ObjectiveTo assess the predictive value of the bladder deformation index (BDI) in determining upper urinary tract (UUT) damage among patients with neurogenic bladder (NB). MethodsClinical data of 132 NB patients admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital from January, 2015 to December, 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into UUT damage group and normal UUT group according to the presence or absence of hydronephrosis. The demographics, biochemical parameters and video-urodynamics (VUDS) findings were collected, and BDI was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to evaluate the predictive capability. ResultsThere were 54 patients in UUT damage group and 33 in normal UUT group. The course of disease, creatinine level and BDI were siginificantly different between two groups (P < 0.05), while the area under the curve were 0.686, 0.836 and 0.928, respectively. ConclusionCourse of disease, creatinine level and BDI are associated with UUT damage in NB patients, and BDI demonstrates the highest sensitivity and specificity, which may play a role in diagnosis of UUT damage.

BackgroundPatients with depressive disorder often exhibit impaired decision-making functions. However， the relationship between decision-making abilities and depressive and anxiety symptoms in these patients remains unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of decision-making behavior in patients with depressive disorder， and to analyze its relationship with clinical symptoms. MethodsA total of 48 patients diagnosed with depressive disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fourth edition （DSM-IV） were recruited from the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from October 2020 to May 2023. Concurrently， 52 healthy individuals matched for age and gender were recruited from Luzhou as the control group. Beck Depression Inventory （BDI） and Beck Anxiety Inventory （BAI） were used for assessment， and decision-making behavior was evaluated using Probabilistic Reversal Learning （PRL） task. Indicators assessed included the number of trials to criterion， perseverative errors， win-stay rate and lose-shift rate. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between BDI and BAI scores and PRL task indicators. ResultsThe depression group showed a significantly higher lose-shift rate compared with the control group （t=3.684， P<0.01）. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in trials to criterion， perseverative errors and win-stay rate （t=0.329， 0.132， 0.609， P>0.05）. In depression group， BDI and BAI scores were positively correlated with the win-stay rate（r=0.450， 0.398， P<0.01）. ConclusionPatients with depressive disorder are more likely to change their decision-making strategies following negative outcomes. Furthermore， the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms is associated with a greater propensity to maintain existing decisions after receiving positive feedback. ［Funded by 2019 Joint Project of Luzhou Science and Technology Bureau-Southwest Medical University （number， 2019LZXNYDJ39］

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.

This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of tubuloside B (Tub B) on amyloid β-protein (Aβ), and analyse the potential mechanism. A model of amyloid fibril was established by incubation of Aβ_1-42 in vitro. Thioflavin-T (ThT), Congo red (CR), 8-anilino-1-naphthene sulfonic acid (ANS) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied to detect the suppression of Tub B on the formation of Aβ_1-42 fibril. Circular dichroism (CD) was used to analyse the regulatory effect of Tub B on the secondary structure of Aβ_1-42. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazole) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and red blood cell hemolysis experiments were used to investigate the attenuation of Tub B on Aβ_1-42 induced cytotoxicity. 2',7'-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining was used to assess the expression of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by Aβ_1-42. And molecular docking experiment was used to explore the interaction between Tub B and Aβ_1-42. The results indicated that Tub B could inhibit Aβ_1-42 fibrillization in a certain extent, which retarded the structural transition of α-helix to β-sheet of Aβ_1-42, hampered the exposure of hydrophobic regions, and attenuated amyloid-induced cytotoxicity and hemolysis. In summary, Tub B can prevent the formation of Aβ_1-42 amyloid fibril, which may be related to its antioxidant activity and hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with protein molecules. All animal experiments were approved by the Experimental Animal Research Center of Air Force Medical University (No. 20190051).

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and osteoporosis (OP) are two very common metabolic diseases. A growing body of experimental evidence supports a pathophysiological link between MAFLD and OP. MAFLD is often associated with the development of OP. Rutaecarpine (RUT) is one of the main active components of Chinese medicine Euodiae Fructus. Our previous studies have demonstrated that RUT has lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and can improve the OP of rats. However, whether RUT can improve both fatty liver and OP symptoms of MAFLD mice at the same time remains to be investigated. In this study, we used C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 months to construct a MAFLD model, and gave the mice a low dose (5 mg·kg^-1) and a high dose (15 mg·kg^-1) of RUT by gavage for 4 weeks. The effects of RUT on liver steatosis and bone metabolism were then evaluated at the end of the experiment [this experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval number: IMB-20190124D₃03)]. The results showed that RUT treatment significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation, and significantly reduced bone loss and promoted bone formation. In summary, this study shows that RUT has an effect of improving fatty liver and OP in MAFLD mice.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of third lumbar skeletal muscle mass index （L3-SMI） in predicting the long-term prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF）， and to provide a useful tool for prognostic scoring of ACLF patients. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the data of 126 patients who underwent abdominal computed tomography （CT） scanning and were diagnosed with ACLF in Shanxi Bethune Hospital from December 2017 to December 2021， including clinical indicators， biochemical parameters， and model for end-stage liver disease （MELD） score， and L3-SMI was calculated. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the diagnostic value of L3-SMI and other variables （MELD score and Child-Pugh score）， and the DeLong test was used for comparison of the area under the ROC curve （AUC）. ResultsAmong the 126 patients enrolled， 44 （35%） died within 2 years and 82 （65%） survived. Compared with the survival group， the death group had significantly higher age， incidence rate of ascites， international normalized ratio， MELD score， and Child-Pugh score （all P<0.05） and a significantly lower value of L3-SMI ［38.40 （35.95‍ ‍—‍ ‍46.29） cm²/m² vs 44.19 （40.20‍ ‍—‍ ‍48.58） cm²/m²， Z=-2.855， P=0.004］. L3-SMI had an AUC of 0.720 in predicting 2-year mortality in ACLF patients， with a sensitivity of 63.6% and a specificity of 80.5%， and a combination of L3-SMI， MELD score， and Child-Pugh score had a significantly better AUC than a combination of MELD score and Child-Pugh score in predicting 2-year mortality （0.809 vs 0.757， Z=2.015， P<0.05）. ConclusionL3-SMI has a high predictive value for the prognosis of ACLF patients， and the combination of L3-SMI、MELD score and Child-Pugh score has a higher predictive value for ACLF patients， and the inclusion of L3-SMI or sarcopenia in the conventional prognostic scores of ACLF patients may increase the ability to predict disease progression.

BackgroundWith the rapid development of the networking technologies， internet addiction has increasingly become a serious mental health issue. Previous studies have revealed the link between childhood trauma and internet addiction， while the mediating role of perceived stress in this link is not yet clear. ObjectiveTo investigate the role of medical students' perceived stress in the relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction， so as to provide references for the intervention of internet addiction. MethodsFrom February to March 2023， a random sampling technique was used to select 1 232 undergraduate students from the School of Clinical Medical Sciences of Southwest Medical University as research subjects. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form （CTQ-SF）， Perceived Stress Scale （PSS）， Internet Gaming Disorder Scale （IGDS）， and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale （BSMAS） were used for assessment. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated. The mediation effect of perceived stress in the relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction was tested using Model 4 in the SPSS Process 4.1， and Bootstrapping procedure involving 5 000 replicates was employed to confirm the statistical significance. ResultsA total of 1 016 （82.47%） valid completed questionnaires were gathered. The CTQ-SF scores of medical students were positively correlated with PSS scores， IGD scores， and BSMAS scores （r=0.583， 0.474， 0.465， P<0.01）. PSS scores were positively correlated with IGD scores and BSMAS scores （r=0.369， 0.479， P<0.01）. Childhood trauma in medical students was found to positively predict perceived stress （β=0.191， P<0.01）， social media addiction （β=0.160， P<0.01）， and internet gaming disorder （β=0.106， P<0.01）. Perceived stress played a significant mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and internet gaming disorder， indirect effect value was 0.018 （95% CI： 0.009~0.027）， accounting for 16.98%. Perceived stress also exhibited a significant mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and social media addiction， indirect effect value was 0.063 （95% CI： 0.048~0.079）， accounting for 39.38%. ConclusionChildhood trauma in medical students may affect internet gaming disorder and social media addiction through perceived stress. ［Funded by 2022 Annual Research Project of Sichuan Applied Psychology Research Center，（number，CSXL-22102）］

BACKGROUND: The effect of the interval between previous Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and rescue treatment on therapeutic outcomes remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between eradication rates and treatment interval durations in H. pylori infections. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted from December 2021 to February 2023 at six tertiary hospitals in Shandong, China. We recruited patients who were positive for H. pylori infection and required rescue treatment. Demographic information, previous times of eradication therapy, last eradication therapy date, and history of antibiotic use data were collected. The patients were divided into four groups based on the rescue treatment interval length: Group A, ≥4 weeks and ≤3 months; Group B, >3 and ≤6 months; Group C, >6 and ≤12 months; and Group D, >12 months. The primary outcome was the eradication rate of H. pylori . Drug compliance and adverse events (AEs) were also assessed. Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare eradication rates between groups. RESULTS: A total of 670 patients were enrolled in this study. The intention-to-treat (ITT) eradication rates were 88.3% (158/179) in Group A, 89.6% (120/134) in Group B, 89.1% (123/138) in Group C, and 87.7% (192/219) in Group D. The per-protocol (PP) eradication rates were 92.9% (156/168) in Group A, 94.5% (120/127) in Group B, 94.5% (121/128) in Group C, and 93.6% (190/203) in Group D. There was no statistically significant difference in the eradication rates between groups in either the ITT ( P = 0.949) or PP analysis ( P = 0.921). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of AEs ( P = 0.934) or drug compliance ( P = 0.849) between groups. CONCLUSION: The interval duration of rescue treatment had no significant effect on H. pylori eradication rates or the incidence of AEs. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT05173493.
Humans ; Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy* ; Helicobacter pylori/pathogenicity* ; Male ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects* ; Adult ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

Haematitum and Limonitum are two iron-containing mineral medicines included in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. They have similar main components and major differences in their property, flavor, channel tropism, and clinical uses. In this study, we investigated the surface properties, mineral composition, mineral dissociation, elemental composition, and iron state of Haematitum and Limonitum to explore their mineralogical differences. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM), specific surface and porosity analyzer, X-ray diffractometer(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer(XPS), and advanced mineral identification and characterization system(AMICS) were used to analyze the mineralogy of Haematitum and Limonitum. The results showed that Haematitum had an angular surface with granular attachments and a specific surface area of 17.04 m~2·g~(-1). In comparison, Limonitum had a smooth and flat surface with a bundled acicular crystal structure and a specific surface area of 46.29 m~2·g~(-1). Haematitum consists of 31 detectable minerals containing 18 elements, with the major element, iron(44.5% Fe~(2+) and 55.5% Fe~(3+)) distributed in 17 minerals, including hematite, iron oxide, knebelite, siderite, and magnesioferrite. Limonitum consists of 32 detectable minerals containing 17 elements, with the major element, iron(14.5% Fe~(2+) and 85.5% Fe~(3+)) distributed in 19 minerals, including limonite, iron oxide, chlorite, and knebelite. In summary, the elemental composition of Haematitum and Limonitum does not differ greatly, but there are large differences in the mineral composition and iron state. The large specific surface area and strong adsorption capacity of Limonitum may be one of the mechanisms of its anti-diarrheal action. The Fe_2O_3 and illite contained in Haematitum and Limonitum may be the key substances for their hemostasis effects. The mineralogical differences are expected to provide a reference for explaining the scientific connotation of mineral medicine and laying a material foundation for studying its mechanism of action.
Iron/analysis* ; Minerals/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; X-Ray Diffraction ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Photoelectron Spectroscopy

The AP2/ERF transcription factor family is a class of transcription factors widely present in plants, playing a crucial role in regulating flowering, flower development, flower opening, and flower senescence. Based on transcriptome data from flower, leaf, and stem samples of two Lonicera macranthoides varieties, 117 L. macranthoides AP2/ERF family members were identified, including 14 AP2 subfamily members, 61 ERF subfamily members, 40 DREB subfamily members, and 2 RAV subfamily members. Bioinformatics and differential gene expression analyses were performed using NCBI, ExPASy, SOMPA, and other platforms, and the expression patterns of L. macranthoides AP2/ERF transcription factors were validated via qRT-PCR. The results indicated that the 117 LmAP2/ERF members exhibited both similarities and variations in protein physicochemical properties, AP2 domains, family evolution, and protein functions. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that AP2/ERF transcription factors were primarily differentially expressed in the flowers of the two L. macranthoides varieties, with the differentially expressed genes mainly belonging to the ERF and DREB subfamilies. Further analysis identified three AP2 subfamily genes and two ERF subfamily genes as potential regulators of flower development, two ERF subfamily genes involved in flower opening, and two ERF subfamily genes along with one DREB subfamily gene involved in flower senescence. Based on family evolution and expression analyses, it is speculated that AP2/ERF transcription factors can regulate flower development, opening, and senescence in L. macranthoides, with ERF subfamily genes potentially serving as key regulators of flowering duration. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for further research into the specific functions of the AP2/ERF transcription factor family in L. macranthoides and offer important theoretical insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying floral phenotypic differences among its varieties.
Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcription Factors/chemistry* ; Lonicera/classification* ; Flowers/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Multigene Family