Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have become prominent global health threats, escalating the burden on public health systems. The increasing occurrence of invasive fungal infections is due primarily to the extensive application of chemotherapy, immunosuppressive therapies, and broad-spectrum antifungal agents. At present, therapeutic practices utilize multiple categories of antifungal agents, such as azoles, polyenes, echinocandins, and pyrimidine analogs. Nevertheless, the clinical effectiveness of these treatments is progressively weakened by the emergence of drug resistance, thereby substantially restricting their therapeutic utility. Consequently, there is an imperative need to expedite the discovery of novel antifungal agents. This review seeks to present an exhaustive synthesis of novel antifungal drugs and candidate agents that are either under current clinical investigation or anticipated to progress into clinical evaluation. These emerging compounds exhibit unique benefits concerning their modes of action, antimicrobial spectra, and pharmacokinetic characteristics, potentially leading to improved therapeutic outcomes relative to conventional antifungal regimens. It is anticipated that these novel therapeutic agents will furnish innovative treatment modalities and enhance clinical outcomes in managing invasive fungal infections.

OBJECTIVE To compare the anti-thymic atrophy effects of petroleum ether(PEE), ethyl acetate(EAE), n-butanol(BE) and water extract(WE) fractions from root tubers of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et. Gilg based on mice thymic atrophy model established by intraperitoneal injection of PolyI:C to preliminarily investigate the mechanisms of its effects. METHODS One hunderd ICR mice were randomly divided into 10 groups: control group, model group, low- and high-dose groups of the four extract fractions, with 10 mice in each group. The control group and model group were given equal volume of purified water and gavaged for 10 d. Starting on the 9th day, PolyI:C solution of 16 mg·kg−1 was injected intraperitoneally for 2 consecutive days, except for the control group, which was injected intraperitoneally with physiological saline. Samples of thymics were weighed and and visceral index was calculated, blood samples were taken for analysis of IL-2, TNF-α and WBC, thymic histopathology was analyzed using hematoxylin-eosin staining, Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of TNF-α, p-NF-κB and NF-κB. RESULTS Compared with the model group, all groups of extracts could enhance the thymus weight and thymus index, as well as the cortex and medulla area ratio and the number of thymic corpuscles in 1 mm2 of medulla to different degrees, and at the same time, significantly reduce the level of TNF-α in plasma, evidently inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB, and reduced the protein expression of TNF-α, and each of them having distinct advantages and disadvantages. Peripheral blood white blood cell, lymphocyte absolute count and lymphocyte percentage were elevated in the low-dose WE group, low-dose EAE group and high dose PEE group, IL-2 levels were significantly elevated in the low-dose WE group and high dose BE group, and these effects were particularly well demonstrated. CONCLUSION Four extracts from root tubers of Tetrastigma Hemsleyanum Diels et. Gilg can improve morphological changes and atrophy of the thymus tissue in different degrees, regulate of peripheral blood leukocyte imbalance in post-modeling mice, it may be related to the inhibition of PolyI:C-induced phosphorylation of the NF-κB and reduction of protein expression of pro-inflammatory factors.

Objective To compare the analgesic effect and the effect on the success rate of reduc-tion of three doses of remifentanil combined with dexmedetomidine in the clamping reduction of cricoarytenoid joint dislocation.Methods Fifty-one patients with cricoarytenoid joint dislocation,30 males and 21 females,aged 18-80 years,BMI 18.5-30.0 kg/m2,ASA physical status Ⅰ-Ⅲ,were selected from April 2021 to December 2022 in the department of otolaryngology,head and neck surgery.The patients were randomly divided into three groups according to remifentanil dose:remifentanil 0.5 μg·kg-1·min-1 group(group A,n=17),remifentanil 1.0 μg·kg-1·min-1 group(group B,n=18),and remifentanil 1.5 μg·kg-1·min-1 group(group C,n=16).After admission,dexmedetomidine 0.6 μg·kg 1·h-1 was injected intravenously,and an ear,nose and throat anesthetic spray(2％lidocaine 2 ml)was used to administer surface anesthesia to the base of the tongue.A second surface anesthesia was administered to the throat at 5 minutes,and dexmedetomidine was stopped at 10 minutes.The supraglottic and periarticular cri-coarytenoid joints were subjected to superficial anesthesia for a third time under visual laryngoscope,and then remifentanil at corresponding doses was injected intravenously in three groups for 5 minutes,and the reduction operation began after the pumping was stopped.The success of the first reduction,the anesthesia quality satisfaction score of the surgeon and the recovery of remifentanil during the operation were recorded.VAS pain scores were recorded at the time of entry,3 minutes,30 minutes,and 6 hours after operation.The adverse reactions during operation and recovery were recorded.Results Compared with group B,the success rate of first reduction and the score of anesthesia quality satisfaction were significantly decreased in groups A and C(P＜0.05).Compared with group A,the ratio of additional remifentanil supplementation in groups B and C was significantly reduced,and the VAS pain score 3 minutes after surgery was significant-ly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with group C,the proportion of mandibular manipulation ventilation in groups A and B was significantly reduced(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of bradyheart rate,nausea and vomiting,agitation,delirium and laryngeal spasm between the three groups.Conclusion Compared with remifentanil 0.5 and 1.5 μg·kg-1·min-1,remifentanil 1.0 μg·kg-1·min-1 combined with dexmedetomide sequential pumping provided good analgesic effect for the clamping reduction of cricoarytenoid joint dislocation,improved the success rate of the first reduction,more stable respiratory circulation and fewer perioperative adverse reactions.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of small airway dysfunction(SAD)in patients with asthma.Methods The clinical data of 200 patients with chronic persistent asthma were included,including general data,disease-related condition,pulmonary function test result,compliance assessment and asthma control status.The clinical features of the two groups were compared.Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for asthma SAD,and ROC curves were plotted to assess the predictive power of the model.Results Two hundred patients were divided into the SAD group(128 cases)and the non-SAD group(72 cases).The main risk factors of SAD in patients with chronic persistent asthma included smoking history(OR=4.758,95%CI:2.043-11.081),overweight(OR=2.952,95%CI:1.428-6.105),asthma without clinical remission(OR=6.140,95%CI:2.929-12.870),acute asthma attack in recent 1 year(OR= 3.406,95%CI:1.430-8.117)and allergic rhinitis(OR=2.289,95%CI:1.121-4.673).The area under the curve(AUC)of above risk factors were 0.612,0.610,0.716,0.614 and 0.600,respectively.The AUC of the composite prediction model was 0.826(95%CI:0.769-0.883),which had good prediction value.Conclusion Smoking,overweight,acute asthma attack in recent one year,non-remission period of asthma and allergic rhinitis are independent risk factors for SAD in chronic persistent asthma.The risk factors of SAD should be identified as early as possible,and individualized monitoring and treatment should be taken.

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are heterogeneous disorders caused by autoimmune responses of cancer, which can affect any part of the nervous system. Anti-amphiphysin antibody is one of the high-risk PNS antibodies, which is usually associated with small cell lung cancer and breast cancer. However, extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma is rare in patients with anti-amphiphysin antibody. A case of anti-amphiphysin-associated paraneoplastic brainstem encephalitis with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma is reported. The tumor was detected by fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and pathologically confirmed by gastroscopic biopsy. The patient′s neurological symptoms were partially improved after treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin and glucocorticoids. However, the disease prognosis is closely related to the accompanying tumor.

Objective To analyze the clinical and histology characteristics of a patient with frontal lobe epilepsy diagnosed with mild malformation of cortical development with oligodendroglial hyperplasia, and to recognize the new neuropathological entity. Methods Clinical history, seizure types, neuroimaging, electroencephalography as well as macroscope, histology and immunohistochemistry characteristics were collected from a frontal lobe epilepsy patient and were compared with cases from literature. Results It was a female patient aged 16 years with 12 years history of epilepsy. The seizures manifested as episodes of conscious loss with automatism including grope and voice lasting for seconds. About 10 episodes a day were found and sometimes with secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. MRI showed blurring of grey-white matter interface in left orbital frontal cortex. Video-encephalography revealed left frontal lobe origin of seizures. So left prefrontal lobe was removed. Histology showed almost normal cortex neuropil and neurons. Blurring of grey-white interface in some area with patches of proliferation of oligodendrocytes in the corresponding sub-cortical white matter was found. The density of oligodendrocytes was significantly higher in sub-cortical than in deep white matter both shown in HE and Oligo-2 staining. Obvious oligodendrocytes increase and satellite phenomenon in deep cortical layer as well as increased ectopic neurons in sub-cortical white matter were found in the lesion. In proliferation area, there were some nuclei stained with Ki-67, but not as high as tumor. Subsequent follow up for two years proved the operation efficacy and benign prognosis. Conclusions There are special and undiscovered histopathological entities in epilepsy etiology. Although known as grey matter disease, white matter pathology plays an important role in epilepsy pathophysiology which needs further research.

BACKGROUND:Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) have been reported to play an important role in the occurrence and development of primary osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the association between gene polymorphisms of TGF-β1 and IL-1β and primary knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Han and Uyghur elderly populations in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China were surveyed on the prevalence of osteoarthritis, followed by allotted to osteoarthritis and health groups according the symptoms and radiography. Genotyping TGF-β1-509C/T and -1348C/T and IL-1β-511C/T was performed to analyze the relationship between the gene polymorphisms of TGF-β1 and IL-1β and osteoarthritis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Alleles T and C with genotypes CC, CT and TT were detected in both two groups. In the Uygur population, the genotype frequency of TGF-β1-509C/T and IL-1β-511C/T showed significant difference between osteoarthritis and health groups (P < 0.05). In the Han population, the genotype frequency of TGF-β1-1348C/T showed significant difference between two groups (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the Uygur individuals carrying TT genotype of TGF-β1-509C/T and IL-1β-511C/T, and Han people carrying the TT genotype of TGF-β -1348T are more susceptible to osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVETo provide preimplantation genetic diagnosis(PGD) for two couples carrying thalassemia mutations and chromosomal abnormalities.

METHODSCouple 1 were both carriers of β 41/42 thalassemia mutations, while the husband has carried a reciprocal translocation with a karyotype of 46,XY,inv(9)(p11;q13),t(11;22)(q25;q13). Couple 2 were both carriers of α (-SEA) thalassemia mutation. Their chromosome karyotypes were both normal, but had two spontaneous abortions. The couples had received 1 and 3 blastocysts respectively through in vitro fertilization(IVF) cycles. Following the biopsy, the cells underwent whole genome amplification, and the amplified DNA from each embryo was subjected to genetic testing and a 23-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) microarray assay.

RESULTSThe embryo of couple 1 was diagnosed as carrier of β 41/42 thalassemia with euploid chromosomes. The embryo was transferred and resulted in intrauterine pregnancy. Similarly, an embryo of couple 2 was verified as carrier of α (-SEA) thalassemia with euploid chromosomes.

CONCLUSIONPGD for aneuploidy coupled with testing for single gene disorders via trophectoderm biopsy and whole genome amplification is feasible. The approach can attain diagnosis with minimal damage with sound clinical outcome.

Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Blastocyst ; cytology ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Genetic Testing ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Pregnancy ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; beta-Thalassemia ; diagnosis ; embryology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe treatment response, survival, safety and the improvement of ECOG in patients with refractory multiple myeloma (MM) with serious heart failure after the administration of continuous low-dose of cyclophosphamide combined with prednisone (CP).

METHODSFrom January 2005 to September 2013, a total of 75 patients were treated by metronomic chemotherapy with continuous low-dose cyclophosphamide (50 mg/d) and prednisone (15 mg/d).

RESULTSAmong the 75 patients, 2 were lost for follow-up. In the 73 available patients, the overall response was 64.4%, including 2 patients (2.7%) with complete remission (CR), 4 cases (5.5%) very good partial remission (VGPR), and 24 patients (32.9%) partial remission (PR). The median survival was 12 months (1-70 months) with a median onset time of 90 days (16-120) and a median progressive freedom survival of 12 months (1-60). The level of B-type natriuretic peptide in responders declined significantly, as compared to no responders [(336.6 ± 30.3) ng/L vs (906.4 ± 104.8) ng/L, P<0.01]. Common adverse events were as follows: 32 (43.8%) cases of bone marrow suppression, 26 (35.6%) cases of infection, 8 cases of dizzy as well as sleepiness (11.0%), 7(9.6%) cases of Cushing syndrome, 4 (5.5%) cases of secondary diabetes mellitus, and 3 (4.1%) cases of edema respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe metronomic chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide combined with prednisone had satisfactory impact on the treatment outcome, including the improvement of cardiac functions and physical capacities, better survival and safety in refractory MM with serious heart failure. It provides a novel regimen for such patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Clinical Protocols ; Cyclophosphamide ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Prednisone ; Remission Induction ; Treatment Outcome