BACKGROUND:As a multifunctional histone acetyltransferase,E1A binding protein P300(EP300)is widely involved in biological processes such as gene expression regulation,cell growth and differentiation,and has been associated with a variety of inflammatory and immune-related diseases.However,its specific role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis is unclear.OBJECTIVE:To explore the changes in gene expression related to allergic rhinitis,analyze its association with programmed cell death,and search for potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.METHODS:(1)Gene expression data of patients with allergic rhinitis and the control group were collected from the GSE51392,GSE43523 and GSE206149 datasets.Differentially expressed genes were screened and weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed.(2)From March 2022 to May 2024,10 patients with allergic rhinitis who underwent vidian neurectomy and 10 healthy controls were recruited from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University.Blood and nasal mucosal tissue samples were collected from the patients before and after surgery.(3)A rat model of allergic rhinitis was established and EP300 was knocked down.The rats were divided into control group,model group,model+shEP300-NC group,and model+shEP300 group.ELISA,hematoxylin-eosin staining,RT-qPCR and western blot assay were used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors,pathological changes in nasal mucosal tissues,and the expression of related genes and proteins.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 43 intersection genes were identified between allergic rhinitis and the control group.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed that the Green module was strongly correlated with allergic rhinitis.Through intersection analysis with genes related to programmed cell death and common differentially expressed genes,the key gene EP300 was obtained.(2)Compared with the preoperative status of patients with allergic rhinitis,the levels of interleukin-4,interleukin-5,interleukin-13,EP300,LC3B,Beclin1,cleaved-Caspase were significantly decreased,while the expressions of p62 and Bcl2 in nasal mucous tissue were significantly increased after surgery.(3)Compared with the control group,the levels of interleukin-4,interleukin-5,interleukin-13,EP300,LC3B,Beclin1,and cleaved-Caspase were significantly increased,while the expressions of p62 and Bcl2 in nasal mucous tissue were significantly decreased in the model group.Compared with the model group,the above indicators had opposite changes.To conclude,EP300 can participate in allergic rhinitis by regulating inflammation,autophagy and apoptosis.

Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

This paper introduces a real-world cohort research model for community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Dominant Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Data Platform. Firstly， data cleaning is performed by standardizing diagnosis， symptoms， treatment and imaging， intelligently extracting unstructured information， and cleaning and constructing a standardized database. Secondly， for cohort establishment， CAP patients across the province are screened in accordance with CAP diagnostic criteria to build a high-quality disease-specific cohort. Lastly， in terms of protocol design， the characteristics of TCM research and the CAP disease profile are considered to determine appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria， estimate sample size， define interventions， outcomes and economic evaluations， providing a reference for real-world TCM research on CAP.

This paper introduces a real-world cohort research model for community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Dominant Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Data Platform. Firstly， data cleaning is performed by standardizing diagnosis， symptoms， treatment and imaging， intelligently extracting unstructured information， and cleaning and constructing a standardized database. Secondly， for cohort establishment， CAP patients across the province are screened in accordance with CAP diagnostic criteria to build a high-quality disease-specific cohort. Lastly， in terms of protocol design， the characteristics of TCM research and the CAP disease profile are considered to determine appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria， estimate sample size， define interventions， outcomes and economic evaluations， providing a reference for real-world TCM research on CAP.

BACKGROUND:As a multifunctional histone acetyltransferase,E1A binding protein P300(EP300)is widely involved in biological processes such as gene expression regulation,cell growth and differentiation,and has been associated with a variety of inflammatory and immune-related diseases.However,its specific role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis is unclear.OBJECTIVE:To explore the changes in gene expression related to allergic rhinitis,analyze its association with programmed cell death,and search for potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.METHODS:(1)Gene expression data of patients with allergic rhinitis and the control group were collected from the GSE51392,GSE43523 and GSE206149 datasets.Differentially expressed genes were screened and weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed.(2)From March 2022 to May 2024,10 patients with allergic rhinitis who underwent vidian neurectomy and 10 healthy controls were recruited from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University.Blood and nasal mucosal tissue samples were collected from the patients before and after surgery.(3)A rat model of allergic rhinitis was established and EP300 was knocked down.The rats were divided into control group,model group,model+shEP300-NC group,and model+shEP300 group.ELISA,hematoxylin-eosin staining,RT-qPCR and western blot assay were used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors,pathological changes in nasal mucosal tissues,and the expression of related genes and proteins.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 43 intersection genes were identified between allergic rhinitis and the control group.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed that the Green module was strongly correlated with allergic rhinitis.Through intersection analysis with genes related to programmed cell death and common differentially expressed genes,the key gene EP300 was obtained.(2)Compared with the preoperative status of patients with allergic rhinitis,the levels of interleukin-4,interleukin-5,interleukin-13,EP300,LC3B,Beclin1,cleaved-Caspase were significantly decreased,while the expressions of p62 and Bcl2 in nasal mucous tissue were significantly increased after surgery.(3)Compared with the control group,the levels of interleukin-4,interleukin-5,interleukin-13,EP300,LC3B,Beclin1,and cleaved-Caspase were significantly increased,while the expressions of p62 and Bcl2 in nasal mucous tissue were significantly decreased in the model group.Compared with the model group,the above indicators had opposite changes.To conclude,EP300 can participate in allergic rhinitis by regulating inflammation,autophagy and apoptosis.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the contrast-enhanced ultrasound with Sonazoid (Sonazoid-CEUS) features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients who underwent surgical resection and were histopathologically diagnosed with NAFLD or cirrhosis-related HCC were included. All patients received Sonazoid-CEUS examinations within 1 week prior to hepatic surgery. The enhancement patterns of HCC lesions were evaluated and compared between the two groups according to the current World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology guidelines. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the correlations between Sonazoid-CEUS enhancement patterns and clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: From March 2022 to April 2023, a total of 151 patients with HCC were included, comprising 72 with NAFLD-related HCC and 79 with hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis–related HCC. On Sonazoid-CEUS, more than half of the NAFLD-related HCCs exhibited relatively early and mild washout within 60 seconds (54.2%, 39/72), whereas most HBV cirrhosis–related HCCs displayed washout between 60 and 120 seconds (46.8%, 37/79) or after 120 seconds (39.2%, 31/79) (P<0.001). In the patients with NAFLD-related HCC, multivariate analysis revealed that international normalized ratio (odds ratio [OR], 0.002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.000 to 0.899; P=0.046) and poor tumor differentiation (OR, 21.930; 95% CI, 1.960 to 245.319; P=0.012) were significantly associated with washout occurring within 60 seconds. Conclusion Characteristic Sonazoid-CEUS features are useful for diagnosing HCC in patients with NAFLD.

Objective To examine the changing prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Burkholderia cepacia in 52 hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021.Methods A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were collected from 52 hospitals between January 1,2015 and December 31,2021.Antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains was tested using Kirby-Bauer method or automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems according to a unified protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released in the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)guidelines(2023 edition).Results A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were isolated from all age groups,especially elderly patients.The proportion was 11.1％(1 032 strains)in children,significantly lower than the proportion in adults.About half(46.5％,4 310/9 261)of the strains were isolated from patients at least 60 years old and 42.3％(3 919/9 261)of the strains were isolated from young adults.Most isolates(71.1％)were isolated from sputum and respiratory secretions,followed by urine(10.7％)and blood samples(8.1％).B.cepacia isolates were highly susceptible to the five antimicrobial agents recommended in the CLSI M100 document(33rd edition,2023).B.cepacia isolates showed relatively higher resistance rates to meropenem and levofloxacin.However,the resistance rates to ceftazidime,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,and minocycline remained below 8.1％.The percentage of B.cepacia strains resistant to levofloxacin was the highest compared to other antibiotics in any of the three age groups(from 12.4％in the patients＜18 years old to 20.6％in the patients aged 60 years or older).Conclusions B.cepacia is one of the clinically important non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria.Accurate and timely reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility test results and ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance are helpful for rational prescription of antimicrobial agents and proper prevention and control of nosocomial infections.

Kv1.3,a voltage-gated potassium channel,is highly expressed in T lymphocytes,the nervous system,and vascular smooth muscle cells.It plays a critical role in membrane excitability and electrical signal transduction,serving as an important target for studying T-cell function and providing a promising direction for developing therapeutics against autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.Therefore,the de-velopment of specific inhibitors of Kv1.3 channel has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy for these disorders.In this study,we isolated and purified a novel Kv1.3-inhibitory peptide toxin,LmKTx13,from the venom of the scorpion Lychas mucronatus using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chroma-tography(RP-HPLC).LmKTx13 consists of 38 amino acid residues,including six cysteines that form three disulfide bonds.Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings revealed that LmKTx13 potently inhibited Kv1.3 with an IC50 of 7.92±3.0 nmol/L.Selectivity analysis showed that 2 μmol/L LmKTx13 also in-hibited Kv1.2 and Kv1.7,but exhibited no significant effects on other potassium channel subtypes or voltage-gated sodium channels.Further investigation into the mechanism demonstrated that LmKTx13 acts as a pore-blocking inhibitor of Kv1.3.By analyzing the effects of LmKTx13 on Kv1.3 channel gating ki-netics and performing sequence alignment of the pore regions of Kv1.3 and Kv1.5,we constructed site-directed mutants and identified the pore region of Kv1.3 as the critical binding site for LmKTx13.Key residues involved in the interaction included T425,G427,and H451.In summary,we discovered a no-vel pore-blocking Kv1.3 inhibitor,LmKTx13,from L.mucronatus venom,which exhibits high affinity and selectivity for Kv1.3.These findings highlight its potential as a potential lead molecule for developing Kv1.3-targeted therapeutics.

Objective To analyze changes in intestinal microbiota composition and metabolites in mice with nitrous oxide poisoning using 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolomics,and to examine correlations between gut microbes and metabolites in order to explore the mechanisms of nitrous oxide poisoning.Methods C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group and a nitrous oxide poisoning group(n=6).The poisoning group was exposed to 90,000 ppm nitrous oxide twice daily for 1 h over 28 days,while the control group was exposed to air.Fecal samples were collected 24 h after the last exposure.16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze structural differences in microbial communities and identify significantly different taxa.Metabolomics analysis was performed to detect changes in fecal metabolites and identify differential metabolites.Correlation analysis was conducted between differential microbiota and metabolites.Results 16S rDNA sequencing showed that the poisoning group had increased microbial abundance compared with controls,while species diversity remained unchanged.Significant differences were observed in gut microbiota structure between groups.Metabolomics identified 112 differential metabolites related to nitrous oxide poisoning,mainly involving the cAMP signaling pathway and sphingolipid metabolism.Spearman correlation analysis revealed a strong association between differential microbiota and differential metabolites.Conclusion Nitrous oxide poisoning alters the structure and metabolic profiles of intestinal microbiota.Changes in microbial abundance affect multiple metabolic pathways,which may be related to damage to the nervous and hematological systems.These findings provide a basis for further research on the mechanisms of nitrous oxide poisoning and for clinical treatment.

Aim To perform high-throughput screen-ing of immunomodulatory traditional Chinese medicine(TCMs)based on an in vitro B cell differentiation-antibody secretion model,identifying active herbal candidates with immune-enhancing properties to pro-vide novel therapeutic options and theoretical support for influenza virus treatment in immunocompromised in-dividuals.Methods B cells were stimulated with dif-ferent concentrations of cytosine-phosphate-guanine oli-godeoxynucleotide 2006(CpG)and nterleukin-2(IL-2)to promote proliferation,differentiation,and anti-body secretion,and the effects of varying concentra-tions of the solvent DMSO were also evaluated.The op-timal conditions for the B cell differentiation-anti-body secretion model were determined based on the se-cretion levels of three antibody isotypes.The feasibility of the model was further validated using rapamycin,a known B cell function inhibitor.On this basis,a high-throughput screening platform for immunomodulatory a-gents was optimized and established.Subsequently,the immune-enhancing activity of 465 polarity extract from TCMs was evaluated.Results The optimal con-ditions for the model were determined as 2 mg·L-1 CpG,1.67 × 106 nkat·L-1 IL-2,and DMSO with a volume fraction of 0.1％.Rapamycin effectively inhib-ited B cell differentiation into plasmablast and signifi-cantly reduced antibody production,indicating the reli-ability of the model.Multiple rounds of screening re-vealed that the dichloromethane extract of licorice,the dichloromethane extract of Vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma,the cyclohexane extract of Honey-prepared Radix Asteris,and the aqueous extract of Siphonostegia chinensis Benth were identified to significantly promote both B cell proliferation and differentiation and anti-body secretion at a concentration of 600 μg·L-1.Conclusion This study successfully optimizes an in vitro B cell differentiation-antibody secretion model and identifies several TCM extracts,including licorice,with potential immune-enhancing activity.