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To investigate the ameliorative effects and mechanism of Moringa oleifera Lam (LM) leaf aqueous extract on hepatic fibrosis (HF) in rats. 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, colchicine group (100 mg/kg), and LM high, medium and low dose groups (200, 100 and 50 mg/kg), except for the normal group, rats in the remaining groups were established as HF model by intraperitoneal injection of thioacetamide (TAA) and the corresponding drugs were administered from the 5 th week. At the end of drug administration, rats were examined for body weight, liver index, liver function indexes, including serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). HF indices including serum procollagen type III (PCIII), collagen type IV (IV-C), laminin (LN), hyaluronic acid (HA), liver hydroxyproline acid (HYP). Masson staining was used to observe liver fibrotic tissue lesions. Indicators of Liver oxidative stress, including hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were also detected. Real-time quantitative fluorescence PCR and protein immunoblotting were performed to detect hepatic TGF- β1/Smads pathway gene expression. Rats in the HF model group had significantly lower body weight, highly significantly increased liver index, serum ALT, AST, PCIII, IV-C, LN, HA and liver HYP concentrations compared with rats in the normal group (P<0.01). In addition, the liver tissue of rats in the model group showed a significant increase in collagen fibre deposition, severe liver fibrosis, highly significant increase in liver ROS and MDA content, and a highly significant decrease in SOD activity (P<0.01), indicating that the liver of rats in the model group was in a state of oxidative stress and fibrotic lesions, and liver function was impaired. Compared with the model group, serum ALT, AST, PCIII, IV-C, LN, HA and hepatic HYP concentrations were reduced to varying degrees in the LM group rats. In addition, collagen fibre deposition in liver tissue was significantly reduced, liver ROS and MDA content were significantly decreased, and SOD activity was significantly increased in the LM group rats, indicating that LM could reduce the level of liver oxidative stress, ameliorate liver fibrosis and protect liver function in rats (P<0.05, P<0.01). Gene expression detection of the TGF- β1/Smads pathway showed that the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3 and α-SMA genes were significantly increased in the model group compared with the control group. Compared with the model group, the liver TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3 and α-SMA gene expressions were significantly lower in the LM high and medium dose groups (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the liver Smad3 and α-SMA gene expressions were significantly lower in the LM low dose group (P<0.05, P<0.01), indicating that LM could downregulate liver TGF-β1/Smads pathway gene expression in HF rats. LM would ameliorate TAA-induced liver fibrosis in rats by down-regulating the ROS-TGF-β1/Smads pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survival rate of early gastric cancer and esophageal cancer is more than 90%. Confocal endoscopy can detect cell morphology and mucosal glandular structure (depth about 500 μm), presenting a cross-sectional microscopic image unfamiliar to both endoscopists and pathologists. Therefore, using computer-aided diagnosis technology to complete real-time artificial intelligence diagnosis of early esophageal and gastric cancer is of great significance for early detection and early treatment of cancer patients. ResNet convolution neural network based image classification model, the introduction of attention mechanism based on CBAM module to improve the performance of the model, to achieve intelligent diagnosis of confocal endoscopy images.

Chromatic confocal technology has enabled multispectral information detection without any axial mechanical scanning. Especially, the chromatic confocal sensor is well applied in industry, such as device defect detection and ranging. However, for 3D imaging, chromatic confocal microscopy (CCM) still suffers from insufficient speed due to the slow refresh rate of a traditional spectrometer. To address this problem, a time‐stretch chromatic confocal microscopy (TSCCM) is presented for multi‐depth imaging. A supercontinuum laser is stretched and then focused on the sample using a home‐built chromatic lens, which disperses the laser to a different depth. The time‐of‐flight signal is collected by a high‐speed photodiode and is recorded and analyzed by a 3 GHz digitizer. A novel approach is achieved to significantly improve the speed of multi‐depth imaging with an up to 1 MHz A‐scan rate and 5 Hz volumetric imaging speed, which is an order faster compared with previous work of spectrometer‐based chromatic confocal microscopy. Multi‐depth volumetric imaging of nude‐mouse skin is performed to show the potential for biomedical applications. In this method, with its high A‐scan rate and multi‐depth imaging capability, a virtual tissue "light detection and ranging (LIDAR)" may be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of nanomaterial-based probes in detecting glutathione (GSH) and cell imaging has aroused extensive attention owing to the excellent properties of nanoprobes. Herein, we have synthesized manganese dioxide-S, O co-doped graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (MnO2-S, O-CNQDs) nanocomposite by in situ synthesis of MnO2 nanosheets in S,O-CNQDs dispersion solution. It was found that GSH could specifically bind to MnO2-S, O-CNQDs so that the fluorescence of S, O-CNQDs could be recovered. As such, a "turn-on" MnO2-S, O-CNQDs nanoprobe can be fabricated and applied to rapidly determine trace amounts of GSH. Under the optimal conditions, MnO2-S, O-CNQDs shows sensitive response to GSH in the range 10–270 μM with a detection limit of 0.307 μM (S/N = 3). The developed MnO2-S, O-CNQDs probe has demonstrated great potential to detection of GSH in biological samples and glutathione injections. What is more, MTT assay indicates that MnO2-S, O-CNQDs has low biotoxicity. The non-fluorescence MnO2-S, O-CNQDs reacts with GSH to recover the fluorescence of S, O-CNQDs in HepG2 cells. Thus, the "turn-on" fluorescence change of MnO2-S, O-CNQDs offers a potentially useful tool to monitor GSH of cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis has become a major social, health, and economic problem worldwide. Herein, we tested the beneficial influence of baicalin, a flavonoid extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis, on human normal liver L-02 and THLE2 cell apoptosis and inflammatory reaction stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and possible molecular mechanisms. L-02 and THLE2 cell viability and apoptosis after LPS and/or baicalin treatment were tested using CCK-8 assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis kit, respectively. qRT-PCR was used to measure the MCP-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) expressions in L-02 and THLE2 cells. sh-TUG1 was transfected to knockdown TUG1. SB203580 was used as inhibitor of p38MAPK pathway, while SP600125 was used as inhibitor of JNK pathway. We discovered that LPS stimulation caused L-02 and THLE2 cell apoptosis and inflammatory reaction. Baicalin relieved the L-02 and THLE2 cell apoptosis and inflammatory reaction stimulated by LPS. Moreover, LPS lowered the TUG1 expression in L-02 cells, while baicalin promoted the TUG1 expression in L-02 and L-02 and THLE2 cells, as well as inactivated p38MAPK and JNK pathways in LPS-stimulated L-02 cells. Besides, knockdown of TUG1 activated p38MAPK and JNK pathways and promoted inflammatory cytokine expression in L-02 cells. In conclusion, this study further affirmed the beneficial influences of baicalin on LPS-stimulated human normal liver cell apoptosis and inflammatory reaction. Baicalin relived liver cell inflammation stimulated by LPS might be via upregulating TUG1 and then inactivating p38MAPK and JNK pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-doped carbon dots were synthesized using citric acid monohydrate and glutathione as raw materials. The synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon dots were characterized by multiple analytical techniques, including transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and fluorescence spectra. The fluorescence intensity of the nitrogen-doped carbon dots gradually quenched with different concentrations of Cu2+ ions. The effect of the pH value, the nitrogen-doped carbon dot concentration, and the reaction time on the fluorescence intensity of the N-CDs-Cu2+ system was investigated, and the experimental conditions were optimized. A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of Cu2+ ions was established that exhibited a good linearity in the concentration range 0.20–200.0 μM with a detection limit of 0.27 nM. Meanwhile, the fluorescence quenching mechanism of the interaction between nitrogen-doped carbon dots and Cu2+ was preliminarily discussed. The method was used to detect trace Cu2+ in tap water and lake water, with recoveries ranging from 98.1% to 102.0%. Furthermore, due to low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility, nitrogen-doped carbon dots as a probe were also successfully used in bioimaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface solar radiation (SSR) is the main factor affecting the earth's climate and environment and its variations and the reason for these variations are an important part of climate change research. In this research, we investigated the long-term variations of SSR during 1984–2016 and the quantitative influences of atmospheric aerosols, anthropogenic emissions, and meteorological conditions on SSR over China's mainland. The results show the following: (1) The annual average SSR values had a decline trend at a rate of −0.371 Wm−2 yr−1 from 1984 to 2016 over China. (2) The aerosol optical depth (AOD) plays the main role in inducing variations in SSR over China, with r values of −0.75. Moreover, there are marked regional differences in the influence of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions on SSR trends. (3) From a regional perspective, AOD is the main influencing factor on SSR in northeast China (NEC), Yunnan Plateau and surrounding regions (YPS), North China (NC), and Loess Plateau (LP), with r values of −0.65, −0.60, −0.89, and −0.50, respectively. However, the main driving factors for SSR in northwest China (NWC) are "in cloud optical thickness of all clouds" (TAUTOT) (−0.26) and black carbon (BC) anthropogenic emissions (−0.21). TAUTOT (−0.39) and total precipitable water vapor (TQV) (−0.29) are the main influencing factors of SSR in the middle-lower Yangtze Plain (MYP). The main factors that influence SSR in southern China (SC) are surface pressure (PS) (−0.66) and AOD (−0.43). This research provides insights in understanding the variations of SSR and its relationships with anthropogenic conditions and meteorological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically review and analyze the effects of Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) on physical, psychological, and daily life outcomes in patients with breast cancer., Methods: Relevant studies were retrieved from Wanfang, CBM, CNKI, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase and PubMed from inception to December 2023. Two independent authors conducted the literature search and data extraction. The Cochrane bias risk assessment tool was used to evaluate the included studies for methodological quality, and the data analysis was performed using Stata (Version 15.0)., Results: Among 700 records, 11 randomized controlled trials were identified in this study. The meta-analysis showed statistically significant effects of ICBT on depression (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.70 to -0.06, P  = .019) and insomnia severity (SMD = -0.71, 95% CI: -1.24 to -0.19, P  = .008). However, there were no statistically significant effects on anxiety, fatigue, sleep quality and quality of life., Conclusions: ICBT appears to be effective for improving depression and reducing insomnia severity in patients with breast cancer, but the effects on anxiety, fatigue, sleep quality and quality of life are non-significant. This low-cost treatment needs to be further investigated. More randomized controlled trials with a larger sample size, strict study design and multiple follow-ups are required to determine the effects of ICBT on patients with breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: To explore the clinical features, the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies and different inflammatory indices for neonatal septic arthritis., Methods: Clinical presentations, laboratory findings, treatment and prognosis of patients with neonatal septic arthritis hospitalized from October 2009 to December 2013 were analyzed retrospectively., Results: Among 19 cases with septic arthritis in neonates, the sites were hip (n = 8), knee (n = 7) and shoulder (n = 4). And 13 cases had fever. Joint swelling, tenderness, skin temperature and activity limitation were absent in 9 cases. At initial presentations, the positive rates of C-reactive protein (CPR) and procalcitonin (PCT) were 63.2% and 83.3% respectively. And the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). At Day 1 after admission, the positive rates of CRP, PCT and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were 100%, 100% and 41.6% respectively. No difference existed in positive rate between CPR and PCT (P > 0.05). The positive rate of ESR was lower than CPR and PCT and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Radiographic examination showed swelling of joint capsule, joint space widening and swelling of joint soft tissue. All were cured and discharged through intravenous antibiotic therapy. 16 cases were followed-up, except for 1 patient with hip disease due to poor rational dislocation motion. And the others were normal., Conclusion: Neonatal septic arthritis should receive priority attention. With early diagnosis and standard treatment, the prognosis is usually good.