Objective To analyze the detection rate and risk factors of pulmonary infection in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Methods A total of 308 patients with AECOPD hospitalized at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College were selected from October 2020 to October 2023 as the research subjects. The incidence of pulmonary infections was analyzed, and univariate and logistic multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify the risk factors of pulmonary infections. Results Among the 308 patients with AECOPD, 155 cases (50.32%) had pulmonary infection and were selected as the infected group, and 153 cases without pulmonary infection were included in the uninfected group. There were no obvious differences in gender, body mass index, education level, drinking history, hypertension, heart failure and malnutrition between the two groups (P>0.05). There were significant differences between the two groups in age, hospitalization time, mechanical ventilation history, smoking history, glucocorticoid use time, and diabetes mellitus (P<0.05). Logistic analysis showed that the ORs of pulmonary infection risk in AECOPD patients with age ≥ 60 years old, hospitalization time ≥ 14 days, mechanical ventilation history, glucocorticoid use time ≥ 7 days, diabetes mellitus, and smoking history were 2.740 (1.024-7.330), 4.586 (2.318-9.071), 3.971 (1.806-8.731), 3.264 (1.419-7.508), 2.680 (1.012-7.100), and 2.826 (1.156-6.909), respectively. Conclusion The risk of pulmonary infection is high in AECOPD patients, which is influenced by factors such as age, hospitalization time, mechanical ventilation history, smoking history, and glucocorticoid use time. Clinical screening should be focused on the above indicators and active prevention and treatment measures should be taken to reduce the occurrence of pulmonary infection.

ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is a chronic liver disease closely related to metabolism， which is mainly characterized by abnormal lipid deposition in hepatocytes. In recent years， with the increasing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome， NAFLD has become one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and varied， involving the cross-regulation of multiple signaling pathways such as glucose-lipid metabolism， oxidative stress， and inflammation. The TLR4 signaling pathway plays a key role in the development and progression of NAFLD， and abnormal activation of this pathway accelerates the deterioration of NAFLD by promoting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines， inducing oxidative stress， and exacerbating insulin resistance. Studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） can regulate the TLR4 signaling pathway to alleviate the symptoms and pathological features of NAFLD. The present review summarizes the experimental research progress in the TCM regulation of the TLR4 signaling pathway in treating NAFLD in the past 5 years， covering a wide range of TCM active ingredients （such as polysaccharides， terpenoids， alkaloids， flavonoids） and compound prescriptions. The active ingredients and compound prescriptions of TCM can effectively ameliorate lipid metabolism disorders， reduce insulin resistance， regulate intestinal flora， and inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress by regulating the TLR4 signaling pathway via multiple targets and pathways， thus slowing down the progression of NAFLD. Through in-depth analysis of the pathological mechanisms of NAFLD and exploration of the potential of TLR4 signaling pathway as a therapeutic target， we can provide theoretical support for the application of TCM in the treatment of NAFLD， as well as new perspectives and directions for future clinical research and new drug development， thereby promoting the innovation and development of therapeutic strategies for NAFLD.

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.

Aim To screen and study the expression of long non-coding RNA (IncRNA) in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with MCAO treated with Tao Hong Si Wu decoction (THSWD) and determine the possible molecular mechanism of THSWD in treating MCAO rats. Methods Three cerebral hemisphere tissue were obtained from the control group, MCAO group and MCAO + THSWD group. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify IncRNA gene expression in the three groups. THSWD-regulated IncRNA genes were identified, and then a THSWD-regu-lated IncRNA-mRNA network was constructed. MCODE plug-in units were used to identify the modules of IncRNA-mRNA networks. Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) were used to analyze the enriched biological functions and signaling pathways. Cis- and trans-regulatory genes for THSWD-regulated IncRNAs were identified. Reverse transcription real-time quantitative pol-ymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to verify IncRNAs. Molecular docking was used to identify IncRNA-mRNA network targets and pathway-associated proteins. Results In MCAO rats, THSWD regulated a total of 302 IncRNAs. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that some core IncRNAs might play an important role in the treatment of MCAO rats with THSWD, and we further found that THSWD might also treat MCAO rats through multiple pathways such as IncRNA-mRNA network and network-enriched complement and coagulation cascades. The results of molecular docking showed that the active compounds gallic acid and a-mygdalin of THSWD had a certain binding ability to protein targets. Conclusions THSWD can protect the brain injury of MCAO rats through IncRNA, which may provide new insights for the treatment of ischemic stroke with THSWD.

Objective To study the status of diabetic foot and its related factors in Hanzhong area in recent years, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and management of diabetic foot complicated by type 2 diabetes. Methods A stratified sampling method was used to select 528 patients with type 2 diabetes among permanent residents in Hanzhong from April 2016 to April 2022. Relevant medical history and laboratory examination data were collected, and the incidence of diabetic foot was calculated. The influence of related factors on the risk of diabetic foot was analyzed by regression model. Results Among 528 subjects in this study, the disease course and body type of T2DM showed that male patients had significantly longer disease, and the proportion of overweight and obesity was higher, P<0.05. The incidence of diabetic foot was 16.29% (86 cases). The proportion of male patients and female patients was 24.66% and 5.93%（χ²=27.516，P<0.05）. The proportion of male patients complicated with diabetic foot was higher than that of female patients (P<0.05). At the same time, the incidence of Wagner Grade I was higher in males than in females (P<0.05). The effects of potential factors on the risk of diabetic foot were discussed by gender. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk factors of diabetic foot in male T2DM patients included: Increased course of disease, increased age, poor blood glucose control, increased total cholesterol level, increased BMI level and increased platelet to lymphocyte ratio . Potential risk factors in women include increased course of disease, age, poor blood sugar control (increased glycosylated hemoglobin levels) and increased platelet to lymphocyte ratios in all cases（P<0.05）. Conclusion The current prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes patients complicated with diabetes foot in Hanzhong area is 16.29%, which is still high , and the prevalence rate of men is significantly higher than that of women. Older age, long duration of T2DM, poor blood glucose control, increased total cholesterol level, increased blood uric acid level, decreased urine pH value, and increased platelet lymphocyte ratio are potential risk factors for diabetes foot. Male patients should also pay attention to the occurrence of overweight and obesity tendency to reduce the risk of diabetes foot.

ObjectiveTo observe the intervention effect of Huaiqihuang granules （HQH） on immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis （IgAVN） mice and explore the underlying therapeutic mechanism. MethodFifty SPF-grade male Kunming mice were randomly divided into a normal group， an IgAVN model group， a dexamethasone group （2.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， a low-dose HQH group （4 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and a high-dose HQH group （8 g·kg^-1·d^-1）. The mouse model was established using oral administration of gliadin combined with intravenous injection of India ink. After successful modeling， the mice were euthanized after 4 weeks of gastric gavage according to groups. The 24 h urinary total protein （24 h UTP）， urine β₂-microglobulin （β₂-MG）， serum total protein， albumin， IgA， etc. were detected in each group. Flow cytometry was used to determine the proportion of T helper 17 （Th17） cells in spleen cell suspension. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase α （AMPKα）， phosphorylated AMPKα （p-AMPKα）， acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 （ACC1）， and phosphorylated ACC1 （p-ACC1） in Th17 cells. Pathological changes in the spleen and kidneys were observed. ResultCompared with the normal group， the IgAVN model group showed significant increases in 24 h UTP， urine β₂-MG， total cholesterol （P<0.05）， serum interleukin-17 （IL-17）， IgA， Th17 proportion in the spleen cell suspension， and IL-17 expression in the spleen tissue （P<0.01）， and significantly decreased serum total protein， albumin， p-AMPKα/AMPKα， and p-ACC1/ACC1 expression of Th17 cells （P<0.01）. Compared with the IgAVN model group， in the 4th week， the 24 h UTP， urine β₂-MG， serum IL-17， IgA levels， and renal IgA deposition were significantly reduced in each treatment group （P<0.01）， and the Th17 proportion and IL-17 expression in spleen tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Serum albumin levels significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the IgAVN model group， the dexamethasone group and the high-dose HQH group showed increases in serum total protein （P<0.01）， p-AMPKα/AMPKα， and p-ACC1/ACC1 expression of Th17 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The high-dose HQH group showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol level （P<0.05）. Various treatment groups showed different degrees of improvement in spleen and kidney pathological changes. ConclusionHQH may affect Th17 cell differentiation by regulating the AMPK/ACC pathway， correcting immune inflammatory disorders， and exerting therapeutic effects on IgAVN.

Objective To analyze the effect and molecular mechanism of phellodendron amurense in the treatment of liver injury based on network pharmacology,and to verify the relevant prediction targets and the protective effect of phellodendron amurense extract-Phellodendron amurense polysaccharide on immune liver injury through mice.Methods TCMSP and Swiss target prediction databases were used to retrieve and screen phellodendron amurenses active components and action targets,and then obtain disease-related targets on GeneCards and OMIM websites,and take compounds and disease intersection targets for protein interaction.Analysis,GO biological function and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis,followed by molecular docking of compounds and key target proteins,and finally established a mouse liver injury model induced by Daodou protein A(Con A)to explore the mechanism of phellodendron amurense extract in the treatment of liver injury.Results 37 active ingredients were screened.The key targets for their treatment were tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),serine/threonine protein kinase 1(AKT1),signal transduction and transcription activation factor 3(STAT3),epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)anditin.Enzyme 3(CASP3)and other enrichment analysis showed that phellodendron amurense might play a protective role in protecting the liver through molecular mechanisms such as positive regulation of MAPK cas-cade reaction,oxidative stress response and regulatory PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,lipid and atherosclerosis.Ani-mal experiments had found that the gastric treatment of phellodendron amurense polysaccharide could improve the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase(CAT)in liver tissue,reduce the levels of serum alkaline phosphatase(ALP),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and malonaldehyde(MDA)in liver tissue,and regulate serum inflammatory factor while the expression of intercitin(IL)-6,IL-1 β,tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),ac-tivated the expression of transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1),and reduced TNF-α mRNA expression in liver tissue.Conclusion Phellodendron amurense can intervene in lipid and atherosclerosis pathways by acting on tar-gets such as TNF-α,AKT1,STAT3,EGFR and CASP3 to reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions and achieve liver protection.

Lattice strain ruthenium nanoparticles uniformly and stably supported on nitrogen-modified carbon nanosheets(RuNPs/NC)were prepared via simple wet-chemical and subsequent pyrolysis method.The nitrogen doped NC could effectively improve their uniform dispersion and lattice compression of RuNPs.Through changing the pyrolysis temperature,the nitrogen content,types and degree of lattice strain of RuNPs could be effectively tuned,which could be used to adjust and control their peroxidase-like activity.The as-prepared RuNPs/NC-900 exhibited highest peroxidase-like activity,and could catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB)to produce a blue product with the maximum absorption at 652 nm in the presence of H2O2.The steady-state kinetic analysis indicated that the reaction catalyzed by RuNPs/NC followed the Michaelis-Menten kinetic model.Tannic acid(TA),gallic acid(GA)and ascorbic acid(AA)could effectively inhibit the RuNPs/NC-H2O2-triggered chromogenic reaction of TMB,resulting in color fading and decrease in absorbance.Based on this,a sensitive and accurate system was constructed for detection of TA,GA and AA.The detection limits(3σ/S)for TA,GA and AA were 0.014,0.014 and 0.29 μmol/L,respectively.This study not only developed a colorimetric sensing method based on RuNPs/NC nanozyme but also offered a new approach for the sensitive detection of antioxidants in food.

Objective To investigate the identification of octreotide(OCT)modified chitosan(CS)miR-155 molecular beacon nanoparticles(CS-miR-155-MB-OCT)and imaging of lung cancer cells for the early screening of lung cancer.Methods A nude mouse model of lung transplantation tumor was established by injecting A549 lung cancer cells into tail veins to establish lung xenograft models.Cre adenovirus was injected through nasal cavity,and mice were killed at 4,6,8 and 12 weeks after adenovirus injection to establish lung cancer models of atypical hyperplasia,adenoma,carcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma of lung in LSL K-ras G12D transgenic mice at different pathological stages.Lung tissue samples were taken and observed by HE staining.Immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of somatostatin receptor 2(SSTR2).Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect miR-155 expression levels in lung xenograft models and transgenic mice at different stages of lung cancer.Then CS-miR-155-MB and CS-miR-155-MB-OCT were injected via tail vein in lung xenograft models.CS-miR-155-MB-OCT was injected via tail vein in transgenic mice models.The fluorescence signals of lung in nude mice and transgenic mice at different disease stages were imaged by living imaging system.Frozen slices of lung tissue were made.The source of fluorescence signal was detected by laser confocal scanning microscope(CLSM).Results HE staining showed that lung transplantation tumor models and lung cancer models of atypical hyperplasia,adenoma,carcinoma in situ and lung adenocarcinoma at different pathological stages were successfully constructed.Immunohistochemical analysis showed somatostatin receptor 2(SSTR2)was expressed in transplanted lung tumor and tissue at different pathological stages.In transgenic mouse models,the expression of miR-155 was gradually increased as the disease progressed(P＜0.05).In lung xenograft models,the fluorescence signals were significantly higher in the CS-miR-155-MB-OCT group than those of the CS-miR-155-MB group(P＜0.05).In transgenic mouse models,the fluorescence signals gradually increased with the gradual progression of lesions(P＜0.05).After re-imaging the lung tissue,it was found that the fluorescence signal came from lung,and CLSM showed that the fluorescence signal came from cancer cells and some normal alveolar epithelial cells.Conclusion CS-miR-155-MB-OCT can dynamically reflect the occurrence and development of lung cancer according to changes of different fluorescence intensity,thus providing a new technology for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.