BACKGROUND:Peripheral nerve axon rupture seriously affects patients' physical function and mental health.Microsurgery,nerve autograft,nerve allograft,fibrin glue and catheter technology are the main treatments for peripheral nerve injury,each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages,but the overall treatment effect is not satisfactory.Despite the clinical success of Schwann cells in promoting axonal regeneration,there are still many challenges in the treatment with Schwann cells,such as slow expansion of Schwann cells,immune rejection,and low survival rate of transplanted cells.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the role and mechanism of Schwann cells in promoting the regeneration of peripheral nerve axons,and the difficulties and challenges of Schwann cells in the process of nerve regeneration treatment.METHODS:PubMed,Medline,WanFang,VIP,and CNKI were searched by computer using the search terms of"Schwann cells,synaptic Schwann cell,macrophage,peripheral nerve axon rupture,Wallerian degeneration,Peripheral nerve axon regeneration,Central nervous system repair"in English and Chinese.Literature related to Schwann cell proliferation and differentiation,promotion of peripheral nerve regeneration,and clinical applications was retrieved from database inception to October 2024,and a total of 95 articles were finally included for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Schwann cells interact with macrophages,T cells and other cells,to initiate the regeneration process through signaling pathways,including Krox20/C-Jun,NRG-1/ErbB,Notch,MAPK,and PI3K/Akt/mTOR,synthesize and release nerve growth factors,and thus promote regeneration of the peripheral nervous system.Schwann cells have been experimentally demonstrated to have great potential in peripheral nerve repair and are expected to become the key target of therapeutic intervention.However,there are still problems such as difficulties in cell harvest and culture,as well as the occurrence of other diseases during the treatment process.

ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Xiaoqinglong Decoction （小青龙汤， XD） in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. MethodsForty-five rats were randomly assigned to a control group， a model group， a loratadine group， low-， medium- and high-dose XD groups， and low-， medium- and high-dose Mahuang Decoction and Cang'erzi Powder （麻黄汤合苍耳子散， MDCP） groups. Except for the control group， rats were administered with ovalbumin （OVA） and aluminum hydroxide via intraperitoneal injection for 14 days to establish an allergic rhinitis model. After the 14th-day injection， nasal stimulation was continued with 20 μl of 10% OVA solution to maintain the model. Rats in the control group and the model group received 10 ml/（kg·d） of saline， whereas those in the loratadine group were administered with 0.9 mg/（kg·d） of loratadine. The low-， medium- and high-dose XD groups were administered XD at the dose of 2.7， 5.4， and 10.8 g/（kg·d）， respectively. The low-， medium- and high-dose MDCP groups were administered MDCP at the dose of 2.43， 4.86， and 9.72 g/（kg·d）， respectively. All treatments were administered by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days. One hour after the final gavage， nasal symptom scores were recorded for all group of rats. The next day， serum levels of immunoglobulin E （IgE）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， and interleukin-13 （IL-13） were measured. HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of the nasal mucosal tissue. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR （RT-qPCR） and Western Blot were performed to assess mRNA and protein expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin （TSLP） and OX40 ligand （OX40L） in the nasal mucosa. ResultsCompared to the control group， total nasal symptom score in the model group significantly increased （P＜0.01）. HE staining revealed disrupted and adhered cilia， thickened basement membranes， and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration in the nasal mucosa. Serum levels of total IgE， IL-4， and IL-13， as well as TSLP and OX40L mRNA and protein expression in the nasal mucosa， were significantly elevated in the model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the model group， the total nasal symptom scores in all drug intervention groups were significantly reduced； the serum total IgE levels in the loratadine group， the low- and medium-dose XD groups， and the low- and high-dose MDCP groups were significantly reduced； and the serum levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the high-dose XD group and the high-dose MDCP group decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Nasal mucosal structure was improved. Except for the low-dose MDCP group， all other intervention groups showed a significant reduction in TSLP and OX40L mRNA expression in the nasal mucosa （P＜0.01）. All doses of XD and the medium- and high-dose MDCP groups significantly decreased the protein levels of TSLP and OX40L （P＜0.05）. The medium-dose XD group exhibited more improvement of nasal symptom scores and greater suppression of expression of TSLP and OX40L mRNA， and TSLP protein levels compared to the loratadine group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionXD may protect nasal mucosa of rats and alleviate allergic rhinitis by suppressing the TSLP/OX40L pathway， thereby attenuating Th2-mediated immune responses.

ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Xiaoqinglong Decoction （小青龙汤， XD） in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. MethodsForty-five rats were randomly assigned to a control group， a model group， a loratadine group， low-， medium- and high-dose XD groups， and low-， medium- and high-dose Mahuang Decoction and Cang'erzi Powder （麻黄汤合苍耳子散， MDCP） groups. Except for the control group， rats were administered with ovalbumin （OVA） and aluminum hydroxide via intraperitoneal injection for 14 days to establish an allergic rhinitis model. After the 14th-day injection， nasal stimulation was continued with 20 μl of 10% OVA solution to maintain the model. Rats in the control group and the model group received 10 ml/（kg·d） of saline， whereas those in the loratadine group were administered with 0.9 mg/（kg·d） of loratadine. The low-， medium- and high-dose XD groups were administered XD at the dose of 2.7， 5.4， and 10.8 g/（kg·d）， respectively. The low-， medium- and high-dose MDCP groups were administered MDCP at the dose of 2.43， 4.86， and 9.72 g/（kg·d）， respectively. All treatments were administered by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days. One hour after the final gavage， nasal symptom scores were recorded for all group of rats. The next day， serum levels of immunoglobulin E （IgE）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， and interleukin-13 （IL-13） were measured. HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of the nasal mucosal tissue. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR （RT-qPCR） and Western Blot were performed to assess mRNA and protein expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin （TSLP） and OX40 ligand （OX40L） in the nasal mucosa. ResultsCompared to the control group， total nasal symptom score in the model group significantly increased （P＜0.01）. HE staining revealed disrupted and adhered cilia， thickened basement membranes， and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration in the nasal mucosa. Serum levels of total IgE， IL-4， and IL-13， as well as TSLP and OX40L mRNA and protein expression in the nasal mucosa， were significantly elevated in the model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the model group， the total nasal symptom scores in all drug intervention groups were significantly reduced； the serum total IgE levels in the loratadine group， the low- and medium-dose XD groups， and the low- and high-dose MDCP groups were significantly reduced； and the serum levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the high-dose XD group and the high-dose MDCP group decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Nasal mucosal structure was improved. Except for the low-dose MDCP group， all other intervention groups showed a significant reduction in TSLP and OX40L mRNA expression in the nasal mucosa （P＜0.01）. All doses of XD and the medium- and high-dose MDCP groups significantly decreased the protein levels of TSLP and OX40L （P＜0.05）. The medium-dose XD group exhibited more improvement of nasal symptom scores and greater suppression of expression of TSLP and OX40L mRNA， and TSLP protein levels compared to the loratadine group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionXD may protect nasal mucosa of rats and alleviate allergic rhinitis by suppressing the TSLP/OX40L pathway， thereby attenuating Th2-mediated immune responses.

BACKGROUND:Peripheral nerve axon rupture seriously affects patients' physical function and mental health.Microsurgery,nerve autograft,nerve allograft,fibrin glue and catheter technology are the main treatments for peripheral nerve injury,each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages,but the overall treatment effect is not satisfactory.Despite the clinical success of Schwann cells in promoting axonal regeneration,there are still many challenges in the treatment with Schwann cells,such as slow expansion of Schwann cells,immune rejection,and low survival rate of transplanted cells.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the role and mechanism of Schwann cells in promoting the regeneration of peripheral nerve axons,and the difficulties and challenges of Schwann cells in the process of nerve regeneration treatment.METHODS:PubMed,Medline,WanFang,VIP,and CNKI were searched by computer using the search terms of"Schwann cells,synaptic Schwann cell,macrophage,peripheral nerve axon rupture,Wallerian degeneration,Peripheral nerve axon regeneration,Central nervous system repair"in English and Chinese.Literature related to Schwann cell proliferation and differentiation,promotion of peripheral nerve regeneration,and clinical applications was retrieved from database inception to October 2024,and a total of 95 articles were finally included for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Schwann cells interact with macrophages,T cells and other cells,to initiate the regeneration process through signaling pathways,including Krox20/C-Jun,NRG-1/ErbB,Notch,MAPK,and PI3K/Akt/mTOR,synthesize and release nerve growth factors,and thus promote regeneration of the peripheral nervous system.Schwann cells have been experimentally demonstrated to have great potential in peripheral nerve repair and are expected to become the key target of therapeutic intervention.However,there are still problems such as difficulties in cell harvest and culture,as well as the occurrence of other diseases during the treatment process.

AIM:The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Yiqi-Yangyin-Quyu prescription(YP)on skeletal muscle injury and related metabolic disorders in mice with Sj?gren syndrome(SS),and to clarify the role of hy-droxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex subunit beta(Hadhb)in mediating the effect of YP on skeletal muscle in SS.METHODS:The SS mice underwent YP treatment for 8 weeks.The morphological changes of the submandibular gland and muscle tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin staining.The mitochondrial status in mus-cle tissue was assessed through transmission electron microscopy.Additionally,combined transcriptome and proteome se-quencing was conducted on skeletal muscle samples.The omics sequencing results were validated by RT-qPCR.Immuno-fluorescence was used to confirm the levels of key proteins involved in the P53/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARG)signaling pathway.Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to determine the levels of Hadhb key targets.RESULTS:Combined transcriptome and proteome analysis identified 1 523 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 182 differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)between the muscle tissue of SS mice(model group)and that of control animals(ICR group),12 of which showed co-differential expression at both transcriptomic and proteomic levels.Compared with model group,1 232 genes and 432 proteins were found to be differentially expressed in the muscle tissue of the mice in YP group.Among these,23 exhibited co-differential expression at both mRNA and protein levels.Gene Ontology(GO)analysis showed that the DEGs and DEPs between ICR and model groups were mainly involved in ener-gy metabolism and fatty acid oxidation,while the DEGs and DEPs between YP and model groups were primarily associated with sarcomere tissue and actin structure.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis indi-cated that the DEGs and DEPs between ICR and model groups and between model and YP groups were enriched in the com-plement and coagulation cascade and lipid and pyruvate metabolism.The RT-qPCR validation results were consistent with those of the transcriptome analysis.Furthermore,the protein expression of the tumor suppressor P53 was significantly de-creased in YP group compared with model group,whereas that of PPARG was significantly increased.Western blot analy-sis showed that compared with ICR group,Hadhb protein expression was significantly decreased in model group,whereas the opposite trend was detected in YP group.CONCLUSION:The SS-related skeletal muscle damage is closely related to amino acid metabolism disorder and fatty acid degradation.Treatment with YP modulates innate immune defenses,lipid metabolism and energy metabolism in SS,and Hadhb is the key target of YP in SS-related skeletal muscle.

Objective To establish a rapid on-site detection method for methamphetamine(MA)based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS).Methods Laboratory-synthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)were employed as SERS substrates to rapidly detect methamphetamine in typical crime scene matrices,including beer,cigarette ash,and plastic containers.Results The method requires no sample pretreatment,is simple to operate,and offers high sensitivity with fast detection speed.The limit of detection(LOD)reached 10 ppb(signal-to-noise ratio,S/N＞3).The qualitative results of methamphetamine analysis from forensic case samples were highly consistent with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)findings.Conclusion Methamphetamine is frequently encountered in illicit settings and criminal activities.This study achieved rapid detection of methamphetamine in complex matrices(beer,cigarette ash,and plastic containers),demonstrating good application prospects in practice and providing important value for law enforcement,public safety,and criminal investigation.

Objective To investigate the expression levels of serum fibronectin(FN)in patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)and evaluate its clinical diagnostic significance.Methods Firstly,the gene and tissue protein expression levels of FN in NSCLC were assessed using the TIMER2.0 database,GTEx database,and Human Protein Atlas(HPA)database.Secondly,from January 2021 to June 2023,a total of 154 patients with lung space-occupying lesions or shadows at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine were enrolled.Based on medical history,clinical manifestations,imaging tests,and pathological histological find-ings,these patients were categorized into two groups:81 patients with NSCLC and 73 patients with benign lung diseases.The serum concentration of FN was measured by immunoturbidimetry,while the serum levels of CEA,SCC,and CYFRA21-1 were determined using chemiluminescence.Results The bioinformatics analysis results demonstrated that the gene expression and tissue protein levels of FN were significantly reduced compared to normal tissues.In serological evaluations,serum FN concentrations in patients with advanced NSCLC(Stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ)and early-stage NSCLC(Stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ)(249.50 ng/mL and 305.00 ng/mL,respectively)were markedly lower than those observed in the benign lung disease group(429.16 ng/mL)(P<0.001).Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that serum FN could serve as a significant predictor for the presence of NSCLC.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)for serum FN in diagnosing early-stage NSCLC was 0.790,which outperformed CEA(0.618),SCC(0.653),and CYFRA21-1(0.601).The optimal critical concen-tration of serum FN for distinguishing early-stage NSCLC from benign diseases was determined to be 347.6 ng/mL,with a sensitivity of 71.93％,surpassing that of CEA(19.30％),SCC(12.28％),and CYFRA21-1(8.77％).Conclusion Serum FN is significantly downregulated in NSCLC and may serve as a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of NSCLC.

Objective To analyze the short-term prognosis value of middle ear risk index(MERI)in predicting the poor hearing recovery 6 months after transcanal endoscopic ear surgery(TEES)for children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection and the related factors affecting poor hearing recovery after TEES surgery.Methods A total of 70 children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection who underwent TEES were selected as the research subjects,and their outcomes were followed up for 6 months postoperatively.Pure tone audiometry was performed to collect the air-bone-gap(ABG)values of children,and they were divided into two groups according to ABG values:the group with good prognosis(ABG≤20 dBHL,n=49)and the group with poor prognosis(ABG>20 dBHL,n=21).The general information and the postoperative outcomes of MERI,ABG and quality of life improvement(Otitis Media-6,OM-6 score)of the two groups were compared.The independent risk factors for poor hearing recovery of TEES for children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was developed to study the predictive value of MERI in patients with cholestatomatous otitis media with TEES.Results Compared with the good prognosis group,the disease course of children in the poor prognosis group was longer,the scores of MERI,ABG and OM-6 before and after surgery were higher,the proportion of high-risk was higher(P＜0.05).The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that longer course of illness,higher MERI,higher preoperative ABG values and higher preoperative OM-6 scores were independent risk factors for poor hearing recovery of TEES for children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection.The ROC curve showed that the AUC(95%CI)of MERI predicting poor hearing recovery at 6 months post-TEES in cholesteatoma otitis media children was 0.828(95%CI:0.718-0.907),sensitivity was 81.0%and specificity was 75.5%.Conclusion MERI can be used as an effective tool to predict the short-term hearing recovery of children with cholestatoma otitis media undergoing tympanoplasty.The longer the course of disease,the higher the MERI.The higher the preoperative ABG,the higher the preoperative OM-6 score.The higher the risk of poor hearing recovery after TEES operation in children with cholestatoma otitis media,which needs clinical attention.

Objective To analyze the short-term prognosis value of middle ear risk index(MERI)in predicting the poor hearing recovery 6 months after transcanal endoscopic ear surgery(TEES)for children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection and the related factors affecting poor hearing recovery after TEES surgery.Methods A total of 70 children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection who underwent TEES were selected as the research subjects,and their outcomes were followed up for 6 months postoperatively.Pure tone audiometry was performed to collect the air-bone-gap(ABG)values of children,and they were divided into two groups according to ABG values:the group with good prognosis(ABG≤20 dBHL,n=49)and the group with poor prognosis(ABG>20 dBHL,n=21).The general information and the postoperative outcomes of MERI,ABG and quality of life improvement(Otitis Media-6,OM-6 score)of the two groups were compared.The independent risk factors for poor hearing recovery of TEES for children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was developed to study the predictive value of MERI in patients with cholestatomatous otitis media with TEES.Results Compared with the good prognosis group,the disease course of children in the poor prognosis group was longer,the scores of MERI,ABG and OM-6 before and after surgery were higher,the proportion of high-risk was higher(P＜0.05).The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that longer course of illness,higher MERI,higher preoperative ABG values and higher preoperative OM-6 scores were independent risk factors for poor hearing recovery of TEES for children with cholesteatoma-type middle ear infection.The ROC curve showed that the AUC(95%CI)of MERI predicting poor hearing recovery at 6 months post-TEES in cholesteatoma otitis media children was 0.828(95%CI:0.718-0.907),sensitivity was 81.0%and specificity was 75.5%.Conclusion MERI can be used as an effective tool to predict the short-term hearing recovery of children with cholestatoma otitis media undergoing tympanoplasty.The longer the course of disease,the higher the MERI.The higher the preoperative ABG,the higher the preoperative OM-6 score.The higher the risk of poor hearing recovery after TEES operation in children with cholestatoma otitis media,which needs clinical attention.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between visual recovery and non-treponemal serologic test titers [tolulized red unheated serum test (TRUST) or rapid plasma reagin (RPR)] in patients with isolated ocular syphilis and those with ocular syphilis combined with neurosyphilis.Methods:A total of 35 ocular syphilis patients treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and the Department of Dermatology, the Fifth People′s Hospital of Suzhou between 2016 and 2024 were enrolled. Pre-treatment serum TRUST/RPR and treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay results were collected for all 35 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical, routine, TRUST/RPR, and TPPA results were obtained for 29 patients. Visual acuity (logMAR) before and after treatment was recorded for 21 patients (34 eyes). Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between pre-and post-treatment visual acuity, degree of visual recovery, and serum titers.Results:No significant differences in titer distribution were observed among the 35 ocular syphilis patients based on age or sex ( P>0.05). Among the 29 patients who underwent lumbar puncture, 17(58.62%) were diagnosed with ocular syphilis combined with neurosyphilis, while 12(41.38%) had isolated ocular syphilis. The proportion of patients with high pre-treatment serum titers did not differ significantly between the two groups ( P=0.294). The degree of post-treatment visual recovery showed a positive correlation with pre-treatment serum titers, indicating that higher initial titers were associated with better visual recovery (34 eyes, r=-0.302, P=0.081). Post-treatment visual acuity was positively correlated with pre-treatment visual acuity (34 eyes, r=0.547, P=0.001), suggesting that patients with poor baseline vision had worse post-treatment visual outcomes. The median visual improvement was logMAR 0.560 in the isolated ocular syphilis group and logMAR 0.202 in the neurosyphilis-combined group, with no significant difference between the two ( P=0.322). Conclusions:Ocular syphilis patients with higher pre-treatment titers exhibit better visual recovery, while poor post-treatment visual outcomes are associated with low baseline visual acuity.