Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. ALS patients develop progressive muscle atrophy, muscle weak and paralysis, finally died of respiratory failure. ALS is characterized by fast aggression and high mortality. What' s more, the disease is highly heterogeneous with unclear pathogenesis and lacks effective drugs for therapy. In this review, we summarize the main pathological mechanisms and the current drugs under development for ALS, which may provide a reference for the drug discovery in the future.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Bairui Granules （百蕊颗粒） in the treatment of acute pharyngitis with wind-heat syndrome. MethodsA multicenter， double-blind， double-simulation， randomised controlled trial was conducted， in which 162 patients with acute pharyngitis and wind-heat syndrome from 7 centers were recruited， and each center was divided into trial group and control group on the ratio of 2∶1. In the trial group， 108 cases were orally administered with Bairui Granules plus Reyanning Granules （热炎宁颗粒） simulant， and in the control group， 54 cases were orally administered with Reyanning Granules plus Bairui Granules simulant for 5 days， with a follow-up visit on the 6th day. Full analysis set （FAS） analysis and per protocol set （PPS） were used for analysis， respectively. The primary efficacy index was the disappearance rate of sore throat after 5-day treatment； the secondary efficacy indexes were the disappearance rate of sore throat after 3-day treatment， as well as the visual analogue score （VAS） of sore throat before treatment， every day during the treatment， and follow-up on day 6， and the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score was performed before treatment and at the follow-up on day 6. The effectiveness on TCM syndrome was evaluated at the follow-up on day 6， and the changes of vital signs， blood routine， urine routine， liver functions， kidney function， the adverse events before and after the treatment were recorded， and safety analysis set （SS） was analysed. Results162 patients entered the FAS and SS analyses， and 158 cases （105 cases in the trial group and 53 cases in the control group） entered the PPS analysis. FAS analysis showed that the disappearance rate of sore throat after 5-day treatment was 80.56% （87/108） in the trial group and 64.81% （35/54） in the control group， and the difference between groups was statistically significant （χ² = 5.10， P = 0.0239）. PPS analysis showed that the disappearance rate of sore throat after 5-day treatment was 80.00% （84/105） in the trial group and 64.15% （34/53） in the control group， and the difference between groups was statistically significant （χ² =4.85， P = 0.0277）. FAS and SS analyses both showed that the difference in disappearance rate of sore throat between groups on 3-day treatment was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. Compared with those before treatment， the VAS scores of sore throat were lower in both groups during treatment on day 2， 3， 4， 5， and follow-up on day 6 （P＜0.01）， but the difference between groups at each time point was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. TCM syndrome scores of both groups at the follow-up were lower than that before treatment， and those of the trial group were lower than those of the control group （P＜0.01）. The cure rate and effective rate of TCM syndrome of the trial group were significantly higher than those of the control group （P＜0.01）. There was no significant difference in blood routine， urine routine， liver function， kidney function between groups before and after treatment （P＞0.05）， and no serious adverse events occured in both groups. ConclusionBairui Granules showed clinical effectiveness in the treatment of acute pharyngitis of wind-heat syndrome， and it could significantly improve the clinical symptoms， accelerate the disappearance time of sore throat with good safety.

Bacterial biofilms gave rise to persistent infections and multi-organ failure, thereby posing a serious threat to human health. Biofilms were formed by cross-linking of hydrophobic extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), such as proteins, polysaccharides, and eDNA, which were synthesized by bacteria themselves after adhesion and colonization on biological surfaces. They had the characteristics of dense structure, high adhesiveness and low drug permeability, and had been found in many human organs or tissues, such as the brain, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and skeleton. By releasing pro-inflammatory bacterial metabolites including endotoxins, exotoxins and interleukin, biofilms stimulated the body’s immune system to secrete inflammatory factors. These factors triggered local inflammation and chronic infections. Those were the key reason for the failure of traditional clinical drug therapy for infectious diseases.In order to cope with the increasingly severe drug-resistant infections, it was urgent to develop new therapeutic strategies for bacterial-biofilm eradication and anti-bacterial infections. Based on the nanoscale structure and biocompatible activity, nanobiomaterials had the advantages of specific targeting, intelligent delivery, high drug loading and low toxicity, which could realize efficient intervention and precise treatment of drug-resistant bacterial biofilms. This paper highlighted multiple strategies of biofilms eradication based on nanobiomaterials. For example, nanobiomaterials combined with EPS degrading enzymes could be used for targeted hydrolysis of bacterial biofilms, and effectively increased the drug enrichment within biofilms. By loading quorum sensing inhibitors, nanotechnology was also an effective strategy for eradicating bacterial biofilms and recovering the infectious symptoms. Nanobiomaterials could intervene the bacterial metabolism and break the bacterial survival homeostasis by blocking the uptake of nutrients. Moreover, energy-driven micro-nano robotics had shown excellent performance in active delivery and biofilm eradication. Micro-nano robots could penetrate physiological barriers by exogenous or endogenous driving modes such as by biological or chemical methods, ultrasound, and magnetic field, and deliver drugs to the infection sites accurately. Achieving this using conventional drugs was difficult. Overall, the paper described the biological properties and drug-resistant molecular mechanisms of bacterial biofilms, and highlighted therapeutic strategies from different perspectives by nanobiomaterials, such as dispersing bacterial mature biofilms, blocking quorum sensing, inhibiting bacterial metabolism, and energy driving penetration. In addition, we presented the key challenges still faced by nanobiomaterials in combating bacterial biofilm infections. Firstly, the dense structure of EPS caused biofilms spatial heterogeneity and metabolic heterogeneity, which created exacting requirements for the design, construction and preparation process of nanobiomaterials. Secondly, biofilm disruption carried the risk of spread and infection the pathogenic bacteria, which might lead to other infections. Finally, we emphasized the role of nanobiomaterials in the development trends and translational prospects in biofilm treatment.

BACKGROUND:There are many treatment methods for knee osteoarthritis,among which electroacupuncture,as an important non-drug treatment,is effective in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis,but its exact mechanism is not clear. OBJECTIVE:Effect of electroacupuncture on the expression of p53 and P21 in articular cartilage and subchondral bone of aged rats with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS:Eight 6-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in the young group and sixteen 24-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into old group(n=8)and electroacupuncture group(n=8).The rats in the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture stimulation once a day,5 days a week,for 8 continuous weeks,and the other two groups did not do any treatment.Eight weeks later,the level of type Ⅱ collagen C-terminal peptide in peripheral blood was detected by ELISA,the morphology of left knee cartilage and subchondral bone was observed by safranin O-fast green staining,the degree of knee cartilage degeneration was evaluated by modified Mankin's score,the microstructure of left knee cartilage and subchondral bone was detected by micro-CT,and the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 13,P53,P21 Mrna and protein were detected by RT-PCR and western blot respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the young group,the level of C-terminal peptide of type Ⅱ collagen in the peripheral blood was increased in the old group(P<0.05).The micro-CT results showed that the bone volume fraction,bone mineral density and the number of bone trabeculae were decreased in the old group compared with the young group(P<0.05),while the trabecular separation increased(P<0.05).Safranin O-fast green staining showed that in the old group,the surface layer of cartilage was uneven with fissures,the morphology of chondrocytes was irregular and stained unevenly,the boundary between the cartilage and subchondral bone was blurred,and the matrix loss was serious.The Mankin's score was higher in the old group than the young group(P<0.05).The expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13,P53,P21 at Mrna and protein levels increased in the old group compared with the young group(P<0.05).Compared with the old group,electroacupuncture decreased the level of C-terminal peptide of type Ⅱ collagen(P<0.05),increased the bone volume fraction,bone mineral density and the number of bone trabeculae(P<0.05),and decreased the trabecular separation(P<0.05).Safranin O-fast green staining showed that in the electroacupuncture group,the surface of cartilage was smooth and red staining was uniform,and the cell morphology and structure were between the young group and the old group.Following electroacupuncture treatment,the Mankin's score(P<0.05),matrix metalloproteinase 13 and P21 Mrna expression(P<0.05),and matrix metalloproteinase 13 and P53 protein expression decreased(P<0.05),while there was a decreasing trend of P53 Mrna and P21 protein expression,but with no statistical significance(P>0.05).To conclude,electroacupuncture may delay articular cartilage degeneration and subchondral osteoporosis in aged rats by inhibiting the expression of P53 and P21,so as to protect joints and delay joint aging.

Objective To explore the efficacy of T-cell spot test of tuberculosis infection(T-SPOT.TB)in the differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis(STB),and optimize diagnostic efficacy through the optimal cut-off value of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Methods Clinical data of patients with spinal infection in a hospi-tal from January 2010 to May 2019 were collected,including preoperative T-SPOT.TB test results,white blood cell count,C-reactive protein,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,procalcitonin,and tuberculosis antibodies,etal.Clinical diagnosis was conducted based on diagnostic criteria.The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB in preoperative diagnosis of STB and other spinal infection was analyzed,and the diagnostic efficacy of the optimized T-SPOT.TB indicators was evaluated.Results A total of 132 patients were included in this study,out of whom 78 patients(59.09％)were diagnosed with STB,and 54(40.91％)were diagnosed with non-tuberculosis(non-TB)spinal in-fection.The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB in differential diagnosis of STB were 67.68％and 66.67％,respectively.Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with non-TB spinal infection,the OR va-lue of T-SPOT.TB test in diagnosing STB was 4.188(95％CI:1.847-9.974,P＜0.001).The optimized T-SPOT.TB evaluation index through ROC curve to determine the optimal cut-off values of ESAT-6,CFP-10,and CFP-10+ESAT-6 for differential diagnosis of STB and non-TB spinal infection were 12.5,19.5,and 36,respec-tively,and area under curve(AUC)values were 0.765 6,0.741 5,and 0.778 6,respectively,all with good diag-nostic efficacy.CFP-10+ESAT-6 had the highest AUC.CFP-10+ESAT-6 specific spot count had higher efficacy in the diagnosis of STB,with a diagnostic accuracy of 75.56％,higher than 67.42％of pre-optimized T-SPOT.TB.Conclusion T-SPOT.TB test has high diagnostic efficacy in differentiating STB from non-TB spinal infection.Posi-tivity in T-SPOT.TB test,especially with spot count of CFP-10+ESAT-6 over 36,indicates a higher likelihood of STB.

Objectives:Fluid resuscitation is an important treatment for sepsis. However, the optimal choice of fluid is still controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Sodium Bicarbonate Ringer’s Solution on the outcome of patients with sepsis.Methods:This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled clinical study, From July 2021 to June 2023, adult patients with Sepsis who met the diagnostic criteria of Sepsis 3.0 admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Jiangdu People's Hospital of Yangzhou were randomly assigned to the sodium bicarbonate ringer’s solution group or the normal saline group according to the random number table. Patients received either sodium bicarbonate ringer’s solution or normal saline as fluid for resuscitation and maintenance therapy. Clinicians determined the amount and rate of infusion based on volume assessment. The 30-day mortality, the degradation of endothelial glycocalyx degradation products at multiple time points, the mortality in intensive care unit (ICU), the incidence of major adverse renal events (MAKE30) within 30 days, and other clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the concentration of endothelial glycocalyx coating degradation products in peripheral blood. The count data were analyzed by χ 2 test, and the measurement data were analyzed by independent sample t test. Results:A total of 67 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled during the study (32 patients in the sodium bicarbonate ringer’s solution group and 35 patients in the normal saline group). There were no significant differences in baseline data such as age, gender, underlying diseases, and SOFA score at enrollment between the two groups ( P>0.05).The 30-day mortality (28.1% vs. 40.0%), ICU mortality (15.6% vs. 20.0%) and MAKE30 (31.2% vs. 42.9%) in the sodium bicarbonate ringer’s solution group were lower than those in the normal saline group, but the differences were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The levels of SCD-1(1317.3±206.9) pg/mL, HA (75.1±24.9) ng/mL and HS (75.6±13.8) ng/mL in the sodium bicarbonate ringer’s solution group were significantly lower than those in the normal saline group [(1514.6±264.9) pg/mL, (96.5±25.4) ng/mL, (85.8±15.8) ng/mL] on the third day (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Although the use of sodium bicarbonate ringer’s solution for resuscitation in sepsis patients cannot significantly reduce the 30-day mortality rate, but significantly reduce the degradation of polysaccharide coating, decrease the occurrence of hyperchloremia and acidosis.

Objective To investigate the independent risk factors of postoperative femoral head necrosis for pediatric femoral neck fractures.Methods The clinical data of 122 children with femoral neck fracture who underwent surgery in our hospital from July 2008 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The femoral head necrosis was counted,and the children were divided into the femoral head necrosis group and the femoral head normal group according to the presence of femoral head necrosis,then the risk factors of femoral head necrosis were analyzed.Results Of the 122 children,22 cases(18.03％)had femoral head necrosis.The postoperative femoral head necrosis for pediatric femoral neck fractures may be related to the age,Delbet classification,initial displacement degree,injury mechanism,operation time,internal fixation method and reduction quality(P＜0.05),while which has no significant correlation with the gender,side,time from injury to operation,or reduction method(P＞0.05).The results of Logistic regression analysis showed that age＞10 years,Delbet type of Ⅰ to Ⅱ,initial displacement degree of type Ⅲ,high-energy injury and unacceptable reduction were the independent risk factors of postoperative femoral head necrosis for pediatric femoral neck fractures(P＜0.05).Conclusion Older children,or patients with Delbet type of Ⅰ to Ⅱ,large degree of initial displacement,high-energy injury,and unacceptable reduction are the independent risk factors of postoperative femoral head necrosis for pediatric femoral neck fractures.

The Piezo protein is a non-selective mechanosensitive cation channel that exhibits sensitivity to mechanical stimuli such as pressure and shear stress. It converts mechanical signals into bioelectric activity within cells, thus triggering specific biological responses. In the digestive system, Piezo protein plays a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological activities, including digestion, absorption, metabolic regulation, and immune modulation. However, dysregulation in Piezo protein expression may lead to the occurrence of several pathological conditions, including visceral hypersensitivity, impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier function, and immune inflammation.Therefore, conducting a comprehensive review of the physiological functions and pathological roles of Piezo protein in the digestive system is of paramount importance. In this review, we systematically summarize the structural and dynamic characteristics of Piezo protein, its expression patterns, and physiological functions in the digestive system. We particularly focus on elucidating the mechanisms of action of Piezo protein in digestive system tumor diseases, inflammatory diseases, fibrotic diseases, and functional disorders. Through the integration of the latest research findings, we have observed that Piezo protein plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various digestive system diseases. There exist intricate interactions between Piezo protein and multiple phenotypes of digestive system tumors such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. In inflammatory diseases, Piezo protein promotes intestinal immune responses and pancreatic trypsinogen activation, contributing to the development of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and pancreatitis. Additionally, Piezo1, through pathways involving co-action with the TRPV4 ion channel, facilitates neutrophil recruitment and suppresses HIF-1α ubiquitination, thereby mediating organ fibrosis in organs like the liver and pancreas. Moreover, Piezo protein regulation by gut microbiota or factors like age and gender can result in increased or decreased visceral sensitivity, and alterations in intestinal mucosal barrier structure and permeability, which are closely associated with functional disorders like irritable bowel sydrome (IBS) and functional consitipaction (FC). A thorough exploration of Piezo protein as a potential therapeutic target in digestive system diseases can provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for future clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Acute liver injury (ALI) is one of the common severe diseases in clinic, which is characterized by redox imbalance and inflammatory storm. Untimely treatment can easily lead to liver failure and even death. Rosmarinic acid (RA) has been proved to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, but it is not clear how to protect ALI through antioxidation and inhibition of inflammation. Therefore, this study explored the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of RA on ALI through in vitro and in vivo experiments. In the mouse ALI model, the effects of RA on liver function and inflammatory indexes were studied, the pathological changes of liver were observed by HE, the effect of RA on reactive oxygen species in liver was detected by fluorescence method, and the level of F4/80 in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemical method. The levels of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (CASPASE-1) in liver tissue were measured by Western blot. All animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the rules of the Animal Ethics Committee of Southwest Minzu University. In vitro, human hepatoma cell line HepG2 was used to establish the model of oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂. The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 method. The level of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the supernatant was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the activity of lactatede hydrogenase (LDH) was detected by LDH kit, and the level of ROS was detected by fluorescence probe DCFH-DA labeling. The mRNA expression of Txnip, Nlrp3, Caspase 1, Il1β was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR), and the protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (NRF2), TXNIP, NLRP3 and CASPASE-1 were measured by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the model group, the degree of liver swelling, tissue injury, liver function index in RA group were significantly lower than those in model group. And RA significantly attenuated the increases of ROS in liver tissue. The expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3 and CASPASE-1 in liver tissue were significantly lower than those in model group. Additionally, RA inhibited the expressions of F4/80 and IL-1β. In vitro experiment, compared with model group, RA effectively inhibited the secretion of IL-1β and LDH. The level of ROS also decreased significantly. RA inhibited the mRNA expressions of Txnip, Caspase 1, Il1β. Furthermore, RA significantly increased the expression level of NRF2 protein in nucleus, and decreased the expression level of TXNIP and NLRP3 protein. Specifically, with the addition of ML385, the effect of RA on NRF2, TXNIP, NLRP3, CASPASE-1 protein expression was reversed. Collectively, these findings suggested that RA may inhibit the production of ROS by promoting NRF2 nuclear transfer, and then reduce the activation of NLRP3 inflammatory bodies by TXNIP, reduce cell death and inflammatory response to prevent the liver injury.

Methods: A total of 10 specific pathogen free (SPF) grade female DBA/2J mice were randomly divided into model group and QGA II group (n = 5 for each group), while additional 5 SPF-grade female C57BL/6J mice were assigned to control group. Mice presented spontaneous high IOP and showed elevated approximately at the age of seven months. The high IOP was maintained until week 38, when gavage was initiated. Mice in control group underwent the same intragastric treatment, while those in QGA II group were gavaged with QGA II (9.67 g/kg), once a day for four weeks. Retinal morphology was examined using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, with the number of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) counted. The expression level of Brn3a protein, a specific marker for RGCs, was detected by immunofluorescence, with the mean optical density (OD) measured for quantitative analysis. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing was leveraged to analyze changes in the diversity of gut microbiota, including their α-diversity (Chao1, Shannon, Pielou’s evenness, and observed species index) and β-diversity. Venn diagrams and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis was employed to investigate the number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), the abundance of differential gut microbiota species, and the classification of species at both the phylum and genus levels within the three groups of mice. Results: HE staining revealed that compared with control group, model group showed significant reduction in the number of RGCs (P < 0.01), with intracellular vacuolar degeneration and nuclear pyknosis. After QGA II treatment, the number of RGCs was significantly increased compared with model group (P < 0.01), with notable improvements in intracellular vacuolar degeneration. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the mean OD of Brn3a protein was significantly decreased in model group compared with control group (P < 0.01), while QGA II treatment significantly elevated its expression level (P < 0.01). Analysis of α-diversity showed that after QGA II intervention, the Chao1, Shannon, and Pielou’s evenness indices were significantly increased (P < 0.01), and the observed species index was elevated (P < 0.05). β-Diversity analysis demonstrated distinct clustering among the three groups, indicating relatively low similarity in bacterial community structures. ASV clustering identified a total of 14 061 ASVs across all groups, with 9 514 ASVs shared between model and QGA II groups. At the phylum level, the abundance of Bacteroidetes was significantly decreased in model group compared with control group (P < 0.01), while Firmicutes and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio were significantly increased (P < 0.01). QGA II treatment significantly reduced both Firmicutes abundance and the F/B ratio (P < 0.01). At the genus level, Lactobacillus was dominant across all groups, with its abundance significantly increased in model group (P < 0.01) and subsequently decreased following QGA II intervention (P < 0.05). Conclusion QGA II restructured the gut microbiota of DBA/2J mice with chronic high IOP, bringing changes in their diversity and abundance of components. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus, along with their associated microorganisms, are likely critical components of the gut microbiota that contribute to the optic neuroprotective effects of QGA II on chronic high IOP mice.