Objective:To explore the the possibility and potential mechanism of Coptis chinensis in treating caries based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.Methods:The active ingredients of Coptis chinensis and the targets of the active in-gredients and caries were obtained through a variety of databases.The intersection targets of Coptis chinensis and caries were obtained by VENNY.Based on the target of the intersection,the protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks relationship diagram was formed on the STRING platform.The core target diagram was formed through the Cytoscape software,and the Coptis chinensis-active ingre-dient-target network diagram was constructed.The intersection targets are analyzed by GO and KEGG.The core targets of Coptis chinensis active ingredients in treating caries was analyzed by molecular docking.Results:The 11 Coptis chinensis active ingredi-ents,465 targets of Coptis chinensis active ingredients and 1 160 targets of caries were obtained from the database.After analysis,71 targets of Coptis chinensis-caries intersection and 12 core targets were obtained.The potential therapeutic effect of Coptis chinensis on caries involved relaxin,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B(PI3K-Akt),mitogen activated protein kinase(MAPK),ras-re-lated protein 1(RAP1)and other signaling pathways.Berberine,one of the main active components of Coptis chinense,had strong binding activity on epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR),matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9)and other core targets.Coptis chinen-sis and its active components can play a role in the treatment of caries through EGFR,MMP9 and PI3K-AKT,MAPK and other path-ways.Conclusion:Coptis chinensis and its active components can regulate several targets and signaling pathways such as EGFR,MMP9,PI3K-AKT and MAPK.Coptis chinensis may play a role in the prevention and treatment of caries through multiple pathways.

BACKGROUND:Early diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis is the foundation for timely antifibrotic drug therapy.Therefore,exploring and discovering ideal biomarkers that can be effectively used for the early diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis is crucial for the treatment of the disease.OBJECTIVE:To conduct an in-depth analysis of key autophagy-related genes involved in the process of pulmonary fibrosis by means of bioinformatics and machine learning techniques,in order to investigate whether autophagy-related core genes of pulmonary fibrosis can be used as reliable biomarkers in the assessment of the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.METHODS:Two datasets of pulmonary fibrosis,GSE24206 and GSE110147,were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database(a public database developed and maintained by the U.S.National Center for Biotechnology Information to store and share bioinformatics data),and the gene expression matrices of these two datasets were normalized by using the"limma"package in R software.The autophagy-related genes were extracted from GeneCards database(a database created by the U.S.National Center for Biotechnology Information,which automatically integrates gene-centric data from about 200 Web sources,including genomic,transcriptomic,proteomic,genetic,clinical,and functional information).Differential gene analysis was performed on the pulmonary fibrosis dataset,and the common genes were extracted by cross-comparing the differential genes with the autophagy genes,so as to identify autophagy genes that may play a role in the process of pulmonary fibrosis.The intersecting genes were analyzed for functional enrichment and cellular immune infiltration by gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.Core genes of pulmonary fibrosis associated with autophagy were screened by protein-protein interactions and machine learning,and core genes were subjected to the enrichment analysis.Diagnostic models were constructed from the identified core genes.Calibration curves were used to assess the predictive ability of the line graph model.An external dataset,GSE21369,was used to perform a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to validate the expression profiles of pulmonary fibrosis genes associated with autophagy,as well as to predict Chinese herbs associated with the genes IL6 and COL1A2 via the Coremine database.Finally,human embryonic lung fibroblasts were cultured and modelled by transforming growth factor-β1 treatment,and the relative expression of genes in the model cells was verified using qRT-PCR.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 51 pulmonary fibrosis differential genes and 25 genes intersecting with autophagy genes were obtained.Gene ontology analysis showed that the 25 intersecting genes were related to extracellular matrix tissue,collagen metabolism,collagen pro-fibroblasts,and growth factor binding,etc.The results of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis indicated that they were mainly related to the Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway and the signaling pathway of the extracellular matrix-receptor interactions.(2)Immunoinfiltration analysis revealed that the expression of activated memory CD4+T cells,M0 macrophages,and resting dendritic cells was significantly elevated in the pulmonary fibrosis group(P＜0.05),showing a strong correlation.(3)Two autophagy signature genes involved in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis were identified:COL1A2 and IL6.The column-line diagram model showed that the two core genes predicted the onset of pulmonary fibrosis more accurately,and the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the two characteristic genes had diagnostic significance.COL1A2 and IL6 were related to the cell-cycle pathway,mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway,Janus kinase-signal transduction and activator of transcription signaling pathway and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions.A total of 20 Chinese herbs were predicted to be related to COL1A2 and IL6 genes,and their efficacies were mainly to clear away heat and detoxify toxins and to invigorate blood and move qi.COL1A2 and IL6 were verified to be highly expressed in pulmonary fibrosis.To conclude,COL1A2 and IL6 may be potential diagnostic biomarkers for pulmonary fibrosis,but its specificity to pulmonary fibrosis needs to be further investigated.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the incidence and influencing factors of emergence agitation (EA) after general anesthesia in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.Methods:Literature on EA after general anesthesia in adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery was electronically retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP, and China Biology Medicine disc. The search period was from the establishment of the database to June 1, 2024. Two researchers independently screened literature, extracted data, conducted quality assessments, and used RevMan 5.3 to perform the Meta-analysis.Results:A total of 22 studies were included, involving 16 853 patients. Meta-analysis indicated that the incidence of EA after general anesthesia in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery was 18.00%. Advanced age, male, high anesthesia grade, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, preoperative anxiety, preoperative benzodiazepine use, high preoperative leukocyte, low preoperative serum albumin, prolonged operative time, intraoperative hypothermia, type of surgery, inhalation anesthesia, hypoxemia during emergence, pain during emergence, indwelling urinary catheter, and indwelling drainage tube were risk factors for EA ( P<0.05). The use of dexmedetomidine during surgery and analgesic pump after surgery were protective factors for EA ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The EA in patients undergoing general anesthesia for non-cardiac surgery is the result of multiple factors acting together. Clinical healthcare providers should enhance their ability to identify risk factors for EA and implement targeted interventions at an early stage to improve the quality of patient awakening and clinical outcomes.

Objective:To evaluate the value of ultrasound radiomics combined with machine learning for early diagnosis of seronegative Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (SN-HT) .Methods:This retrospective study included 164 patients from Liaoning Provincial People’s Hospital , Lixin County People’s Hospital, Linghai Dalinghe Hospital, Fengcheng Phoenix Hospital, who underwent thyroidectomy for solitary nodules with normal thyroid function between Nov. 2016 and Jan. 2024. Postoperative pathology confirmed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) in some cases, who were further categorized into antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups based on serum antibody status. Patients without Hashimoto’s thyroiditis served as the control group. A total of 298 ultrasound images were analyzed. Radiomics features were extracted from hypoechoic non-nodular areas within 0.5 cm surrounding the tumor. Two senior pathologists and two senior ultrasound physicians independently assessed lymphocytic infiltration, eosinophilic changes of follicular epithelium, and the proportion of hypoechoic areas in pathology and ultrasound images, respectively. A machine learning model, CCH-NET, was developed using linear regression and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) techniques. The dataset was divided into a training set (80%) and a validation set (20%) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of CCH-NET with that of senior ultrasound physicians. Results:In internal validation, CCH-NET achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 88.89% for both antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups, significantly higher than the 66.67% accuracy of senior ultrasound physicians ( P<0.01). In external validation, CCH-NET achieved 75.00% and 66.67% accuracy for the two groups, compared to 50.00% by senior ultrasound physicians. For the control group, both methods achieved 93.33% accuracy. The AUC of CCH-NET was 0.848, outperforming senior ultrasound physicians (0.681) ,demonstrating superior diagnostic performance. Conclusion:The radiomics-based CCH-NET model, using non-nodular hypoechoic areas as a specific indicator, can accurately identify early SN-HT in euthyroid patients. It significantly outperforms senior ultrasound physicians, improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing missed diagnoses.

Objective The pathophysiological process of acute high-altitude hypoxia-induced lung injury affects protein expression levels,which are mainly evaluated by Western blot.No systematic study has investigated changes in internal control proteins as calibration loading amounts.Methods Lung injury at an altitude of 6000 m was induced in a low-pressure,low-oxygen chamber for 8,24,and 72 h using C57BL/6J mice.Establishment of the model was confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin staining.Expression levels of various internal control proteins,including vinculin,α-tubulin,eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5(EIF5),β-actin,and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH)were detected by Western blot,and total protein expression was detected by Coomassie blue staining.Furthermore,the lung injury model in vitro was establised by using,Bronchial epithelial cell(BZAS-2B)andhunman umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECS)confirmed by TUNEL staining.Expression levels of internal control proteins were detected by Western blot,and total protein expression was detected by Coomassie Blue staining.Results Acute 8,24,and 72 h hypoxic models were successfully established in lung tissue,demonstrating consistent total protein expression and stable levels of the internal reference proteins vinculin,α-tubulin,EIF5,andβ-actin.GAPDH expression was elevated in the HH8 h,HH24 h,and HH72 h groups compared with the normoxia(Nor)group,but only the increase at HH72 h groups was significant.Similarly,8,24,and 48 h hypoxic models were successfully established in BEAS-2B cells and HUVECs,with consistent total protein expression.In BEAS-2B cells,expression levels of the internal reference proteins β-actin and GAPDH were consistent with the normoxic control(NC)group,while vinculin,α-tubulin,and EIF5 expression levels were significantly reduced under hypoxic conditions for up to 24 h.In HUVECs,vinculin and α-tubulin expression levels were also consistent with the NC group,while EIF5,β-actin,and GAPDH expression levels were significantly reduced at 8 h and increased at 48 h.Conclusions Acute hypoxia induces lung tissue injury,and protein expression levels of the internal reference proteins vinculin,α-tubulin,EIF5,and β-actin are stable,making them suitable internal references for Western blot.Additionally,Western blot detected differential expression levels of the internal reference proteins vinculin,α-tubulin,EIF5,β-actin,and GAPDH in BEAS-2B cells and HUVECs,as the most important in vitro lung tissue models of hypoxia-induced injury.

Objective:To estimate the radiation dose to caregivers and the public from 177Lu- peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for pediatric neuroblastoma patients and determine the duration of contact restrictions, in order to provide a reference for relevant radiation protection measures. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by collecting data from 18 pediatric neuroblastoma patients, aged between 3 and 13 (6.72±2.72), who received 177Lu-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacetic acid-D-Phe1-Tyr3-Thr8-octreotide (DOTATATE) treatment at the Nuclear Medicine Department of Shandong Cancer Hospital from June 2023 to July 2023. Absorbed dose rate in air at 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 m from the patients was measured using a radiation-survey at 1, 4, 24, 48 and 96 h after administration. The whole-body region of interest was delined using HERMES software. Subsequently, curve regression fitting was performed using a biexponential function model. By incorporating hypothesized social contact durations, the effective doses received by family members and the public in contact with patients were estimated. Additionally, MIM software was used to outline the whole-body VOI to obtain the total volume of lesions, and the Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficient was employed to analyze the relationship between the absorbed dose rate in air and clinical indicators as well as the total volume of lesions. Results:The 177Lu-DOTATATE administration dose was (4 353.42±1 451.51) MBq. All patients were discharged from hospital 24 h after 177Lu-DOTATATE administration. At the time of discharge, patients had excreted (76.70±3.99)% of the administered activity, and the absorbed dose rate in air at 0.1, 1 and 2 m from the patients were (32.74±6.98), 3.68(3.01, 4.70) and (1.22±0.51) μSv/h, respectively. After being discharged, the radiation doses to caregivers from children aged 2-5 years and 5-13 years were (2.47±1.80) mSv and (0.88±0.47) mSv, respectively. The contact restriction duration was 2 d for nighttime sleeping with family members and 1 d for contact with other children. On the day of discharge, patients should limit their time on public transportation within 4 h and do not need to restrict private transportation. Conclusions:To ensure the effective dose kept within the safety limits stipulated by current regulations, it is necessary to implement contact restrictions for patients’ family members and the public. After implementing preventive measures, 177Lu-DOTATATE treatment is a safe radionuclide therapeutic option.

Objective The pathophysiological process of acute high-altitude hypoxia-induced lung injury affects protein expression levels,which are mainly evaluated by Western blot.No systematic study has investigated changes in internal control proteins as calibration loading amounts.Methods Lung injury at an altitude of 6000 m was induced in a low-pressure,low-oxygen chamber for 8,24,and 72 h using C57BL/6J mice.Establishment of the model was confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin staining.Expression levels of various internal control proteins,including vinculin,α-tubulin,eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5(EIF5),β-actin,and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH)were detected by Western blot,and total protein expression was detected by Coomassie blue staining.Furthermore,the lung injury model in vitro was establised by using,Bronchial epithelial cell(BZAS-2B)andhunman umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECS)confirmed by TUNEL staining.Expression levels of internal control proteins were detected by Western blot,and total protein expression was detected by Coomassie Blue staining.Results Acute 8,24,and 72 h hypoxic models were successfully established in lung tissue,demonstrating consistent total protein expression and stable levels of the internal reference proteins vinculin,α-tubulin,EIF5,andβ-actin.GAPDH expression was elevated in the HH8 h,HH24 h,and HH72 h groups compared with the normoxia(Nor)group,but only the increase at HH72 h groups was significant.Similarly,8,24,and 48 h hypoxic models were successfully established in BEAS-2B cells and HUVECs,with consistent total protein expression.In BEAS-2B cells,expression levels of the internal reference proteins β-actin and GAPDH were consistent with the normoxic control(NC)group,while vinculin,α-tubulin,and EIF5 expression levels were significantly reduced under hypoxic conditions for up to 24 h.In HUVECs,vinculin and α-tubulin expression levels were also consistent with the NC group,while EIF5,β-actin,and GAPDH expression levels were significantly reduced at 8 h and increased at 48 h.Conclusions Acute hypoxia induces lung tissue injury,and protein expression levels of the internal reference proteins vinculin,α-tubulin,EIF5,and β-actin are stable,making them suitable internal references for Western blot.Additionally,Western blot detected differential expression levels of the internal reference proteins vinculin,α-tubulin,EIF5,β-actin,and GAPDH in BEAS-2B cells and HUVECs,as the most important in vitro lung tissue models of hypoxia-induced injury.

To investigate the association between obesity-related metabolic indices and the risk of knee osteoarthritis(KOA) in middle-aged and older Chinese adults(≥45 years) using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS).

Approximately 30%-40% of epilepsy patients do not respond well to adequate anti-seizure medications (ASMs), a condition known as pharmacoresistant epilepsy. The management of pharmacoresistant epilepsy remains an intractable issue in the clinic. Its early prediction is important for prevention and diagnosis. However, it still lacks effective predictors and approaches. Here, a classical model of pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was established to screen pharmacoresistant and pharmaco-responsive individuals by applying phenytoin to amygdaloid-kindled rats. Ictal electroencephalograms (EEGs) recorded before phenytoin treatment were analyzed. Based on ictal EEGs from pharmacoresistant and pharmaco-responsive rats, a convolutional neural network predictive model was constructed to predict pharmacoresistance, and achieved 78% prediction accuracy. We further found the ictal EEGs from pharmacoresistant rats have a lower gamma-band power, which was verified in seizure EEGs from pharmacoresistant TLE patients. Prospectively, therapies targeting the subiculum in those predicted as "pharmacoresistant" individual rats significantly reduced the subsequent occurrence of pharmacoresistance. These results demonstrate a new methodology to predict whether TLE individuals become resistant to ASMs in a classic pharmacoresistant TLE model. This may be of translational importance for the precise management of pharmacoresistant TLE.
Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/diagnosis* ; Animals ; Drug Resistant Epilepsy/drug therapy* ; Electroencephalography/methods* ; Rats ; Anticonvulsants/pharmacology* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Male ; Humans ; Phenytoin/pharmacology* ; Adult ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Young Adult ; Convolutional Neural Networks

Patients suffering from nerve injury often experience exacerbated pain responses and complain of memory deficits. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a well-defined region responsible for learning and memory, displays maladaptive plasticity upon injury, which is assumed to underlie pain hypersensitivity and cognitive deficits. However, much attention has thus far been paid to intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Emerging evidence has shown that nerve injury alters the microarchitecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and decreases ECM rigidity in the dHPC. Despite this, it remains elusive which element of the ECM in the dHPC is affected and how it contributes to neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits. Laminin, a key element of the ECM, consists of α-, β-, and γ-chains and has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed that peripheral nerve injury downregulates laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the dHPC. Silencing of hippocampal LAMB1 exacerbates pain sensitivity and induces cognitive dysfunction. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of hippocampal LAMB1 causes dysregulated Src/NR2A signaling cascades via interaction with integrin β1, leading to decreased Ca²⁺ levels in pyramidal neurons, which in turn orchestrates structural and functional plasticity and eventually results in exaggerated pain responses and cognitive deficits. In this study, we shed new light on the functional capability of hippocampal ECM LAMB1 in the modulation of neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits, and reveal a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified hippocampal LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and related memory loss.
Animals ; Laminin/genetics* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Male ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/metabolism* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Integrin beta1/metabolism* ; Pyramidal Cells/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction