Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver injury resulting from factors like viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, fatty liver disease, and cholestatic liver disease. Liver transplantation is currently the gold standard for treating severe liver diseases. However, it is limited by a shortage of donor organs and the necessity for lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into various liver cells and enhance liver function when transplanted into patients due to their differentiation and proliferation capabilities. Therefore, it can be used as an alternative therapy for treating liver diseases, especially for liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver transplant complications. However, due to the potential tumorigenic effects of MSCs, researchers are exploring a new approach to treating liver fibrosis using extracellular vesicles (exosomes) secreted by stem cells. Many studies show that exosomes released by stem cells can promote liver injury repair through various pathways, contributing to the treatment of liver fibrosis. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms by which stem cell exosomes affect liver fibrosis through different pathways and their potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, we discuss the advantages of exosome therapy over stem cell therapy and the possible future directions of exosome research, including the prospects for clinical applications and the challenges to be overcome.

Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver injury resulting from factors like viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, fatty liver disease, and cholestatic liver disease. Liver transplantation is currently the gold standard for treating severe liver diseases. However, it is limited by a shortage of donor organs and the necessity for lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into various liver cells and enhance liver function when transplanted into patients due to their differentiation and proliferation capabilities. Therefore, it can be used as an alternative therapy for treating liver diseases, especially for liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver transplant complications. However, due to the potential tumorigenic effects of MSCs, researchers are exploring a new approach to treating liver fibrosis using extracellular vesicles (exosomes) secreted by stem cells. Many studies show that exosomes released by stem cells can promote liver injury repair through various pathways, contributing to the treatment of liver fibrosis. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms by which stem cell exosomes affect liver fibrosis through different pathways and their potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, we discuss the advantages of exosome therapy over stem cell therapy and the possible future directions of exosome research, including the prospects for clinical applications and the challenges to be overcome.

Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver injury resulting from factors like viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, fatty liver disease, and cholestatic liver disease. Liver transplantation is currently the gold standard for treating severe liver diseases. However, it is limited by a shortage of donor organs and the necessity for lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into various liver cells and enhance liver function when transplanted into patients due to their differentiation and proliferation capabilities. Therefore, it can be used as an alternative therapy for treating liver diseases, especially for liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver transplant complications. However, due to the potential tumorigenic effects of MSCs, researchers are exploring a new approach to treating liver fibrosis using extracellular vesicles (exosomes) secreted by stem cells. Many studies show that exosomes released by stem cells can promote liver injury repair through various pathways, contributing to the treatment of liver fibrosis. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms by which stem cell exosomes affect liver fibrosis through different pathways and their potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, we discuss the advantages of exosome therapy over stem cell therapy and the possible future directions of exosome research, including the prospects for clinical applications and the challenges to be overcome.

OBJECTIVE To prepare vancomycin hydrochloride （VH）-loaded polydopamine （PDA） nanoparticles （VH@PDA nanoparticles）， and study their antimicrobial effect in combination with photothermal therapy. METHODS Using PDA as the carrier， VH was loaded to prepare VH@PDA nanoparticles （PDA nanoparticles were prepared using the same method）. The nanoparticles were characterized with laser particle size analyzer， transmission electron microscope， and UV visible absorption spectrometer； the drug loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of the nanoparticles were determined. The near-infrared laser irradiation was adopted to determine their photothermal ability. Taking Staphylococcus aureus as the research object， the bactericidal properties of the nanoparticles in combination with photothermal therapy in vitro were clarified through plate colony coating method， live/dead staining analysis， crystal violet staining. Using L929 cells as the research object， the effects of VH@PDA nanoparticles at different mass concentrations （0， 3.125， 6.25， 12.5， 25， 50 and 100 μg/mL） on cell viability were investigated to assess their biocompatibility. RESULTS VH@PDA nanoparticles were successfully loaded with VH， exhibiting uniform particle size （approximately 300 nm）， distinct pore size， and a spherical structure. The drug loading capacity was 11.34%， the encapsulation efficiency was 32.00%， the photothermal conversion efficiency reached 23.55%， and they demonstrated stable photothermal performance. The antibacterial effect results of the combined photothermal therapy demonstrated that without near- infrared laser irradiation， the antibacterial effects of VH， PDA nanoparticles， and VH@PDA nanoparticles were not significant. However， when subjected to near-infrared laser irradiation， VH@PDA nanoparticles exhibited a pronounced antibacterial effect. The results of the cell experiments revealed that after treatment with VH@PDA nanoparticles at various mass concentrations， the cell viability rates remained above 80%. CONCLUSIONS VH@PDA nanoparticles are successfully prepared， which exhibit stable photothermal properties， significant antibacterial effects when combined with photothermal therapy， and good biocompatibility.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological pattern and disease burden of type 2 diabetes have been shifting in China over the past decades. This analysis described the epidemiological transition of type 2 diabetes in the past three decades and projected the trend in the future three decades in China. METHODS: Age-, sex-, and year-specific incidence, prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for people with 15 years or older and diabetes or high fasting glucose in China and related countries from 1990 to 2021 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease. We obtained the trends of age-, sex-, and year-specific rates and absolute numbers of incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs attributable to type 2 diabetes in China from 1990 to 2021. Using the Lee-Carter model, we projected the incidence, prevalence, death, and DALYs attributable to type 2 diabetes to 2050 stratified by age and sex. RESULTS: The age-standardized incidence of type 2 diabetes was 341.5 per 100,000 persons (1.6 times in 1990) and the age-standardized prevalence was 9.96% (9960.0 per 100,000 persons, 2.5 times in 1990) in China 2021. In 2021, there were 0.9 million deaths and 26.8 million DALYs due to type 2 diabetes or hyperglycemia, as 2.9 and 2.7 times the data in 1990, respectively. The age-standardized rates of type 2 diabetes and hyperglycemia were projected to raise to 449.5 per 100,000 persons for incidence, 18.17% for prevalence, 244.6 per 100,000 persons for death, and 4720.2 per 100,000 persons for DALYs by 2050. The incidence of type 2 diabetes kept growing among individuals under the age of 20 years in the past three decades (128.7 per 100,000 persons in 1990 and 439.9 per 100,000 persons in 2021) and estimating 1870.8 per 100,000 in 2050. CONCLUSIONS The incidence, prevalence, and disease burden of type 2 diabetes grew rapidly in China in the past three decades. The prevention of type 2 diabetes in young people and the care for elder adults will be the greatest challenge for the country.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/mortality* ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Female ; Male ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Aged, 80 and over

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.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.01.013.].

Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

Objective To explore the correlation between contrast sensitivity and binocular visual function in indi-viduals with high myopia,aiming to understand how binocular visual function impacts contrast sensitivity in this popula-tion.Methods In this cross-sectional study,a total of 33 patients(66 eyes)with high myopia attending the Optometric Center of Tianjin Eye Hospital from March to December 2020 were included.They were measured for oculomotor parame-ters as well as binocular contrast sensitivity in photopic and scotopic conditions.According to the type of functional indica-tors to which the oculomotor parameters belong,they were divided into two groups:accommodation and vergence.The oculomotor parameters of accommodation include accommodative amplitude(AMP),monocular accommodative facility(MAF)and binocular accommodative facility(BAF);the oculomotor parameters of vergence include distance lateral pho-ria(DLP),near lateral phoria(NLP),positive fusional vergence(PFV),negative fusional vergence(NFV),and vergence facility(VF),among them,PFV includes the near and distance PFV breaking points and recovery points,and NFV includes the near and distance NFV breaking points and recovery points.Pearson bivariate correlation analysis was used to analyze the bivariate correlations between binocular contrast sensitivity and the oculomotor parameters of accommodation and ver-gence.In addition,canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze the associations between binocular contrast sensitivi-ty and accommodation and vergence indicators in patients with high myopia.Results The spherical equivalent refraction of the participants was(-9.51±2.71)D in the left eye and(-10.00±2.88)D in the right eye.The bivariate correlation analysis showed that among the oculomotor parameters of accommodation,the AMP of the left eye was negatively correla-ted with the contrast sensitivity at 18 c·d-1 under scotopic conditions(r=-0.406,P=0.019);among the oculomotor pa-rameters of vergence,the near PFV breaking point was positively correlated with the contrast sensitivity at 1.5 c·d-1(r=0.458)and3.0 c·d-1(r=0.441)under scotopic conditions(both P＜0.05),the near PFV recovery point was positively correlated with the contrast sensitivity at 3.0 c·d-1(r=0.351)and 6.0 c·d-1(r=0.396)under photopic conditions(both P＜0.05)and positively correlated with contrast sensitivity at 1.5 c·d-1(r=0.449),3.0 c·d-1(r=0.537)and 12.0 c·d-1(r=0.375)under scotopic conditions(all P＜0.05),and VF was positively correlated with contrast sensitivity at 1.5 c·d-1(r=0.358)under photopic conditions and 3.0 c·d-1(r=0.458)under scotopic conditions(both P＜0.05).Except for the above indicators,other oculomotor parameters of accommodation and vergence were not correlated with contrast sensitivity(all P＞0.05).Canonical correlation analysis showed that only the oculomotor parameters of vergence were correlated with the first pair of canonical correlation coefficients of contrast sensitivity under scotopic conditions(P=0.008)and the canonical correlation coefficient was 0.912.The oculomotor parameters of convergence U1 were mainly de-termined by NLP,near NFV recovery point,near PFV breaking point,and near PFV recovery point.Contrast sensitivity V,under scotopic conditions was mainly determined by contrast sensitivity at 1.5 c·d-1 and 6.0 c·d-1under scotopic condi-tions.The typical structural analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation of U1 with near PFV breaking point and contrast sensitivity at 1.5 c·d-1 under scotopic conditions;there was a strong positive correlation of V1 with near PFV breaking point and contrast sensitivity at 1.5 c·d-1 under scotopic conditions.Conclusion There is an association be-tween vergence and contrast sensitivity under scotopic conditions among high myopia patients.Improving binocular visual function may enhance contrast sensitivity and overall visual quality in high myopia patients.