Objective:To investigate the selenium levels in hair, grain, and soil samples collected from residents in typical Keshan disease (KD) endemic and non-endemic areas of Yunnan Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (referred to as Inner Mongolia), and to provide basic data for evaluating the effectiveness of KD prevention and control strategies.Methods:In 2018, one county with a history of severe KD and one non-endemic county with a similar environment were selected from each of Yunnan Province and Inner Mongolia. Within each county, one natural village was selected as the survey site. Ten soil samples were collected from each village. Ten households were stratified based on their annual per capita income levels of low, medium, and high (3, 4, 3 households, respectively). Three samples of hair and three samples of grain were collected from each household, and selenium level was measured using hydride atomic fluorescence spectrometry.Results:A total of 118 hair samples, 125 grain samples, and 39 soil samples were collected. The selenium levels in the hair of residents from KD endemic areas were significantly lower than those from non-endemic areas within the same province ( P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in selenium levels in grain and soil ( P > 0.05). The selenium level in the hair of residents in Yunnan Province [0.36 (0.31, 0.41) mg/kg] was higher than that in Inner Mongolia [0.31 (0.25, 0.35) mg/kg, Z = - 3.87, P < 0.001]. The proportion of sufficient hair selenium levels (≥0.30 mg/kg) was 86.7% (52/60) in Yunnan Province and 55.2% (32/58) in Inner Mongolia, with a statistically significant difference (χ 2 = 14.26, P < 0.001). Selenium levels in grain and soil in Yunnan Province were lower than those in Inner Mongolia ( P < 0.001). The proportion of sufficient grain selenium levels (> 0.02 mg/kg) was 5.7% (4/70) in Yunnan Province and 12.7% (7/55) in Inner Mongolia, with a significant difference (χ 2 = 11.88, P = 0.003). The selenium levels in soil in both provinces reached the sufficient level (≥0.20 mg/kg). Conclusions:The selenium levels in the population of KD endemic areas are lower than those in non-endemic regions, and the selenium deficiency among residents in Inner Mongolia is more prominent than in Yunnan Province. The selenium levels in Inner Mongolia's grain and soil are higher than those in Yunnan Province. In the future prevention and control of KD attention should be paid to monitoring the selenium nutrition level of the population in KD areas, especially in Inner Mongolia areas located in the north.

Objective:To identify the risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HID-HSCT) .Methods:A total of 141 AML patients who underwent HID-HSCT at the Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2020 to July 2021 were included. The cumulative incidence of aGVHD was analyzed using the Fine-Gray competing risk model, with relapse and death as competing events, to compare differences between groups. Potential risk factors were evaluated by univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to determine their independent effects on aGVHD.Results:Among the 141 patients, 86 (61.0%) were male and 55 (39.0%) were female, with a median age at transplantation of 34 years. Within 100 days post-transplant, 59 patients developed grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD, whereas 86 patients experienced no or grade Ⅰ aGVHD (the grade 0-Ⅰ aGVHD group) . Survival analysis showed that the 3-year overall survival was 68.7% (95% CI: 57.7%-81.9%) in the grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD group, compared with 78.8% (95% CI: 70.4%-88.3%) in the grade 0 - Ⅰ aGVHD group, with the difference not being statistically significant ( P=0.190) . Univariable analysis identified donor age ( P=0.020, HR=1.020, 95% CI: 1.000-1.040) and the female donor-male recipient sex combination ( P=0.033, HR=1.980, 95% CI: 1.160-3.380) as risk factors for grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD. Multivariable analysis confirmed that donor age ( P=0.005, HR=1.026, 95% CI: 1.008-1.047) and the female donor-male recipient sex combination ( P=0.002, HR=2.339, 95% CI: 1.354-4.037) were independent risk factors for aGVHD. Patients receiving grafts from donors aged >45 years had a significantly higher 100-day cumulative incidence of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD compared with those receiving grafts from donors ≤45 years [54.7% (95% CI: 42.3%-67.0%) vs 31.6% (95% CI: 21.0%-42.1%) , P=0.006]. Similarly, patients with the female donor-male recipient sex combination had a higher 100-day cumulative incidence of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD than those with other sex combinations [56.8% (95% CI: 40.4%-73.1%) vs 36.9% (95% CI: 27.5%-46.3%) , P=0.015]. Conclusion:Older donor age and the female donor-male recipient sex combination remain independent risk factors for aGVHD in patients with AML undergoing HID-HSCT.

Objective:To evaluate the role of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase (HO-1) signaling pathway in the attenuation of endotoxin-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by hydromorphone and the relationship with Golgi apparatus stress (GA stress) in mice.Methods:Eighteen SPF wild-type (WT) and 18 Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2 KO) male C57BL/6J mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 18-20 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=6 each) using a random number table method: control groups (WT+ Con group, Nrf2 KO+ Con group), ALI groups (WT+ ALI group, Nrf2 KO+ ALI group) and ALI+ hydromorphone groups (WT+ ALI+ HM group, Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group). ALI was induced by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 15 mg/kg via the tail vein in anesthetized animals. Hydromorphone 120 μg was intraperitoneally injected at 15 min before LPS injection in WT+ ALI+ HM group and Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group, and the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in control groups. The animals were sacrificed after anesthesia at 12 h after LPS injection, and lung tissues were obtained for examination of the pathological changes which were scored and Golgi ultrastructure (with a transmission electron microscope) and for determination of the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and Golgi stress-related markers (Golgi matrix protein 130 [GM130], Golgi autoantigen 97 kDa [Golgin-97], ATPase secretory pathway Ca 2+ Transporting 1 [ATP2C1], Golgi phosphoprotein 3 [GOLPH3]) (by Western blot). Results:Compared with WT+ Con group and Nrf2 KO+ Con group, the lung injury scores and content of MDA were significantly increased, the activity of SOD was decreased, the expression of GM130, Golgin-97 and ATP2C1 was down-regulated, the expression of GOLPH3 was up-regulated ( P<0.05), no significant changes were found in the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 ( P>0.05), and the damage to the Golgi apparatus was aggravated in WT+ ALI group and Nrf2 KO+ ALI group. Compared with WT+ ALI group, the lung injury scores and content of MDA were significantly decreased, the activity of SOD was increased, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GM130, Golgin-97 and ATP2C1 was up-regulated, the expression of GOLPH3 was down-regulated ( P<0.05), and the damage to the Golgi apparatus was significantly attenuated in WT+ ALI+ HM group. Compared with Nrf2 KO+ ALI group, the lung injury scores were significantly decreased, and the activity of SOD was increased ( P<0.05), no significant changes were found in the content of MDA and expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GM130, Golgin-97, ATP2C1 and GOLPH3 ( P>0.05), and no significant reduction in the damage to the Golgi apparatus was found in Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group. Compared with WT+ ALI+ HM group, the lung injury scores and content of MDA were significantly increased, the activity of SOD was decreased, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GM130, Golgin-97 and ATP2C1 was down-regulated, the expression of GOLPH3 was up-regulated ( P<0.05), and the damage to the Golgi apparatus was aggravated in Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group. Conclusions:Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway is involved in the attenuation of endotoxin-induced ALI by hydromorphone, and it is associated with the inhibition of Golgi stress.

Objective:To evaluate the role of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase (HO-1) signaling pathway in the attenuation of endotoxin-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by hydromorphone and the relationship with Golgi apparatus stress (GA stress) in mice.Methods:Eighteen SPF wild-type (WT) and 18 Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2 KO) male C57BL/6J mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 18-20 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=6 each) using a random number table method: control groups (WT+ Con group, Nrf2 KO+ Con group), ALI groups (WT+ ALI group, Nrf2 KO+ ALI group) and ALI+ hydromorphone groups (WT+ ALI+ HM group, Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group). ALI was induced by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 15 mg/kg via the tail vein in anesthetized animals. Hydromorphone 120 μg was intraperitoneally injected at 15 min before LPS injection in WT+ ALI+ HM group and Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group, and the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in control groups. The animals were sacrificed after anesthesia at 12 h after LPS injection, and lung tissues were obtained for examination of the pathological changes which were scored and Golgi ultrastructure (with a transmission electron microscope) and for determination of the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and Golgi stress-related markers (Golgi matrix protein 130 [GM130], Golgi autoantigen 97 kDa [Golgin-97], ATPase secretory pathway Ca 2+ Transporting 1 [ATP2C1], Golgi phosphoprotein 3 [GOLPH3]) (by Western blot). Results:Compared with WT+ Con group and Nrf2 KO+ Con group, the lung injury scores and content of MDA were significantly increased, the activity of SOD was decreased, the expression of GM130, Golgin-97 and ATP2C1 was down-regulated, the expression of GOLPH3 was up-regulated ( P<0.05), no significant changes were found in the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 ( P>0.05), and the damage to the Golgi apparatus was aggravated in WT+ ALI group and Nrf2 KO+ ALI group. Compared with WT+ ALI group, the lung injury scores and content of MDA were significantly decreased, the activity of SOD was increased, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GM130, Golgin-97 and ATP2C1 was up-regulated, the expression of GOLPH3 was down-regulated ( P<0.05), and the damage to the Golgi apparatus was significantly attenuated in WT+ ALI+ HM group. Compared with Nrf2 KO+ ALI group, the lung injury scores were significantly decreased, and the activity of SOD was increased ( P<0.05), no significant changes were found in the content of MDA and expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GM130, Golgin-97, ATP2C1 and GOLPH3 ( P>0.05), and no significant reduction in the damage to the Golgi apparatus was found in Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group. Compared with WT+ ALI+ HM group, the lung injury scores and content of MDA were significantly increased, the activity of SOD was decreased, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GM130, Golgin-97 and ATP2C1 was down-regulated, the expression of GOLPH3 was up-regulated ( P<0.05), and the damage to the Golgi apparatus was aggravated in Nrf2 KO+ ALI+ HM group. Conclusions:Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway is involved in the attenuation of endotoxin-induced ALI by hydromorphone, and it is associated with the inhibition of Golgi stress.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of systemic immune inflammatory index (SII) for severe traumatic brain injury secondary to acute lung injury (sTBI-ALI).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on patients with severe traumatic brain injury admitted to the trauma center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2021 to November 2023. Patients received standard treatments including hemostasis and intracranial pressure management. Vital signs and blood routine data were collected upon admission. Patients were categorized into sTBI group and sTBI-ALI group based on established clinical diagnostic criteria for ALI to evaluate the diagnostic utility of SII. Subsequently, within the sTBI-ALI group, patients were stratified into survival and non-survival groups based on their 30-day outcomes to assess the prognostic value of SII.Results:A total of 260 sTBI patients were enrolled, of whom 113 developed ALI. Among the sTBI-ALI patients, 73 survived at 30 days. Compared to the sTBI group, the sTBI-ALI group exhibited significantly higher respiratory rates, heart rates, white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, platelet counts, and SII levels (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SII index ( OR=1.003, 95% CI: 1.002-1.004, P<0.001) was an independent risk factor for ALI development in sTBI patients. The combined predictive model incorporating SII and heart rate yielded an AUC of 0.801 (95% CI: 0.740-0.862). The non-survival group had significantly higher neutrophil counts and SII levels, and significantly lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores than the survival group (all P<0.05). Multifactorial regression analysis indicated that SII index ( OR=1.002, P=0.004, 95% CI: 1.000-1.003) served as an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality in sTBI-ALI patients. The combined predictive model of SII and GCS achieved an AUC of 0.904 (95% CI: 0.848-0.960). Conclusions:SII demonstrates potential as a biomarker for predicting the development of ALI following sTBI. Furthermore, incorporating SII into predictive models significantly enhances the ability to forecast mortality risk in sTBI-ALI patients.

Collagen-based materials, renowned for their biocompatibility and minimal immunogenicity, serve as exemplary substrates in a myriad of biomedical applications. Collagen-based micro/nanogels, in particular, are valued for their increased surface area, tunable degradation rates, and ability to facilitate targeted drug delivery, making them instrumental in advanced therapeutics and tissue engineering endeavors. Although extensive reviews on micro/nanogels exist, they tend to cover a wide range of biomaterials and lack a specific focus on collagen-based materials. The current review offers an in-depth look into the manufacturing technologies, drug release mechanisms, and biomedical applications of collagen-based micro/nanogels to address this gap. First, we provide an overview of the synthetic strategies that allow the precise control of the size, shape, and mechanical strength of these collagen-based micro/nanogels by controlling the degree of cross-linking of the materials. These properties are crucial for their performance in biomedical applications. We then highlight the environmental responsiveness of these collagen-based micro/nanogels, particularly their sensitivity to enzymes and pH, which enables controlled drug release under various pathological conditions. The discussion then expands to include their applications in cancer therapy, antimicrobial treatments, bone tissue repair, and imaging diagnosis, emphasizing their versatility and potential in these critical areas. The challenges and future perspectives of collagen-based micro/nanogels in the field are discussed at the end of the review, with an emphasis on the translation to clinical practice. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and scientists alike, providing insights into the current state and future directions of collagen-based micro/nanogel research and development.
Collagen/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods* ; Humans ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials/chemistry*

Objective:To identify the risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HID-HSCT) .Methods:A total of 141 AML patients who underwent HID-HSCT at the Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2020 to July 2021 were included. The cumulative incidence of aGVHD was analyzed using the Fine-Gray competing risk model, with relapse and death as competing events, to compare differences between groups. Potential risk factors were evaluated by univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to determine their independent effects on aGVHD.Results:Among the 141 patients, 86 (61.0%) were male and 55 (39.0%) were female, with a median age at transplantation of 34 years. Within 100 days post-transplant, 59 patients developed grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD, whereas 86 patients experienced no or grade Ⅰ aGVHD (the grade 0-Ⅰ aGVHD group) . Survival analysis showed that the 3-year overall survival was 68.7% (95% CI: 57.7%-81.9%) in the grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD group, compared with 78.8% (95% CI: 70.4%-88.3%) in the grade 0 - Ⅰ aGVHD group, with the difference not being statistically significant ( P=0.190) . Univariable analysis identified donor age ( P=0.020, HR=1.020, 95% CI: 1.000-1.040) and the female donor-male recipient sex combination ( P=0.033, HR=1.980, 95% CI: 1.160-3.380) as risk factors for grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD. Multivariable analysis confirmed that donor age ( P=0.005, HR=1.026, 95% CI: 1.008-1.047) and the female donor-male recipient sex combination ( P=0.002, HR=2.339, 95% CI: 1.354-4.037) were independent risk factors for aGVHD. Patients receiving grafts from donors aged >45 years had a significantly higher 100-day cumulative incidence of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD compared with those receiving grafts from donors ≤45 years [54.7% (95% CI: 42.3%-67.0%) vs 31.6% (95% CI: 21.0%-42.1%) , P=0.006]. Similarly, patients with the female donor-male recipient sex combination had a higher 100-day cumulative incidence of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD than those with other sex combinations [56.8% (95% CI: 40.4%-73.1%) vs 36.9% (95% CI: 27.5%-46.3%) , P=0.015]. Conclusion:Older donor age and the female donor-male recipient sex combination remain independent risk factors for aGVHD in patients with AML undergoing HID-HSCT.

Objective:To investigate the selenium levels in hair, grain, and soil samples collected from residents in typical Keshan disease (KD) endemic and non-endemic areas of Yunnan Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (referred to as Inner Mongolia), and to provide basic data for evaluating the effectiveness of KD prevention and control strategies.Methods:In 2018, one county with a history of severe KD and one non-endemic county with a similar environment were selected from each of Yunnan Province and Inner Mongolia. Within each county, one natural village was selected as the survey site. Ten soil samples were collected from each village. Ten households were stratified based on their annual per capita income levels of low, medium, and high (3, 4, 3 households, respectively). Three samples of hair and three samples of grain were collected from each household, and selenium level was measured using hydride atomic fluorescence spectrometry.Results:A total of 118 hair samples, 125 grain samples, and 39 soil samples were collected. The selenium levels in the hair of residents from KD endemic areas were significantly lower than those from non-endemic areas within the same province ( P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in selenium levels in grain and soil ( P > 0.05). The selenium level in the hair of residents in Yunnan Province [0.36 (0.31, 0.41) mg/kg] was higher than that in Inner Mongolia [0.31 (0.25, 0.35) mg/kg, Z = - 3.87, P < 0.001]. The proportion of sufficient hair selenium levels (≥0.30 mg/kg) was 86.7% (52/60) in Yunnan Province and 55.2% (32/58) in Inner Mongolia, with a statistically significant difference (χ 2 = 14.26, P < 0.001). Selenium levels in grain and soil in Yunnan Province were lower than those in Inner Mongolia ( P < 0.001). The proportion of sufficient grain selenium levels (> 0.02 mg/kg) was 5.7% (4/70) in Yunnan Province and 12.7% (7/55) in Inner Mongolia, with a significant difference (χ 2 = 11.88, P = 0.003). The selenium levels in soil in both provinces reached the sufficient level (≥0.20 mg/kg). Conclusions:The selenium levels in the population of KD endemic areas are lower than those in non-endemic regions, and the selenium deficiency among residents in Inner Mongolia is more prominent than in Yunnan Province. The selenium levels in Inner Mongolia's grain and soil are higher than those in Yunnan Province. In the future prevention and control of KD attention should be paid to monitoring the selenium nutrition level of the population in KD areas, especially in Inner Mongolia areas located in the north.

Objective:To explore the risk factors related to delayed pleural effusion in multiple trauma patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 145 multiple trauma patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2022 to October 2023, including 99 males and 46 females, aged 18-81 years [56.0(46.5, 64.5)years]. Based on whether delayed pleural effusion developed after injury, the patients were divided into delayed pleural effusion group ( n=66) and non-delayed pleural effusion group ( n=79). The clinical data of the patients in both groups were collected, including gender, age, underlying disease (diabetes mellitus and hypertension), cause of injury (traffic injury, blow injury, fall from height, and others), comorbid injuries (traumatic brain injury, maxillofacial fracture, clavicular fracture, scapular fracture, sternal fracture, spinal fracture, multiple rib fracture, pneumothorax, lung contusion, and pelvic fracture), severity of injury [injury severity score (ISS) and abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score for the chest], location and number of rib fractures, vital signs at admission (body temperature, heart rate, respiration, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure), and clinical test indices [white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), platelets (PLT), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), fibrinogen (FIB), fibrin degradation product (FDP), D-dimer (D-D), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT), and creatinine (Cr)]. Univariate analysis was conducted to assess the correlation between the forementioned factors and the development of delayed pleural effusion after multiple traumas. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for the development of delayed pleural effusion after multiple traumas. Results:The results of univariate analysis showed that multiple rib fracture, pneumothorax, pulmonary contusion, chest AIS score, posterior rib fracture, number of rib fractures, TP, ALB, CRP, PCT and FDP were correlated with delayed pleural effusion in multiple trauma patients ( P<0.05 or 0.01); whereas gender, age, underlying disease, cause of injury, sternal fracture, spinal fracture, clavicular fracture, scapular fracture, pelvic fracture, maxillofacial fracture, traumatic brain injury, anterior rib fracture, ISS, vital signs at admission, WBC, Hb, PLT, FIB, D-D, AST, ALT, and Cr were not correlated with delayed pleural effusion in multiple trauma patients ( P>0.05). The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that lung contusion ( OR=3.96, 95% CI 1.59, 9.85, P<0.01), ALB ( OR=0.79, 95% CI 0.66, 0.94, P<0.01), and CRP ( OR=1.02, 95% CI 1.01, 1.03, P<0.01) were significantly correlated with delayed pleural effusion in multiple trauma patients. Conclusion:Lung contusion, ALB, and CRP are the independent risk factors for delayed pleural effusion in multiple trauma patients.

Objective To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of Chaihudaxiong mixture in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on a network pharmacology approach. Methods The effective ingredients and targets of Chaihudaxiong mixture were collected from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). The targets’ names were standardized by Uniprot database. Genes associated with coronavirus were obtained from the GeneCards and OMIM, which were intersected with effective therapeutic targets. A "herbs-ingredients-targets" network was compiled and analyzed by Cytoscape 3.7.2. The protein-protein interaction of the targets was analyzed by String. The GO gene annotation and KEGG signaling pathway analysis were performed using related packages of the R software. Results A total of 165 active ingredients and 51 targets were collected. Further analysis revealed that the main active ingredients were β-sitosterol and 11 flavonoids. The core targets were CASP3, MAPK3, IL-6, MAPK8, IL-10, CXCL8, MAPK1 and IL-1B. A total of 1722 GO entries were obtained from the GO gene annotation (P<0.05), including 1612 entries for biological processes, 30 entries for cell composition, and 80 entries for molecular functions. 156 signaling pathways (P<0.05) were obtained with KEGG signaling pathway screen. The important signaling pathways were AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complication, Influenza A, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and hepatitis B. Conclusion This study revealed the synergistic features of multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway of Chaihudaxiong mixture in the treatment of COVID-19, which provided an important scientific basis for further understanding the mechanism of Chaihudaxiong mixture in the treatment of COVID-19.