[Network Meta-analysis of Chinese patent medicines in treatment of chronic pulmonary heart disease].

Network Meta-analysis was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines in treating chronic pulmonary heart disease. CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, and Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trial(RCT) of treating chronic pulmonary heart disease with Chinese patent medicines with the time interval from inception to December 2023. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used for quality assessment of the included articles. RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0 were employed to establish the risk of bias map and perform the network Meta-analysis, respectively. Ultimately, a total of 95 RCTs involving 8 787 cases and 11 different Chinese patent medicines were included. Network Meta-analysis yielded the following results based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA).(1)In terms of cardiac function improves clinical total effective rate, SUCRA the top three were Wenxin Granules + conventional western medicine, Tongxinluo Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine.(2)For improving forced expiratory volume in the first se-cond(FEV1), SUCRA the top three were Danting Feixin Granules + conventional western medicine, Tongxinluo Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Bufei Huoxue Capsules + conventional western medicine.(3)Regarding increasing the FEV1/forced vital capacity(FVC%) value, SUCRA the top three were Qili Qiangxin Capsules + conventional western medicine, Shexiang Baoxin Pills + conventional western medicine, and Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine.(4)In terms of increasing the partial pressure of oxygen(PaO_2), SUCRA the top three were Qili Qiangxin Capsules + conventional western medicine, Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine, and Shexiang Baoxin Pills + conventional western medicine.(5)In terms of reducing the partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO_2), SUCRA the top three were Tongxinluo Capsules + conventional western medicine, Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine, and Shexiang Baoxin Pills + conventional western medicine.(6)In terms of increasing left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF), SUCRA the top three were Bufei Huoxue Capsules + conventional western medicine, Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine, and Shexiang Baoxin Pills + conventional western medicine.(7)In terms of decreasing brain natriu-retic peptide(BNP), SUCRA the top three were Compound Danshen Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine, Qili Qiangxin Capsules + conventional western medicine, and Tongxinluo Capsules + conventional western medicine.(8)In terms of improving the hematocrit level, SUCRA the top three were Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine, Compound Danshen Dropping Pills + conventional western medicine, and Tongxinluo Capsules + conventional western medicine. In terms of safety, 26 RCTs reported adverse reactions, which primarily involved the circulatory and digestive systems. The combination of Chinese patent medicines with conventional western medicine has demonstrated enhanced therapeutic effects on chronic pulmonary heart disease. However, due to the varying quality and sample sizes of included studies and the absence of direct comparisons between Chinese patent medicines, the conclusions should be further validated by multicenter studies with larger sample sizes and higher methodological rigor.

Flexible high electrochemical active hydrogel for wearable sensors and supercapacitor electrolytes.

With the rapid advancement of flexible, portable devices, hydrogel electrolytes have gained considerable attention as potential replacements for conventional liquid electrolytes. A hydrogel electrolyte was synthesised by cross-linking acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and zinc sulphate (ZnSO4). The formation of hydrogen bonds and chelate interactions between the P(AA-co-AM) polymer, CMC, and ZnSO4 created a robust network, enhancing the mechanical properties of the hydrogel electrolytes. Notably, the hydrogel electrolyte containing 0.6 % CMC demonstrated superior mechanical strength (compression strength of 1.22 MPa, tensile stress of 230 kPa, tensile strain of 424 %, adhesion strength of 1.98 MPa on wood). Additionally, the CMC/P(AA-co-AM) hydrogels exhibited commendable electrical performance (38 mS/cm) and a high gauge factor (2.9), enabling the precise detection of physiological activity signals through resistance measurements. The unique network structure of the hydrogel electrolyte also ensured a stable bonding interface between the electrode and the electrolyte. After 2000 charge-discharge cycles, the supercapacitor maintained good capacitance characteristics, with a capacitance retention rate of 71.21 % and a stable Coulombic efficiency of 98.85 %, demonstrating excellent cyclic stability. This study introduces a novel methodology for fabricating multifunctional all-solid-state supercapacitors and suggests that the hydrogel can significantly advance the development of wearable energy storage devices.

JrGA20ox1-transformed rootstocks deliver drought response signals to wild-type scions in grafted walnut.

Targeted regulation using transgrafting technology has become a trend. However, the mechanisms of transgene-derived signal communication between rootstocks and scions remain unclear in woody plants. Here, we grafted wild-type (WT) walnut (Juglans regia L.) on WT (WT/WT), JrGA20ox1 (encodes a gibberellin 20-oxidase)-overexpressing (WT/OE), and JrGA20ox1-RNAi transformation (WT/RNAi) walnut in vitro. We aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of JrGA20ox1-derived signal communication under PEG-simulated drought stress between rootstocks and scions in walnut. We demonstrated that JrGA20ox1-OE and JrGA20ox1-RNAi rootstocks could transport active gibberellins (GAs) and JrGA20ox1-RNAi vector-produced sRNAs to WT scions under PEG-simulated drought stress, respectively. The movement of sRNAs further led to a successive decline in JrGA20ox1 expression and active GA content. Meanwhile, unknown mobile signals may move between rootstocks and scions. These mobile signals reduced the expression of a series of GA-responsive and GA-non-responsive genes, and induced ROS production in guard cells and an increase in ABA content, which may contribute to the drought tolerance of WT/RNAi, while the opposite occurred in WT/OE. The findings suggest that JrGA20ox1-derived rootstock-to-scion movement of signals is involved in drought tolerance of scions. Our research will provide a feasible approach for studying signal communication in woody plants.

Bilirubin regulates cell death type by alleviating macrophage mitochondrial dysfunction caused by cigarette smoke extract.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effects and mechanisms of bilirubin on mitochondrial function and type of macrophage cell death after exposure to cigarette smoke extract (CSE). METHODS: RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with different concentrations of CSE and bilirubin solutions and divided into four groups: control, CSE, bilirubin, and bilirubin + CSE groups. The necrotic and apoptotic states of the macrophages were determined using an Annexin V-fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (FITC/PI) staining kit. Cytoplasmic NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) expression in macrophages was detected by immunofluorescence and the levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 in the supernatants of culture medium were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. A JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit was used to assess mitochondrial membrane damage and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay kit was used to determine intracellular ATP levels. After the macrophages were stained with reactive oxygen species (ROS) specific dye, 2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), the fluorescence intensity and proportion of ROS-positive macrophages were measured using flow cytometry. RESULTS: We observed that compared with those of 0 µM (control group), concentrations of 5, 10, or 20 µΜ bilirubin significantly decreased cell viability, which was increased by bilirubin exposure below 1 µM. The effect of CSE on macrophage viability was concentration- and time-dependent. Bilirubin of 0.2 µM could alleviate the inhibition of macrophage viability caused by 5% CSE. In addition, bilirubin intervention could reduce the occurrence of necrosis and pyroptosis to a certain extent. CONCLUSIONS: CSE could cause mitochondrial dysfunction in macrophages, as demonstrated by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular ATP levels and an increase in ROS production, while bilirubin could relieve mitochondrial dysfunction caused by CSE.

Nanopipette dynamic microscopy unveils nano coffee ring.

Liquid-phase electron microscopy (LP-EM) imaging has revolutionized our understanding of nanosynthesis and assembly. However, the current closed geometry limits its application for open systems. The ubiquitous physical process of the coffee-ring phenomenon that underpins materials and engineering science remains elusive at the nanoscale due to the lack of experimental tools. We introduce a quartz nanopipette liquid cell with a tunable dimension that requires only standard microscopes. Depending on the imaging condition, the open geometry of the nanopipette allows the imaging of evaporation-induced pattern formation, but it can also function as an ordinary closed-geometry liquid cell where evaporation is negligible despite the nano opening. The nano coffee-ring phenomenon was observed by tracking individual nanoparticles in an evaporating nanodroplet created from a thin liquid film by interfacial instability. Nanoflows drive the assembly and disruption of a ring pattern with the absence of particle-particle correlations. With surface effects, nanoflows override thermal fluctuations at tens of nanometers, in which nanoparticles displayed a "drunken man trajectory" and performed work at a value much smaller than kBT.

Characterization of NiCas12b for In Vivo Genome Editing.

The RNA-guided clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas12b system represents the third family of CRISPR-Cas systems that are harnessed for genome editing. However, only a few nucleases have demonstrated activity in human cells, and their in vivo therapeutic potential remains uncertain. In this study, a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-activation assay is conducted to screen a panel of 15 Cas12b orthologs, and four of them exhibited editing activity in mammalian cells. Particularly noteworthy is the NiCas12b derived from Nitrospira sp., which recognizes a "TTN" protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) and facilitates efficient genome editing in various cell lines. Importantly, NiCas12b also exhibits a high degree of specificity, rendering it suitable for therapeutic applications. As proof of concept, the adeno-associated virus (AAV) is employed to introduce NiCas12b to target the cholesterol regulatory gene proprotein convertase subtilisin/ kexin type 9 (Pcsk9) in the mouse liver. After 4 weeks of injections, an impressive is observed over 16.0% insertion/deletion (indel) efficiency, resulting in a significant reduction in serum cholesterol levels. NiCas12b provides a novel option for both basic research and clinical applications.

Discovery and engineering of ChCas12b for precise genome editing.

Many clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat and CRISPR-associated protein 12b (CRISPR-Cas12b) nucleases have been computationally identified, yet their potential for genome editing remains largely unexplored. In this study, we conducted a GFP-activation assay screening 13 Cas12b nucleases for mammalian genome editing, identifying five active candidates. Candidatus hydrogenedentes Cas12b (ChCas12b) was found to recognize a straightforward WTN (W = T or A) proto-spacer adjacent motif (PAM), thereby dramatically expanding the targeting scope. Upon optimization of the single guide RNA (sgRNA) scaffold, ChCas12b exhibited activity comparable to SpCas9 across a panel of nine endogenous loci. Additionally, we identified nine mutations enhancing ChCas12b specificity. More importantly, we demonstrated that both ChCas12b and its high-fidelity variant, ChCas12b-D496A, enabled allele-specific disruption of genes harboring single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These data position ChCas12b and its high-fidelity counterparts as promising tools for both fundamental research and therapeutic applications.

Engineering of a high-fidelity Cas12a nuclease variant capable of allele-specific editing.

CRISPR-Cas12a, often regarded as a precise genome editor, still requires improvements in specificity. In this study, we used a GFP-activation assay to screen 14 new Cas12a nucleases for mammalian genome editing, successfully identifying 9 active ones. Notably, these Cas12a nucleases prefer pyrimidine-rich PAMs. Among these nucleases, we extensively characterized Mb4Cas12a obtained from Moraxella bovis CCUG 2133, which recognizes a YYN PAM (Y = C or T). Our biochemical analysis demonstrates that Mb4Cas12a can cleave double-strand DNA across a wide temperature range. To improve specificity, we constructed a SWISS-MODEL of Mb4Cas12a based on the FnCas12a crystal structure and identified 8 amino acids potentially forming hydrogen bonds at the target DNA-crRNA interface. By replacing these amino acids with alanine to disrupt the hydrogen bond, we tested the influence of each mutation on Mb4Cas12a specificity. Interestingly, the F370A mutation improved specificity with minimal influence on activity. Further study showed that Mb4Cas12a-F370A is capable of discriminating single-nucleotide polymorphisms. These new Cas12a orthologs and high-fidelity variants hold substantial promise for therapeutic applications.

Retrospective study of 189 cases of acute perforated peptic ulcer: safety and efficacy of over-the-scope-clip based endoscopic closure.

BACKGROUND: To compare the clinical outcomes in patients with acute perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) treated with over-the-scope clip (OTSC), non-surgical, and surgical interventions, and to explore the effectiveness and safety of OTSC closure. METHODS: Hospital stay, antibiotic use, diet resumption time, and mortality rate were analyzed retrospectively. Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors influencing PPU complicated with sepsis. RESULTS: Patients were divided into three treatment groups: OTSC (n = 62), non-surgical (n = 72), and surgical (n = 55) groups. The median time (IQR) from symptom onset to admission was 9.0 (4-23) h. 88.71% (55/62) of the patients in In the OTSC group underwent OTSC closure within 24 h (median [IQR] time: 14.5 [7.00-30.25] h). The perforation diameters in the OTSC and surgical groups were 9.87 mm ± 5.97 mm and 8.55 mm ± 6.17 mm, respectively. The median (IQR) hospital stays in the OTSC (9.50 [7.00-12.25] days) and non-surgical group (9.00[7.00-13.00]days) were similar (p > 0.05), but shorter than that in surgical group (12.00[10.00-16.00]days), (p < 0.05). The median duration of antibiotic use was shorter in the OTSC group (7.00[3.00-10.00]) than in the non-surgical group (9.00[7.00-11.00]) and surgical group (11.00[9.00-13.00]) ( p < 0.05); and the time to resume oral feeding was shorter in the OTSC group (4.00[2.00-5.25]) than in the non-surgical group (7.00[6.13-9.00]) and surgical group (8.00[6.53-10.00]), respectively ( p < 0.05). No mortality difference among groups (p = 0.109) was found. Lower albumin level at admission, older age, and elevated creatinine levels were associated with increased sepsis risk, with OR(95%CI) of 0.826 (0.687-0.993), 1.077 (1.005-1.154), and 1.025 (1.006-1.043), respectively (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: OTSC closure improves clinical outcomes of acute PPU patients without sepsis. Age, hypoalbuminemia, and baseline renal dysfunction increase the risk of sepsis, while mortality was associated with sepsis and multiorgan dysfunction.

[Rules of prescriptions for heart failure of dilated cardiomyopathy based on latent structure model and association rules].

The latent structure model and association rules analysis were employed to explore the compatibility rules of prescriptions for heart failure of dilated cardiomyopathy, with a view to providing theoretical support for the clinical treatment of this disease based on syndrome differentiation and the formulation of guidelines. The articles about the treatment of heart failure of dilated cardiomyopathy were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed. The database was established in Microsoft Excel 2019. Lantern 5.0 and Rstudio were used to analyze the latent structure and association rules of Chinese medicine with the frequency greater than 4.00%. Furthermore, the frequency structure model was used to mine the rules of prescriptions for heart failure of dilated cardiomyopathy. The study included 175 traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions, involving 128 Chinese medicines, with the cumulative frequency of 1 847. High-frequency medicines included Astragali Radix, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, with the main effects of tonifying, activating blood, resolving stasis, and releasing exterior. A total of 17 hidden variables, 34 hidden categories, and 6 comprehensive cluster models, along with 15 core prescriptions, were obtained. According to the prescriptions, the patients mainly had the syndromes of heart-Yang and Qi deficiency, Qi deficiency and blood stasis, heart-kidney Yang deficiency or Qi-Yin deficiency. Fifty-four strong association rules were obtained through association rule analysis. The highest degree of support was observed for the combination of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Astragali Radix, while the highest degree of confidence was found for the combination of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Cinnamomi Ramulus-Ophiopogonis Radix-Astragali Radix. The heart failure of dilated cardiomyopathy, characterized by internal deficiency and excess manifestations, is attributed to deficiency, stasis, and water. These factors are closely associated with the heart, lung, and spleen. The treatment should follow the principle of invigorating Qi and warming Yang, and meanwhile the method of activating blood and resolve stasis or moving Qi and promoting urination can be adopted according to the specific syndrome of patients.

Fire needle pretreatment with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy combined with low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of severe refractory nodulocystic acne.

BACKGROUND: Nodulocystic acne is a severe form of acne, which is commonly treated with oral isotretinoin, hormones, or antibiotics. However, drug therapy often has some side effects and poor compliance. Fire needle combined with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is a simple, effective, short-term treatment with few adverse reactions, which is expected to be an effective physiotherapy for nodulocystic acne. Moreover, the combination with isotretinoin can reduce the dosage of the drug, thereby reducing the side effects of isotretinoin. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fire-needle pretreated ALA-PDT combined with low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of severe refractory nodulocystic acne. METHODS: This study reported 10 patients with refractory nodulocystic acne who received combined treatment. During the treatment period, all patients received a low dose of oral isotretinoin capsules daily. The acne lesions were pretreated with fire needle before ALA-PDT treatment. The number of acne lesions, including papules, pustules, and nodular cysts, was documented at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 to assess the therapeutic efficacy. Concurrently, adverse reactions such as pain, pruritus, and pigmentation changes were recorded and evaluated throughout the treatment course. RESULTS: After combined treatment, all patients achieved good therapeutic effects, with an overall effective rate of 90 % at week 12. After treatment, skin lesions such as nodules, and cysts subsided significantly. The combination therapy has no serious adverse effects and has a favorable safety profile. CONCLUSION: Fire needle pretreatment ALA-PDT combined with low-dose isotretinoin is effective and safe in the treatment of severe refractory nodular cystic acne, which is worthy of clinical promotion and research.

Advances in Nano-Functional Materials in Targeted Thrombolytic Drug Delivery.

Thrombotic disease has been listed as the third most fatal vascular disease in the world. After decades of development, clinical thrombolytic drugs still cannot avoid the occurrence of adverse reactions such as bleeding. A number of studies have shown that the application of various nano-functional materials in thrombus-targeted drug delivery, combined with external stimuli, such as magnetic, near-infrared light, ultrasound, etc., enrich the drugs in the thrombus site and use the properties of nano-functional materials for collaborative thrombolysis, which can effectively reduce adverse reactions such as bleeding and improve thrombolysis efficiency. In this paper, the research progress of organic nanomaterials, inorganic nanomaterials, and biomimetic nanomaterials for drug delivery is briefly reviewed.

Ozonated Hydrotherapy Combined with LED Yellow Light Irradiation and Oral Minocycline Treatment for Mild to Moderate Papulopustular Rosacea: A Comparative Retrospective Study.

Objective and Design: The treatment of recurrent rosacea has always been a problem. Oral minocycline has been widely used in the treatment of rosacea. However, the efficacy and safety of ozonated hydrotherapy combined with LED yellow light irradiation and oral minocycline for mild to moderate papulopustular rosacea (PPR) has not been thoroughly studied. Methods: Patients with rosacea who met the criteria and had complete clinical statistic admitted to our hospital from April 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected and divided into combined therapy group and oral only group. The patients in the two groups were treated with minocycline for 8 weeks. In addition, the patients in combined therapy group were treated with ozone hydrotherapy once a week, followed by LED yellow light irradiation for a total of 4 weeks. The Investigator' s global assessment (IGA) score was used to assess the condition. The efficacy was evaluated using the patients' subjective symptom scores. Skin lesion images and adverse reactions were recorded. The recurrence rate was observed after 24 weeks of follow-up. Results: A total of 39 patients included in the study. After 4 weeks of treatment, the effective rate was 90% in combined therapy group and 52.63% in oral only group (p<0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the total score of the patients' subjective symptom scores and the scores of itching and burning sensation in combined therapy group were lower than those in oral only group (p<0.05). After 24 weeks of follow-up, the recurrence rate of combined therapy group was 5%, and that of oral only group was 26.32%. The mild adverse reactions experienced by both groups disappeared during follow-up. Conclusion: This combination therapy has a significant, rapid and safe therapeutic effect, especially in relieving itching and burning sensations, and may reduce the recurrence rate.

Exploring the "gene-metabolite" network of ischemic stroke with blood stasis and toxin syndrome by integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics strategy.

A research model combining a disease and syndrome can provide new ideas for the treatment of ischemic stroke. In the field of traditional Chinese medicine, blood stasis and toxin (BST) syndrome is considered an important syndrome seen in patients with ischemic stroke (IS). However, the biological basis of IS-BST syndrome is currently not well understood. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the biological mechanism of IS-BST syndrome. This study is divided into two parts: (1) establishment of an animal model of ischemic stroke disease and an animal model of BST syndrome in ischemic stroke; (2) use of omics methods to identify differentially expressed genes and metabolites in the models. We used middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery to establish the disease model, and utilized carrageenan combined with active dry yeast and MCAO surgery to construct the IS-BST syndrome model. Next, we used transcriptomics and metabolomics methods to explore the differential genes and metabolites in the disease model and IS-BST syndrome model. It is found that the IS-BST syndrome model exhibited more prominent characteristics of IS disease and syndrome features. Both the disease model and the IS-BST syndrome model share some common biological processes, such as thrombus formation, inflammatory response, purine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, and so on. Results of the "gene-metabolite" network revealed that the IS-BST syndrome model exhibited more pronounced features of complement-coagulation cascade reactions and amino acid metabolism disorders. Additionally, the "F2 (thrombin)-NMDAR/glutamate" pathway was coupled with the formation process of the blood stasis and toxin syndrome. This study reveals the intricate mechanism of IS-BST syndrome, offering a successful model for investigating the combination of disease and syndrome.

Serum Mrp 8/14 as a Potential Biomarker for Predicting the Occurrence of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Induced by Sepsis: A Retrospective Controlled Study.

Background: To date, there are no studies regarding the Mrp 8/14 in predicting the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by sepsis. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the expression of Myeloid-related proteins 8 and 14 (Mrp 8/14) and its role in ARDS induced by sepsis. Methods: A total of 168 septic patients were enrolled in the observational study. The baseline information and clinical outcomes were obtained retrospectively. Serum Mrp 8/14 level was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients were categorized into sepsis and ARDS group based on whether they developed ARDS during the intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. Results: There was significant difference in the level of Mrp 8/14 between the sepsis group and ARDS groups (P < 0.05). Mrp 8/14 correlated positively with procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score on day 1, mechanical ventilation time, length of ICU stay and hospitalization expenses in ICU (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed Mrp 8/14 was the independent factor for forecasting the occurrence of sepsis- induced ARDS (P < 0.05). The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves for Mrp 8/14 were higher than that of PCT, APACHE II score and SOFA score on day 1 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The serum Mrp 8/14 level at admission may be a potential marker for predicting the occurrence of ARDS induced by sepsis. Early detection of serum Mrp 8/14 could help clinicians to identify and evaluate the severity of ARDS induced by sepsis.

Dermatology Consultation in the Geriatrics Department of a Tertiary Hospital in China: A Retrospective Study of 178 Patients.

Objective: Dermatological consultation plays an important role in diagnosing and treating skin diseases in the Department of Geriatrics. The objective of this study is to provide an analysis of the factors leading geriatric inpatients to seek dermatological consultation, aiming to facilitate accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of skin diseases by healthcare professionals specializing in geriatrics and dermatology. Methods: The electronic health records of hospitalized patients in the Department of Geriatrics who applied for dermatological consultation at the Second Hospital of Shandong University from June 1, 2022, to June 1, 2023, were retrieved. Sex, age, number of consultations, reason for dermatology consultation, and final diagnosis by dermatologists were reviewed. Results: A total of 216 consultations of 178 patients (n=178, 95 men and 83 women) were collected in this study, of whom 153 (86.0%) required only one consultation, 19 (10.7%) required two consultations, and 4 (2.2%) required three consultations. The reasons for dermatology consultations were divided into three categories: the first was for the definitive diagnosis of a new skin condition that developed during the patient's hospitalization (n=165, 76.4%), the second was for the follow-up of the condition and adjustment of medication (n=40, 18.5%), and the third was for the evaluation of the patient's disease that existed before admission to the hospital (n=11, 5.1%). In 165 consultations, most of these diseases (n=131, 79.4%) can be diagnosed by patients' conscious symptoms and clinical manifestations. Some of them need to be diagnosed or differentially diagnosed with the help of supplementary examinations, such as microscopic examination of scabies or fungi, and pathological examination. Conclusion: This study summarized the reasons for dermatology consultations for geriatric inpatients and found that dermatitis/eczema and infectious diseases were the common types of diseases consulted. The findings of this study contribute to the enhanced comprehension and management of dermatological conditions in hospitalized patients by geriatricians, as well as facilitating more efficient diagnosis and treatment by dermatologists.

Assessment of Efficacy and Accuracy of Cervical Cytology Screening With Artificial Intelligence Assistive System.

The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in pathology offers many exciting new possibilities for improving patient care. This study contributes to this development by identifying the viability of the AICyte assistive system for cervical screening, and investigating the utility of the system in assisting with workflow and diagnostic capability. In this study, a novel scanner was developed using a Ruiqian WSI-2400, trademarked AICyte assistive system, to create an AI-generated gallery of the most diagnostically relevant images, objects of interest (OOI), and provide categorical assessment, according to Bethesda category, for cervical ThinPrep Pap slides. For validation purposes, 2 pathologists reviewed OOIs from 32,451 cases of ThinPrep Paps independently, and their interpretations were correlated with the original ThinPrep interpretations (OTPI). The analysis was focused on the comparison of reporting rates, correlation between cytological results and histologic follow-up findings, and the assessment of independent AICyte screening utility. Pathologists using the AICyte system had a mean reading time of 55.14 seconds for the first 3000 cases trending down to 12.90 seconds in the last 6000 cases. Overall average reading time was 22.23 seconds per case compared with a manual reading time approximation of 180 seconds. Usage of AICyte compared with OTPI had similar sensitivity (97.89% vs 97.89%) and a statistically significant increase in specificity (16.19% vs 6.77%) for the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplsia 2 and above lesions. When AICyte was run alone at a 50% negative cutoff value, it was able to read slides with a sensitivity of 99.30% and a specificity of 9.87%. When AICyte was run independently at this cutoff value, no sole case of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions/squamous cell carcinoma squamous lesion was missed. AICyte can provide a potential tool to help pathologists in both diagnostic capability and efficiency, which remained reliable compared with the baseline standard. Also unique for AICyte is the development of a negative cutoff value for which AICyte can categorize cases as "not needed for review" to triage cases and lower pathologist workload. This is the largest case number study that pathologists reviewed OOI with an AI-assistive system. The study demonstrates that AI-assistive system can be broadly applied for cervical cancer screening.

Low-valent-tungsten catalysis enables hydroboration of esters and nitriles.

In the research presented herein, low-valent-tungsten-catalyzed hydroboration of esters and nitriles was investigated. Aromatic and aliphatic substrates were smoothly reduced to corresponding alcohol derivatives and N,N-diborylamines in the presence of W(CO)4(NCMe)2. Valuable derivatives were conveniently accessed by introducing a further functionalization process to crude hydroboration mixtures in one pot.

Neuroprotective effect of green tea extract (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate in a preformed fibril-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). The main bioactive component of green tea polyphenols (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) exerts protective effects against diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of EGCG on the amelioration of neural damage in a chronic PD mouse model induced by α-synuclein preformed fibrils (α-syn-PFFs). A total of 20 C57BL/6J female mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (saline, n = 6), model group (PFFs, n = 7), and prevention group (EGCG+PFFs, n = 7). A chronic PD mouse model was obtained by the administration of α-syn-PFFs by stereotaxic localization in the striatum. Behavioral tests were performed to evaluate PD-related anxiety-like behavior and motor impairments in the long-term PD progression. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immuno-positive neurons and Ser129-phosphorylated α-syn (p-α-syn) were identified by immunohistochemistry. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. EGCG pretreatment reduced anxiety-like behavior and motor impairments as revealed by the long-term behavioral test (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months) on PD mice. EGCG also ameliorated PFF-induced degeneration of TH immuno-positive neurons and accumulation of p-α-syn in the SN and striatum at 6 months. Additionally, EGCG reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines while promoting the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines. EGCG exerts a neuroprotective effect on long-term progression of the PD model.