Land use transition and its effect on ecosystem service value with introducing "three wastes" factor in the industrial county, China.

Land use transition and its impact on ecosystem service value (ESV) are the foundation for optimizing the layout of territorial space and ecological civilization construction. With the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, the area of construction land expands in China. To accurately estimate the ESV in industrial counties, the impact of construction land on the ecological environment should be fully considered. This paper took Gangcheng District, Jinan City, a steel base in the Shandong Province of China as an example, then the value coefficients of "three wastes" factors (waste gas, wastewater, and waste) were introduced, and an improved calculation method of ESV was put forward for industrial counties in combination with remote sensing and land use data. Finally, the land use transition and its ESV effect in typical industrial counties were analyzed using geo-informatic Tupu and grid method. The results showed that the most important land use transitions were from grassland and forestland to cultivated land, from cultivated land and forestland to construction land in 1990-2010, and from cultivated land transformed to forestland in 2010-2021. The types of land use transition were mainly repetitive and continuous. The ESV first decreased and then increased, with a slight overall decline for more than 30 years, showing a spatial distribution characteristic of "low in the south-central and high around." Land use transition had the impact on ESV with the negative contribution rate of 68.28% in 1990-2000 and 73.16% in 2000-2010, mainly caused by the transition from forestland and grassland to cultivated land and construction land, and the positive contribution rate of 81.72% in 2010-2021, mainly caused by the transition from cultivated land to forestland. Compared with the ESV calculation method without introducing the "three wastes" factor and Xie Gaodi's method, the improved method in this paper considered the inevitable impact of construction land on ESV in industrial counties and made the ESV calculated more accurate according to the regional nature. This paper cannot only enrich the theories and technical methods of land use transition and its effects, and provide a case reference for similar industrial counties, but also provide data and decision-making support for the spatial layout and ecological protection in the study area.

The role of competing endogenous RNA network in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma: potential therapeutic targets.

The current situation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management is challenging due to its high incidence, mortality, recurrence and metastasis. Recent advances in gene genetic and expression regulation have unveiled the significant role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in various cancers. This led to the formulation of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis, which posits that both coding RNA and ncRNA, containing miRNA response elements (MRE), can share the same miRNA sequence. This results in a competitive network between ncRNAs, such as lncRNA and mRNA, allowing them to regulate each other. Extensive research has highlighted the crucial role of the ceRNA network in HCC development, impacting various cellular processes including proliferation, metastasis, cell death, angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, organismal immunity, and chemotherapy resistance. Additionally, the ceRNA network, mediated by lncRNA or circRNA, offers potential in early diagnosis and prevention of HCC. Consequently, ceRNAs are emerging as therapeutic targets for HCC. The complexity of these gene networks aligns with the multi-target approach of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), presenting a novel perspective for TCM in combating HCC. Research is beginning to show that TCM compounds and prescriptions can affect HCC progression through the ceRNA network, inhibiting proliferation and metastasis, and inducing apoptosis. Currently, the lncRNAs TUG1, NEAT1, and CCAT1, along with their associated ceRNA networks, are among the most promising ncRNAs for HCC research. However, this field is still in its infancy, necessitating advanced technology and extensive basic research to fully understand the ceRNA network mechanisms of TCM in HCC treatment.

Effect of magnetic resonance imaging in liver metastases.

This letter to the editor is a commentary on a study titled "Liver metastases: The role of magnetic resonance imaging." Exploring a noninvasive imaging evaluation system for the biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the key to achieving precise diagnosis and treatment and improving prognosis. This review summarizes the role of magnetic resonance imaging in the detection and evaluation of liver metastases, describes its main imaging features, and focuses on the added value of the latest imaging tools (such as T1 weighted in phase imaging, T1 weighted out of phase imaging; diffusion-weighted imaging, T2 weighted imaging). In this study, I investigated the necessity and benefits of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid for HCC diagnostic testing and prognostic evaluation.

Qijia rougan formula ameliorates ECM deposition in hepatic fibrosis by regulating the JAK1/STAT6-microRNA-23a feedback loop in macrophage M2 polarization.

Hepatic fibrosis is the critical pathological stage in the progression of chronic liver disease to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, no approved anti-hepatic fibrosis drugs are available currently. Qijia Rougan Formula (QRF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with significant clinical efficacy on hepatic fibrosis. It was derived from Sanjiasan, a famous decoction documented in the Book of Treatise on the Pestilence in the Ming Dynasty of China. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. This study further confirmed the therapeutic effects of QRF on hepatic fibrosis and dissected its underlying molecular mechanisms from the perspective of macrophage M2 polarization, one of the critical events in hepatic fibrosis. Experimentally, QRF significantly improved extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and fibrosis in the liver of model rats. QRF diminished the proportion of M2 macrophages, decreased the levels of TGF-ß, PDGFB and IL-10, and regulated the expression of p-JAK1, p-STAT6, JAK1 and microRNA-23a both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, it was confirmed that QRF effectively improves liver function and hepatocyte damage, and reduces ECM deposition. QRF ameliorates hepatic fibrosis by regulating JAK1/STAT6-microRNA-23a negative feedback loop to inhibit macrophage M2 polarization and thus reduce ECM deposition. Our study illustrates the potential of QRF for hepatic fibrosis therapy, suggesting that QRF is a promising anti-hepatic fibrosis drug candidate.

HMGB1/PTEN/PI3K axis participates in the peripheral immune cell differentiation in two representative TCM syndromes of chronic hepatitis B patients.

Liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome (LDSDS) and spleen-gastric damp-heat syndrome (SGDHS) are two major traditional Chinese medicine syndromes observed in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Both syndromes exhibit significant differences in the pathogenesis and prognosis, and are closely related to the immune system. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the immunoregulatory mechanisms of the two syndromes and promote the differentiation precision between the two syndromes. Thirty-six patients with CHB (18 LDSDS patients and 18 SGDHS patients) and 14 healthy controls were recruited into this study and blood was collected from all the subjects for testing. We studied the contents of T lymphocytes by flow cytometry and the expression levels of HMGB1/PTEN/PI3K axis proteins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks among HMGB1/PTEN/PI3K axis were constructed for functional enrichment. The correlations between T lymphocytes and proteins were analyzed by constructing multiple regression equations. The results revealed that the CD8+ T cells level in the two syndromes were lower than that in healthy controls, and the levels of Th17, Treg cells, and HMGB1, PI3K, PDK1, Akt were higher than those of the healthy controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of CD4+ T, Th17 cells, and HMGB1, PTEN, PI3K in LDSDS were higher than SGDHS (p < 0.05). PPI network indicated that HMGB1/PTEN/PI3K axis participated in T cell activation and liver pathology. Our results revealed that HMGB1/PTEN/PI3K axis may play an important role in regulating the formation of peripheral immune differences between the two syndromes. CD4+ T and Th17 are two representative immune cells that may serve as potential biological markers for LDSDS and SGDHS in CHB.

Epidemiological investigation and proteomic profiling of typical TCM syndrome in HIV/AIDS immunological nonresponders.

HIV/AIDS pandemic remains the world's most severe public health challenge, especially for HIV/AIDS immunological nonresponders (HIV/AIDS-INRs), who tend to have higher mortality. Due to the advantages in promoting patients' immune reconstitution, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become one of the mainstays of complementary treatments for HIV/AIDS-INRs. Given that effective TCM treatments largely depend on precise syndrome differentiation, there is an increasing interest in exploring biological evidence for the classification of TCM syndromes in HIV/AIDS-INRs. In our study, to identify the typical HIV/AIDS-INRs syndrome, an epidemiological survey was first conducted in the Liangshan prefecture (China), a high HIV/AIDS prevalence region. The key TCM syndrome, Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney (YDSK), was evaluated by using a tandem mass tag combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (TMT-LC-MS/MS). A total of 62 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of YDSK syndrome compared with healthy people were screened out. Comparative bioinformatics analyses showed that DEPs in YDSK syndrome were mainly associated with response to wounding and acute inflammatory response in the biological process. The pathway annotation is mainly enriched in complement and coagulation cascades. Finally, the YDSK syndrome-specific DEPs such as HP and S100A9 were verified by ELISA, and confirmed as potential biomarkers for YDSK syndrome. Our study may lay the biological and scientific basis for the specificity of TCM syndromes in HIV/AIDs-INRs, and may provide more opportunities for the deep understanding of TCM syndromes and the developing more effective and stable TCM treatment for HIV/AIDS-INRs.

Current status and prospect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for disorders of consciousness.

Disordered Consciousness (DOC) is among neurological disorders for which there is currently no admitted treatment. The pathogenesis of DOC is still unclear, covering a variety of indistinguishable types of diseases, high misdiagnosis rate and poor prognosis. Most treatments remain to be clarified in the future to provide adequate evidence for clinical guidance. Neuromodulation technology aims to regulate neural circuits to promote awakening more directly. At present, it is confirmed that the potential of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) as a therapeutic tool is worth exploring in the context of consciousness disorders, as previously proposed for invasive forms of VNS, in which the means of stimulating the vagus nerve to change the brain areas related to cosciousness have also received widespread attention. In this paper, we review the literature on taVNS and DOC to better understand the current status and development prospect of taVNS treament as a non-invasive neuromodulation method with sensitivity and/or specificity at the single subject.

Sheng-Xue-Xiao-Ban Capsule-induced ischemic colitis and pulmonary embolism in an idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura patient: a rare case report.

Background: Sheng-Xue-Xiao-Ban Capsule (SXXBC), as a classic Chinese traditional medicine comprised of natural indigo, cortex moutan, forsythia, herba agrimoniae, and licorice, exhibits a heat-clearing and detoxicating function, hemostasis, and stasis dissipation, which is widely applied to treat idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). However, report on ischemic colitis and pulmonary embolism induced by SXXBC therapy is never disclosed. We report the case of an ITP patient who received SXXBC for ascending platelets that then induced ischemic colitis and pulmonary embolism. Case Description: A 74-year-old female patient was admitted in June 2021 due to "bleeding in stool for 1 day," she was then re-admitted in July 2021 due to "repeated bleeding in stool for 2 days". Abdominal computed tomography (CT), colonoscopy, and a pathological examination suggested ischemic colitis according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) clinical guidelines. Pulmonary artery CT angiography suggested pulmonary embolism reflected by multiple filling defects, and the patient presented with shortness of breath. It was noted that the patient had started taken SXXBC for ascending platelets 2 months before the onset of hematochezia. After the diagnosis of hematochezia was made, the patient received phenethylamine and carbazochrome for hemostasis, mesalazine enteric-coated tablets for anti-inflammation, and SXXBC was stopped. The hematochezia then ceased, and the ischemic colitis was attenuated. Afterwards, low-molecular-weight heparin was administered, followed by a 3-week treatment of rivaroxaban anticoagulant, which was taken orally after discharge. The pulmonary embolism was then obviously ameliorated. After excluding other causes, the patient was diagnosed with SXXBC-induced ischemic colitis complicated by pulmonary embolism. After conducting research, we came to the view that natural indigo, which is the main component of SXXBC, contributed to the patient's illness. Conclusions: Ischemic colitis complicated with pulmonary embolism are rare; however, close attention such as regular abdominal CT test needs to be paid and preventive steps such as anti-coagulant treatment could to be taken (if symptoms occur) when treating patients with SXXBC.

Active ingredients and molecular targets of Taraxacum mongolicum against hepatocellular carcinoma: network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation analysis.

Background: Taraxacum mongolicum (TM) is a widely used herb. Studies have reported that TM exhibits growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing on multiple tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The active ingredients, targets, and molecular mechanisms of TM against HCC need to be further elucidated. Methods: We identified the active ingredients and targets of TM via HERB, PubChem, SwissADME, SwissTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper. We searched HCC targets from GeneCards, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), and DisGeNET. Then, the intersection of drug targets and disease targets was uploaded to the STRING database to construct protein-protein interactions (PPI) networking whose topology parameters were analyzed in Cytoscape software to screen hub targets. Next, we used Metascape for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and we employed AutoDock vina, AMBER18 and PyMOL software along with several auxiliary tools for molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Finally, based on the in silico findings, cellular experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of TM on HSP90AA1 gene expression. Results: A total of 228 targets and 35 active ingredients were identified. Twenty two hub targets were selected through PPI networking construction for further investigation. The enrichment analysis showed that protein kinase binding, mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways were mainly involved. Molecular docking and MD simulation results supported good interaction between HSP90 protein and Austricin/Quercetin. The in vitro assay showed that TM inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells and the expression of HSP90AA1 gene. Conclusions: This study is the first to use network pharmacology, molecular docking, MD simulation and cellular experiments to elucidate the active ingredients, molecular targets, and key biological pathways responsible for TM anti-HCC, providing a theoretical basis for further research.

Study on the Expression Differences and the Correlation with H2BE Gene of Th Related Cytokines in SSDHS and LDSDS TCM-Syndromes of CHB Patients.

Although our previous studies revealed that H2BE exhibited significantly differential expression between two CHB TCM-syndromes: Spleen-stomach dampness-heat syndrome, SSDHS and liver-depression spleen-deficiency syndrome, LDSDS, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Recent studies showed that dynamic expression fluctuation of Th related cytokines in CHB TCM-syndromes, and furthermore, their expression levels were largely regulated by H2BE. This study aims to detect the expression level differences of Th related cytokines between these two TCM-syndromes and further investigate the underlying regulatory mechanisms. The expression levels of the four Th related cytokines and H2BE were analyzed and the protein-protein interaction networks between H2BE and the four cytokines were constructed. Our results suggested that almost all the cytokines were significantly upregulated compared with the healthy group (P < 0.05). Interestingly, among the four cytokines, only IL-4 and INF-γ showed statistical significance between these two syndromes. The protein-protein interaction networks demonstrated that H2BE was indirectly associated with IL-4 and IL-10, and H2BE may regulate the expression levels of cytokines through GATA3. Taken together, our results indicated that IL-4 and INF-γ are two representative cytokines that may serve as two potential biochemical indicators of SSDHS and LDSDS in CHB patients; except what has been reported, our study found that one possible way for H2BE to regulate the expression of cytokines is to interact with GATA3 directly or indirectly.

[Distal radius T-plate for 18 patients with vertical shear medial malleolus fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effects of distal radius T-plates in treating vertical shear medial malleolus fractures. METHODS: From March 2014 and March 2016, clinical data of 18 patients with vertical shear medial malleolus fractures were retrospectively analyzed, including 12 males and 6 females aged from 22 to 63 years old with an average of (41.3±5.2) years old; 6 patients were on the left side and 12 patients were on the right side; 5 patients combined with external malleolus fractures and 13 patients combined with external malleolus and posterior malleolus fractures. All patients were treated with distal radius T-plate fixation. Fracture healing time, loss of reduction, stability of internal fixation, occurrence of osteoarthritis were observed, postoperative AOFAS score at 12 months was used to evaluate clinical effects. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 18 to 36 months with an average of (22.5±4.3) months. All incisions healed well at stageⅠ. Review of X-ray showed that ankle joints were got anatomically reset. All fractures healed well ranged from 12 to 18 weeks with an average of (13.4±2.4) weeks. After surgery, patients resumed normal walking from 12 to 17 weeks with an average of (14.5±1.3) weeks. No complications such as loss of reduction, loosening or rupture of internal fixation, nonunion of fracture, radiographic appearance of osteoarthritis occurred during following up. AOFAS scores was 92.4 ±6.7 at 12 months after operation, and 15 patients got excellent result, 3 moderate. CONCLUSION: Distal radius T-plates for treatment of vertical shear medial malleolus fractures have advantages of firm fixation, conforming to biomechanical requirements, better matching with plate anatomy, and less soft tissue stimulation. It could achieve early function exercise, obtain good recovery of function, and it is an ideal choice for the treatment of vertical shear medial malleolus fractures.

[Comparative analysis of four kinds of vitamin B of milk of lactating mothers and maternal and infant nutritional status in Chinese urban and rural areas].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the nutritional level of lactating mothers and infant by detecting the content of the vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, nicotinic of milk of urban and rural areas and to provide the basis for improving vitamin nutritional status of lactating women and their babies. METHODS: Totally 92 pairs of breastfeeding healthy mothers and their children in Shandong Province were selected. 34 pairs were in a urban area and 58 pairs were in a rural area. Collect the milk of selected lactating mothers and the urine of the lactating mothers and their children. Detect the content of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, nicotinic of milk of lactating mothers and the content of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, nicotinic of urine of lactating mothers and their children. RESULTS: The content of vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and niacin of milk of urban lactating mothers were significantly higher than that of rural lactating mothers. The results of detection showed the vitamin B2 of milk of urban lactating mothers was 149.77 microg/100 g, which was significantly higher than that of rural women in 85.09 microg/100 g (P < 0.05). Vitamin B6 and niacin contents were 15.29 microg/100 g, 40.83 microg/100 g, which were also higher than that in rural lactating milk (6.69 microg/100 g and 24.48 microg/100 g) (All values P < 0.05). However, vitamin B1 of milk of urban and rural lactating mothers were 5.54 microg/100 g and 4.80 microg/100 g respectively, which had no significant difference. Urine analysis showed vitamin B2 and niacin of urban mothers and children were significantly higher than that in rural area (P < 0.05). But the level of vitamin B1 of rural children was higher than that of urban children (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the vitamin B1 between urban and rural mothers. The insufficient percentages of vitamin B1, vitamin B2. niacin in urban mothers was 23.5%, 32.3% and 17.6%, and that in rural mothers were 29.3%, 82.8% and 53.4%. The deficiency percentage of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin in urban children were 2.9%, 2.9% and 11.8%, and that in rural children were 5.1%, 51.8% and 25.8%. CONCLUSION: The insufficient percentage of vitamin B1 in urban and rural mothers was high and the content of vitamin B1 of milk was low. While the insufficient percentage of vitamin B2, niacin of rural lactating mothers and children were higher than that of urban mothers and children.

Uncertainty analysis of coupling multiple hydrologic models and multiple objective functions in Han River, China.

Three different hydrological models are chosen to simulate rainfall-runoff relationships under each of three objective functions including mean squared errors of squared transformed flows, squared root transformed flows and logarithmic transformed flows; thus nine individual models are constructed. By weighted averaging over these nine models, the method of Bayesian model averaging (BMA) was used to provide both the mean value and the uncertainty intervals of flow prediction. Three kinds of uncertainty information can be generated: the uncertainty of individual member model's predictions; the total uncertainty of BMA mean prediction; the between-model and within-model uncertainties in the BMA scheme. Based on the estimated results in this study, the coupling of multiple models with multiple objective functions in general offers better results for both the mean prediction and the uncertainty intervals for the runoffs in a selected basin in Han River, China, than the individual models.

[Investigation of vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and niacin levels among children aged 0-3 years old in Chinese urban and rural areas].

OBJECTIVE: To study the nutritional status and differences in vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin of the urban/rural infants in Shandong Province, and to provide scientific basis for infants nutrition interventions. METHODS: 106 urban infants and 290 rural infants were selected from a city in Shandong Province. Forty milliliter urinary was collected from each one, which was adjusted to pH 4-5 with concentrated hydrochloric acid immediately. The concentration of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin in the urine was detected by fluorescence method. RESULTS: The insufficient percentages of vitamin B, vitamin B2 and niacin in urban infants were 1.9%, 8.0% and 9.1%, and that in rural infants were 4.5%, 56.7% and 27.1%. The median concentrations of vitamin B1 in urban and rural infants were 495.00 and 420.56 microg/g respectively, in which the 12-month and 24-month groups in urban were higher than that in rural (P<0.05). The medians of vitamin B2 content in urban and rural infants were 303.07 and 70.88 microg/g, and the content of vitamin B2 in urban infants was higher than that in rural infants in each group (P<0.05). The median concentrations of niacin content in urban and rural infants were 6.31 and 4.22 microg/g, and the niacin content of 6month-, 12 month-, 18 month- and 24 month- groups in urban infants were higher than that in rural infants (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in vitamin B1, B2 and niacin content of infants between urban and rural areas, and the nutriture of urban infants was better than the rural infants. More improvement measures should be given to infants in rural areas for the high proportion of vitamin B, and niacin deficiency.

Controllable synthesis and luminescent properties of three-dimensional nanostructured CaWO4:Tb3+ microspheres.

Three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured CaWO(4):Tb(3+)microspheres assembled by submicrospindles were synthesized via a mild sonochemical route from an aqueous solution of CaCl(2), TbCl(3) and Na(2)WO(4) with the aid of surfactant Polyglycol 600 (PEG-600). The crystal structure and morphology of the as-prepared products were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Rietveld refinement was carried out on the XRD data. The results showed that the CaWO(4):Tb(3+)nanoparticles can be formed without ultrasonic irradiation or addition of PEG-600. With continuously increasing irradiation time the submicrospindles and microspheres could be self-assembled. The central diameter and length of the submicrospindles are around 190 and 500 nm, respectively. The 3D CaWO(4):Tb(3+)nanostructured microspheres with diameter of 2-4 µm were assembled by the submicrospindles. A possible formation mechanism for the 3D-structured CaWO(4):Tb(3+)microspheres was proposed. The Photoluminescent (PL) properties of Tb(3+) ions in the nanostructured CaWO(4) microspheres were studied. The energy transfer processes in CaWO(4):Tb(3+)microspheres were analyzed. The electric dipole-dipole energy transfers related to (5)D(3) level were studied by inspecting the fluorescence decay of (5)D(3) level. The energy transfer critical distance was estimated.

[A simple and efficient method for preparation of plant RNAs].

A new and efficient method for isolation of plant RNAs was developed by adding bentonite into extraction buffer in order to get rid of protein and restrain Rnase. The electrophoretic patterns of nucleic acids and absorbance at 230 nm, 260 nm and 280 nm in a UV-Vis spectrophotometer revealed the extraction with this method can obtain RNAs with good integrity and purity without any apparent DNA contamination from the plant materials rich in with polysaccharide and polyphenol like Jatropha curcas leaves, to which TRIZOL reagent, SDS-KAc solution and Guanidine isothiocyanate solution failed. Furthermore, the result of nuclear gene (18 S rRNA gene) amplified by RT-PCR indicated that the RNAs prepared with this method can meet the needs of most molecular biological experiments including gene cloning and expression analysis.