Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of six kinds of commonly used traditional Chi-nese medicine combined with mesalazine in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC)based on frequency statis-tical network meta-analysis.Methods Randomized controlled trials(RCT)of oral Chinese medicine for the treatment of UC were searched from the establishment of the database to June 2024 of PubMed,CNKI,Wan-fang,VIP,Sinomed and other databases.The quality of the included literatures was evaluated by Cochrane bias risk assessment tool,and the data were statistically analyzed by Stata MP17.0 software.Results A total of 24 RCTs involving 1 939 patients were included,involving 6 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese pa-tent medicine,including 4 macro and micro outcome indicators.In terms of improving the total clinical effec-tive rate,Shaoyao decoction,Gancao Xiexin decoction,Huangqin decoction granule,Baitouweng decoction,Kangfuxin liquid,Shenlingbaizhu powder+mesalazine were all superior to using mesalazine alone,and Kang-fuxin liquid+mesalazine had the best effect(P<0.05).In terms of down-regulation of interleukin(IL)-6 expression in colonic mucosa,Shaoyao decoction,Gancao Xiexin Decoction,Huangqin Decoction granules,Pul-satilla decoction,Kangfuxin Liquid+mesalazine were better than using mesalazine alone,and Pulsatilla De-coction+mesalazine had the best effect on reducing IL-6(P<0.05).In terms of down-regulation of colonic mucosal tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α expression,Shaoyao decoction,Gancao Xiexin decoction,Huangqin decoction granule,Baitouweng decoction,Shenlingbaizhu decoction+mesalazine was better than using me-salazine alone,and Gancao Xiexin decoction+mesalazine had the best effect(P<0.05).In terms of down-regulation of IL-10 expression in colonic mucosa,Pulsatilla decoction+mesalazine was better than mesalazine alone(P<0.05).Conclusion Traditional Chinese medicine combined with mesalazine could alleviate the clin-ical symptoms of UC patients,improve inflammatory factor indicators,eliminate inflammation,and show a better treatment effect for UC than mesalazine used alone.

Neuroinflammatory responses play an important role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, particularly those affecting the central nervous system. Inhibition of neuroinflammation is a crucial therapeutic strategy for the management of central nervous system disorders. The intestinal microbial-gut-brain axis serves as a key regulatory pathway that modulates neuroinflammatory processes. Intestinal flora metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, indoles and their derivatives, lipopolysaccharides, trimethylamine oxide, and secondary bile acids exert direct or indirect effects on neuroinflammation. Studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) modulates the composition of the intestinal microbiota and its metabolites, while also suppressing neuroinflammation by targeting the TLR4/NF- κ B, NLRP3/caspase-1, and microglial cell M2-type transformation pathways. This review discusses the mechanisms by which EA regulates neuroinflammation via intestinal microbiota and its metabolites, providing information and a foundation for further investigation of the precise therapeutic mechanisms of EA in neurological disorders.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Electroacupuncture ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Animals

eIF3a is a N ⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) reader that regulates mRNA translation by recognizing m⁶A modifications of these mRNAs. It has been suggested that eIF3a may play an important role in regulating translation initiation via m⁶A during infection when canonical cap-dependent initiation is inhibited. However, the death of animal model studies impedes our understanding of the functional significance of eIF3a in immunity and regulation in vivo. In this study, we investigated the in vivo function of eIF3a using eIF3a knockout and knockdown mouse models and found that eIF3a deficiency resulted in splenic tissue structural disruption and multi-organ damage, which contributed to severe sepsis induced by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Ectopic eIF3a overexpression in the eIF3a knockdown mice rescued mice from LPS-induced severe sepsis. We further showed that eIF3a maintains a functional and healthy immune system by regulating B cell function and quantity through m⁶A modification of mRNAs. These findings unveil a novel mechanism underlying sepsis, implicating the pivotal role of B cells in this complex disease process regulated by eIF3a. Furthermore, eIF3a may be used to develop a potential strategy for treating sepsis.

Objective To analyze the correlation between venous thromboembolism(VTE)and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution types in elderly frail patients.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1 428 elderly frail patients admitted to the Second Comprehensive Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2023.Patients were divided into a venous thrombsis(VT)group(n=187)and a non-VT group(n=1 241)based on VTE occurrence.Baseline data,including age distribution,Padua scores,Wells scores,and TCM constitution types,were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors for influencing VTE in elderly frail patients.Results(1)Compared with the non-VT group,the VT group had significantly higher total hospitalization costs,length of stay,age,Fried scores,Padua scores,and Wells scores,with statistically significance(P＜0.001).(2)Compared with the non-VT group,the VT group had a higher proportion of high VTE-risk individuals and those with Wells scores of 2 points,with statistically significance(P＜0.001).(3)The age distribution of VTE patients showed an increasing trend in the age groups of 60-69,70-79,80-89,and ≥90-year-old,with a significant difference compared to the non-VT group(P＜0.001).(4)The VT group had a higher proportion of qi-deficiency,blood-stasis,and qi-depression constitutions than the non-VT group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.001).(5)Multivariate logistic regression analysis(after adjusting age,gender,frailty,and other scores)showed that qi-deficiency and yang-deficiency constitutions were non-susceptible,while damp-heat,blood-stasis,and qi-depression constitutions were susceptible to VTE in elderly frail patients(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion VTE in elderly frail patients is significantly correlated with TCM constitution types.Deviated constitutions are characteristic of TCM constitution types in elderly frail patients,and damp-heat,blood-stasis,and qi-depression constitutions are risk factors for VTE in this population.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of common pathogens isolated from cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)in CHINET program from 2015 to 2021.Methods The bacterial strains isolated from CSF were identified in accordance with clinical microbiology practice standards.Antimicrobial susceptibility test was conducted using Kirby-Bauer method and automated systems per the unified CHINET protocol.Results A total of 14 014 bacterial strains were isolated from CSF samples from 2015 to 2021,including the strains isolated from inpatients(95.3％)and from outpatient and emergency care patients(4.7％).Overall,19.6％of the isolates were from children and 80.4％were from adults.Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 68.0％and 32.0％,respectively.Coagulase negative Staphylococcus accounted for 73.0％of the total Gram-positive bacterial isolates.The prevalence of MRSA was 38.2％in children and 45.6％in adults.The prevalence of MRCNS was 67.6％in adults and 69.5％in children.A small number of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium(2.2％)and linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis(3.1％)were isolated from adult patients.The resistance rates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to ceftriaxone were 52.2％and 76.4％in children,70.5％and 63.5％in adults.The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant E.coli and K.pneumoniae(CRKP)was 1.3％and 47.7％in children,6.4％and 47.9％in adults.The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(CRPA)was 74.0％and 37.1％in children,81.7％and 39.9％in adults.Conclusions The data derived from antimicrobial resistance surveillance are crucial for clinicians to make evidence-based decisions regarding antibiotic therapy.Attention should be paid to the Gram-negative bacteria,especially CRKP and CRAB in central nervous system(CNS)infections.Ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance is helpful for optimizing antibiotic use in CNS infections.

Objective To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of clinical isolates from elderly patients(≥65 years)in major medical institutions across China.Methods Bacterial strains were isolated from elderly patients in 52 hospitals participating in the CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program during the period from 2015 to 2021.Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out by disk diffusion method and automated systems according to the same CHINET protocol.The data were interpreted in accordance with the breakpoints recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)in 2021.Results A total of 514 715 nonduplicate clinical isolates were collected from elderly patients in 52 hospitals from January 1,2015 to December 31,2021.The number of isolates accounted for 34.3％of the total number of clinical isolates from all patients.Overall,21.8％of the 514 715 strains were gram-positive bacteria,and 78.2％were gram-negative bacteria.Majority(90.9％)of the strains were isolated from inpatients.About 42.9％of the strains were isolated from respiratory specimens,and 22.9％were isolated from urine.More than half(60.7％)of the strains were isolated from male patients,and 39.3％isolated from females.About 51.1％of the strains were isolated from patients aged 65-＜75 years.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains(MRSA)was 38.8％in 32 190 strains of Staphylococcus aureus.No vancomycin-or linezolid-resistant strains were found.The resistance rate of E.faecalis to most antibiotics was significantly lower than that of Enterococcus faecium,but a few vancomycin-resistant strains(0.2％,1.5％)and linezolid-resistant strains(3.4％,0.3％)were found in E.faecalis and E.faecium.The prevalence of penicillin-susceptible S.pneumoniae(PSSP),penicillin-intermediate S.pneumoniae(PISP),and penicillin-resistant S.pneumoniae(PRSP)was 94.3％,4.0％,and 1.7％in nonmeningitis S.pneumoniae isolates.The resistance rates of Klebsiella spp.(Klebsiella pneumoniae 93.2％)to imipenem and meropenem were 20.9％and 22.3％,respectively.Other Enterobacterales species were highly sensitive to carbapenem antibiotics.Only 1.7％-7.8％of other Enterobacterales strains were resistant to carbapenems.The resistance rates of Acinetobacter spp.(Acinetobacter baumannii 90.6％)to imipenem and meropenem were 68.4％and 70.6％respectively,while 28.5％and 24.3％of P.aeruginosa strains were resistant to imipenem and meropenem,respectively.Conclusions The number of clinical isolates from elderly patients is increasing year by year,especially in the 65-＜75 age group.Respiratory tract isolates were more prevalent in male elderly patients,and urinary tract isolates were more prevalent in female elderly patients.Klebsiella isolates were increasingly resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents,especially carbapenems.Antimicrobial resistance surveillance is helpful for accurate empirical antimicrobial therapy in elderly patients.

Objective To summarize the changing prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales based on the data of CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021 for improving antimicrobial treatment in clinical practice.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using a commercial automated susceptibility testing system according to the unified CHINET protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)M100 31st ed in 2021.Results Over the seven-year period(2015-2021),the overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE)was 9.43％(62 342/661 235).The prevalence of CRE strains in Klebsiella pneumoniae,Citrobacter freundii,and Enterobacter cloacae was 22.38％,9.73％,and 8.47％,respectively.The prevalence of CRE strains in Escherichia coli was 1.99％.A few CRE strains were also identified in Salmonella and Shigella.The CRE strains were mainly isolated from respiratory specimens(44.23±2.80)％,followed by blood(20.88±3.40)％and urine(18.40±3.45)％.Intensive care units(ICUs)were the major source of the CRE strains(27.43±5.20)％.CRE strains were resistant to all the β-lactam antibiotics tested and most non-β-lactam antimicrobial agents.The CRE strains were relatively susceptible to tigecycline and polymyxins with low resistance rates.Conclusions The prevalence of CRE strains was increasing from 2015 to 2021.CRE strains were highly resistant to most of the antibacterial drugs used in clinical practice.Clinicians should prescribe antimicrobial agents rationally.Hospitals should strengthen antibiotic stewardship in key clinical settings such as ICUs,and take effective infection control measures to curb CRE outbreak and epidemic in hospitals.

Objective To characterize the changing species distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles of respiratory isolates in hospitals participating in the CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021.Methods Commercial automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems and disk diffusion method were used to test the susceptibility of respiratory bacterial isolates to antimicrobial agents following the standardized technical protocol established by the CHINET program.Results A total of 589 746 respiratory isolates were collected from 2015 to 2021.Overall,82.6％of the isolates were Gram-negative bacteria and 17.4％were Gram-positive bacteria.The bacterial isolates from outpatients and inpatients accounted for(6.0±0.9)％and(94.0±0.1)％,respectively.The top microorganisms were Klebsiella spp.,Acinetobacter spp.,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus,Haemophilus spp.,Stenotrophomonas maltophilia,Escherichia coli,and Streptococcus pneumoniae.Each microorganism was isolated from significantly more males than from females(P＜0.05).The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA)was 39.9％.The prevalence of penicillin-resistant S.pneumoniae was 1.4％.The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase(ESBL)-producing E.coli and K.pneumoniae was 67.8％and 41.3％,respectively.The overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant E.coli,K.pneumoniae,Enterobacter cloacae,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Acinetobacter baumannii was 3.7％,20.8％,9.4％,29.8％,and 73.3％,respectively.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 96.1％in Moraxella catarrhalis and 60.0％in Haemophilus influenzae.The H.influenzae isolates from children(＜18 years)showed significantly higher resistance rates to β-lactam antibiotics than the isolates from adults(P＜0.05).Conclusions Gram-negative bacteria are still predominant in respiratory isolates associated with serious antibiotic resistance.Antimicrobial resistance surveillance should be strengthened in clinical practice to support accurate etiological diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing results.

AIM:This study aimed to investigate whether Xiang-Sha-Liujunzi decoction(XSLJZD)prevents ethanol-induced gastric ulcer(GU)in rats by inhibiting nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome activation-mediated pyroptosis.METHODS:A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:normal control group,model group,positive control(0.33 mg/kg rabeprazole)group,low-dose(3.40 g/kg)XSLJZD group and high-dose(6.80 g/kg)XSLJZD group,with 12 rats per group.Prior to the induction of GU,all rats received their respective treatments via intragastric gavage for 3 d.The GU model was established in all groups except the normal control group using the anhydrous ethanol method.The ulcer index and ulcer inhibition rate were measured.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe pathological changes of gastric tissues,and periodic acid-Schiff staining was used to evaluate the mucus content.Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were employed to inves-tigate ultrastructural changes of gastric tissues.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was conducted to measure the levels of interleukin-4(IL-4),IL-10,IL-1β,IL-18,prostaglandin E2(PGE2)and nitric oxide(NO).Additionally,visible spectrophotometric assay was used to determine the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathione(GSH)and superoxide dismutase(SOD).The protein levels of NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),caspase-1,gasdermin D(GSDMD),phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB(p-NF-κB)and phosphorylated NF-κB inhibitor β(p-IκBβ)were assessed using immunofluorescence staining.RESULTS:Compared with model group,XSLJZD significantly alleviated gastric tissue injury,reduced the ulcer index,and enhanced the ulcer inhibition rate in GU rats.Treatment with XSLJZD markedly increased the levels of SOD,GSH,IL-4,IL-10,PGE2 and NO in gas-tric tissue,but significantly decreased the levels of MDA,IL-1β and IL-18.At the molecular level,XSLJZD significantly down-regulated the protein levels of NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,GSDMD,p-NF-κB and p-IκBβ in gastric tissues.CON-CLUSION:Treatment with XSLJZD demonstrates a significant preventive effect against ethanol-induced GU in rats.Its mechanisms may involve the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation,reduction of the inflammatory response,pre-vention of pyroptosis in gastric mucosal epithelial cells,and enhancement of antioxidant levels.

Objective To analyze the correlation between lesion volume,lesion mass,and maximum lesion diameter in the assessment of advanced hepatocarcinoma with lung metastasis,and to evaluate the application value of total volume response and total mass response of lung metastatic lesions in efficacy assessment.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the CT imaging data of 20 patients clinically confirmed with hepatocarcinoma and lung metastases,followed by subsequent follow-up to monitor their survival outcomes.Volume measurement software was used to measure the volume of lesions before and after treatment.We recored lesion diameter,volume measurements and CT values,calculated the mass of the lesions.The correlation between lesion volume,mass and diameter was analyzed,as well as the correlation between the change rates of volume,mass and lesion diameter.Additionally,the total volume and total mass of all lesions were calculated.The correlation between the change rates of total volume/total mass and the change rate of pulmonary lesion diameter under the RECIST 1.1 criteria,as well as the correlation with changes in patients'tumor markers,were analyzed.Furthermore,the overall volume response and overall mass response of lesions were evaluated based on changes in total volume and total mass,and their consistencies with the RECIST 1.1 criteria for efficacy evaluation were analyzed.Finally,univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to explore the association between these variables and patient survival outcomes.Results There was strong correlation between lesion volume,mass and tumor diameter(r=0.771,0.775),between the rate of change in mass and the rate of change in lesion diameter(r=0.846),and between the rates of change in total volume/total mass and the rate of change in pulmonary lesion diameter under the RECIST 1.1 criteria(r=0.800,0.896).The correlation between the rates of change in total volume/total mass and patients'tumor markers was not statistically significant.There was moderate correlation between the rate of change in volume and the rate of change in lesion diameter(r=0.692).The evaluation results of total volume response and total mass response for pulmonary lesions in advanced hepatocarcinoma with lung metastasis were generally consistent with the RECIST 1.1 criteria(Kappa=0.486,0.426).Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that total lesion volume(P=0.047)and total lesion mass(P=0.049)were independent prognostic factors for survival outcomes.Conclusion Lesion volume,mass,and diameter,as well as their respective change rates,were found to be interrelated.Furthermore,total lesion volume and total lesion mass were identified as independent prognostic factors for survival outcomes.The total volume response and total mass response are promising evaluation methods in evaluating the efficacy of lung metastasis of hepatocarcinoma,which are different from the RECIST 1.1 evaluation criteria.