In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the research on NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The NLRP3 inflammasome is integral to the innate immune response, and its abnormal activation can lead to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokine, consequently facilitating the progression of various pathological conditions. Therefore, investigating the pharmacological inhibition pathway of the NLRP3 inflammasome represents a promising strategy for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has not approved drugs targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome for clinical use due to concerns regarding liver toxicity and gastrointestinal side effects associated with chemical small molecule inhibitors in clinical trials. Natural small molecule compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids are ubiquitously found in animals, plants, and other natural substances exhibiting pharmacological activities. Their abundant sources, intricate and diverse structures, high biocompatibility, minimal adverse reactions, and superior biochemical potency in comparison to synthetic compounds have attracted the attention of extensive scholars. Currently, certain natural small molecule compounds have been demonstrated to impede the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via various action mechanisms, so they are viewed as the innovative, feasible, and minimally toxic therapeutic agents for inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the treatment of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Hence, this study systematically examined the effects and potential mechanisms of natural small molecule compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes at their initiation, assembly, and activation stages. The objection is to furnish theoretical support and practical guidance for the effective clinical application of these natural small molecule inhibitors.
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Drug Discovery ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*

Objective lo analyze the difference of peri-coronary tat attenuation index(pr Al)on different grades of hypertension(HT),and to explore the value of pFAI in evaluating the risk of HT patients.Methods Retrospective data on hospitalized patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)examination for chest pain were collected.A total of 415 clini-cally confirmed HT patients were selected as observation group(including 132 patients in grade 1 HT group,137 patients in grade 2 HT group,146 patients in grade 3 HT group),and 187 non-hypertension patients during the same period as control group.The differ-ence of fat attenuation index(FAI)in three main coronary arteries[left anterior descending artery(LAD),left circumflex artery(LCX),right coronary artery(RCA)]was compared,and the correlation between pF AI and HT patients was analyzed.Results RCA-FAI(-78.86 HU±7.66 HU)and LAD-FAI(-80.62 HU±7.50 HU)were higher in HT group than those in control group(-84.46 HU± 8.00 HU,-83.43 HU±7.51 HU,P＜0.05).pFAI value was higher in grade 3 HT group than that in grade 1 HT group and grade 2 HT group(P＜0.05),while there were no differences between grade 1 HT group and grade 2 HT group(P＞0.05).After adjusting the influence of traditional risk factors and coronaryartery disease,RCA-FAI had relatively closer relationship with HT grades(r=0.47,P＜0.001).Conclusion LAD-FAI,RCA-FAI in the HT group are higher than those in control group and RCA-FAI has relatively closer relationship with HT grades,suggesting that RCA-FAI may be an imaging indicator to evaluate the pro-gression of HT and predict the risk of HT.

Objective To evaluate the molluscicidal effect of spraying different formulations of niclosamide ethanolamine salt with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in ditches. Methods A semi-dry and semi-wet ditch with O. hupensis snails was selected in the second branch field of Jiangbei Farm, Jiangling County, Hubei Province in May 2023, and divided into 4 experimental areas, named groups A1, A2, B1 and B2. Environmental cleaning was performed in groups A1 and B2, and was not conducted in groups A2 or B2. Then, 50% wettable powder of niclosamide ethanolamine salt was sprayed with drones at an effective dose of 2 g/m² in groups A1 and A2, and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granule was sprayed with drones at an effective dose of 2 g/m² in groups B1 and B2. O. hupensis snails were surveyed using the systematic sampling method 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 days after spraying, and the natural mortality and corrected mortality of O. hupensis snails were calculated. Results The occurrence of frames with living snails, mean density of living snails and natural mortality of snails were 97.50% (117/120), 6.30 snails/0.1 m² and 1.18% (9/765) in the test ditch before spraying, respectively. There were significant differences in the mortality of snails among four groups 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after spraying niclosamide formulations with drones (χ² = 17.230, 51.707, 65.184, 204.050 and 34.435, all P values < 0.01). The overall mortality rates of snails were 94.51% (1 051/1 112), 79.44% (908/1 143), 96.54% (977/1 012) and 88.55% (1 021/1 153) in groups A1, A2, B1 and B2 (χ² = 207.773, P < 0.05), respectively. In addition, there was no significant difference in the overall snail mortality between groups A1 and B1 (P > 0.05), and the snail mortality in groups A1 and B1 were both statistically different from that in groups A2 and B2 (all P values < 0.05). Conclusion Both 50% wettlable powder of niclosamide ethanolamine salt and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granule sprayed with drones are active against O. hupensis snails in ditches, and environmental cleaning may improve the molluscicidal effect.

Objective To investigate the needs and feedback from clinical medical students on the diversified teaching mode adopted by the Department of Endocrinology in Peking Union Medical College Hospital.Methods Questionnaires were distributed to the medicine students who were in clinical rotation in Peking Union Medical Col-lege,and the teaching status and teaching effect was investigated.Results A total of 95 valid questionnaires were received.The attending physicians and the teaching resident physicians performed well in the daily teaching activi-ties.The medical students believed that outpatient training was necessary in addition to ward rotations.After the ro-tation in the endocrinology department,the self-evaluated score of mastery of endocrinology knowledge had been significantly improved,especially in those who rotated in outpatient clinic,suggesting that outpatient teaching was of great significance.In addition,the establishment of a self-learning platform including clinical cases and videos in endocrinology could be used as an important supplementary means for clinical teaching.Conclusions Outpatient training improves learning outcomes of medical students,so must be kept and further strengthened in the future.Building a database of typical clinical cases and teaching videos can improve the training quality.

Objective:To investigate the effect of pre-treatment plasma Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)DNA copy number on the clinical features and prognosis of patients with adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(sHLH).Methods:The clinical characteristics,survival rate,and prognostic factors of 171 patients with adult sHLH treated at Jiangsu Province Hospital from June 2017 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed in this study.Patients were divided into three groups,including the EBV DNA-negative group(＜5.0 × 102 copies/ml),lower EBV-DNA loads group(5.0 × 102-8.51 × 104 copies/ml),and higher EBV-DNA loads group(＞8.51 × 104 copies/ml),according to pre-treatment plasma EBV-DNA copy number.Cox regression model was established for screening prognostic factors.Adult sHLH survival prediction model was constructed and realized through the nomogram based on EBV-DNA load after adjusted the factors affecting survival of etiology and treatment strategy.Concordance index(C-index)and calibration curves were calculated to verify model predictive and discriminatory capacity.Results:Among 171 adult sHLH patients,84 patients were not infected with EBV(EBV DNA-negative group),and 87 with EBV(EBV DNA-positive group,48 lower EBV-DNA loads group and 39 higher EBV-DNA loads group).Consistent elevations in the levels of liver enzymes(ALT and AST),LDH,TG,β2-microglobulin and ferritin across the increasing of EBV-DNA load(all P＜0.05),while the levels of fibrinogen decrease(P＜0.001).The median follow-up time was 52 days(range 20-230 days),and 123 patients died.The overall survival(OS)rate of patients in EBV DNA-positive group was lower than that in EBV DNA-negative group(median OS:40 days vs 118 days,P＜0.001).Higher EBV-DNA loads had worse OS(median OS:24 days vs 45 days vs 118 days,P＜0.0001 for trend)compared to lower EBV-DNA loads and EBV DNA-negative group.Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that higher EBV-DNA loads(P=0.005),fibrinogen≤ 1.5 g/L(P=0.012),ferritin(P=0.041),associated lymphoma(P=0.002),and anti-tumor based strategy(P=0.001)were independent prognostic factors for OS.The C-indexes of 30 day,90 days,365 days survival rate were all greater than 0.8 of the nomogram model and calibration curves provided credibility to their predictive capability.Subgroup analysis showed that patients with higher EBV-DNA loads had a significantly worse prognosis in adult sHLH who were women,ferritin＞5 000 μg/L,β2-microglobulin＞7.4 mmol/L and regardless of age,etiologies,HScore points.Conclusion:The EBV-DNA load is a strong and independent predictor for survival in patients with sHLH.The prognostic nomogram based on EBV-DNA loads was dependable and provides a visual tool for evaluating the survival of adult sHLH.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1(LOX-1)regulates hyperglycemic-induced myocardial fibroblast(CFs)fibrosis through the glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)pathway.Methods CFs were isolated,cultured and identified.LOX-1 RNAi lentiviral vector was constructed and infected CFs.The experimental groups were as follows:Normal control(NC)group,High glucose(HG)group,LV-LOX-1,LV-Con group,Hypertonic(HPG)group.After LV-LOX-1 and LV-Con were infected with CFs,adding 25 mmol/L glucose to culture CFs for 24 h,they were denoted as HG+LV-LOX-1 group and HG+LV-Con group.Cells in HG+LV-LOX-1 group and HG+LV-Con group were treated with 10 μ mol/L SB216763 and 10 μ mol/L STATTIC for 24 h,respectively,and then they were recorded as HG+LV-LOX-1+SB216763 group,HG+LV-Con+SB216763 group,HG+LV-LOX-1+STATTIC group and HG+LV-Con+STATTIC group.CCK-8 was used to detect the activity of CFs,and the expression levels of mRAN and protein of LOX-1,collagen type I(COL-I),thioredoxin 5(TXNDC5),GSK-3β,STAT3,p-GSK-3β and p-STAT3 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot.Results CFs infected with LOX-1 RNAi lentiviral vector were obtained,which showed green under fluorescence microscopy.Compared with HG and HG+LV-Con groups,the mRNA expressions of LOX-1,COL-I and TXNDC5 were decreased in HG+LV-LOX-1 group(P<0.05).Compared with HG+LV-LOX-1 group,mRNA expressions of COL-I and TXNDC5 were decreased in HG+LV-LOX-1+SB216763 and HG+LV-LOX-1+STATTIC groups(P<0.05).Compared with HG and HG+LV-Con groups,p-GSK-3β protein expression was increased in HG+LV-LOX-1 group(P<0.05),while LOX-1,p-STAT3,COL-I,TXNDC5 protein expression was decreased in HG+LV-LOX-1 group(P<0.05).Compared with HG+LV-LOX-1 group,p-GSK-3β protein expression was increased in HG+LV-LOX-1+SB216763 group(P<0.05),while the protein expressions of p-STAT3,COL-I and TXNDC5 were decreased in HG+LV-LOX-1+SB216763 and HG+LV-LOX-1+STATTIC groups(P<0.05).Conclusion LOX-1,GSK-3β,STAT3,TXNDC5,and COL-I are involved in high glucose induced CFs fibrosis.LOX-1 promotes the expression of TXNDC5 and COL-I through GSK-3β/STAT3 pathway,and inhibition of LOX-1 can inhibit high glucose induced CFs fibrosis.

Traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome (TSOFS) is a symptom complex caused by nerve entrapment in the supraorbital fissure after skull base trauma. If the compressed cranial nerve in the supraorbital fissure is not decompressed surgically, ptosis, diplopia and eye movement disorder may exist for a long time and seriously affect the patients′ quality of life. Since its overall incidence is not high, it is not familiarized with the majority of neurosurgeons and some TSOFS may be complicated with skull base vascular injury. If the supraorbital fissure surgery is performed without treatment of vascular injury, it may cause massive hemorrhage, and disability and even life-threatening in severe cases. At present, there is no consensus or guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS that can be referred to both domestically and internationally. To improve the understanding of TSOFS among clinical physicians and establish standardized diagnosis and treatment plans, the Skull Base Trauma Group of the Neurorepair Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Traumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized relevant experts to formulate Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome ( version 2024) based on evidence of evidence-based medicine and clinical experience of diagnosis and treatment. This consensus puts forward 12 recommendations on the diagnosis, classification, treatment, efficacy evaluation and follow-up of TSOFS, aiming to provide references for neurosurgeons from hospitals of all levels to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS.

Objective:To estimate the influence of metabolic parameters in 18F-FDG PET/CT and clinically relevant indicators on the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. Methods:A total of 174 patients with cervical cancer (age (53.6±11.1) years) who underwent baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT examination in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from May 2011 to December 2020 were retrospectively collected. Metabolic parameters (metabolic tumor volume of primary lesion (MTV p), total lesion glycolysis of primary lesion (TLG p), MTV sum of total lesions (MTV total) in the whole body, TLG sum of total lesions (TLG total)) and clinical parameters (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, tumor maximum diameter ( Dmax), et al) were collected. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier method were performed to evaluate the prognostic and predictive values of those parameters. Results:The follow-up time was 6-120 months, during which 52 patients (29.9%, 52/174) developed progression. The 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), local control (LC) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates were 83.3%(145/174), 70.1%(122/174), 75.3%(131/174) and 82.8%(144/174), respectively. Cox regression showed that FIGO stage and MTV total were independent factors for predicting PFS, OS and LC (hazard ratio ( HR): 1.005-11.605, all P<0.05). FIGO stage and TLG total were independent factors for predicting DMFS ( HR: 1.002-12.258, all P<0.05). Conclusion:MTV total and FIGO stage are effective predictors of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of azacitidine combined with venetoclax or CAG regimen in the treatment of newly treated elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of 34 newly treated elderly patients with AML treated in the Fifth People's Hospital of Datong from May 2018 to August 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the treatment regimen, all patients were divided into venetoclax group (azacitidine + venetoclax, 17 cases) and CAG group (azacitidine + CAG regimen, 17 cases). The clinicopathological characteristics, efficacy, adverse reactions and survival of the both groups were compared.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical data of both groups (all P > 0.05). The complete remission (CR) rate and the objective response rate (ORR) in venetoclax group were higher than those in CAG group [CR: 70.6%(12/17) vs. 47.1% (8/17); ORR: 82.4% (14/17) vs. 64.7% (11/17)],while the differences in CR and ORR were not statistically significant (χ 2 = 2.00, P = 0.163; χ 2 = 2.00, P = 0.244). The follow-up time[ M ( Q1, Q3)] was 25.4 months (7.2 months, 60.3 months). At the end of follow-up, 19 of 34 patients survived (13 cases in venetoclax group and 6 cases in CAG group); 15 died (4 cases in venetoclax group and 11 cases in CAG group). The median overall survival (OS) time was 14.22 months (95% CI: 8.2-60.3 months) and 10.56 months (95% CI: 7.2-50.2 months), respectively in venetoclax group and CAG group;the median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 9.97 months (95% CI: 5.4-40.5 months) and 6.82 months (95% CI: 5.0-36.2 months), respectively, and there were no statistically significant differences in OS and PFS between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Grade 3-4 hematological adverse reactions occurred in 16 and 14 patients in venetoclax group and CAG group, respectively. There were no significant differences in granulocyte deficiency time, platelet deficiency time, infection and bleeding incidence between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusions:Azacitidine combined with venetoclax or CAG regimen have better clinical efficacy and safety for newly treated elderly patients with AML.