1.Tocilizumab combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treatment of children with antibody-negative autoimmune encephalitis: A case report and literature review
Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases 2026;43(4):363-368
Antibody-negative autoimmune encephalitis (AE) in children poses certain challenges for clinical diagnosis and treatment due to the lack of characteristic autoantibodies. This study conducts a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of a boy, aged 7 years, who had the main manifestations of “irritability, vomiting, pyrexia, and lethargy”. Video electroencephalography showed diffuse slow waves, with the presence of type 2 cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands, and the boy was tested negative for related autoantibodies in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Finally the boy was diagnosed with antibody-negative AE. After admission, the boy received first-line immunotherapy with methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin, combined with tocilizumab for intensive treatment, and the symptoms were rapidly relieved. At 1 week after discharge, the boy experienced memory loss, and head MRI suggested cerebral atrophy. After 1 month of adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the boy’s memory recovered to the level before disease onset, and reexaminations of MRI and video electroencephalography obtained normal results.No recurrence was observed during follow-up for 6 months, and the boy achieved satisfactory academic performance.This case suggests that for children with antibody-negative AE, first-line immunotherapy combined with tocilizumab can rapidly control inflammation, and the addition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can effectively improve subsequent cerebral structural and cognitive abnormalities, with few adverse reactions, which provides a new clinical approach for the treatment of this type of disease.
2.Research advances in vestibular migraine
Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases 2026;43(4):379-384
Vestibular migraine (VM) is the most common cause of recurrent vertigo, and it is an overlapping disease of central vestibular disease and migraine,as well as a syndrome characterized by the simultaneous or alternating occurrence of paroxysmal vestibular symptoms and typical migraine attacks.VM is known as the “chameleon of vestibular system diseases” due to its complex and diverse symptoms, which can easily lead to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. In recent years, with the development of neuroimaging technology and the implementation of multi-center clinical research, the pathogenesis of VM has gradually been expanded from the classic trigeminal neurovascular theory to the aspects of neurotransmitter disorder,cortical diffusion inhibition,and abnormal vestibular-cortical pathway integration. In addition, there have been constant improvements in the diagnosis system of VM,and the treatment modality of VM is gradually shifting to the comprehensive treatment paradigm of “symptomatic treatment in the acute stage combined with preventive treatment in the remission stage and lifestyle adjustment”.This article reviews the latest research advances in this field.
3.Research progress on polydopamine in the treatment of oral diseases
LU Xiangxiang ; JIANG Zhen ; XING Aili ; ZHAO Bin ; SUN Bin
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(3):302-3014
Due to the moist environment in the mouth, there are many challenges that arise, such as difficult biofilm removal, short drug retention time, and low tissue repair efficiency, while treating dental caries, periodontal disease, and other oral diseases. As a biomimetic biomaterial, polydopamine (PDA) possesses multifunctional properties, including mussel-inspired adhesion and stimuli-responsive drug release. PDA adhesion properties originate from its surface catechol and amino functional groups, which maintain strong wettability in aqueous environments. With smart responsiveness encompassing photothermal, pH, and enzymatic stimuli, PDA enables controlled drug release under specific conditions. Additionally, PDA exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and osteoblast-promoting functions, thus demonstrating significant application potential in the treatment of oral diseases. In hard tissue therapies, specifically for dental caries, PDA promotes enamel remineralization by inducing hydroxyapatite crystal growth and enhances dentin collagen mineralization through Ca2+ chelation while inhibiting cariogenic bacteria. In mandibular defect repair, functionalized PDA coatings on bone implants facilitate mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and differentiation, activate osteogenic signaling pathways, and synergistically promote vascularization to improve bone-implant integration. For soft tissue treatments, specifically for periodontitis, PDA alleviates alveolar bone resorption via antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects coupled with osteoclast inhibition. In denture stomatitis management, PDA’s strong wet adhesion prolongs drug retention, while its photothermal effect and reactive oxygen generation provide both broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and wound healing promotion. This review summarizes PDA’s synthesis mechanisms and biological functions, with an emphasis on its therapeutic applications in oral diseases, providing innovative strategies for oral healthcare.
4.Prevalence and related factors of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure with their comorbidities among primary and secondary school students in Changchun
SONG Yan, HAN Qihui, ZHAO Huizi, SONG Yueying
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(2):263-267
Objective:
To analyze the prevalence and the related factors of comorbidity of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students in Changchun, so as to provide a basis for the intervention strategies of multiple disease prevention among primary and secondary school students.
Methods:
From September to October 2023,a stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 32 552 primary and secondary school students aged 7 to 18 from 16 counties (cities) and districts in Changchun City for physical examinations and questionnaires on behavioral patterns. The Chi-square test was used for intergroup comparison and unconditional Logistic regression model was used for analyzing related factors of comorbidity presence of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students.
Results:
The detection rate of comorbidity of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students was 8.7%.The detection rate of boys(10.1%) was higher than that of girls(7.3%), the detection rate was higher among students in urban areas ( 10.6 %) than that in suburban areas(5.7%); and the detection rate among vocation high school students(15.7%) was higher than that in general high school students (11.8%), junior high school students (10.2%) and primary school students (5.3%).All the differences were statistically significant (χ 2=84.67, 239.28, 468.64 ,all P <0.01).The results of the multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that daily moderate to vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes or more ( OR =0.70) was associated with a reduced risk of comorbidity of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students; boys ( OR = 1.46 ), urban residents ( OR =1.70),junior high school students( OR =1.78), general high school students ( OR =1.97), vocational high school students ( OR =2.20), and screen time without meeting the standard( OR =1.11) were associated with an increased risk of comorbidity of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students(all P <0.05).
Conclusions
The comorbidity detection rate of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure and obesity among primary and secondary school students in Changchun is relatively high. Targeted measures should be developed to reduce the occurrence of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure with comorbidity of them.
5.The SMAD-Pathway Mediates HMGB1-Induced Proliferation and Metastatic Progression in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
De-De LIAN ; Xue Mei LI ; Yu-Xi JIA ; Ming-Wei ZHOU ; Xiang-Ru CHEN ; Yang-Yang TIAN ; Min LI ; Ming-Hui SUN ; Ye ZHAO ; Hong-Jun LI ; Qing-Ling ZHANG
Annals of Dermatology 2026;38(1):51-58
Background:
High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context.
Objective:
This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).
Methods:
We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration.
Results:
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT.
Conclusion
These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.
6.Retinoic acid ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis by attenuating inflammation and modulating macrophage polarization through MKP-1/MAPK signaling pathway
Mengyuan XIN ; Hangyu JIN ; Xiangyu GUO ; Liang ZHAO ; Xiangdan LI ; Dongyuan XU ; Long ZHENG ; Lan LIU
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2025;29(1):45-56
Macrophages are innate immune cells connected with the development of inflammation. Retinoic acid has previously been proved to have anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. However, the exact mechanism through which retinoic acid modulates arthritis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether retinoic acid ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis by modulating macrophage polarization. This study used retinoic acid to treat mice with adjuvant arthritis and evaluated anti-inflammatory effects by arthritis score, thermal nociceptive sensitization test, histopathologic examination and immunofluorescence assays. In addition, its specific anti-arthritic mechanism was investigated by flow cytometry, cell transfection and inflammatory signaling pathway assays in RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro. Retinoic acid significantly relieved joint pain and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration in mice. Furthermore, this treatment modulated peritoneal macrophage polarization, increased levels of arginase 1, as well as decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. In vitro, we verified that retinoic acid promotes macrophage transition from the M1 to M2 type by upregulating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) expression and inhibiting P38, JNK and ERK phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Notably, the therapeutic effects of retinoic acid were inhibited by MKP-1 knockdown. Retinoic acid exerts a significant therapeutic effect on adjuvant arthritis in mice by regulating macrophage polarization through the MKP-1/MAPK pathway, and play an important role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.
7.Effect of cerebral white matter lesion on the symptoms of Parkinson disease
Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases 2025;42(2):137-142
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease with a high incidence rate in the elderly population, and its complex pathogenesis involves α-synuclein misfolding and aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress, resulting in different impairments of motor and non-motor symptoms and a bad influence on the quality of life of patients. White matter lesion (WML) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by damage to myelin sheath tissue in the central nervous system of the brain, with the pathogenesis of endothelial damage, hypoperfusion of brain white matter, and impairment of blood-brain barrier. WML causes varying degrees of impairment in postural instability, gait disturbance, and motor retardation in PD patients and exerts a certain degree of negative effects on cognitive function and sleep, anxiety, depression, and autonomic nervous function in PD patients. This article reviews the pathogenesis of PD and WML and the damage or influence of WML on the motor and non-motor symptoms of PD, in order to elaborate on the association between WML and PD.
Parkinson Disease
8.Retinoic acid ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis by attenuating inflammation and modulating macrophage polarization through MKP-1/MAPK signaling pathway
Mengyuan XIN ; Hangyu JIN ; Xiangyu GUO ; Liang ZHAO ; Xiangdan LI ; Dongyuan XU ; Long ZHENG ; Lan LIU
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2025;29(1):45-56
Macrophages are innate immune cells connected with the development of inflammation. Retinoic acid has previously been proved to have anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. However, the exact mechanism through which retinoic acid modulates arthritis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether retinoic acid ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis by modulating macrophage polarization. This study used retinoic acid to treat mice with adjuvant arthritis and evaluated anti-inflammatory effects by arthritis score, thermal nociceptive sensitization test, histopathologic examination and immunofluorescence assays. In addition, its specific anti-arthritic mechanism was investigated by flow cytometry, cell transfection and inflammatory signaling pathway assays in RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro. Retinoic acid significantly relieved joint pain and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration in mice. Furthermore, this treatment modulated peritoneal macrophage polarization, increased levels of arginase 1, as well as decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. In vitro, we verified that retinoic acid promotes macrophage transition from the M1 to M2 type by upregulating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) expression and inhibiting P38, JNK and ERK phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Notably, the therapeutic effects of retinoic acid were inhibited by MKP-1 knockdown. Retinoic acid exerts a significant therapeutic effect on adjuvant arthritis in mice by regulating macrophage polarization through the MKP-1/MAPK pathway, and play an important role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.
9.Research progress on the influencing factors of psychological distress in patients with coronary heart disease
Xiaotian DUAN ; Hongshi CAO ; Taiyu BI ; Haiyan WANG ; Songyu WANG ; Quantong ZHAO ; Ran WANG ; Chunjing WU
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(1):89-96
Coronary heart disease is a chronic and lifelong disease, which places a dual burden on the physiological and psychological well-being of patients, and can easily lead to psychological distress and affect their prognosis and quality of life. This article provides a systematic review, in which the current status, evaluation tools, influencing factors and intervention methods of psychological distress in patients with coronary heart disease are explored, aiming to provide key information beneficial for identifying and preventing psychological distress, and to improve the overall management and treatment effectiveness of coronary heart disease patients. In this paper, 18 articles were included, and the demographic, physiological, psychological and social factors affecting the psychological distress of patients with coronary heart disease were systematically analyzed, thus to provide a deeper understanding of psychological distress and offering references for formulating targeted intervention strategies.
10.Effect of gallic acid in increasing the chemosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells to sorafenib
Baikun LIU ; Zhiru WANG ; Wenjing ZHAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):292-299
ObjectiveTo investigate the chemosensitization effect of gallic acid (GA) combined with sorafenib (Sora) on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and related mechanisms. MethodsHepG2 cells were randomly divided into control group, GA group, Sora group, and GA+Sora group. CCK8 assay was used to measure cell viability; CompuSyn software was used to analyze combination index (CI); colony formation assay was used to evaluate the colony formation ability of cells; flow cytometry was used to measure cell apoptosis; wound healing assay and Transwell chamber assay were used to observe the migration and invasion abilities of cells; Western Blot was used to measure the expression matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and apoptosis-related proteins. HepG2 cells were subcutaneously inoculated into the lower right back of mice, and 6 days later, the mice were divided into control group, GA group, Sora group, and GA+Sora group. Tumor size and body weight were measured once a week, and drug intervention was performed for 21 days. Then the nude mice were sacrificed, and tumor weight was measured. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsThe mean IC50 values of GA and Sora for the treatment of HepG2 cells for 48 hours were 123.47±5.16 μmol/L and 9.87±0.98 μmol/L, respectively, and when Sora was combined with 70 μmol/L GA (IC30), IC50 decreased to 2.06±0.35 μmol/L; the CI value was<1 for Sora at different concentrations combined with 70 μmol/L GA. The number of cell colonies was 234.0±20.4, 147.0±12.1, 129.3±13.3, and 73.0±7.6, respectively, in the four groups, and the GA+Sora group had a significantly lower number of cell colonies than the control group, the GA group, and the Sora group (all P<0.05). After 48 hours of treatment, the cell apoptosis rate was 1.98%±0.29%, 15.17%± 1.56%, 18.65%±1.48%, and 34.60%±5.36%, respectively, in the four groups, and the GA+Sora group had a significantly higher cell apoptosis rate than the control group, the GA group, and the Sora group (all P<0.05). After 24 hours of treatment, the cell migration rate was 55.59%±5.08%, 29.34%±4.36%, 21.80%±5.16%, and 6.47%±2.75%, respectively, in the four groups, and the GA+Sora group had a significantly lower cell migration rate than the control group, the GA group, and the Sora group (all P<0.05). After 48 hours of treatment, the number of transmembrane cells was 223.7±13.0, 168.3±10.9, 155.3±29.1, and 62.7±19.7, respectively, in the four groups, and the GA+Sora group had a significantly lower number of transmembrane cells than the control group, the GA group, and the Sora group (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the GA group, the Sora group, and the GA+Sora group had significant reductions in the protein expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and Bcl-2 (all P<0.05) and significant increases in the protein expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the GA, Sora, and GA+Sora groups had significant reductions in tumor volume and weight (all P<0.05), and compared with the Sora group, the GA+Sora group had significant reductions in tumor volume and weight in nude mice (both P<0.05). ConclusionGA can increase the sensitivity of HepG2 cells to Sora chemotherapy, possibly by promoting cell apoptosis and inhibiting cell migration and invasion after combination with Sora.


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