ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of hypoxia-treated mesenchymal stem cell （MSCs） exosomes （Exo） and their loading with curcumin on microglial inflammatory responses， and to explore the enhancing effect of hypoxia treatment on the function of MSCs Exo. MethodsThe supernatants of human umbilical cord （hUC）-MSCs cultured under normal and hypoxic conditions were collected， and Exo were isolated using ultracentrifugation. After identification by transmission electron microscopy and Western blot， curcumin was loaded using the co-incubation method. The lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced microglial inflammation model was treated with dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO）， curcumin， normoxia Exo， hypoxia Exo， normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin， and hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin， respectively. The expression of the M1-type marker inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） in BV2 cells was detected by immunofluorescence （IF）. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were used to measure the expression and secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and IL-6 in the cells and their culture supernatants. ResultsNormoxia Exo， hypoxia Exo， normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin， and hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin exhibited a "saucer-like" shape with a diameter ranging from 30~150 nm， and the expression of exosomal markers CD9， CD81， and TSG101 were positive. After treating the BV2 cell inflammation model， IF results showed that， compared with the normoxia Exo group， treatment with hypoxic Exo significantly reduced the expression of iNOS. Moreover， when compared with the curcumin group and the normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin group， the expression level of iNOS significantly decreased after treatment with hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin. The results of Western blot and ELISA indicated that， in comparison with the normoxia Exo group， treatment with hypoxic Exo significantly reduced the expression and secretion of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6. Additionally， when compared with the curcumin group and the normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin group， both the expression and secretion of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 significantly decreased after treatment with hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin. ConclusionHypoxia preconditioning can enhance the ability of hUC-MSCs-Exo in the inhibition of microglial polarization and inflammatory factors’ secretion. Additionally， using Hypoxia-MSCs-Exo as a drug-delivery carrier of curcumin can improve its solubility and stability， facilitating its absorption by cells and exerting the therapeutic effect of combination therapy.

This case report describes a 68-year-old male patient diagnosed with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). After receiving Yttrium-90 microsphere selective internal radiation therapy (⁹⁰Y-SIRT), the tumor significantly reduced in size, and tumor markers alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and abnormal prothrombin (PIVKA-Ⅱ) decreased. Postoperative pathological results showed minimal residual tumor cells, indicating that ⁹⁰Y-SIRT has good efficacy and safety in downstaging and conversion of HCC, thereby facilitating subsequent surgical resection.

BACKGROUND:Studies have reported that alendronate intake significantly increases bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE:To analyze and compare the changes in metabolites before and after alendronate intervention in ovariectomized rats by chromatography-mass spectrometry,and to further explore the specific mechanism and target of alendronate in the treatment of osteoporosis. METHODS:A total of 36 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into model group,alendronate sodium group and sham operation group.The osteoporosis model was established by ovariectomy in the first two groups.Four weeks after modeling,the rats in the alendronate group were intragastrically given alendronate sodium,while those in the sham operation group and model group were given equal volume of normal saline.After 12 weeks of continuous gavage,the metabolites of the lumbar spine were analyzed by chromatography-mass spectrometry,and the common differential metabolites were obtained,which were analyzed by bioinformatics such as Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia pathway. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Totally 17 different metabolites were obtained in the three groups.The enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that alendronate sodium could regulate unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis,linoleic acid metabolism and other pathways to protect ovariectomized rats.These results indicate that alendronate sodium may exert its anti-osteoporosis effect by interfering with unsaturated fatty acid bioanabolism and linoleic acid metabolism,so as to achieve the purpose of preventing osteoporosis

BACKGROUND:Liuwei Dihuang Wan takes"three tonifying and three reducing effects"as its compatibility feature to nourish yin and tonify the kidneys,while Zuogui Wan takes"seeking yin in yang"as its compatibility feature to nourish yin and tonify the kidneys by promoting yang.Both of them belong to the same method of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys,and have better curative effects at the symptomatic and cellular molecular levels. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of Liuwei Dihuang Wan and Zuogui Wan in bone metabolism,and to explore their mechanism of action in the osteoprotegerin(OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL)osteoblastic pathway. METHODS:Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into model,Liuwei Dihuang Wan,Zuogui Wan,and sham operation group,with eight rats in each group.Osteoporosis models were prepared using removal of both ovaries in the first three groups.Starting at 30 days postoperatively,rats in the Liuwei Dihuang Wan group were gavaged with Liuwei Dihuang Wan 1.125 g/kg/d;rats in the Zuoqui Wan group were gavaged with Zuogui Wan 2.25 g/kg/d;and rats in the sham operation group and the model group were gavaged with saline 10 mL/kg/d.After 12 weeks of gavage,the rat tibia was taken to measure bone mineral density.The serum levels of estrogen,bone alkaline phosphatase,and cAMP/cGMP were measured using ELISA,and the expression of OPG/RANKL in the femur was detected using western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham operation group,the model group showed a decrease in bone mineral density and levels of estrogen and bone alkaline phosphatase(P＜0.05)and an increase in cAMP/cGMP level(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the Liuwei Dihuang Wan group and the Zuogui Wan group significantly increased bone mineral density(P＜0.05)and bone alkaline phosphatase levels(P＜0.05);the Zuogui Wan group significantly decreased cAMP/cGMP levels(P＜0.05)and upregulated OPG expression(P＜0.05);the Liuwei Dihuang Wan group upregulated OPG expression and downregulated RANKL expression(P＜0.05);and both groups were unable to significantly increase estrogen levels(P＞0.05).To conclude,Zuogui Wan,which seeks yin from yang,can effectively increase the expression of OPG but cannot downregulate the expression of RANKL.However,Liuwei Dihuang Wan,which has three tonifying and three reducing effects,can bidirectionally regulate the expression of OPG and RANKL.This result suggests that Liuwei Dihuang Wan can significantly inhibit osteoclastic function compared with Zuogui Wan,and further research is needed to verify this conclusion.

Stroke, a major cerebrovascular disease, has high morbidity and mortality. Effective methods to reduce the risk and improve the prognosis are lacking. Currently, uric acid (UA) is associated with the pathological mechanism, prognosis, and therapy of stroke. UA plays pro/anti-oxidative and pro-inflammatory roles in vivo. The specific role of UA in stroke, which may have both neuroprotective and damaging effects, remains unclear. There is a U-shaped association between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and ischemic stroke (IS). UA therapy provides neuroprotection during reperfusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Urate-lowering therapy (ULT) plays a protective role in IS with hyperuricemia or gout. SUA levels are associated with the cerebrovascular injury mechanism, risk, and outcomes of hemorrhagic stroke. In this review, we summarize the current research on the role of UA in stroke, providing potential targets for its prediction and treatment.
Humans ; Uric Acid/metabolism* ; Stroke/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Hyperuricemia/drug therapy* ; Ischemic Stroke/blood* ; Biomarkers/blood*

An 81-year-old female patient was treated with anti-infective therapy of omadacycline for a soft-tissue skin infection,and developed acute kidney injury(AKI)6 d after the administration of omadacycline.Laboratory tests showed that the urea was 6.11 mmol·L-1,the creatinine was 236.40 μmol·L-1,and the glomerular filtration rate was 18.18 mL·min-1·(1.73m2)-1,which led to the definitive diagnosis of AKI.The association score of the suspected drug using Naranjo's Assessment Scale suggests that the patient's adverse reaction of AKI was suspected to be caused by omadacycline.After stopping omadacycline,the patient's renal function indicators gradually recovered after symptomatic treatment with renal protection and continuous blood purification.This paper discussed the occurrence mechanism and treatment prognosis of AKI caused by omadacycline.It suggestd that clinical use of omadacycline should be alert to the adverse effects of renal injury,and timely medication analysis and symptomatic treatment should be carried out to ensure the safety and effectiveness of treatment.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of Jiaotai Pill(JTP)on type 2 diabetic(T2DM)rats,a systemic study was conducted by examining the changes in neurotransmitter levels related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis.Methods The rats were divided into a normal group,a model group,a metformin group(183 mg·kg-1·d-1),and a JTP treatment group(3.3 g·kg-1·d-1).A T2DM model was established using a high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin.After 28 days of intragastric administration of JTP and metformin,metabolic indicators,Fasting blood glucose(FBG),insulin(INS),blood lipids,and pathological changes in the liver and kidneys were measured in each group of rats.Levels of eight neurotransmitters were quantified in serum,urine,and multiple tissues(brain,heart,liver,kidney,intestine,and adrenal gland)using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Results Compared to the T2DM model group,the JTP intervention groups showed varying degrees of reduction in water intake,food intake,FBG,INS,and blood lipids(P<0.05).Additionally,the fatty degeneration in the liver,glomerular lesions in the kidneys,and dyslipidemia were significantly improved.JTP intervention significantly modulated the disordered neurotransmitter levels in the blood,urine,and various tissues of T2DM rats(P<0.05),with the greatest number of neurotransmitters showing a notable recovery in blood,urine,brain,and adrenal gland.Conclusion JTP at a dosage of 3.3 g·kg-1·d-1 can improve the glucose and lipid metabolism in rats.JTP can regulate the HPA axis-related neurotransmitter system,mitigating metabolic disturbances and organ damage associated with T2DM.

Objective:To investigate the impact of immunosuppressive therapy on the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and cytokine levels in pediatric patients with kidney diseases.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 40 hospitalized pediatric patients who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection at the 900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support Force from December 2022 to February 2023. Based on their immunosuppressive status prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection, these patients were categorized into immunosuppressive group and non-immunosuppressive group. Independent sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and χ2 test were employed to compare the clinical baseline characteristics and laboratory data, the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the levels of cytokines between the 2 groups. Results:Among the 40 patients, 11 were in the immunosuppressive group (aged 13 (8, 14) years, 9 males and 2 females) and 29 in the non-immunosuppressive group (aged 2 (1, 4) years, 15 males and 14 females). In the immunosuppressive group, 2 were asymptomatic cases, 8 were mild cases, and 1 was moderate case, and there was no severe or critical cases. In the non-immunosuppressive group, 8 were mild cases, 5 were moderate, 15 were severe cases, 1 was critical case, and no asymptomatic cases. The underlying diseases in the immunosuppressive group included nephrotic syndrome (6 cases), IgA vasculitis nephritis (2 cases), lupus nephritis (1 case), post-renal transplantation (1 case), and renal failure (1 case), with a mean total immunosuppression score (TIS) of (3.6±1.4) points. In the non-immunosuppressive group, 2 patients had a history of epilepsy, and the remaining 27 cases had no underlying conditions, all with TIS scores of 0. Compared to the children in the non-immunosuppressive group, those in the immunosuppressive group were more likely to exhibit asymptomatic or mild infection, with lower risks of severe disease, cytokine storm, fever, and cough, but a higher risk of fatigue ( OR=1.22, 2.66, 0.48, 0.12, 0.12, 0.13, 1.22; 95% CI 0.93-1.62, 0.99-7.15, 0.33-0.70, 0.03-0.57, 0.03-0.57, 0.03-0.65, 0.93-1.62; all P<0.05). The levels of cytokine IL-6, interferon-α and interferon-γ in the immunosuppressive group were all lower than those in the non-immunosuppressive group ( Z=2.23, 2.51, 2.92, respectively; all P<0.05). Conclusion:Pediatric patients with kidney diseases receiving appropriate immunosuppressive therapy may mitigate the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection by suppressing the expression of cytokines.

Objective:To develop a clinical predictive model for dampness constitution based on laboratory testing indicators.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1 355 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations at the Health Examination Center of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 1 st, 2022 to October 31 st, 2023. Basic information and blood routine, blood glucose, liver function, lipid metabolism, and kidney function test results of 1 355 apparently healthy individuals were collected. According to the diagnostic criteria for dampness constitution in traditional Chinese medicine, they were divided into a dampness constitution group (683 cases, including 394 with phlegm-dampness constitution and 289 with damp-heat constitution) and a non-dampness constitution group (672 cases). Among them, there were 547 males and 136 females in the dampness constitution group, with an age of 38.0 (32.0, 45.0) years; and there were 355 males and 317 females in the non-dampness constitution group, with an age of 33.0 (27.0, 41.0) years. A total of 1 355 apparently healthy individuals were randomly divided into a training set ( n=948) and a validation set ( n=407) using computer-generated random numbers in a 7∶3 ratio. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors associated with dampness constitution. Utilizing these identified risk factors, a predictive model was constructed and subsequently visualized. The model′s predictive accuracy, consistency, and clinical utility were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA), respectively. Results:Among 1 355 subjects, there were statistically significant differences ( P<0.05) in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose, some indicators of renal function, some indicators of blood routine, liver function, and four indicators of lipid metabolism between the dampness constitution group and the non-dampness constitution group. Gender ( OR=0.434,95 %CI 0.253-0.738), Cr ( OR=0.981,95 %CI 0.967-0.996), BMI ( OR=1.366,95 %CI 1.290-1.450), and LDL-C ( OR=1.388,95 %CI 1.014-1.897) were independent risk factors for dampness constitution ( P<0.05). A nomogram was subsequently developed based on these identified risk factors. The areas under the ROC curves (AUC) of the training set and validation set were 0.810 (95 %CI 0.783-0.837) and 0.804 (95 %CI 0.762-0.846), respectively. Conclusion:Gender,BMI,Cr and LDL-C were risk factors for the development of dampness constitution, and the clinical predictive model has clinical application value in predicting the risk of dampness constitution.

Objective To analyze the expression and clinical significance of stimulator of interfer-on genes(STING),C-C motif chemokine ligand 5(CCL5),interferon regulatory factor 3(IRF3)and programmed death ligand-1(PDL1)in squamous cell lung cancer.Methods A total of 56 pa-tients with squamous cell lung cancer were enrolled.Resected tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues(located more than 5 cm from the tumor margin)were collected.Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of STING,CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1.The correlations of STING,CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1 with clinical data were analyzed.The relationship between the expression of STING,CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1 in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues and prognosis was also evalua-ted.The prognostic factors of patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed.Results The positive rate of STING expression in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent non-tumor tissues,whereas the positive rates of CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1 were significantly higher(P＜0.05).The expression levels of STING,CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1 were associated with tumor diameter,TNM stage,lymph node metastasis and differentiation degree(P＜0.05).The 3-year survival rate of STING positive expression patients was significantly higher than that of STING negative expression patients(P＜0.05).The 3-year survival rate of CCL5 positive,IRF3 positive and PDL1 positive expression patients was significantly lower than that of CCL5 negative,IRF3 negative and PDL1 negative expression patients(P＜0.05).STING,CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1 were identified as prognostic factors for patients with squamous cell lung cancer(P＜0.05).Conclusion In squamous cell lung cancer tissues,STING is expressed at low levels,while CCL5,IRF3 and PDL1 are ex-pressed at high levels.These findings have significant clinical value in assessing the prognosis of pa-tients with squamous cell lung cancer.