AIM: To discuss the impacts of pterygium excision combined with low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation and autologous conjunctival flap transplantation on tear film function, visual function, and recurrence rate in patients with pterygium.METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with pterygium who underwent surgery at Jiangyin Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2021 to January 2024. The patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical methods: the excision group with 50 cases(50 eyes)and the combined group with 51 cases(51 eyes). The excision group underwent pterygium excision, while the combined group received low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation and autologous conjunctival flap transplantation in addition to the excision. The tear film function [Schirmer's test(SⅠt), tear film break-up time(BUT)], visual quality, therapeutic effect, incidence of complications within 1 a, and recurrence rate were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.RESULTS: The general data of the two groups were comparable(P>0.05). After treatment, the SⅠt and BUT in the combined group were greater than those in the excision group(both P<0.001), while the corneal astigmatism and uncorrected visual acuity were lower than those in the excision group(both P<0.001). The initial treatment efficiency in the combined group(92%)was higher than that in the excision group(76%). Within 1 a, the recurrence rate(8% vs 22%)and complication rate(6% vs 24%)in the combined group were both lower than those in the excision group(both P< 0.05).CONCLUSION: The union of pterygium excision, low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation, and autologous conjunctival flap transplantation is beneficial for improving the efficacy, visual acuity, tear film function, and reducing recurrence rate in patients with pterygium.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMQ) for alleviating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. METHODS: Eighteen male C57BL/6J mice were equally randomized into control group, DSS group and DMQ treatment group. In DSS and DMQ groups, the mice were treated with DSS in drinking water to induce UC, and received intraperitoneal injections of sterile PBS or DMQ (20 mg/kg) during modeling. The changes in body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length, spleen weight, and colon histological scores of the mice were examined, and the percentages of Th17 and IFN-γ⁺ CD8⁺ T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen were analyzed using flow cytometry. The expressions of tight junction proteins (Occludin and ZO-1), proteins associated with inflammasome activation (caspase-1 and p20), IL-1β and TNF-α in the colon tissues were detected using Western blotting or ELISA. In the cell experiment, mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) primed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were treated with DMQ, followed by stmulation with nigericin to activate the classical NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. In cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated with either LPS alone or LPS plus nigericin, the effects of DMQ on inflammasome activation, pyroptosis, and cytokine release were evaluated via Western blotting, ELISA, and flow cytometry. RESULTS: In DSS-treated mice, DMQ treatment significantly alleviated DSS-induced body weight loss, colon shortening, spleen enlargement, and colon inflammation. The DMQ-treated mice showed significantly reduced percentages of Th17 cells and IFN-γ⁺ CD8⁺ T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen, with increased occludin and ZO-1 expressions and decreased caspase-1 expression in the colon tissue. DMQ obviously inhibited classical NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mouse BMDMs and both the classical and alternative pathways of NLRP3 activation in human PBMCs, causing also suppression of caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis. CONCLUSIONS DMQ ameliorates DSS-induced UC in mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Animals ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Colitis, Ulcerative/metabolism* ; Dextran Sulfate/adverse effects* ; Male ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Mice ; Benzoquinones/therapeutic use* ; Th17 Cells ; Caspase 1/metabolism*

Microbial communities such as those residing in the human gut are highly diverse and complex, and many with important implications for health and diseases. The effects and functions of these microbial communities are determined not only by their species compositions and diversities but also by the dynamic intra- and inter-cellular states at the transcriptional level. Powerful and scalable technologies capable of acquiring single-microbe-resolution RNA sequencing information in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of complex microbial communities together with their hosts are therefore utterly needed. Here we report the development and utilization of a droplet-based smRNA-seq (single-microbe RNA sequencing) method capable of identifying large species varieties in human samples, which we name smRandom-seq2. Together with a triple-module computational pipeline designed for the bacteria and bacteriophage sequencing data by smRandom-seq2 in four human gut samples, we established a single-cell level bacterial transcriptional landscape of human gut microbiome, which included 29,742 single microbes and 329 unique species. Distinct adaptive response states among species in Prevotella and Roseburia genera and intrinsic adaptive strategy heterogeneity in Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens were uncovered. Additionally, we identified hundreds of novel host-phage transcriptional activity associations in the human gut microbiome. Our results indicated that smRandom-seq2 is a high-throughput and high-resolution smRNA-seq technique that is highly adaptable to complex microbial communities in real-world situations and promises new perspectives in the understanding of human microbiomes.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; Bacteriophages/physiology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods* ; Bacteria/virology*

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a significant complication of sepsis, characterized by high morbidity, mortality, and poor prognosis. Neutrophils, as critical intrinsic immune cells in the lung, play a fundamental role in the development and progression of ALI. During ALI, neutrophils generate neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and excessive NETs can intensify inflammatory injury. Research indicates that Taohe Chengqi decoction (THCQD) can ameliorate sepsis-induced lung inflammation and modulate immune function. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which THCQD improves ALI and its relationship with NETs in sepsis patients, seeking to provide novel perspectives and interventions for clinical treatment. The findings demonstrate that THCQD enhanced survival rates and reduced lung injury in the cecum ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced ALI mouse model. Furthermore, THCQD diminished neutrophil and macrophage infiltration, inflammatory responses, and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Notably, subsequent experiments confirmed that THCQD inhibits NET formation both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, THCQD significantly decreased the expression of peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) protein, and molecular docking predicted that certain active compounds in THCQD could bind tightly to PAD4. PAD4 overexpression partially reversed THCQD's inhibitory effects on PAD4. These findings strongly indicate that THCQD mitigates CLP-induced ALI by inhibiting PAD4-mediated NETs.
Extracellular Traps/immunology* ; Acute Lung Injury/immunology* ; Animals ; Sepsis/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Neutrophils/immunology* ; Male ; Protein-Arginine Deiminase Type 4/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal ; Cytokines/metabolism*

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Jiaohong pills （JHP） and its prescription， Pericarpium Zanthoxyli （PZ） and Rehmanniae Radix （RR） cognitive dysfunction in scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's disease （AD） mice and its mechanism through pharmacodynamic and metabolomics study. MethodThe animal model of AD induced by scopolamine was established and treated with PZ， RG and JHP， respectively. The effects of JHP and its formulations were investigated by open field test， water maze test， object recognition test， avoidance test， cholinergic system and oxidative stress related biochemical test. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of cerebral cortex was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-Quadrupole/Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS）. ResultThe behavioral data showed that， compared with the model group， the discrimination indexes of the high dose of JHP， PZ and RR groups was significantly increased （P<0.05）. The staging rate of Morris water maze test in the PZ， RR， high and low dose groups of JHP was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， the crossing numbers in the PZ， JHP high and low dose groups were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）； the number of errors in the avoidance test were significantly reduced in the PZ and high-dose JHP groups （P<0.01）， and the error latencies were significantly increased in the JHP and its prescription drug groups （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the activities of acetylcholinesterase in the cerebral cortex of the two doses of JHP group and the PZ group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the activity of acetylcholinesterase in the high-dose JHP group was significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the level of acetylcholine was significantly increased （P<0.01）. At the same time， the contents of malondialdehyde in the serum of the two dose groups of JHP decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of metabolomics study of cerebral cortex showed that 149 differential metabolites were identified between the JHP group and the model group， which were involved in neurotransmitter metabolism， energy metabolism， oxidative stress and amino acid metabolism. ConclusionJHP and its prescription can antagonize scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction， regulate cholinergic system， and reduce oxidative stress damage. The mechanism of its therapeutic effect on AD is related to the regulation of neurotransmitter， energy， amino acid metabolism， and improvement of oxidative stress.

We report a case of a male patient who developed persistent fever and central nervous system symptoms after eating raw snails for 10 days. The patient was diagnosed with Angiostrongyliasis depended on the clinical presentation, epidemiological history, and etiological results. The patient recovered after receiving albendazole anthelmintic and dexamethasone anti-inflammatory therapy. This article incorporates literature review to sort out the diagnosis and treatment of this patient, in order to provide feasible reference for clinicians.

We report a case of a male patient who developed persistent fever and central nervous system symptoms after eating raw snails for 10 days. The patient was diagnosed with Angiostrongyliasis depended on the clinical presentation, epidemiological history, and etiological results. The patient recovered after receiving albendazole anthelmintic and dexamethasone anti-inflammatory therapy. This article incorporates literature review to sort out the diagnosis and treatment of this patient, in order to provide feasible reference for clinicians.

Objective:To investigate the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence of residents aged 18 and above in China and prevention keypoints for target populations from 2013 to 2018.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. Subjects from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance project in 2013 and 2018 were included. The prevalence of obesity and growth rate in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China were collected through survey questionnaires and on-site measurements. Other demographic data such as the proportion of obesity control measures, diet, exercise and drug use was also analyzed. Obesity among adults was defined as body mass index≥28.0 kg/m2.Results:A total of 174 736 residents, aged (51.5±14.2) years, which included 74 704 (42.8%) males were recruited in 2013, and 179 125 residents, aged (55.1±13.8) years, which included 79 337 (44.3%) males were included in 2018. The average annual increase rate of adult obesity prevalence in China from 2013 to 2018 was 3.2% (uncertainty interval ( UI) 2.7%-3.6%), and the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among men (5.2% ( UI 4.6%-5.9%)) was higher than that of women (0.9% ( UI 0.5%-1.3%)). For subgroups analysis, the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among residents aged 18 to 29 (7.4% ( UI 6.9%-7.9%)), education level beyond college degree (6.3% ( UI 5.5%-7.1%)), and unmarried population (11.2% ( UI 10.2%-12.1%)) were higher than that of other subgroups between 2013 and 2018. The residents in Hainan province showed the highest average annual growth rate of obesity. With the exception of Shanxi, Hunan, Gansu and Ningxia province, the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence among adults increased in all other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from 2013 to 2018. For the obese population, the proportion of people who took weight control measures increased from 22.6% in 2013 to 32.7% in 2018. Conclusions:The prevalence of obesity growth characteristics in subpopulations and regions in China are obviously different. Accordingly the focus points of obesity prevention and control in different regions should have their own emphasis.

ObjectiveTo compare the effect of toe-spread-out exercises (TSO) and modified TSO in females with hallux valgus. MethodsFrom September to December, 2023, a total of 45 females with hallux valgus were recruited in Capital University of Physical Education and Sports and randomly divided into blank control group (n = 15), TSO group (n = 15), and modified TSO group (n = 15). The blank control group received no intervention, the TSO group received routine TSO, and the modified TSO group received fibularis longus fascia release followed by TSO, for eight weeks. Changes in the hallux valgus angle (HVA) and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the abductor hallucis muscle were measured before intervention, and four and eight weeks after intervention, respectively. ResultsOne case dropped out from the blank control group. The changes of HVA in the TSO and modified TSO groups were significantly greater than in the blank control group (F > 15.263, P < 0.05). After four weeks of intervention, the change of left HVA in the modified TSO group was significantly greater than in the TSO group (P < 0.05). The main effect of time was significant on the CSA of the abductor hallucis muscle (F > 13.245, P < 0.05). The main effect of group was significant on the left foot's CSA of the abductor hallucis (F = 3.798, P < 0.05). The interaction effect of time and group was also significant (F > 4.744, P < 0.05). The CSA of the abductor hallucis in both the TSO and modified TSO groups after four weeks and eight weeks of intervention was significantly greater than before intervention (P < 0.05). At eight weeks, the CSA of the right foot in the modified TSO group was significantly greater than in the blank control group (P < 0.05). ConclusionBoth TSO and modified TSO can improve HVA and the CSA of the abductor hallucis muscle in females with hallux valgus, and modified TSO is better.