Renal fibrosis represents the core pathway through which chronic kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal failure. Therapeutic strategies targeting renal fibrosis provide an important approach for clinically mitigating the transition from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease. Macrophages, owing to their high heterogeneity in origin and phenotype, play a significant role in various stages of acute inflammation, tissue repair, and fibrosis, thereby holding substantial promise for the treatment of renal fibrosis. This review summarizes the pivotal role of renal macrophages in the transition from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, with a focus on their temporal phenotypic reprogramming characteristics and the fibrotic microenvironment interaction network constituted by injured tubules, macrophages, and fibroblasts. On this basis, we systematically outline four core categories of macrophage-targeted intervention strategies: modulation of upstream signaling pathways, induction of macrophage phenotypic reprogramming, blockade of profibrotic factors and their downstream pathways, and selective depletion or engineered modification of profibrotic macrophage subsets. This review aims to provide new insights for future exploration of the timing, precision, and efficacy of macrophage-targeted therapies.

This research study focuses on addressing the limitations of current neuropathic pain(NP)treatments by developing a novel dual-target modulator,E0199,targeting both Nav1.7,Nay1.8,and Nay1.9 and Kv7 channels,a crucial regulator in controlling NP symptoms.The objective of the study was to synthesize a compound capable of modulating these channels to alleviate NP.Through an experimental design involving both in vitro and in vivo methods,E0199 was tested for its efficacy on ion channels and its therapeutic potential in a chronic constriction injury(CCI)mouse model.The results demonstrated that E0199 significantly inhibited Nav1.7,Nav1.8,and Nav1.9 channels with a particularly low half maximal inhibitory concentration(ICs0)for Nay1.9 by promoting sodium channel inactivation,and also effectively increased Kv7.2/73,Kv7.2,and Kv7.5 channels,excluding Kv7.1 by promoting potassium channel acti-vation.This dual action significantly reduced the excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons and alle-viated pain hypersensitivity in mice at low doses,indicating a potent analgesic effect without affecting heart and skeletal muscle ion channels critically.The safety of E0199 was supported by neurobehavioral evaluations.Conclusively,E0199 represents a ground-breaking approach in NP treatment,showcasing the potential of dual-target small-molecule compounds in providing a more effective and safe thera-peutic option for NP.This study introduces a promising direction for the future development of NP therapeutics.

Objective To provide a scientific basis for the quality control of Chrysanthemi Indici Flos medicinal materials and the sustainable development of this resource,the germplasm differences,tissue distribution,and developmental stage changes of flavonoid content in Chrysanthemum indicum was explored.Methods High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)was used to quantitatively analyze the five main flavonoid compounds,including linarin,tilianin,cynaroside,apigenin,and acacetin.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qPCR)technology was used to evaluate the relative expression levels of the rhamnosyltransferase(RhaT)gene at different developmental stages.Results The study found significant differences in flavonoid accumulation among different Chrysanthemum indicum germplasms,with the highest content of linarin observed in the Hubei diploid.Flavonoid content was significantly higher in leaves,flower buds,and flowers compared to stems and roots.Linarin and tilianin peaked at the flower bud stage and then gradually decreased,while the contents of apigenin and acacetin increased with flower development.The qPCR analysis further showed that the expression level of the RhaT gene was highly consistent with the accumulation pattern of linarin.Conclusion The results reveal that flavonoid content in Chrysanthemum indicum is significantly affected by germplasm,tissue type,and developmental stage,providing important data support for the quality evaluation of Chrysanthemum indicum medicinal materials and the rational development of this resource.

Objective:To explore the correlation between the expression of fucosylated proteins in colonic epithelium (abbreviated as colonic fucosylation level) and the clinical efficacy of ustekinumab (UST) in patients with Crohn′s disease (CD).Methods:From January 2022 to November 2023, CD patients who were hospitalized at Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and received the treatment of UST ≥24 weeks (CD group) and patients with colon polyps (colon polyps control group) were retrospectively enrolled. Baseline data of the patients were collected. Harvey-Bradshaw index for Crohn′s disease (HBI) and simple endoscopic score for Crohn′s disease (SES-CD) were applied to assess clinical and endoscopic disease activities, respectively. The colonic fucosylation level was detected by immunofluorescence staining in the CD group at weeks 0 and 24 after UST treatment and at diagnosis in the colon polyps control group (baseline). The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fecal calprotectin (FC) were also assessed. A linear regression model was performed to analyze the correlation between the baseline colonic fucosylation levels and the clinical characteristics in CD patients. At week 24, the clinical efficacy of UST treatment was evaluated, clinical remission was defined as HBI ≤4, biological remission was defined as CRP<5 mg/L and(or) FC≤250 μg/g, and mucosal healing was defined as SES-CD≤2.Based on the efficacy of UST treatment, the CD group was further divided into clinical remission subgroup and clinical non-remission subgroup, biological remission subgroup and biological non-remission subgroup, and mucosal healing subgroup and mucosal non-healing subgroup. The differences in colonic fucosylation level between the subgroups were compared. Multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the impacts of the baseline clinical characteristics on clinical efficacy at week 24 of UST treatment in the CD group. Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon matched-pair test were used for statistical analysis. Results:A total of 60 patients in the CD group and 72 patients in the colon polyps control group were enrolled. The baseline colonic fucosylation level of CD group was lower than that of the colon polyps control group (25.81 (15.55, 29.70) vs. 29.57 (27.32, 32.96)), and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-5.02, P<0.001). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the baseline colonic fucosylation level of the CD group was negatively correlated with the baseline FC level ( β=-13.80, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): -20.59 to -7.00, P<0.001). The colonic fucosylation level at week 24 of the CD group was higher than that at week 0 (28.53 (24.54, 32.32) vs. 25.81 (15.55, 29.70)), and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=4.75, P<0.001). The colonic fucosylation levels at week 24 of the clinical remission subgroup, the biological remission subgroup, and the mucosal healing subgroup were higher than those of the clinical non-remission subgroup, the biological non-remission subgroup, and the mucosal non-healing subgroup, respectively (29.1 (27.9, 33.0) vs. 19.6 (16.3, 31.9), 29.5 (27.3, 33.0) vs. 19.6 (17.5, 27.5), 29.6 (28.4, 33.0) vs. 23.4 (17.5, 28.4)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=3.35, 3.78, 4.63; all P<0.001). The results of multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline colonic fucosylation level was the independent influencing factor of the rate of clinical remission, biological remission and mucosal healing at week 24 after UST treatment in the CD group ( OR=1.30 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.61), 1.24 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.52), 1.57 (95% CI: 1.16 to 2.12); P=0.018, 0.037 and 0.003). Conclusion:The baseline level of colonic fucosylation in CD patients is correlated with the clinical efficacy at week 24 of UST treatment, suggesting its potential utility in predicting the efficacy of UST treatment in CD patients.

Objective:To investigate immunotherapy effects and mechanism of BCG and recombinant BCG(rBCG)with c-di-AMP as adjuvant on melanoma in mice model.Methods:Melanoma mice model was established by B16F10 cell subcutaneous injec-tion in groin,and treated with 1×106 CFU of BCG and rBCG by adjacent injection of subcutaneous tumor for 3 times,respectively.Survival of melanotic mice,tumor growth and metastasis were observed.Tumor tissues of mice were isolated to prepare cell suspen-sion,and proportion of immune cells were detected by flow cytometry.Transcriptional levels of immune-related genes in tumor tissues were detected by qRT-PCR.Results:Both BCG and rBCG immunotherapy could significantly inhibit growth in melanoma mice and prolong survival time of mice.rBCG showed better inhibition on metastasis than BCG.Both strains significantly reduced proportion of M2-type macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cell associated with tumor growth and metastasis.Both two strains promoted infiltration of lymphocytes in tumor tissues,and rBCG significantly increased proportion of B cells in tumor.BCG immunotherapy upregulated transcription levels of metastasis-related cytokines,while rBCG therapy had no effects on transcriptions of these genes.Conclusion:Both BCG and rBCG have immunotherapeutic effects on melanotic mice,and rBCG with c-di-AMP as adjuvant shows better inhibition on tumor metastasis than BCG,which mechanism was related to regulation of immune response in tumor tissues.

Objective To explore the feasibility of protocol with low tube voltage,low contrast agent dose,low injection rate,and low trigger threshold based on body weight in coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA).Methods Patients suspected with coronary heart disease who underwent 320 rows of CCTA were prospectively selected.They were divided into 4 groups:＜60 kg,60-70 kg,71-80 kg,＞80 kg based on different body weights,120 cases for each group,then were randomly divided into experimental group and control group using a random number table method,with 60 patients in each group.Each case in the control group had a tube voltage of 120 kV and a trigger threshold of 240 HU;each case in the experimental group had a tube voltage of 100 kV and a trigger threshold of 190 HU.According to the CCTA application guidelines,the iodine flow rate was used to determine the contrast agent injection rate in the control group,while the injection rate in the experimental group was reduced by 30%.Using an injection time of 12 s,the control group's contrast agent dose was obtained,and that of the experimental group decreased by 30%.Two radiologists evaluated the CT values,contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR),image quality score,and signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)of the middle segment of the right coronary artery,proximal segment of the left anterior descending branch,and proximal segment of the left circumflex branch,as well as compared the effective dose(ED)of volume scanning and threshold monitoring sequences.One-way ANOVA,independent sample t-test,and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to evaluate the differences in each parameter.Results There were no statistically significant differences in general information and subjective image scores between the experimental group and the control group(P＞0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in CT values,CNR,and SNR between the experimental group and the control group at different body weights for the middle segment of the right coronary artery,the proximal segment of the left anterior descending branch,and the proximal segment of the left circumflex branch(P＞0.05).In terms of radiation dose,the comparison between the control group and the experimental group at the same body weights showed statistically significant differences both in volume scanning and threshold monitoring sequences(P＜0.001),and the ED of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group.Conclusion The protocol with low tube voltage,low contrast agent dose,low injection rate,and low trigger threshold determined based on different body weights can achieve satisfactory image quality for CCTA,while significantly reducing the radiation dose of volume scanning and threshold monitoring sequences.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in ischiofemoral impinge-ment syndrome(IFI).Methods Fifty-six patients who underwent hip MRI with confirmed IFI diagnosis and completed ultrasonography examinations were enrolled as the IFI group,including 44 females and 12 males.Twenty healthy volunteers were concurrently recruited as the control group,consisting of 10 females and 10 males.The control group underwent ultrasonography examinations of bilateral hip joints,whiletheischialfemoralspace(IFS)andquadratusfemoristhickness(QFT)of both groups were measured and recorded.Then measurements were compared within(by laterality and gender)and between the two groups using independent-samples t-tests.Moreover,receiver operating characteristic adults,males exhibited significantly higher IFS and QFT values than females(P<0.05).Within the IFI group,males with affected hips had significantly higher IFS than females(P<0.05),while no sig-nificant differences were observed in QFT between different genders(P>0.05).Moreover,affected hips in the IFI group showed significantly narrower IFS and thicker QFT compared to both contralateral hips and the control group(P<0.001).In addition,the diagnostic cut-off values of IFS and QFT for ultrasound diagnosis of IFI were 22.93 mm and 16.48 mm,respectively.At these thresholds,the ar-eas under the curve(AUC)were 0.997 and 0.977,with sensitivities of 97.8%and 91.8%,and speci-ficities of 98.4%and 97.8%,respectively.Conclusion Ultrasound can serve as a reliable diagnostic technique for IFI,where narrowing of the IFS and thickening of the QFT should raise suspicion of this condition.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and analyze the factors associated with prognosis.Methods:A case series study was conducted by retrospectively collecting clinical data from patients aged over 60 years with newly diagnosed stage Ⅰ DLBCL across 20 medical centers in Jiangsu Province, China, between June 2010 and April 2023. The involved site, classification and treatment plan were summarized. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model.Results:The study included 255 patients with a median age of 69 years, of whom 130 (51.0%) were male, 66 (25.9%) were aged ≥75 years and 26 (10.1%) had a high Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score of ≥2. Extranodal involvement was observed in 163 (63.9%) patients, with the stomach (37.4%, 61/163), intestine (19.0%, 31/163), testes (11.0%, 18/163), and breast (7.4%, 12/163) being the most frequently affected sites. The non-germinal center B-cell (non-GCB) subtype was prevalent in 63.7% of patients (142/223), with no significant difference between the nodal and extranodal groups ( P=0.681). Furthermore, 73.9% (184/249) and 11.7% (29/249) of patients received the R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and R-miniCHOP regimen, respectively. The overall 3-year PFS rate was 81.5%, and the 3-year OS rate was 85.6%. Patients aged ≥75 years ( HR=2.910, 95% CI 1.565-5.408, P=0.001) and/or with a CCI score ≥2 ( HR=2.324, 95% CI 1.141-4.732, P=0.020) had a significantly poorer PFS. Incorporating age ≥75 years and CCI score ≥2 into the stage-modified international prognostic index (sm-IPI) can better stratify the prognosis of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL. The 3-year PFS rate was 48.7% in the high-risk group versus 85.7% in the low-risk group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Our findings show that the elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL were predominantly characterized by extranodal involvement (particularly in the stomach and intestinal tract) and non-GCB subtype. Age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2 were identified as independent prognostic factors. The newly established sm-IPI-75-CCI incorporating these factors demonstrated superior prognostic discrimination compared to conventional risk assessment systems.

Objective:To develop a predictive model for the risk of post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and validate its predictive performance.Methods:A retrospective case control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 580 sTBI patients admitted to the 904th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the PLA between January 2016 and December 2023, including 413 males and 167 females, aged 18-88 years [(54.3±14.6)years]. Patients were stratified into PTH group ( n=195) and non-PTH group ( n=385), based on the presence of PTH within 6 months after injury. Data collected from the two groups such as general baseline indicators, TBI-related clinical indicators (including surgical data), laboratory findings, and radiological features. Except for the data collected during the operation, all the above data are the results of the first examination at admission. Univariate analysis and Lasso regression analysis were used to screen predictors for the risk of PTH in sTBI patients. Subsequent multivariate Logistic regression was employed to identify predictors and construct a regression equation. Based on this equation, a nomogram prediction model was developed using the R language. Model discrimination was estimated through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and calibration performance via the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) goodness-of-fit test and calibration curve. Moreover, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC) were used for evaluating the clinical utility of the model. Results:Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences in 37 variables between the two groups, including age, age group, heart rate, oxygen saturation, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, left pupil size, right pupil size, pupillary light reflex, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, type of decompressive craniectomy, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count, red blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte-platelet ratio (N/LP), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer, D-dimer-to-fibrinogen ratio (DFR), serum albumin, prognostic nutritional index, blood glucose, status of basal cisterns, midline shift, degree of midline shift, cerebral herniation, epidural hematoma (EDH), subdural hematoma (SDH), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), modified Fisher grade, and skull fracture ( P<0.05). Lasso regression analysis identified 24 potential predictors for PTH, including age, GCS score, pupillary light reflex, type of decompressive craniectomy, monocyte count, platelet count, NLR, PLR, N/LP, LMR, SII, D-dimer, DFR, serum albumin, prognostic nutritional index, blood glucose, status of basal cisterns, degree of midline shift, cerebral herniation, EDH, SDH, IVH, modified Fisher grade and skull fracture. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, unilateral pupillary light reflex, absent pupillary light reflex, bilateral decompressive craniectomy, monocyte count, PLR, cerebral herniation, SDH, IVH, linear skull fracture and depressed skull fracture were independent risk factors for PTH. In contrast, serum albumin was identified as an independent protective factor for PTH ( P<0.05). The regression equation derived from these factors was: Logit[ P/(1- P)]=0.05×"age"+1.65×"unilateral pupillary light reflex"+2.79×"absent pupillary light reflex"+1.60×"bilateral decompressive craniectomy"+1.90×"monocyte count"+0.02×"PLR"-0.12×"serum albumin"+2.07×"cerebral herniation"+2.59×"SDH"+2.23×"IVH"+1.24×"linear skull fracture"+ 1.66×"depressed skull fracture"-22.61. The prediction model built upon this equation achieved an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.95(95% CI 0.93, 0.97), with a sensitivity of 91.79%, specificity of 85.97%, and Youden′s index of 0.78. The H-L goodness-of-fit test indicated good calibration ( χ2=7.90, P=0.545). DCA results showed that the bias-corrected curve closely aligned with the actual curve and approximated the ideal curve, indicating a high clinical net benefit. Furthermore, CIC results demonstrated that with threshold probabilities greater than 60%, the number of patients identified as high-risk by the model highly corresponded with the actual number of patients who developed PTH. Conclusion:The prediction model incorporating age, unilateral pupillary light reflex, absent pupillary light reflex, bilateral decompressive craniectomy, monocyte count, PLR, serum albumin, cerebral herniation, SDH, IVH, linear skull fracture and depressed skull fracture exhibits robust predictive performance for PTH in sTBI patients.

Objective:To explore the relationships between physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults aged ≥65 years in longevity areas in China.Methods:A total of 6 081 older adults aged ≥65 years from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study in China in 2021 were included in this study. Information about their demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and chronic disease histories were collected, the intensity of physical activity was evaluated by using Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, and the cognitive function was evaluated by using Mini-Mental State Examination Scale (Chinese version). Multifactorial logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations between different levels and types of physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults.Results:In the 6 081 older adults, 1 829 (30.1%) had cognitive impairment. After adjusting for confounders, older adults with T2 and T3 levels of physical activity had lower risks for cognitive impairment compared with those with T1 levels of physical activity, with ORs of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.40-0.55) and 0.22 (95% CI: 0.18-0.28). The results of different types of physical activities showed that the ORs in leisure activity T2 and T3 groups were 0.52 (95% CI: 0.44-0.63) and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.41-0.58), and the ORs in housework activity T2 and T3 groups were 0.36 (95% CI: 0.30-0.42) and 0.19 (95% CI: 0.16-0.24). There was no significant association between work-related activity and cognitive impairment. Conclusion:There is a negative association between the intensity level of physical activity and cognitive impairment, and active leisure and household activities might reduce the risk for cognitive impairment.