ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate alterations in white matter microstructure and spontaneous neural activity in male college smokers, and to further explore their associations with nicotine dependence. Given that adolescence and early adulthood represent critical periods for brain maturation, particularly for white matter development, understanding the neural correlates of smoking behavior during this stage is of substantial importance for both neuroscience and public health. MethodsA total of 115 male undergraduate students were initially recruited for this study. After quality control and exclusion procedures, 52 male college smokers and 42 demographically matched healthy non-smokers were included in the final analysis. All participants underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). White matter fiber tracts were reconstructed using the automated fiber quantification (AFQ) method, which enables precise identification and quantification of major fiber bundles. Eighteen major white matter tracts were segmented for each participant. Along the core trajectory of each tract, 100 equidistant nodes were sampled. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated at each node to assess white matter microstructural integrity, while amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was computed to evaluate spontaneous neural activity within white matter tracts. Between-group differences in FA and ALFF were assessed using two-sample t-tests, with appropriate corrections applied for multiple comparisons. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between imaging-derived metrics (FA and ALFF values in regions showing significant group differences) and nicotine dependence severity, as measured by the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND). ResultsCompared with healthy non-smokers, male college smokers exhibited significantly increased FA values in several white matter tracts, including the left thalamic radiation, right corticospinal tract, forceps major of the corpus callosum, left uncinate fasciculus, and right arcuate fasciculus. These findings suggest altered microstructural organization or increased directional coherence within these pathways. In addition, smokers demonstrated significantly elevated ALFF values in the forceps major, right uncinate fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus, indicating enhanced spontaneous neural activity in these white matter regions. Correlation analyses revealed that FA values in the left thalamic radiation and right corticospinal tract were negatively correlated with FTND scores, suggesting that higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with reduced microstructural integrity or altered fiber organization in these regions. In contrast, ALFF values in the forceps major and right uncinate fasciculus were positively correlated with FTND scores, indicating that greater nicotine dependence was associated with increased spontaneous neural activity in specific white matter pathways. ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that male college smokers exhibit distinct alterations in both white matter microstructure and functional activity. These abnormalities are not uniformly distributed but rather localized to specific fiber tracts implicated in sensorimotor processing, interhemispheric communication, and higher-order cognitive and emotional regulation. Importantly, the observed associations between imaging metrics and nicotine dependence severity suggest that these structural and functional alterations may reflect neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction. The combination of AFQ-based tract profiling and multimodal MRI offers a sensitive approach for detecting subtle changes along white matter pathways, highlighting its potential utility in identifying neuroimaging biomarkers of nicotine dependence. Overall, these findings indicate that smoking during early adulthood may disrupt ongoing white matter maturation, potentially leading to long-term consequences for brain function. This study provides novel insights into the neural basis of nicotine dependence and underscores the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies targeting young smokers.

ObjectiveTobacco-related diseases remain one of the leading preventable public health challenges worldwide and are among the primary causes of premature death. In recent years, accumulating evidence has supported the classification of nicotine addiction as a chronic brain disease, profoundly affecting both brain structure and function. Despite the urgency, effective diagnostic methods for smoking addiction remain lacking, posing significant challenges for early intervention and treatment. To address this issue and gain deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying nicotine dependence, this study proposes a novel graph neural network framework, termed TI-GNN. This model leverages functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to identify complex and subtle abnormalities in brain connectivity patterns associated with smoking addiction. MethodsThe study utilizes fMRI data to construct functional connectivity matrices that represent interaction patterns among brain regions. These matrices are interpreted as graphs, where brain regions are nodes and the strength of functional connectivity between them serves as edges. The proposed TI-GNN model integrates a Transformer module to effectively capture global interactions across the entire brain network, enabling a comprehensive understanding of high-level connectivity patterns. Additionally, a spatial attention mechanism is employed to selectively focus on informative inter-regional connections while filtering out irrelevant or noisy features. This design enhances the model’s ability to learn meaningful neural representations crucial for classification tasks. A key innovation of TI-GNN lies in its built-in causal interpretation module, which aims to infer directional and potentially causal relationships among brain regions. This not only improves predictive performance but also enhances model interpretability—an essential attribute for clinical applications. The identification of causal links provides valuable insights into the neuropathological basis of addiction and contributes to the development of biologically plausible and trustworthy diagnostic tools. ResultsExperimental results demonstrate that the TI-GNN model achieves superior classification performance on the smoking addiction dataset, outperforming several state-of-the-art baseline models. Specifically, TI-GNN attains an accuracy of 0.91, an F1-score of 0.91, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.83, indicating strong robustness and reliability. Beyond performance metrics, TI-GNN identifies critical abnormal connectivity patterns in several brain regions implicated in addiction. Notably, it highlights dysregulations in the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex, consistent with prior clinical and neuroimaging findings. These regions are well known for their roles in emotional regulation, reward processing, and impulse control—functions that are frequently disrupted in nicotine dependence. ConclusionThe TI-GNN framework offers a powerful and interpretable tool for the objective diagnosis of smoking addiction. By integrating advanced graph learning techniques with causal inference capabilities, the model not only achieves high diagnostic accuracy but also elucidates the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction. The identification of specific abnormal brain networks and their causal interactions deepens our understanding of addiction pathophysiology and lays the groundwork for developing targeted intervention strategies and personalized treatment approaches in the future.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of central nervous system (CNS) invasion in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and construct a risk prediction model for CNS invasion. METHODS: Clinical data of 395 patients with PTCL diagnosed and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median follow-up time of 395 PTCL patients was 24(1-143) months. There were 13 patients diagnosed CNS invasion, and the incidence was 3.3%. The risk of CNS invasion varied according to pathological subtype. The incidence of CNS invasion in patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) was significantly higher than in patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (P <0.05). The median overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with CNS invasion than in those without CNS involvement, with a median survival time of 2.4(0.6-127) months after diagnosis of CNS invasion. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis showed that more than 1 extranodal involvement (HR=4.486, 95%CI : 1.166-17.264, P =0.029), ALCL subtype (HR=9.022, 95%CI : 2.289-35.557, P =0.002) and ECOG PS >1 (HR=15.890, 95%CI : 4.409-57.262, P <0.001) were independent risk factors for CNS invasion in PTCL patients. Each of these risk factors was assigned a value of 1 point and a new prediction model was constructed. It could stratify the patients into three distinct groups: low-risk group (0-1 point), intermediate-risk group (2 points) and high-risk group (3 points). The 1-year cumulative incidence of CNS invasion in the high-risk group was as high as 50.0%. Further evaluation of the model showed good discrimination and accuracy, and the consistency index was 0.913 (95%CI : 0.843-0.984). CONCLUSION The new model shows a precise risk assessment for CNS invasion prediction, while its specificity and sensitivity need further data validation.
Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/pathology* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Male ; Female ; Central Nervous System/pathology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult

Peri-implant keratinized mucosa (PIKM) augmentation refers to surgical procedures aimed at increasing the width of PIKM. Consensus reports emphasize the necessity of maintaining a minimum width of PIKM to ensure long-term peri-implant health. Currently, several surgical techniques have been validated for their effectiveness in increasing PIKM. However, the selection and application of PIKM augmentation methods may present challenges for dental practitioners due to heterogeneity in surgical techniques, variations in clinical scenarios, and anatomical differences. Therefore, clear guidelines and considerations for PIKM augmentation are needed. This expert consensus focuses on the commonly employed surgical techniques for PIKM augmentation and the factors influencing their selection at second-stage surgery. It aims to establish a standardized framework for assessing, planning, and executing PIKM augmentation procedures, with the goal of offering evidence-based guidance to enhance the predictability and success of PIKM augmentation.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Implants ; Mouth Mucosa/surgery* ; Keratins

To improve the quality evaluation system of Hibisci Mutabilis Folium, this study established high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) fingerprints of Hibisci Mutabilis Folium and evaluated the quality differences of medicinal materials from different places of production by chemometrics. Furthermore, a content measurement method of differential components was established based on quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker(QAMS). The fingerprints of 17 batches of Hibisci Mutabilis Folium from different places of production were constructed, with a total of 19 common peaks marked and seven components confirmed. The similarity between the sample fingerprints and the reference fingerprints ranged from 0.890 to 0.974. By utilizing principal component analysis(PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), the chemical patterns of fingerprints were identified. Five components that could be used to evaluate the quality differences of Hibisci Mutabilis Folium were screened, namely peak 6(quercetin 3-O-β-robinobioside), peak 7(rutin), peak 9(kaempferol-3-O-β-robinobioside), peak 10(kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside), and peak 14(tiliroside). The relative correction factors of isoquercitrin, kaempferol-3-O-β-robinobioside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside, and tiliroside were measured with rutin as the internal reference. The QAMS method was established for the content measurement of six flavonoids, and the results showed there was no significant difference compared to the results obtained by an external standard method. In summary, the HPLC fingerprints and QAMS method established in the study, demonstrating stability and accuracy, can provide a reference for the overall quality evaluation of Hibisci Mutabilis Folium.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Principal Component Analysis

Objective To investigate the expression characteristics and clinical diagnostic value of programmed death receptor 1(PD-1)and its corresponding ligand(PD-L1)in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD).Methods One hundred and sixty COPD patients who visited Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from April 2024 to November 2024 were included and divided into an acute exacerbation group of 100 cases and a stable group of 60 cases according to the severity of the disease.Additionally,40 healthy volunteers during the same period were recruited as the control group.The general clinical data of the patients were collected.Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test(CAT)and Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Questionnaire(mMRC)Scale were used to test the severity of the disease;respiratory function testing was performed and fasting venous blood was collected for serum PD-1 and PD-L1 testing.Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between serum PD-1,PD-L1,CAT,and mMRC,and multiple logistic regression analysis to identify the influencing factors of AECOPD.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum PD-1 and PD-L1 level for AECOPD.Results Serum PD-1 level in the stable COPD group and AECOPD group was significantly increased compared with that in the control group,while serum PD-L1 level was significantly decreased,showing statistical significance(P<0.05);The level of PD-1 gradually increased with the grading of lung function and the deterioration of AECOPD,with statistical significance(P<0.05);Pearson correlation showed that serum PD-1 level was positively correlated with CAT scores in COPD patients,while negatively with CAT scores,showing statistical significance(P<0.05);Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that elevated levels of serum inter-leukin-6(IL-6),neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR),and PD-1 were risk factors for AECOPD,while elevated level of PD-L1 was protective factor for AECOPD(P<0.05);ROC curve showed that the levels of PD-1,PD-L1,IL-6,NLR,and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)for their combined prediction of AECOPD diagnosis were 0.884,0.867,0.868,0.802,and 0.995,respectively.Conclusion Serum PD-1 and PD-L1 in AECOPD patients have presented certain expression characteristics,with elevated PD-1 level while decreased PD-L1 level.Both have good clinical diagnostic value for AECOPD.

This study was aimed at preliminarily investigating the genetic and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of Salmonella Alachua isolates through whole-genome analyses.Five Salmonella Alachua isolates from various sources(both hu-man and non-human)were collected and identified.Phenotype and serotype verification,antimicrobial susceptibility testing,and whole-genome sequencing were performed.Virulence genes,antimicrobial resistance genes,and plasmid replicons were predicted according to globally available Salmonella Alachua genomic data.A phylogenetic tree was constructed to explore the genetic background.The first report of Salmonella Alachua in China emerged in Shanghai in 2015,and patients presented pri-marily with diarrhea.The isolates have been found predominantly in the eastern and southern coastal regions.Among the five i-solates analyzed,four belonged to sequence type(ST)2061,and one belonged to ST1298.All isolates were susceptible to most commonly used clinical antibiotics.Whole-genome analyses revealed that two ST2061 strains carried the blaKPC-2 gene,and one ST1298 strain carried the fosA7 gene.Phylogenetic analysis of global Salmonella Alachua populations indicated that the ST2061 clone belonged to the C1 clade,which was closely related to strains from the UK,whereas the ST1298 clone was found in the C4 clade,a globally disseminated fosA 7-positive lineage.This study provides initial insights into the genetic and antimi-crobial resistance characteristics of Salmonella Alachua in China,highlighting the presence of strains carrying blaKPC-2 and fo-sA7 genes.These findings may provide a reference for future large-scale molecular epidemiological surveillance and source-trac-ing efforts,and they underscore the importance of enhanced resistance monitoring for Salmonella Alachua.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation (SI) with ischemic heart disease (IHD), with unknown mediators. METHODS: Using data from genome-wide association studies of predominantly European ancestry, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study to estimate causal effects of loneliness ( N = 487,647) and SI traits on IHD ( N = 184,305). SI traits included whether individuals lived alone, participated in various types of social activities, and how often they had contact with friends or family ( N = 459,830 to 461,369). A network MR study was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of 20 candidate mediators, including metabolic, behavioral and psychological factors. RESULTS: Loneliness increased IHD risk ( OR= 2.129; 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.380 to 3.285), mediated by body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. For SI traits, only fewer social activities increased IHD risk ( OR= 1.815; 95% CI: 1.189 to 2.772), mediated by hypertension, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting insulin, and smoking cessation. No reverse causality of IHD with loneliness and SI was found. CONCLUSION These findings suggested more attention should be paid to individuals who feel lonely and have fewer social activities to prevent IHD, with several mediators as prioritized targets for intervention.
Loneliness/psychology* ; Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Social Isolation ; Myocardial Ischemia/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Risk Factors ; Aged

Objective:To explore the evaluation value of blood routine derived indicators[derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(dNLR),red blood cell distribution width to platelet ratio(RPR)]combine with serum C-reactive protein(CRP)and procalcitonin(PCT)detection for the clinical outcomes of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP).Methods:149 children with MPP who were admitted to our hospital from April 2022 to August 2024 were included,they were divided into good prognosis and poor prognosis groups based on their clinical outcomes 28 d after admission.The blood routine derived indicators,serum CRP,and PCT levels between the good prognosis group and the poor prognosis group were compared.The influencing factors of clinical outcomes in children with MPP were analyzed by Multiple logistic regression analysis,the value of blood routine derived indicators,serum CRP,and PCT testing alone and in combination to evaluate the clinical outcomes of children with MPP were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results:Among 149 children with MPP,113 had good prognosis and 36 had poor prognosis 28 d after admission,with a poor prognosis incidence rate of 24.16％(36/149).dNLR,RPR,CRP,and PCT levels in the poor prognosis group were higher than those in the good prognosis group(P＜0.05).Univariate analysis showed that,the clinical outcome of children with MPP was related to pleural thickening,pleural effusion,severity disease and peak body temperature(P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed:Pleural thickening,pleural effusion,severity disease was severe,elevated dNLR,elevated RPR,elevated CRP and elevated PCT were risk factors for poor prognosis in children with MPP(P＜0.05).The area under the Curve(AUC)of dNLR,RPR,CRP and PCT combined to predict the prognosis of children with MPP was higher than that evaluated by the four indicators alone.Conclusion:Pleural thickening,pleural effusion,severe disease severity,elevated dNLR,elevated RPR,elevated CRP and elevated PCT are risk factors for poor prognosis in children with MPP.Moreover,the combined evaluate value of dNLR,RPR,CRP,and PCT is relatively high.