radiotherapy frequency was 0.47 cases per thousand population. The Gini coefficients for radiotherapy resource distribution ranged from 0.38 to 0.56 by population and from 0.52 to 0.70 by geography. The Theil index for radiotherapy resources ranged from 1.36 to 3.67. Conclusion Radiotherapy resources in Gansu Province were insufficient, and the capacity of radiotherapy service was suboptimal. The equity of radiotherapy resource allocation by geography was worse than that by population. Therefore, it is imperative to address the shortage of radiotherapy resources, strengthen the professional workforce, enhance the capacity radiotherapy service and resource utilization, optimize resource allocation, and promote regional equity in radiotherapy provision in Gansu Province.

To thoroughly implement the strategic deployment outlined in the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine regarding research on dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine and to uphold the development philosophy of equal emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine，the China Association of Chinese Medicine has fully played a leading academic role by systematically organizing and conducting a series of academic youth salons on clinical dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine. On September 13，2024，the 36^th Youth Salon on Clinical Dominant Diseases was successfully held in Nanjing，focusing on the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and the integrative traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction （ED）. The conference brought together leading experts from traditional Chinese medicine，western medicine，and interdisciplinary fields，facilitating in-depth multidisciplinary discussions that led to key consensus on optimizing traditional Chinese medicine treatment protocols for ED，researching and developing new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，and advancing interdisciplinary development in traditional Chinese medicine. This salon systematically sorted out the clinical strengths and distinctive features of traditional Chinese medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of ED. Based on current research foundations and clinical needs，it identified key directions for future scientific layout and scientific research tackling： （1） Standardization of syndrome differentiation system of traditional Chinese medicine for ED. （2） Optimization and standardization of intervention methods of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. （3） High-quality clinical research guided by evidence-based medicine. （4） In-depth analysis of the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of ED. （5） Clinical translation and application promotion of new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine. （6） Interdisciplinary integration and innovation in traditional Chinese medicine. For each research direction，key focus areas，expected objectives，and clinical value were further refined，along with the establishment of a scientifically sound priority funding level evaluation system. Therefore，building on the series of salons on the ED-focused dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine，this paper provides standardized guidance for clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine in ED management，effectively contributing to the high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine. It serves as a valuable reference for national scientific and technological strategic layout， research and development decision-making in new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，research topic planning，and clinical guideline formulation.

Objective To compare the application effects of plankton multiplex polymerase chain reac-tion-capillary electrophoresis(PCR-CE),SYBR Green Ⅰ real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy(MD-VF-Auto SEM)in the diagnosis of drowning.Methods Lung,liver and kidney tissues from 212 drowned corpses and 30 non-drowned corpses were examined respectively by the three drowning-related plankton testing methods,and the detection rates of plankton in each tissue by three methods were compared.Results In drowned corpses,the total detection rates of PCR-CE,qPCR,and MD-VF-Auto SEM were 93.9%,96.2%,and 95.3%,respectively,with no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).The detection rate of lung tissue by MD-VF-Auto SEM(100%)was higher than those of PCR-CE and qPCR(P<0.05),and there was no significant difference in the detection rates of the three methods in liver or kidney tissues(P>0.05).In non-drowning corpses,a small number of diatoms(less than 10 cells/10 g)were detected by MD-VF-Auto SEM method,only in liver and kidney tissues,while the other two methods yielded negative results for all tissues.Conclusion All three methods have good efficacy in the examination of drowned corpses.The MD-VF-Auto SEM method directly observes diatom morpho-logical characteristics through scanning electron microscopy,and the qualitative and quantitative analy-ses are intuitive and accurate.It has great advantages in the examination of difficult degradation samples.The PCR-CE method and qPCR method have a low sample demand(0.5 g),are easy to operate and have short detection time(4-7 h).They are easy to be applied in the grassroots depart-ments and are suitable for the rapid determination of drowned corpses in routin cases.The combina-tion of the two DNA methods with the MD-VF-Auto SEM method can increase the detection rate of plankton,ensuring the reliability of examination results.This combined use is of significant importance in the application of drowning diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of rutaecarpine (RUT) on monosodium urate crystal (MSU)-induced murine peritonitis in mice and further explored the underlying mechanism of RUT in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/MSU-induced gout model in vitro. METHODS: In MSU-induced mice, 36 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 mice each group, including the control group, model group, RUT low-, medium-, and high-doses groups, and prednisone acetate group. The mice in each group were orally administered the corresponding drugs or vehicle once a day for 7 consecutive days. The gout inflammation model was established by intraperitoneal injection of MSU to evaluate the anti-gout inflammatory effects of RUT. Then the proinflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the proportions of infiltrating neutrophils cytokines were detected by flow cytometry. In LPS/MSU-treated or untreated THP-1 macrophages, cell viability was observed by cell counting kit 8 and proinflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA. The percentage of pyroptotic cells were detected by flow cytometry. Respectively, the mRNA and protein levels were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 was observed by laser confocal imaging. Additionally, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and molecular docking were applied to validate the binding ability of RUT components to tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) targets. RESULTS: RUT reduced the levels of infiltrating neutrophils and monocytes and decreased the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6, all P<0.01). In vitro, RUT reduced the production of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. In addition, RT-PCR revealed the inhibitory effects of RUT on the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2 and TNF-α (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Mechanistically, RUT markedly reduced protein expressions of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-MAPK), phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase, phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase, phospho-NF-κB, phospho-kinase α/β, NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRPS), cleaved-cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 and cleaved-gasdermin D in macrophages (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Molecularly, SPR revealed that RUT bound to TNF-α with a calculated equilibrium dissociation constant of 31.7 µmol/L. Molecular docking further confirmed that RUT could interact directly with the TNF-α protein via hydrogen bonding, van der Waals interactions, and carbon-hydrogen bonding. CONCLUSION RUT alleviated MSU-induced peritonitis and inhibited the TNFR1-MAPK/NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway to attenuate gouty inflammation induced by LPS/MSU in THP-1 macrophages, suggesting that RUT could be a potential therapeutic candidate for gout.
Animals ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Male ; Indole Alkaloids/therapeutic use* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Inflammation/complications* ; Uric Acid ; Quinazolines/therapeutic use* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Humans ; Gout/chemically induced* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; THP-1 Cells ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Mice ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Quinazolinones

Objective:To investigate the contents of natural radionuclides in agricultural soils in some of Gansu Hexi area to accumulate the relevant basic data.Methods:A stratified sampling method was used to collect 146 soil samples in the area. ORTEC P-type HPGE gamma spectrometry system was used to measure radionuclides. The measurement data were collated and analyzed.Results:The activity concentrations measured were 232Th 18.94-108.39 Bq/kg, 226Ra 14.37-79.20 Bq/kg and 40K 440.03-1 358.18 Bq/kg, in turn with the mean values of (68.22±16.32), (47.90±11.12) and (763.90±133.93) Bq/kg, respectively. The difference in activity concentrations of 232Th, 226Ra and 40K in agricultural soils in different areas was statistically significant( H=50.87, 45.14, 40.28, P<0.05). Conclusions:The study on the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in agricultural soils provides basic information for the transfer of radionuclides to crops, which needs further investigation, monitoring and analysis.

Objective:To evaluate the role of exosomes in propofol-induced elimination of cardioprotective effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) in rats.Methods:This experiment was performed in 2 parts. In vivo experiment Forty-eight healthy SPF male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 250-300 g, were divided into 5 groups using the random number table method: sham operation group (Sham group, n=12), ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) group ( n=12), RIPC group ( n=8), RIPC+ propofol group (RIPC+ P group, n=8), and propofol+ I/R group (P+ I/R group, n=8). The model of myocardial I/R injury was developed by ligating the left anterior descending branch of coronary artery for 30 min followed by 120 min reperfusion in anesthetized animals. Four cycles of 5-min ischemia induced by occlusion of the bilateral hind limbs with a tourniquet/5-min reperfusion served as the RIPC stimulus. Propofol was intravenously infused at a rate of 12 mg·kg -1·h -1 in RIPC+ P group (during RIPC) and in P+ I/R group (for 40 min). Exosomes from RIPC-treated and RIPC+ propofol-treated rats were extracted (RIPC-EXO and RIPC+ P-EXO respectively) for determination of the expression of surface markers of exosomes CD9 and HSP70. Another 24 rats were randomly selected, and the aforementioned exosomes were injected at 15 min before myocardial ischemia, resulting in RIPC-EXO+ I/R group ( n=12) and RIPC+ P-EXO+ I/R group ( n=12). At the end of reperfusion, the area of myocardial infarction was determined, the concentration of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in myocardial tissues was detected by Western blot. Cell experiment H9c2 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into 4 groups ( n=6 each) using a random number table method: control group (C group), hypoxia-reoxygenation group (H/R group), RIPC-EXOc group and RIPC+ P-EXOc group. The cells were exposed to hypoxia for 4 h followed by reoxygenation for 16 h in H/R group. RIPC-EXO and RIPC+ P-EXO were added at a final concentration of 300 μg/ml before hypoxia in RIPC-EXOc group and RIPC+ P-EXOc group, respectively. The cell viability was determined using a cell counting kit-8 assay and the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 expression was detected by Western blot. Results:In vivo experiment Compared with RIPC-EXO group, the expression of CD9 and HSP70 was significantly down-regulated in RIPC+ P-EXO group ( P<0.05). Compared with Sham group, the percentage of the area of myocardial infarction was significantly increased, and the serum cTnI concentration and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in myocardial tissues were increased in I/R group ( P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, the percentage of the area of myocardial infarction was significantly decreased in RIPC group and RIPC-EXO+ I/R group, the serum cTnI concentration and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in myocardial tissues were significantly decreased in RIPC-EXO+ I/R group ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the percentage of the area of myocardial infarction in RIPC+ P group ( P>0.05). The percentage of the area of myocardial infarction was significantly larger in RIPC+ P group than in RIPC group ( P<0.05). Compared with RIPC-EXO+ I/R group, the percentage of the area of myocardial infarction was significantly increased, and the serum cTnI concentration and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were increased in RIPC+ P-EXO+ I/R group ( P<0.05). Cell experiment Compared with C group, the cell viability was significantly decreased, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was increased in H/R group ( P<0.05). Compared with H/R group, the cell viability was significantly increased, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was decreased in RIPC-EXOc group ( P<0.05). Compared with RIPC+ EXOc group, the cell viability was significantly decreased, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was increased in RIPC+ P-EXOc group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Propofol may abolish the myocardial protective effect of RIPC by decreasing the production and release of serum exosomes in rats.

Objective:To evaluate the role of exosomes in reduction of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury (MIRI) by remote preconditioning of trauma (RPCT) in rats.Methods:This experiment was performed in 2 parts. In vivo experiment Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8 weeks, weighing 250-300 g, were used. Six rats were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups ( n=3 each): control group and RPCT group. Rats in control group underwent thoracotomy only, while rats in RPCT group were subjected to an additional 4 cm transverse skin incision along the abdominal midline after thoracotomy. Blood samples were collected, and serum exosomes were isolated from blood samples and labeled as control exosomes and RPCT exosomes. The expression of exosomal surface marker proteins CD9 and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was determined by Western blot, and the serum exosome concentration was measured. Another 30 rats were selected and randomly assigned to 5 groups ( n=6 each): sham operation group (Sham group), I/R group, I/R+ RPCT group, I/R+ control exosomes group (I/R+ EXO-CON group), and I/R+ RPCT exosomes group (I/R+ EXO-RPCT group). The MIRI model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion in anesthetized animals. In I/R+ RPCT group, the MIRI model was prepared at 15 min after the end of RPCT. In I/R+ EXO-CON and I/R+ EXO-RPCT groups, control exosomes and RPCT exosomes 100 μg were administered via the jugular vein at 15 min before ischemia respectively. At the end of reperfusion, the myocardial infarct size was measured, serum concentrations of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in myocardial tissues were measured. The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3 was detected. In vitro experiment H9c2 cells were cultured in vitro and randomly divided into 4 groups ( n=6 each): control group (Con group), hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) group, H/R+ control exosomes group (H/R+ EXO-CON group), and H/R+ RPCT exosomes group (H/R+ EXO-RPCT group). The rats were subjected to 4 h of hypoxia followed by 16 h of reoxygenation to establish the H/R injury model. In H/R+ EXO-CON and H/R+ EXO-RPCT groups, control exosomes and RPCT exosomes 4 μg were added at 15 min before hypoxia respectively. The cell survival rate and concentration of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the supernatant were measured, and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-3 was detected. Results:In vivo experiment Compared with control group, the expression of serum CD9 and HSP70 was significantly up-regulated, and the exosome concentration was increased in RPCT group ( P<0.05). Compared with Sham group, the serum concentrations of cTnT and LDH, percentage of myocardial infarct size, content of MDA in myocardial tissues, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio were significantly increased, and the activity of SOD was decreased in I/R group ( P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, the serum cTnT and LDH concentrations, percentage of myocardial infarct size, content of MDA in myocardial tissues, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio were significantly decreased, and the activity of SOD was increased in I/R+ RPCT group ( P<0.05), and no significant changes were observed in the aforementioned parameters in I/R+ EXO-CON group ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the aforementioned parameters between I/R+ RPCT group and I/R+ EXO-RPCT group ( P>0.05). In vitro experiment Compared with Con group, the cell survival rate was significantly decreased, and the LDH concentration in the supernatant and Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratios were increased in H/R group ( P<0.05). Compared with H/R group, the cell survival rate was significantly increased, the LDH concentration in the supernatant, and Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratios were decreased in H/R+ EXO-CON group ( P<0.05), and no significant changes were found in the aforementioned parameters in H/R+ EXO-RPCT group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which RPCT reduces MIRI may be related to the increased release of serum exosomes in rats.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is a prevalent metabolic and endocrine disorder. Long-term hyperglycemia can lead to severe chronic complications, imposing substantial economic burdens on both society and patients. Despite the availability of various hypoglycemic agents for clinical use, these agents often fail to meet the therapeutic needs of T2DM and its complications. Consequently, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies and drugs. Lithocarpus litseifolius(L. litseifolius), commonly referred to as "cordyceps on trees", has a long history of use in traditional medicine and can be applied in tea, sugar, and medicine. Research indicates that L. litseifolius extracts are rich in dihydrochalcones, including trilobatin, phloridzin, and phloretin, which exhibit a range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. These properties suggest potential applications in the treatment of T2DM and its complications. This review systematically compiled and organized the relevant literature from the past decade on dihydrochalcones(trilobatin, phloridzin, and phloretin) from L. litseifolius extracts. It highlighted recent research progress regarding their role in treating T2DM and its complications through mechanisms such as reducing insulin resistance, regulating glucose transport, improving glucose and lipid metabolism, modulating enzyme activity, regulating gut microbiota, and alleviating inflammation and oxidative damage. The purpose of this review is to provide a reference and basis for future research on the prevention and treatment of T2DM and its complications using dihydrochalcones(trilobatin, phloridzin, and phloretin) from L. litseifolius extracts.
Chalcones/chemistry* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Humans ; Animals ; Elaeocarpaceae/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/chemistry*

This research investigated the impact of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides(GLP) on hepatoblastoma HepG2 and Huh6 cell models, as well as KM mouse model with in situ transplanted tumors, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of GLP. Cell viability was assessed through the CCK-8 assay, whereas cell proliferation was evaluated by using the BeyoClick~(TM)EdU-488 test. Cell apoptosis was visualized via Hochest 33258 staining, and autophagy was detected through Mrfp-GFP-LC3 dual fluorescence staining. An in situ tumor transplantation model was created by using HepG2 cells in mice, and mice were treated with normal saline and GLP of 100, 200, and 300 mg·kg~(-1) for tumor count calculation and size assessment. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe pathological changes in tumor tissue and vital organs(liver, kidney, lung, spleen, and heart). Western blot analysis was conducted to measure the protein expressions of tumor protein P53(P53), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cleaved-caspase-3, Beclin-1, autophagy related protein-5(Atg-5), microtubule-associated protein-light chain-3Ⅰ(LC3Ⅰ)/LC3Ⅱ, autophagy adapter protein 62(P62), protein kinase B(Akt), p-Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), and p-mTOR. The in vitro experiment revealed that compared with the control group, after GLP treatment, tumor cell viability decreased significantly; apoptosis rate increased in a dose-dependent manner, and autophagic flux was inhibited. The in vivo experiments showed that compared with the model group, mice treated with GLP exhibited significantly fewer and smaller tumors. Western blot results showed that compared with the control group or model group, levels of P53, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, Beclin-1, Atg-5, and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ were significantly increased after GLP treatment, and the levels of Bcl-2, P62, p-Akt/Akt, and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased. These outcomes suggest that GLP promotes apoptosis and autophagy in hepatoblastoma cells by regulating the Akt/mTOR pathway.
Animals ; Humans ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Reishi/chemistry* ; Mice ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Hepatoblastoma/genetics* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Hep G2 Cells

Viral infectious diseases, characterized by their intricate nature and wide-ranging diversity, pose substantial challenges in the domain of data management. The vast volume of data generated by these diseases, spanning from the molecular mechanisms within cells to large-scale epidemiological patterns, has surpassed the capabilities of traditional analytical methods. In the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, there is an urgent necessity for the optimization of these analytical methods to more effectively handle and utilize the information. Despite the rapid accumulation of data associated with viral infections, the lack of a comprehensive framework for integrating, selecting, and analyzing these datasets has left numerous researchers uncertain about which data to select, how to access it, and how to utilize it most effectively in their research.This review endeavors to fill these gaps by exploring the multifaceted nature of viral infectious diseases and summarizing relevant data across multiple levels, from the molecular details of pathogens to broad epidemiological trends. The scope extends from the micro-scale to the macro-scale, encompassing pathogens, hosts, and vectors. In addition to data summarization, this review thoroughly investigates various dataset sources. It also traces the historical evolution of data collection in the field of viral infectious diseases, highlighting the progress achieved over time. Simultaneously, it evaluates the current limitations that impede data utilization.Furthermore, we propose strategies to surmount these challenges, focusing on the development and application of advanced computational techniques, AI-driven models, and enhanced data integration practices. By providing a comprehensive synthesis of existing knowledge, this review is designed to guide future research and contribute to more informed approaches in the surveillance, prevention, and control of viral infectious diseases, particularly within the context of the expanding big-data landscape.
Big Data ; Humans ; Virus Diseases/virology* ; Artificial Intelligence