Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of plasma exchange (PE) in thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (MG), thereby to provide theoretical support for its application in the treatment of thymoma-associated MG. Methods: A total of 133 patients with thymoma-associated MG admitted from January 2018 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were matched using propensity score to reduce selection bias, yielding 22 matched pairs for both PE group (n=22) and non-PE group (n=22). Patient characteristics including gender, age of disease onset, course of disease, history of thymoma resection, clinical absolute scores [clinical absolute scores (CAS) and clinical relative scores (CRS)], and synchronized immunotherapy regimen of the two groups were analyzed. The CAS scores before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the CRS was used to assess the treatment efficiency. Safety of the two treatment regimens were also compared. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test or ANOVA, while categorical data were compared by the chi-square test. Results: A total of 133 patients were included and divided into two groups according to whether they underwent plasma exchange treatment: the PE group (n=22) and the non-PE group (n=111). To exclude bias caused by large difference in the number of cases between the two groups, we performed propensity score matching. After matching, the number of cases in both groups was 22. There was no significant difference in baseline clinical characteristics between the two groups (P>0.05), including gender, age of onset, duration of disease course, history of thymectomy and baseline CAS score before treatment. Compared to the non-PE group, patients in the PE group showed more significant improvement in CAS score (5.09±1.95 vs 3.59±1.50, P<0.05) and a higher CRS score (75.00% vs 50.00%, P<0.001). Compared to the non-PE group, PE group had significantly longer ICU stay, longer hospital stay and higher hospitalization cost (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse events between the two groups during treatment (P>0.05). During long-term follow-up, both the PE and non-PE groups showed relatively low 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence rate, with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study indicates that plasma exchange has clear value in the treatment of patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis. It can not only significantly improve patients' muscle strength to alleviate motor dysfunction and enhance quality of life, but also does not significantly increase the incidence of adverse reactions. Therefore, it can be regarded as one of the preferred treatment options that achieve a "balance between efficacy and safety" for such patients, and provides an important basis for optimizing treatment strategies, improving prognosis, and promoting the application of subsequent treatment regimens.

The detection principle of microfluidic microfluidic technology was introduced.The current research status of microfluidic platform-based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection technologies were reviewed such as reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR),digital PCR,isothermal amplification and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein.The deficiencies of microfluidic platform-based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection were analyzed.It's pointed out microfluidic platform-based SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection had to be optimized and validated clinically in specialty,sensitivity,detection limit,reproducibility,informatization,quality control and reagent cost.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(1):101-107]

Objective To investigate the effects of sulforaphane(SFN)in regulating the macrophage glycolysis via the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase(ALOX5)/nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathway on the progression of diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods Bioinformatics analysis was used to identify the target genes of SFN in the treatment of DN.Human proximal tubular epithelial cell line(HK-2 cells)was induced with 30 mmol/L high glucose(HG)to create an in vitro model of DN.HK-2 cells were divided into the following groups:normal glucose(NG)group,HG group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)group,HG+ALOX5 group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)+ALOX5 group,HG-treated macrophages+HK-2 group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)treated macrophages s+HK-2 group,HG+ALOX5 transfection treated macrophages+HK-2 group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)+ALOX5 transfection treated macrophages+HK-2 group.CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell viability,Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL)method was used to detect cell apoptosis;glucose and lactate levels in the cells were measured using assay kits;Western blot was performed to detect the expression of ALOX5,NF-κB,and glycolysis-related proteins hexokinase-2(HK2),pyruvate kinase M2(PKM2),glucose transporter 1(GLUT1)in each group.Diabetic nephropathy(DN)mouse models were established using streptozotocin(STZ)and treated with SFN(0.5 mg/kg).Various biochemical parameters were measured in the mice,and kidney tissue pathology was examined using H&E staining.Western blot was used to detect the expression of glycolysis-related proteins(HK2,PKM2,GLUT1)in kidney macrophages.Results Bioinformatics analysis revealed ALOX5 as the target gene of SFN in treating DN.Compared to the HG group,SFN treatment enhanced HK-2 cell viability and in-hibited apoptosis(P<0.05);concurrently,SFN treatment suppressed HG-induced macrophage glycolysis-related protein and attenuated macrophage-mediated HK-2 cellular injury(P<0.05).Western blot results showed that SFN inhibited the expression of ALOX5 and NF-κB(P<0.05).The mouse experiment results showed that SFN treatment improved kidney function and pathological changes in the kidney of DN mice,and inhibited the related protein expression of acrophage glycolysis in kidney tissue(P<0.05).Conclusion SFN improves the progression of DN by inhibiting the expression of macrophage glycolysis-related protein through the ALOX5/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To describe the distribution characteristics of knee and ankle joint range of motion and muscle atrophy related indexes in patients with Kashin-Beck disease(KBD)in Shaanxi Province so as to explore the correlation of knee and ankle joint range of motion(ROM)with muscle atrophy indexes and provide reference for clinical characteristics analysis of KBD patients.Methods To investigate the registered KBD patients from KBD areas in Shaanxi Province,we measured the general demographic data of the patients were collected and the ROM of the knee joint(flexion and extension),the ankle joint(dorsiflexion and plantar flexion),and the muscle atrophy related indexes such as the upper arm circumference,thigh circumference,calf circumference and grip strength.According to the population characteristics,i.e.,gender,age,body mass index(BMI)and KBD grade,the median and quartile of joint ROM and muscle atrophy of KBD patients were reported,and then the differences in each index among different groups were analyzed.Partial correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between indicators after controlling for variables such as gender,age and BMI.Results A total of 480 patients with KBD were investigated in this study,who consisted of 249(51.9％)males and 231(48.1％)females,with an average age of(63.10±7.32)years and an average BMI of(23.49±8.90)kg/m2.The knee flexion ROM,knee extension ROM,ankle dorsiflexion ROM and ankle plantar flexion ROM were[105.0(95.0,120.0)]°,[0.0(-15.0,0.0)]°,[5.0(0.0,15.0)]° and[20.0(15.0,30.0)]°,respectively,in KBD patients in Shaanxi Province.The left thigh circumference,right thigh circumference,left calf circumference,right calf circumference,and upper arm circumference were[43.0(40.0,47.0)]cm,[43.0(39.0,47.0)]cm,[29.0(27.0,32.0)]cm,[29.5(27.0,32.0)]cm,[27.0(25.0,30.0)]cm,respectively.The left hand grip strength and right hand grip strength were[13.4(9.5,18.4)]kg and[13.9(9.8,18.2)]kg,respectively.With the increase of age,the extension range of the left and right knee joints of KBD patients showed a decreasing trend(H=31.499,31.847;all P＜0.001).The range of motion of bilateral knee flexion was higher in the normal BMI group than in the overweight or obese group,with statistically significant differences(H=7.753,12.333;P=0.021,0.002).The knee flexion,thigh circumference,and calf circumference of the left and right sides showed a decreasing trend under different KBD grades(H=14.345,17.256,8.000,8.462,8.558,9.633;all P＜0.05).Correlation analysis showed that knee flexion ROM was positively correlated with thigh circumference,calf circumference,and grip strength in patients with KBD(all P＜0.05).There was a positive correlation between knee extension ROM and thigh circumference in patients with KBD(P＜0.01).Conclusion The impaired joint ROM and muscle atrophy are serious in KBD patients in Shaanxi Province,and there is a correlation between joint motion and muscle atrophy.

Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of miR-125b promoting invasion,metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)of gastric cancer cells.Methods The expression of miR-125b in gastric cancer and its adjacent tissues was studied by qRT-PCR.After upregulating or downregulating miR-125b in gastric cancer cells,the protein expressions of DKK3 and SERPINA4 were detected by Western blotting.Dual luciferase reporting assay was used to verify whether miR-125b can target DKK3 and SERPINA4.MKN45 cells were co-transfected with miR-125b inhibitor and target gene siRNA.Migration and invasion experiments were conducted to explore whether miR-125b can regulate the biological function of MKN45 cells through DKK3 and SERPINA4.Then,the regulatory mechanism of SRF on miR-125b was investigated.Finally,by in vivo experiments,the expression of SRF in gastric cancer cells was upregulated or downregulated by lentivirus transfection;the number of lung metastases in nude mice was detected to explore the effect of SRF on gastric cancer cell metastasis.Results In this study,the expression of miR-125b increased in gastric cancer tissues,which was correlated with clinical stage and lymph node metastasis.Dual luciferase reporting experiments showed that DKK3 and SERPINA4 were the direct targets of miR-125b in gastric cancer cells,and could activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,thereby promoting the transcription process of EMT-related transcription factors Twist1 and Slug,inducing the occurrence of EMT,and promoting the metastasis of gastric cancer.In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that SRF promoted the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells by positively regulating the expression of miR-125b.Conclusion Taken together,SRF/miR-125b axis promotes the EMT and metastasis of gastric cancer cells,and these regulators represent new potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers for gastric cancer.

  Objective  To establish a model that can predict the occurrence of acute kidney disease (AKD) in liver cirrhotic patients and evaluate its performance.  Methods  Liver cirrhotic patients who hospitalized in the department of gastroenterology of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2017 to January 2022 were retrospectively included. They were divided into AKD and non-AKD groups according to whether they were combined with AKD during hospitalization, and were randomized into training and validation sets in a 7∶3 ratio. The clinical data of patients in the two groups were collected, and LASSO regression and multifactorial Logistic regression were used to screen the influencing factors for the occurrence of AKD in patients with liver cirrhosis and to establish a prediction model. The model was then evaluated by using the receiver operating characteristic curve, the calibration curve and the clinical decision curve.  Results  A total of 796 cases of liver cirrhotic patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled. Among them, 103 cases were in the AKD group and 693 cases were in the non-AKD group; 561 cases were in the training set and 235 cases were in the validation set. The results of LASSO regression and multifactorial Logistic regression showed that a history of diabetes (OR=2.922, 95% CI: 1.290-6.564, P=0.009), hepatic encephalopathy (OR=6.210, 95% CI: 2.278-17.479, P < 0.001), gastrointestinal bleeding (OR=2.501, 95% CI: 1.236-5.073, P=0.011), ascites (OR=3.219, 95% CI: 1.664-6.539, P < 0.001), male (OR=0.477, 95% CI: 0.254-0.879, P=0.019), hemoglobin (OR=0.987, 95% CI: 0.975-0.999, P=0.044), albumin (OR=0.952, 95% CI: 0.911-0.991, P=0.023), and prothrombin time (OR=0.865, 95% CI: 0.779-0.920, P < 0.001) were the independent influences on the occurrence of AKD in liver cirrhotic patients, and were used to construct a prediction model. The area under the curve of the model in the training set and validation set for predicting the occurrence of AKD in liver cirrhotic patients was 0.895 (95% CI: 0.865-0.925) and 0.869 (95% CI: 0.807-0.930), respectively. The calibration curves showed that the model had good fit and consistency and the clinical decision curves showed that the use of the model for predicting the risk of AKD could benefit liver cirrhotic patients overall.  Conclusions  A prediction model for the occurrence of AKD in liver cirrhotic patients was established based on eight influencing factors, including gender, history of diabetes, and hepatic encephalopathy. It was validated to have good discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility, and is expected to assist in the clinical early screening and identification of liver cirrhosis-associated AKD.

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.

Objective To explore characteristics of clinical parameters and cytokines in patients with drug-induced liver injury(DILI)caused by different drugs and their correlation with clinical indicators. Method The study was conducted on patients who were up to Review of Uncertainties in Confidence Assessment for Medical Tests(RUCAM)scoring criteria and clinically diagnosed with DILI.Based on Chinese herbal medicine,cardiovascular drugs,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs),anti-infective drugs,and other drugs,patients were divided into five groups.Cytokines were measured by Luminex technology.Baseline characteristics of clinical biochemical indicators and cytokines in DILI patients and their correlation were analyzed. Results 73 patients were enrolled.Age among five groups was statistically different(P=0.032).Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P=0.033)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)(P=0.007)in NSAIDs group were higher than those in chinese herbal medicine group.Interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)in patients with Chinese herbal medicine(IL-6:P<0.001;TNF-α:P<0.001)and cardiovascular medicine(IL-6:P=0.020;TNF-α:P=0.001)were lower than those in NSAIDs group.There was a positive correlation between ALT(r=0.697,P=0.025),AST(r=0.721,P=0.019),and IL-6 in NSAIDs group. Conclusion Older age may be more prone to DILI.Patients with NSAIDs have more severe liver damage in early stages of DILI,TNF-α and IL-6 may partake the inflammatory process of DILI.

Dachengqi Decoction is a classic prescription attacked by Yangming excessive syndromes in clinic, which has the effects of relieving heat, softening and dispersing knots, etc., and is often used in the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction caused by various diseases. This article reviewed the recent studies on the chemical compositions and pharmacological effects of Dachengqi Decoction in recent years. On this basis, combined with the "five principles" of TCM quality markers, the quality markers of Dachengqi Decoction were predicted and analyzed. It is suggested that emodin, Rhein, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, synephrine, hesperidin, naringin, magnolol and magnolol can be used as quality markers of Dachengqi Decoction.