Acute kidney injury (AKI) has high morbidity and mortality, but effective clinical drugs and management are lacking. Previous studies have suggested that macrophages play a crucial role in the inflammatory response to AKI and may serve as potential therapeutic targets. Emerging evidence has highlighted the importance of forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) in mediating macrophage activation and polarization in various diseases, but the specific mechanisms by which FoxO1 regulates macrophages during AKI remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of FoxO1 in macrophages in the pathogenesis of AKI. We observed a significant upregulation of FoxO1 in kidney macrophages following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that the administration of FoxO1 inhibitor AS1842856-encapsulated liposome (AS-Lipo), mainly acting on macrophages, effectively mitigated renal injury induced by I/R injury in mice. By generating myeloid-specific FoxO1-knockout mice, we further observed that the deficiency of FoxO1 in myeloid cells protected against I/R injury-induced AKI. Furthermore, our study provided evidence of FoxO1's pivotal role in macrophage chemotaxis, inflammation, and migration. Moreover, the impact of FoxO1 on the regulation of macrophage migration was mediated through RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (ARHGEF1), indicating that ARHGEF1 may serve as a potential intermediary between FoxO1 and the activity of the RhoA pathway. Consequently, our findings propose that FoxO1 plays a crucial role as a mediator and biomarker in the context of AKI. Targeting macrophage FoxO1 pharmacologically could potentially offer a promising therapeutic approach for AKI.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary fibrogenic cells in the liver, and their activation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis. Here, we report that retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRα), a unique member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a key modulator of HSC activation and liver fibrosis. RXRα exerts its effects by modulating calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β (CaMKKβ)-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKα). In addition, we demonstrate that K-80003, which binds RXRα by a unique mechanism, effectively suppresses HSC activation, proliferation, and migration, thereby inhibiting liver fibrosis in the CCl₄ and amylin liver NASH (AMLN) diet animal models. The effect is mediated by AMPKα activation, promoting mitophagy in HSCs. Mechanistically, K-80003 activates AMPKα by inducing RXRα to form condensates with CaMKKβ and AMPKα via a two-phase process. The formation of RXRα condensates is driven by its N-terminal intrinsic disorder region and requires phosphorylation by CaMKKβ. Our results reveal a crucial role of RXRα in liver fibrosis regulation through modulating mitochondrial activities in HSCs. Furthermore, they suggest that K-80003 and related RXRα modulators hold promise as therapeutic agents for fibrosis-related diseases.

An elderly female patient was admitted to Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital on May 4, 2023, due to recurrent cough for 4 years and aggravation with fever for 6 days. Chest CT showed bronchiectasis with pulmonary infection. Sputum smear microscopy indicated the possibility of Nocardia, and sputum fungal culture revealed Aspergillus fumigatus. After several days of anti- Nocardia and anti- Aspergillus fumigatus treatment, the patient′s inflammatory index decreased but she still had a low-grade fever. Effective communication between the laboratory and clinicians facilitated the culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the detection of metagenomic next-generation sequencing. The patient made progress after receiving anti-infection treatment for three suspected pathogenic bacteria- Nocardia amamiensis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Aspergillus fumigatus-detected by the above methods. For the diagnosis of coinfection, the combination of multiple methods can improve the accuracy of pathogen identification, thereby better guiding clinical treatment.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a long history of application in China and has consistently played a vital role in treating diseases and saving lives. TCM prescriptions （compounds） constitute the primary form of clinical TCM treatment and significantly differ from western medicine （chemicals） due to the diverse composition and chemical constituents of TCM （compounds）. Nevertheless， the potential multi-component， multi-target， and multi-pathway action characteristics of TCM prescriptions also demonstrate their possible （complementary） therapeutic advantages when compared with single-component chemical drugs. Therefore， driven by the development of modern science and technology and the demands of the modernization and internationalization of TCM， modern theories regarding the complexity of TCM prescription effects have been continuously proposed： Different from the abstract language of traditional prescription theory， the modern TCM prescription theory is more inclined to illustrate the connotation of prescription compatibility concretely and vividly from an experimental and scientific perspective. In this paper， new theories on the complexity of TCM prescriptions proposed in recent years are summarized to provide research references and ideas for the greater role of TCM prescriptions and a better scientific understanding.

Oral diseases concern almost every individual and are a serious health risk to the popula-tion.The restorative treatment of tooth and jaw defects is an important means to achieve oral function and support the appearance of the contour.Based on the principle of"learning from the nature",Deng Xu-liang's group of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology has proposed a new concept of"microstructural biomimetic design and tissue adaptation of tooth/jaw materials"to address the worldwide problems of difficulty in treating dentine hypersensitivity,poor prognosis of restoration of tooth defects,and vertical bone augmentation of alveolar bone after tooth loss.The group has broken through the bottle-neck of multi-stage biomimetic technology from the design of microscopic features to the enhancement of macroscopic effects,and invented key technologies such as crystalline/amorphous multi-level assembly,ion-transportation blocking,and multi-physical properties of the micro-environment reconstruction,etc.The group also pioneered the cationic-hydrogel desensitizer,digital stump and core integrated restora-tions,and developed new crown and bridge restorative materials,gradient functionalisation guided tissue regeneration membrane,and electrically responsive alveolar bone augmentation restorative membranes,etc.These products have established new clinical strategies for tooth/jaw defect repair and achieved inno-vative results.In conclusion,the research results of our group have strongly supported the theoretical im-provement of stomatology,developed the technical system of oral hard tissue restoration,innovated the clinical treatment strategy,and led the progress of the stomatology industry.

With the development of clinical related disciplines, the update and establishment of relevant standards/guidelines at home and abroad, GBZ 185-2006 Diagnostic Criteria for Occupational Medicamentose-like Dermatitis due to Trichloroethylene (hereinafter referred to as “GBZ 185-2006”) was unable to meet clinical needs. Therefore, the GBZ 185-2006 was revised based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, in accordance with relevant laws/regulations and relevant standards/guidelines in combination with review of research data on occupational medicamentose-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene (OMDT) home and abroad, and the development of clinical practice and clinical related disciplines. The main modifications include: adding terms and definitions of OMDT, modifying the description of clinical manifestations of the diagnostic principles, adjusting the description of latency, deleting the diagnostic requirement of the incidence probability, adding the specific allergen patch test as the etiological diagnostic index, standardizing the application scope, operating procedure and precautions of the specific allergen patch test. In addition, the relevant content of “Basic Characteristics and Clinical Types of Skin Damage of Medicamentose-like Dermatitis due to Trichloroethylene” in Appendix A is improved, the treatment principles are revised, and the content of new progress in treatment, artificial liver application, are added. The revised GBZ 185-2024 Diagnostic Standard for Occupational Medicamentose-like Dermatitis due to Trichloroethylene is more scientific and practical, and can provide technical basis for the standardized diagnosis and treatment of OMDT in medical and health institutions.

This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism of tanshinone Ⅱ_(A )(TaⅡ_A) combined with endothelial progenitor cells-derived exosomes(EPCs-exos) in protecting the aortic vascular endothelial cells(AVECs) from oxidative damage via the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt) pathway. The AVECs induced by 1-palmitoyl-2-(5'-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine(POVPC) were randomly divided into model, TaⅡ_A, EPCs-exos, and TaⅡ_A+EPCs-exos groups, and the normal cells were taken as the control group. The cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) was used to examine the cell proliferation. The lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) cytotoxicity assay kit, Matrigel assay, DCFH-DA fluorescent probe, and laser confocal microscopy were employed to examine the LDH release, tube-forming ability, cellular reactive oxygen species(ROS) level, and endothelial cell skeleton morphology, respectively. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the expression of interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR) and Western blot were employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels, respectively, of PI3K and Akt. Compared with the control group, the model group showed decreased cell proliferation and tube-forming ability, increased LDH release, elevated ROS level, obvious cytoskeletal disruption, increased expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PI3K and Akt. Compared with the model group, TaⅡ_A or EPCs-exos alone increased the cell proliferation and tube-forming ability, reduced LDH release, lowered the ROS level, repaired the damaged skeleton, decreased the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PI3K and Akt. TaⅡ_A+EPCs-exos outperformed TaⅡ_A or EPCs-exos alone in regulating the above indexes. The results demonstrated that TaⅡ_A and EPCs-exos exerted a protective effect on POVPC-induced AVECs by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway, and the combination of the two had stronger therapeutic effect.
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Oxidative Stress ; Endothelial Progenitor Cells ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Abietanes

AIM: To investigate the relationship between the levels of chemokine receptor 2(CXCR2)and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF)in aqueous humor and the prognosis of trabeculectomy in patients with acute primary angle-closure glaucoma(APACG).METHODS: A total of 80 cases(80 eyes)APACG patients who underwent trabeculectomy in our hospital from June 2020 to January 2022 were collected in the case group. According to the postoperative efficacy, they were grouped into a success group of 60 cases(60 eyes)and a failure group of 20 cases(20 eyes). Another 86 cataract patients(86 eyes)who underwent phacoemulsification with normal intraocular pressure in our hospital during the same period were included in the control group. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was applied to detect the levels of CXCR2 and bFGF in aqueous humor. ROC curve was applied to analyze the value of predicting trabeculectomy failure in APACG patients by the levels of CXCR2 and bFGF in aqueous humor. Furthermore, multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of trabeculectomy failure in APACG patients.RESULTS: The levels of CXCR2 and bFGF in the aqueous humor of the case group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05). The levels of CXCR2 and bFGF in the aqueous humor of the failed group and the proportion of patients with postoperative shallow anterior chamber were significantly higher than those of the successful group(P<0.05). The AUC for predicting trabeculectomy failure in APACG patients using CXCR2 and bFGF levels alone and in combination was 0.885, 0.883 and 0.953, respectively. CXCR2 and bFGF were independent risk factors for trabeculectomy failure in APACG patients(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The levels of CXCR2 and bFGF in the aqueous humor of APACG patients are obviously elevated, and both are risk factors for trabeculectomy failure.