The gut-liver axis is critical pathway of interaction between the intestine and the liver,involving gut microbiota,intestinal permeability and immune responses.Dysbiosis of the gut microbio-ta and increased intestinal permeability lead to the translocation of bacteria and their metabolites into the systemic circulation,thereby triggering hepatic inflammation and promoting the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Research on the gut-liver axis contributes to the development of novel therapeutic approaches,including fecal microbiota transplantation,antibiotic therapy and nu-tritional intervention,providing new insights for the treatment of NAFLD.This article reviewed the composition and regulatory mechanism of entero-hepatic axis,its relationship with NAFLD,and the role of drug therapy and lifestyle intervention.

Objective:To investigate the temporal expression of Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF15) in the serum of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and explore the clinical significance of GDF15 in protecting cardiomyocytes in ACS.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 289 ACS patients admitted to the emergency departments from February to October 2023. Data on gender, age, troponin T (TnT), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), GDF15, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) within 30 minutes of admission were recorded. Differences in these indicators among different groups were compared. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of GDF15, TnT, and BNP for ACS. Among the patients, 15 exhibited a temporal expression pattern of GDF15, and their blood samples were re-measured using a GDF15 fluorescent quantitative immunochromatographic assay kit. Fifteen patients without temporal expression were randomly selected as controls, and their samples were also re-measured to exclude detection errors. Fifteen patients with temporal expression were included in the temporal expression group, and 15 without temporal expression were included in the non-temporal expression group. Laboratory indicators such as fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, creatinine, and uric acid were compared between the groups. Additionally, patient age, gender, body mass index (BMI), coronary angiography results, echocardiography, Gensini score, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and GRACE risk score were recorded to assess their correlation with GDF15 temporal expression. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 27 software, with continuous data expressed as mean ± standard deviation (Mean ± SD) and compared using t-tests and χ2 tests. Results:The overall trend in ACS patients showed a higher proportion of males than females (73.36% vs. 26.64%). The oldest group was the Unstable Angina (UA) group, with a mean age of (63.98 ± 15.19) years, while the youngest group was the non-ACS chest pain group, with a mean age of (54.29 ± 16.39) years. A higher proportion of patients in the UA, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) groups had a history of smoking. The combination of GDF15 and TnT showed high diagnostic value for ACS, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.843, consistent with previous studies. Among all ACS patients, 15 exhibited a temporal expression pattern of GDF15, where GDF15 levels peaked at 4 hours, gradually decreased, and peaked again at 24 hours. Patients in the temporal expression group had higher LVEF and left ventricular end-systolic diameter compared to the non-temporal expression group. The Gensini score was lower in the temporal expression group, and the GRACE risk score was significantly lower in the temporal expression group (00.7±14.72) compared to the non-temporal expression group (116.1±23.46), with a statistically significant difference ( P = 0.0115). There were no significant differences in general characteristics (age, gender, BMI) or clinical biochemical indicators (fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, creatinine, uric acid) between the temporal and non-temporal expression groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:GDF15 demonstrates significant diagnostic and prognostic predictive value in ACS. Patients with temporally dynamic expression of serum GDF15 exhibit milder myocardial injury and a lower probability of mortality. These findings provide novel therapeutic targets and research directions for further exploring the role of GDF15 in ACS management.

Objective As a signaling molecule,NO regulates key physiological processes and is closely related to periodontitis.To investigate the effect of flavonoid NO donor composite nanoparticles(G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS)on osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells(PDLSCs)by regulating macrophage polarization.Methods The novel NO donor drug G10 was loaded on hydroxyapatite/mesoporous silicanant particles(HAP/MSN),filled with zinc oxide(ZnO),and then coated with chitosan(COS)to prepare composite nanoparticles(G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS).The best concentration of G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS was screened to promote cell proliferation by CCK-8 cell experiment.After the mouse mononuclear macrophages were stimulated by lipopo-lysaccharide,the mice were divided into four groups:Control group,G10 group,HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group and G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group.Each group was cultured with fresh medium,5 μg/mL G10,5 μg/mL HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS and 5 μg/mL G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS for 72 h respectively.ELISA and RT-qPCR were used to detect the expression of cytokines(TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β,iNOS,IL-10)and mRNA expression in each group,and the phenotypic changes of M1/M2 were evaluated.The supernatant of each culture medium was used as conditioned medium to culture PDLSCs,and the osteogenic ability and cell miner-alization were evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity test and alizarin red staining.Results CCK-8 experiment showed that G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS of 5 μg/mL could significantly promote the proliferation of PDLSCs.The results of ELISA showed that compared with Control group,the expression of M1 type marker IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α and iNOS in G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group was significantly decreased(P＜0.000 1),while the expression of M2 type marker IL-10 was significantly increased(P＜0.000 1).The results of RT-qPCR were consistent with those of ELISA,which showed that the expression of M1-related genes in G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group decreased significantly(P＜0.01).The results of alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase activity test showed that the number of mineralized nodules and alkaline phosphatase activity in G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS-CM group were significantly higher than those in other groups(P＜0.000 1).Conclusion Composite nanoparticles(G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS)can effectively inhibit the polarization of macrophages to M1 phenotype and promote it to M2 phenotypic polarization.The anti-inflammatory microenvironment regulated by G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS can en-hance the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and practicality of the Jaundice color card (JCard) as a screening tool for neonatal jaundice.Methods:Following the standards for reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) statement, a multicenter prospective study was conducted in 9 hospitals in China from October 2019 to September 2021. A total of 845 newborns who were admitted to the hospital or outpatient department for liver function testing due to their own diseases. The inclusion criteria were a gestational age of ≥35 weeks, a birth weight of ≥2 000 g, and an age of ≤28 days. The neonate′s parents used the JCard to measure jaundice at the neonate′s cheek. Within 2 hours of the JCard measurement, transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was measured with a JH20-1B device and total serum bilirubin (TSB) was detected. The Pearson′s correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plots and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for statistic analysis.Results:Out of the 854 newborns, 445 were male and 409 were female; 46 were born at 35-36 weeks of gestational age and 808 were born at ≥37 weeks of gestational age. Additionally, 432 cases were aged 0-3 days, 236 cases were aged 4-7 days, and 186 cases were aged 8-28 days. The TSB level was (227.4±89.6) μmol/L, with a range of 23.7-717.0 μmol/L. The JCard level was (221.4±77.0) μmol/L and the TcB level was (252.5±76.0) μmol/L. Both the JCard and TcB values showed good correlation ( r=0.77 and 0.80, respectively) and agreements (96.0% (820/854) and 95.2% (813/854) of samples fell within the 95% limits of agreement, respectively) with TSB. The JCard value of 12 had a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.75 for identifying a TSB ≥205.2?μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.35 for identifying a TSB ≥342.0?μmol/L. The TcB value of 205.2?μmol/L had a sensitivity of 0.97 and specificity of 0.60 for identifying TSB levels of 205.2 μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.26 for identifying TSB levels of 342.0 μmol/L. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of JCard for identifying TSB levels of 153.9, 205.2, 256.5, and 342.0 μmol/L were 0.96, 0.92, 0.83, and 0.83, respectively. The AUC of TcB were 0.94, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.87, respectively. There were both no significant differences between the AUC of JCard and TcB in identifying TSB levels of 153.9 and 205.2 μmol/L (both P>0.05). However, the AUC of JCard were both lower than those of TcB in identifying TSB levels of 256.5 and 342.0 μmol/L (both P<0.05). Conclusions:JCard can be used to classify different levels of bilirubin, but its diagnostic efficacy decreases with increasing bilirubin levels. When TSB level are ≤205.2 μmol/L, its diagnostic efficacy is equivalent to that of the JH20-1B. To prevent the misdiagnosis of severe jaundice, it is recommended that parents use a low JCard score, such as 12, to identify severe hyperbilirubinemia (TSB ≥342.0 μmol/L).

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that apoptotic vesicles(apoVs)derived from mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs;MSC-apoVs)are vital for bone regeneration,and possess superior capabilities compared to MSCs and other extracellular vesicles derived from MSCs(such as exosomes).The osteoinductive effect of MSC-apoVs is attributed to their diverse contents,especially enriched proteins or microRNAs(miRNAs).To optimize their osteoinduction activity,it is necessary to determine the unique cargo profiles of MSC-apoVs.We previously established the protein landscape and identified proteins specific to MSC-apoVs.However,the features and functions of miRNAs enriched in MSC-apoVs are unclear.In this study,we compared MSCs,MSC-apoVs,and MSC-exosomes from two types of MSC.We generated a map of miRNAs specific to MSC-apoVs and identified seven miRNAs specifically enriched in MSC-apoVs compared to MSCs and MSC-exosomes,which we classified as apoV-specific miRNAs.Among these seven specific miRNAs,hsa-miR-4485-3p was the most abundant and stable.Next,we explored its function in apoV-mediated osteoinduction.Unexpectedly,hsa-miR-4485-3p enriched in MSC-apoVs inhibited osteogenesis and promoted adipogenesis by targeting the AKT pathway.Tailored apoVs with downregulated hsa-miR-4485-3p exhibited a greater effect on bone regeneration than control apoVs.Like releasing the brake,we acquired more powerful osteoinductive apoVs.In summary,we identified the miRNA cargos,including miRNAs specific to MSC-apoVs,and generated tailored apoVs with high osteoinduction activity,which is promising in apoV-based therapies for bone regeneration.

Benign anastomotic stenosis remains a common complication after bilojejunal anastomosis. Its pathogenesis includes the histology of bile duct, bile erosion, and inappropriate choice of surgical anastomosis or suture materials. Biliojejunal anastomotic stenosis can be determined preoperatively by MRCP, CT, and three-dimensional image reconstruction. Surgery remains treatment of choice for most cases, including surgical reconstruction and minimally invasive treatment, while the incidence of restenosis, residual stone, and reoperation is still high. Surgeons are still in search of optimal treatment modality to avoid anastomotic stenosis. In this article, we review the literature and summarize the latest clinical progress in the diagnosis and treatment of biliojejunal anastomotic stenosis combined with hepatic ductal stones.

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that apoptotic vesicles(apoVs)derived from mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs;MSC-apoVs)are vital for bone regeneration,and possess superior capabilities compared to MSCs and other extracellular vesicles derived from MSCs(such as exosomes).The osteoinductive effect of MSC-apoVs is attributed to their diverse contents,especially enriched proteins or microRNAs(miRNAs).To optimize their osteoinduction activity,it is necessary to determine the unique cargo profiles of MSC-apoVs.We previously established the protein landscape and identified proteins specific to MSC-apoVs.However,the features and functions of miRNAs enriched in MSC-apoVs are unclear.In this study,we compared MSCs,MSC-apoVs,and MSC-exosomes from two types of MSC.We generated a map of miRNAs specific to MSC-apoVs and identified seven miRNAs specifically enriched in MSC-apoVs compared to MSCs and MSC-exosomes,which we classified as apoV-specific miRNAs.Among these seven specific miRNAs,hsa-miR-4485-3p was the most abundant and stable.Next,we explored its function in apoV-mediated osteoinduction.Unexpectedly,hsa-miR-4485-3p enriched in MSC-apoVs inhibited osteogenesis and promoted adipogenesis by targeting the AKT pathway.Tailored apoVs with downregulated hsa-miR-4485-3p exhibited a greater effect on bone regeneration than control apoVs.Like releasing the brake,we acquired more powerful osteoinductive apoVs.In summary,we identified the miRNA cargos,including miRNAs specific to MSC-apoVs,and generated tailored apoVs with high osteoinduction activity,which is promising in apoV-based therapies for bone regeneration.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib combined with sintilimab as the second-line therapy for advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of the patients with advanced ICC who were admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital from October 31, 2019 to October 31, 2021 and could not undergo surgery or experienced metastasis after surgery. All patients were treated with lenvatinib combined with sintilimab as the second-line therapy. The patients were followed up, and the RECIST1.1 criteria were used to assess treatment outcome. The primary endpoint was time to progression (TTP), and the secondary endpoints were tumor objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS) time, and safety. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and the log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. Results A total of 27 patients were enrolled, among whom there were15 male patients (55.6%) and 12 female patients (44.4%), with a median age of 58 years (range 33-73 years). The median TTP for these patients was 5.5 (95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.7-9.3) months, and 13 patients (48.1%) died of disease progression, with a median OS time of 11.2 (95% CI : 5.0-17.4) months. The overall ORR and DCR were 40.7% and 70.3%, respectively. Of all patients, 66.7% experienced varying degrees of adverse events, and among these patients, 44.4% had an increase in alanine aminotransferase, 44.4% had an increase in aspartate aminotransferase, 37.0% had hypertension, 29.6% had an increase in bilirubin, 29.6% experienced diarrhea, and 25.9% each experienced proteinuria, anorexia, and weakness. No treatment-related death was observed, and only 1 patient developed grade Ⅳ immune-related hepatotoxicity and was relieved without sequelae after corticosteroid therapy, resulting in permanent withdrawal of sintilimab. The patients with lymph node metastasis had a significantly shorter median TTP than those without lymph node metastasis (4.5 months vs 18.8 months, P =0.035), and the patients who achieved disease remission had a significantly longer median TTP [11.6 months (95% CI : 5.6-17.6) vs 2.8 months (95% CI : 1.8-3.8), P < 0.001]; the patients with lymph node metastasis had a shorter median OS time [9.6 months (95% CI: 7.9-11.3) vs 21.9 months (95% CI : 0-44.9), P =0.053], and the patients who achieved disease remission had a significantly longer median OS time [16.6 months (95% CI : 9.0-24.2) vs 6.9 months (95% CI : 3.6-10.2), P =0.011]. Conclusion Lenvatinib combined with sintilimab has a marked clinical effect and a low incidence rate of serious adverse events as the second-line therapy for advanced ICC, and therefore, it is a safe and effective treatment regimen.

Objective    To explore the application value of synchronous CT-guided percutaneous biopsy followed by radiofrequency ablation in the diagnosis and treatment of lung tumors. Methods    The clinical data of 21 patients with lung tumors were retrospectively analyzed. There were 8 males and 13 females aged 68 (51, 73) years. A total of 24 lesions underwent CT-guided percutaneous biopsy and concurrent radiofrequency ablation. The effectiveness and safety of this protocol were analyzed. Results    All 21 patients successfully completed the procedures. The diameter of 24 lesions was 17.0 (13.3, 19.0) mm. Biopsy specimens met the requirements of pathological diagnosis, and the effectiveness of specimens was 100.0%. The incidence of small amount of pneumothorax/pleural shrinkage after procedures was 19.0% (4/21) and the incidence of tension pneumothorax was 4.7% (1/21). There was no obvious bleeding or other complications. Conclusion    Synchronous CT-guided percutaneous biopsy followed by radiofrequency ablation combines two interventional techniques, which is safe and effective in the diagnosis and treatment of lung tumors, and it is worthy of popularization and application in clinic.