Colorectal cancer(CRC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide. Due to the treatment intolerance and side effects, CRC rank the top among various cancers regarding the incidence and mortality rates. Therefore, exploring new therapies is of great significance for the treatment of CRC. Aerobic glycolysis(AEG) plays an important role in the microenvironment formation, proliferation, metastasis, and recurrence of CRC and other tumor cells. It has been confirmed that intervening in the AEG pathway can effectively curb CRC. The active ingredients and compound prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can effectively inhibit the proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance and regulate the apoptosis of tumor cells by modulating AEG-associated transport proteins [eg, glucose transporters(GLUT)], key enzymes [hexokinase(HK) and phosphofructokinase(PFK)], key genes [hypoxia-inducible factor 1(HIF-1) and oncogene(c-Myc)], and signaling pathways(MET/PI3K/Akt/mTOR). Accordingly, they can treat CRC, reduce the recurrence, and improve the prognosis of CRC. Although AEG plays a key role in the development and progression of CRC, the specific mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this article delves into the intrinsic connection of the targets and mechanisms of the AEG pathway with CRC from the perspective of tumor cell glycolysis and explores how active ingredients(oxymatrine, kaempferol, and dioscin) and compound prescriptions(Quxie Capsules, Jiedu Sangen Decoction, and Xianlian Jiedu Prescription) of TCM treat CRC by intervening in the AEG pathway. Additionally, this article explores the shortcomings in the current research, aiming to provide reliable targets and a theoretical basis for treating CRC with TCM.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Glycolysis/drug effects* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Prostate cancer(PCa) is a common malignant tumor among elderly men, with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide, posing a serious threat to human health. Traditional treatments face limitations, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. Recent studies on the regulatory mechanisms of micro ribonucleic acid(microRNA, miRNA) in tumor development has identified miRNA as new targets for PCa diagnosis and treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), with its multi-mechanism, multi-target, and multi-pathway regulatory properties, shows promising potential in miRNA-based PCa therapy. This review summarized recent findings on miRNA' roles in PCa and research progress of TCM intervention and found that a variety of miRNA played important regulatory roles in cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, immune microenvironment, and drug resistance, and their potential as biomarkers for PCa diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy, indicating the potential to be a biomarker for the diagnosis, prognosis evaluation, and treatment of PCa. The review concluded that the active components of TCM(terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and others) and compounds(Yishen Tonglong Decoction, Shenhu Decoction, Zhoushi Qiling Decoction, Fuzheng Yiliu Decoction, and Qilan Formula) could regulate the expression of their downstream target genes by acting on specific miRNA and affect the above biological behaviors of PCa cells, thus playing a role in the treatment of PCa. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for miRNA as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PCa and suggest new avenues for further development of targeted therapy strategies against miRNA.
Humans ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Animals ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects*

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic, idiopathic, and recurrent gastrointestinal disorder with an unclear etiology and uncertain pathogenesis. Traditional treatment strategies rely on frequent administration of high doses of medication to reduce inflammation, whereas these approaches have limitations and may induce potential complications. Therefore, finding more effective and safe therapeutic drugs and methods is particularly important. Plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles(PDELNs) are nano-sized vesicles with a lipid bilayer structure that are secreted by plant cells. The bioactive molecules contained within, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, can serve as information carriers, playing a role in the transmission of information and substances between cells and across species. PDELNs can carry and transfer their own bioactive substances or act as carriers for delivering other active components or drugs. Due to the high biocompatibility, low toxicity, and significant bioactivity, PDELNs have garnered widespread attention. Compared with other exosomes, PDELNs are not destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract when taken orally and can reach the intestines. This unique property makes PDELNs a promising oral nanodrug for treating intestinal diseases, showing great potential in this area. This article reviews recent research literature on PDELNs regarding the physicochemical characteristics, extraction and purification methods, functions, application characteristics and mechanisms in the treatment of intestinal diseases, and use as a carrier for treating intestinal diseases, aiming to provide a reference for the use of PDELNs in the treatment of intestinal diseases.
Humans ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Animals ; Intestinal Diseases/metabolism* ; Plants/metabolism* ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Nanoparticles/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, curative effect and prognostic factors of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) complicated with light chain myocardial amyloidosis (AL-CA). METHODS: The data of 38 patients diagnosed with MM complicated with AL-CA in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and the data were comprehensively screened by multiple methods such as positive two-dimensional spot tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression models were used to screen for independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: Among the 38 MM patients with AL-CA, 23 were male and 15 were female, with a median age of 60(50,75) years. The 1-year survival rate was 71.05%. Patients who underwent transplantation had significantly better survival outcomes than those who did not (P < 0.01). Additionally, the median survival time of patients with all-negative FISH results at the first visit was statistically different compared to patients with other mutations (P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that all negative FISH results at the first visit and the absence of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) were not independent risk factor for the prognosis of patients with MM and AL-CA (P >0.05). CONCLUSION ASCT may improve the prognosis of MM patients with AL-CA, and negative FISH results may indicate poor prognosis, but the results still need to be verified by larger samples.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/complications* ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Amyloidosis/complications* ; Survival Rate ; Proportional Hazards Models

BACKGROUND: Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) holds significant value in guiding drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment and enhancing outcomes. However, the predictive capability of post-angioplasty QFR for long-term clinical events in patients with de novo lesions who receive DCB treatment remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to explore the potential significance of post-angioplasty QFR measurements in predicting clinical outcomes in patients underwent DCB treatment for de novo lesions. METHODS: Patients who underwent DCB-only intervention for de novo lesions were enrolled. QFR was conducted after DCB treatment. The patients were then categorized based on post-angioplasty QFR. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), encompassing all-cause death, cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: A total of 553 patients with 561 lesions were included. The median follow-up period was 505 days, during which 66 (11.8%) MACEs occurred. Based on post-procedural QFR grouping, there were 259 cases in the high QFR group (QFR > 0.93) and 302 cases in the low QFR group (QFR ≤ 0.93). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly higher cumulative incidence of MACE in the low QFR group (log-rank P = 0.004). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between QFR and the occurrence of MACEs (HR = 0.522, 95%CI: 0.289-0.942, P = 0.031). Landmark analysis indicated that high QFR had a significant reducing effect on the cumulative incidence of MACEs within 1 year (log-rank P = 0.016) and 1-5 years (log-rank P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS In patients who underwent DCB-only treatment for de novo lesions, higher post-procedural QFR values (> 0.93) were identified as an independent protective factor against adverse prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult

Objective To summarize the epidemiological and clinical features of infectious diseases of the central nervous system(CNS)by a single-center analysis.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 1247 cases of CNS infectious diseases diagnosed and treated in the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from 2001 to 2020.Results The data for this group of CNS infectious diseases by disease type in descending order of number of cases were viruses 743(59.6％),Mycobacterium tuberculosis 249(20.0％),other bacteria 150(12.0％),fungi 68(5.5％),parasites 18(1.4％),Treponema pallidum 18(1.4％)and rickettsia 1(0.1％).The number of cases increased by 177 cases(33.1％)in the latter 10 years compared to the previous 10 years(P<0.05).No significant difference in seasonal distribution pattern of data between disease types(P>0.05).Male to female ratio is 1.87︰1,mostly under 60 years of age.Viruses are more likely to infect students,most often at university/college level and above,farmers are overrepresented among bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis,and more infections of Treponema pallidum in workers.CNS infectious diseases are characterized by fever,headache and signs of meningeal irritation,with the adductor nerve being the more commonly involved cranial nerve.Matagenomic next-generation sequencing improves clinical diagnostic capabilities.The median hospital days for CNS infectious diseases are 18.00(11.00,27.00)and median hospital costs are ￥29,500(￥16,000,￥59,200).The mortality rate from CNS infectious diseases is 1.6％.Conclusions The incidence of CNS infectious diseases is increasing last ten years,with complex clinical presentation,severe symptoms and poor prognosis.Early and accurate diagnosis and standardized clinical treatment can significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality rate and ease the burden of disease.

ObjectiveExisting artificial vision devices can be divided into two types: implanted devices and extracorporeal devices, both of which have some disadvantages. The former requires surgical implantation, which may lead to irreversible trauma, while the latter has some defects such as relatively simple instructions, limited application scenarios and relying too much on the judgment of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide enough security. Here we propose a system that has voice interaction and can convert surrounding environment information into tactile commands on head and neck. Compared with existing extracorporeal devices, our device can provide a larger capacity of information and has advantages such as lower cost, lower risk, suitable for a variety of life and work scenarios. MethodsWith the latest remote wireless communication and chip technologies, microelectronic devices, cameras and sensors worn by the user, as well as the huge database and computing power in the cloud, the backend staff can get a full insight into the scenario, environmental parameters and status of the user remotely (for example, across the city) in real time. In the meanwhile, by comparing the cloud database and in-memory database and with the help of AI-assisted recognition and manual analysis, they can quickly develop the most reasonable action plan and send instructions to the user. In addition, the backend staff can provide humanistic care and emotional sustenance through voice dialogs. ResultsThis study originally proposes the concept of “remote virtual companion” and demonstrates the related hardware and software as well as test results. The system can not only achieve basic guide functions, for example, helping a person with visual impairment to shop in supermarkets, find seats at cafes, walk on the streets, construct complex puzzles, and play cards, but also can meet the demand for fast-paced daily tasks such as cycling. ConclusionExperimental results show that this “remote virtual companion” is applicable for various scenarios and demands. It can help blind people with their travels, shopping and entertainment, or accompany the elderlies with their trips, wilderness explorations, and travels.

Objective: To examine the effect of icariin plus curcumol on prostate cancer cells PC3 and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: We employed the Cell Counting Kit 8 assay and colony formation assay to assess cell viability and proliferation. Autophagy expression was analyzed using monodansylcadaverine staining. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses were used to evaluate protein expressions related to autophagy, pyroptosis, and the mTOR pathway. Cellular damage was examined using the lactate dehydrogenase assay. Moreover, cathepsin B and NLRP3 were detected by co-immunoprecipitation. Results: Icariin plus curcumol led to a decrease in PC3 cell proliferation and an enhancement of autophagy. The levels of LC3- Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ and beclin-1 were increased, while the levels of p62 and mTOR were decreased after treatment with icariin plus curcumol. These changes were reversed upon overexpression of mTOR. Furthermore, 3-methyladenine resulted in a decrease in inflammatory cytokines, pyroptosis-related protein levels, and lactate dehydrogenase concentration, compared to the icariin plus curcumol group. Inhibiting cathepsin B reversed the regulatory effects of icariin plus curcumol. Conclusions: Icariin plus curcumol demonstrates great potential as a therapeutic agent for castration-resistant prostate cancer by enhancing autophagy via the mTOR pathway and promoting pyroptosis mediated by cathepsin B. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic potential of icariin and curcumol for prostate cancer treatment.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in China from 2010 to 2022, so as to provide insights into formulation of the leptospirosis control strategy. Methods All data pertaining to clinically diagnosed cases and confirmed cases of leptospirosis reported in China from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2022 was collected from Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information Management System. The spatial, temporal and population distributions, and report and diagnosis institutions of leptospirosis cases were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method. Results A total of 4 559 leptospirosis cases were reported in China from 2010 to 2022, with an annual average number of 351 cases, and the number of reported leptospirosis cases reduced from 679 cases in 2010 to 158 cases in 2018. A total of 4 276 leptospirosis cases were reported in Sichuan Province, Yunnan Province, Guangdong Province, Hunan Province, Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Anhui Province, Jiangxi Province and Guizhou Province, accounting for 93.79% of the total number of leptospirosis cases in China. The number of leptospirosis cases had recently appeared a remarkable decline in Yunnan Province, while a significant rise was seen in the number of leptospirosis cases in two provinces of Zhejiang and Guangdong. No leptospirosis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2010 to 2020; however, there were 5 cases and 2 cases reported in 2021 and 2022, respectively. There was only one leptospirosis case reported in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2017; however, leptospirosis cases were reported in the province for 5 consecutive years since 2018. Leptospirosis cases were reported throughout the year in China from 2010 to 2022, with the peak of incidence found during the period between August and October, and the peak of leptospirosis incidence varied in provinces. A higher number of leptospirosis cases was seen among men than among women, with a male to female ratio of 2.3:1, and the median age of leptospirosis cases was 50 years (interquartile range, 23 years), with the highest proportion of leptospirosis cases reported at ages of 51 to 60 years (23.21%). Among all reported leptospirosis cases, 53.28% were confirmed cases, and the proportion of confirmed cases increased from 35.05% in 2010 to 61.66% in 2022. In addition, there were 67.22% of leptospirosis cases (2 937 cases) reported by comprehensive hospitals, 20.44% (893 cases) by disease control and prevention institutions, 7.23% (316 cases) by grassroots healthcare institutions and 5.10% (223 cases) by other healthcare and medical institutions, and the mortality of reported leptospirosis cases was 1.07% in China from 2010 to 2022, with a higher mortality seen among men than among women (1.39% vs. 0.36%; χ² = 9.52, P = 0.002). Conclusions The incidence of leptospirosis remained at a low level in China from 2010 to 2022, and southern China was still the main endemic area for leptospirosis. The epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis cases varied in endemic provinces, and leptospirosis cases had been continued to be reported in Shaanxi and Henan provinces, which should be paid much attention to. Intensified surveillance of leptospirosis, improved diagnosis and treatment capability of leptospirosis cases and leptospirosis control with adaptations to local circumstance are recommended.