BACKGROUND:Lysosomal storage diseases,as a group of rare genetic metabolic disorders,exhibit complex pathogenesis often leading to dysfunction of cells,tissues,and organs.Current therapeutic approaches have certain limitations.Stem cell transplantation,as an emerging treatment method,offers new options for patients with lysosomal storage diseases.OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanisms of action of stem cells in regulating lysosomes for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases and explore the feasibility of traditional Chinese medicine in treating such diseases,providing new insights for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with stem cells.METHODS:Relevant literature from 2010 to 2024 was searched in CNKI and PubMed databases using keywords"stem cells,lysosomal storage disease,lysosome"in English and Chinese.Ultimately,78 articles were included for review and analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Stem cells treat lysosomal storage diseases by regulating lysosomes primarily through three aspects:regulating stem cell differentiation and replacement,improving intercellular communication and the microenvironment,and enhancing lysosomal enzyme expression through gene editing.(2)Stem cells have achieved significant effects in the treatment of some lysosomal storage diseases,such as Niemann-Pick disease,mucopolysaccharidoses,Gaucher disease,and metachromatic leukodystrophy.(3)The procedure for stem cell transplantation needs further optimization.Adverse reactions post-transplantation urgently need to be addressed,and the efficiency and safety of gene-modified stem cells also need to be further improved.In the future,more research on the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with traditional Chinese medicine is required to reveal the relevant mechanisms for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with traditional Chinese medicine.

BACKGROUND:Lysosomal storage diseases,as a group of rare genetic metabolic disorders,exhibit complex pathogenesis often leading to dysfunction of cells,tissues,and organs.Current therapeutic approaches have certain limitations.Stem cell transplantation,as an emerging treatment method,offers new options for patients with lysosomal storage diseases.OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanisms of action of stem cells in regulating lysosomes for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases and explore the feasibility of traditional Chinese medicine in treating such diseases,providing new insights for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with stem cells.METHODS:Relevant literature from 2010 to 2024 was searched in CNKI and PubMed databases using keywords"stem cells,lysosomal storage disease,lysosome"in English and Chinese.Ultimately,78 articles were included for review and analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Stem cells treat lysosomal storage diseases by regulating lysosomes primarily through three aspects:regulating stem cell differentiation and replacement,improving intercellular communication and the microenvironment,and enhancing lysosomal enzyme expression through gene editing.(2)Stem cells have achieved significant effects in the treatment of some lysosomal storage diseases,such as Niemann-Pick disease,mucopolysaccharidoses,Gaucher disease,and metachromatic leukodystrophy.(3)The procedure for stem cell transplantation needs further optimization.Adverse reactions post-transplantation urgently need to be addressed,and the efficiency and safety of gene-modified stem cells also need to be further improved.In the future,more research on the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with traditional Chinese medicine is required to reveal the relevant mechanisms for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with traditional Chinese medicine.

ObjectiveTo investigate the optimal termination time for acupuncture in treating patients with acute peripheral facial paralysis and its cost-effectiveness. MethodsA total of 120 eligible patients with acute-stage peri-pheral facial paralysis were randomly assigned to either the mild dysfunction termination group and the complete recovery termination group， with 60 patients in each group. Both groups received the standard acupuncture treatment protocol. Treatment in the mild dysfunction termination group was terminated when the Sunnybrook facial grade scale （SFGS） score first reached or exceeded 83 points， while that in the complete recovery termination group was terminated when the SFGS score first reached or exceeded 95 points. Assessments were conducted before treatment， 6 and 12 months after onset. SFGS， facial disability index （FDI） including physical function （FDIp） and social function （FDIs）， self-rating anxiety scale （SAS）， and self-rating depression scale （SDS） scores were assessed before treatment， and 6 and 12 months after onset. Any acupuncture-related adverse events during treatment were recorded for safety evaluation. Treatment sessions and medical costs including direct costs， indirect costs， insurance coverage， total societal costs， and patient out-of-pocket expenses were also recorded， and an economic evaluation was conducted including cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER）. ResultsUltimately， 56 patients in the mild dysfunction termination group and 55 in the complete recovery termination group completed the follow-up. At 6 and 12 months after onset， SFGS and FDIp scores in both groups improved significantly while FDIs， SAS and SDS scores decreased （P＜0.05）. Comparison of scores between groups 6 months and 12 months after onset showed no statistically significant differences （P＞0.05）. During the trial， the incidence of adverse events was 13.3% （8/60） in the mild dysfunction termination group and 18.3% （11/60） in the complete recovery termination group， with no statistically significant difference （P＞0.05）. The number of treatment sessions， total social costs， and out-of-pocket expenses in the mild dysfunction termination group were significantly lower than those in the complete recovery termination group （P＜0.05）. The CER of the mild dysfunction termination group in SFGS， FDIp， FDIs， SAS， and SDS scores was lower than that of the complete recovery termination group. The ICER analysis showed that continuing treatment until full recovery incurred an additional cost of 573.30 CNY/point in SFGS improvement， whereas 1-point improvement in FDIp， FDIs， SAS， and SDS required 21,355.25 CNY， 1779.60 CNY， 3713.96 CNY， and 2755.52 CNY， respectively. ConclusionFor acupuncture in treating acute peripheral facial palsy， terminating treatment when mild dysfunction is achieved yields long-term efficacy comparable to that of continuing treatment until complete recovery， while significantly reducing medical costs and socioeconomic burden.

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a technique that uses an array of electrodes to deliver safe stimulating currents and measures the boundary voltages between adjacent electrode pairs in the array in sequence. Subsequently, it reconstructs the impedance distribution in all or part of the tissue using reconstruction algorithms to achieve structural and functional imaging. Lung EIT technology features continuity, being radiation-free and non-invasive, and it can be used for real-time dynamic monitoring of the lungs in critically ill patients. This paper introduces the basic principles of lung EIT, analyzes the research progress and existing problems of the technology from the perspectives of hardware systems, imaging algorithms, and clinical applications (such as lung ventilation, lung perfusion, and lung function assessment), and discusses the development direction to provide ideas for expanding the clinical application of lung EIT.
Electric Impedance ; Humans ; Tomography/methods* ; Lung Diseases/therapy* ; Algorithms

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Dendritic cells (DCs) serve as the primary antigen-presenting cells in autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and exhibit distinct signaling profiles due to antigenic diversity. Type II collagen (CII) has been recognized as an RA-specific antigen; however, little is known about CII-stimulated DCs, limiting the development of RA-specific therapeutic interventions. In this study, we show that CII-stimulated DCs display a preferential gene expression profile associated with migration, offering a new perspective for targeting DC migration in RA treatment. Then, saikosaponin D (SSD) was identified as a compound capable of blocking CII-induced DC migration and effectively ameliorating arthritis. Optineurin (OPTN) is further revealed as a potential SSD target, with Optn deletion impairing CII-pulsed DC migration without affecting maturation. Function analyses uncover that OPTN prevents the proteasomal transport and ubiquitin-dependent degradation of C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), a pivotal chemokine receptor in DC migration. Optn-deficient DCs exhibit reduced CCR7 expression, leading to slower migration in CII-surrounded environment, thus alleviating arthritis progression. Our findings underscore the significance of antigen-specific DC activation in RA and suggest OPTN is a crucial regulator of CII-specific DC migration. OPTN emerges as a promising drug target for RA, potentially offering significant value for the therapeutic management of RA.

Objective:To assess the physical activity levels(PA)and patterns among older adults in rural areas, as well as to evaluate the association between PA levels and the conditions of sarcopenia and frailty.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 690 rural individuals aged 60 and above.Data on socio-demographic characteristics were collected, while Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index(ASMI)and grip strength were measured.The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly(PASE)was employed to evaluate PA levels.Based on their PASE scores, participants were categorized into three groups: low PA level, medium PA level, and high PA level.Sarcopenia was defined according to the 2019 criteria established by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia(AWGS), and frailty status was assessed using the Frail Scale.Results:Among the study sample, 38.0% exhibited a low level of physical activity, 46.2% had a medium level, and 15.8% engaged in high levels of activity.As age increased, the level of physical activity among older adults significantly declined.Most of the physical activity reported by participants was attributed to household chores and farming-related activities.Participation in structured exercise among older adults was notably low, with only 1.3% engaging in muscle-strengthening exercises on a weekly basis.The majority(53.9%)reported walking as their preferred form of weekly exercise.After adjusting for confounding factors, the prevalence of sarcopenia was found to be 0.40(95% CI: 0.26-0.62)times lower in the medium physical activity group, and 0.56(95% CI: 0.31-1.01)times lower in the high physical activity group, compared to those with a low physical activity level.Similarly, regarding frailty as a negative outcome, the prevalence was 0.66(95% CI: 0.51-0.84)times lower in the medium physical activity group and 0.46(95% CI: 0.30-0.73)times lower in the high physical activity group, relative to the low physical activity group.When using PASE scores as a continuous variable, the results remained consistent. Conclusions:The physical activity levels of rural older adults are inadequate, and participation in multicomponent exercise programs is notably low.A lower level of physical activity is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of sarcopenia and frailty.Our findings indicate that it is essential to implement physical activity education and interventions to enhance exercise health literacy and to prevent sarcopenia and frailty among rural older adults.

Objective: To explore the effect of different obesity indicators in predicting cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) risk among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), so as to provide the evidence for the early identification of CVD risk among T2DM patients. Methods: The patients with T2DM under community management in Qingpu District, Shanghai Municipality were selected as the study subjects in January 2025. Basic information such as gender, age, and blood glucose control status were collected through the Shanghai Chronic Disease Information Management System, while history of CVD were obtained from residents' electronic health records and the Shanghai Disease Control Information Platform. Obesity was assessed using body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), BMI combined with WC, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and triglyceride (TG) combined with WC indicators. The association between obesity and CVD was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. The predictive effect of each obesity indicators for CVD was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: A total of 4 367 patients with T2DM were included, including 2 121 males (48.57%) and 2 246 females (51.43%). The average age was (68.71±8.05) years. The prevalence of CVD was 44.49%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, education level, history of hypertension, duration of T2DM, use of glucose-lowering medications, renal function, and blood glucose control status, obese T2DM patients had a 389.4% increased risk of CVD compared to those with normal BMI; centrally obese T2DM patients had a 100.4% increased risk compared to those with normal WC; T2DM patients with isolated general obesity and compound obesity had 161.0% and 241.1% increased risks of CVD, respectively, compared to those with normal BMI and WC; centrally obese T2DM patients had a 100.4% increased risk compared to those with normal WHtR; T2DM patients with normal TG-high WC and high TG-high WC phenotypes had 83.1% and 68.8% increased risks of CVD, respectively, compared to those with normal TG and normal WC (all P<0.05). BMI had the highest AUC, at 0.714, with sensitivity and specificity of 0.675 and 0.642, respectively. This was followed by BMI combined with WC, which had an AUC of 0.707, with sensitivity and specificity of 0.635 and 0.679, respectively. Conclusions Obesity defined by BMI, WC, BMI combined with WC, WHtR, and TG combined with WC increases the risk of CVD among patients with T2DM. BMI and BMI combined with WC have better predictive effect in predicting CVD risk among patients with T2DM, and can be used as the primary obesity indicators for CVD risk screening.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has recently been proposed as a key player in the representation of itch stimuli. However, to date, little is known about the contribution of specific ACC interneuron populations to itch processing. Using c-Fos immunolabeling and in vivo Ca²⁺ imaging, we reported that both histamine and chloroquine stimuli-induced acute itch caused a marked enhancement of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneuron activity in the ACC. Behavioral data indicated that optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of these neurons reduced scratching responses related to histaminergic and non-histaminergic acute itch. Similar neural activity and modulatory role of these neurons were seen in mice with chronic itch induced by contact dermatitis. Together, this study highlights the importance of ACC VIP⁺ neurons in modulating itch-related affect and behavior, which may help us to develop novel mechanism-based strategies to treat refractory chronic itch in the clinic.
Animals ; Pruritus/physiopathology* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism* ; Interneurons/metabolism* ; Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Histamine ; Chloroquine ; Optogenetics ; Mice, Transgenic

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