Background and aims Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, with no currently effective treatment. ALD is caused by excessive lipid buildup, which eventually triggers inflammation and fibrosis in the liver. Activation of hepatic Kupffer cells (KCs) and macrophages drives liver inflammation, which can worsen alcohol-induced liver injury. The autophagy-lysosome system is crucial for macrophages to support their innate immune functions. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is a key regulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis, but the role of macrophage TFEB in ALD development is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Gao-binge alcohol consumption on myeloid cell TFEB and elucidate the role of myeloid TFEB in ALD. Methods Two-to-three-month-old male and female LysM Cre− (WT) and LysM Cre+ Tfeb Flox/Flox (f/f) (myeloid-Tfeb KO) mice were subjected to chronic alcohol feeding plus an acute binge following the Gao-binge model. Serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglycerides, and cholesterol content were determined using biochemical assays. Total hepatic protein content and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of autophagy-related proteins and inflammatory markers were determined using immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Isolated hepatic infiltrating macrophages and KCs from mice given intragastric ethanol infusions were analyzed by Western blot for TFEB and autophagy-related protein content. Raw 264.7 macrophages were treated with ethanol, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and LPS plus ethanol to examine nuclear TFEB translocation using immunofluorescence. Results We found that TFEB levels were higher in macrophage/KC cells than in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. While ethanol feeding increased serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, as well as hepatic triglyceride levels, no significant differences were observed between WT and myeloid-Tfeb KO mice. The number of F4/80-positive KCs/macrophages was similar in all four experimental groups, but hepatic neutrophil infiltration increased in alcohol-fed myeloid-Tfeb KO mice. LPS or ethanol alone induced nuclear TFEB translocation only moderately in Raw 264.7 macrophages. Conclusions Our findings suggest that myeloid TFEB is dispensable for alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accompanied with KMT2D gene mutation and the impact of its co-mutated genes on prognosis. Methods Clinical data of 155 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients were obtained. The second-generation sequencing method was used to detect 475 hotspot genes, including KMT2D mutation. Patients were divided into the KMT2D mutation group and KMT2D wild-type group based on the presence or absence of KMT2D gene mutation. Clinical characteristics, differences in co-mutated genes, and survival differences between the two groups were compared. Results The frequency of KMT2D mutation was 31%, which is predominantly observed in elderly patients (P=0.07) and less in the double-expressor phenotype (P=0.07). Compared with the KMT2D wild-type group, KMT2D gene mutation was associated with higher co-mutation rates of CDKN2A (OR=2.82, P=0.01) and BCL2 (OR=3.84, P=0.016), while being mutually exclusive with MYC gene mutation (OR=0.11, P=0.013). In univariate survival analysis, no statistically significant difference in overall survival (OS) was found between the KMT2D mutation group and the wild-type group (P=0.54). Further analysis of the prognostic significance of KMT2D with other gene mutations indicated that patients with KMT2D^mutBTG2^mut had poorer OS than those with KMT2D^wt BTG2^mut (P=0.07) and KMT2D^wt BTG2^wt (P=0.05). On the contrary, patients with KMT2D^mut CD79B^mut had better OS than those with KMT2D^mut CD79B^wt (P=0.09), with no prognostic impact observed for other co-mutated genes. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that Ann Arbor stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ (HR=2.751, 95%CI: 1.169-6.472, P=0.02), elevated LDH levels (HR=2.461, 95%CI: 1.396-4.337, P=0.002), Ki-67 index>80% (HR=1.875, 95%CI: 1.066-3.299, P=0.029), and KMT2D^mutBTG2^mut(HR=4.566, 95%CI: 1.348-15.471, P=0.015) were independent risk factors for OS in patients with DLBCL (P<0.05). Conclusion DLBCL patients with KMT2D mutation often have multiple gene mutations, among which patients with a co-mutated BTG2 gene have poor prognosis.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of Xuanbi Decoction as an adjuvant therapy for rheumatoid arthritis(RA)with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome,and its impacts on the interleu-kin-23(IL-23)/helper T cell 17(Th 17)inflammatory axis,as well as the levels of matrix metallo-proteinase-3(MMP-3)and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1).Methods A total of 95 RA patients with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome were selected as the study subjects,and randomly divided into control group(48 cases)and observation group(47 cases).The control group received western medicine treatment,while the observation group received Xuanbi Decoction treat-ment based on the control group.The clinical efficacy,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syn-drome scores,imaging assessment results,disease activity,indicators of the IL-23/Th17 inflammatory axis,MMP-3,TIMP-1 and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results The total effective rate in the observation group was 95.74％,which was significantly higher than 81.25％in the control group(P＜0.05).After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores(joint pain,joint swell-ing,yellow and greasy tongue coating as well as slippery and rapid pulse)in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).After treatment,the DAS28 and Sharp scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).After treatment,the levels of IL-23,Th17,IL-17 and MMP-3 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,while the TIMP-1 level was significantly higher(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Xuanbi Decoction as an adjuvant therapy for RA patients with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome demonstrates significant efficacy and high safety.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the preliminary efficacy and safety of a dose-intensified C5VD regimen (cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and doxorubicin) in children with locally advanced hepatoblastoma. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 24 children with newly diagnosed, locally advanced hepatoblastoma who received the dose-intensified C5VD regimen at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Children's Hospital between January 2020 and December 2023. Clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and chemotherapy-related toxicities were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 24 patients, 13 were male and 11 were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 18.7 months (range: 3.5-79.4 months). All patients achieved complete macroscopic resection of hepatic lesions without liver transplantation. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels decreased significantly after two chemotherapy cycles. During a median follow-up of 38.4 months (range: 15.8-50.7 months), all patients maintained continuous complete remission, with 3-year event-free survival and overall survival rates of 100%. Across 144 chemotherapy cycles, the incidence rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and infections were 97%, 77%, and 71%, respectively; no treatment-related deaths occurred. Notably, 5 patients (21%) developed Brock grade ≥3 hearing loss, of whom 1 required a hearing aid. CONCLUSIONS The dose-intensified C5VD regimen demonstrates significant efficacy with an overall favorable safety profile in the treatment of newly diagnosed, locally advanced pediatric hepatoblastoma. Grade 3-4 myelosuppression and infection are the predominant toxicities. However, high‑dose cisplatin-induced ototoxicity remains a concern, highlighting the need for improved otoprotective strategies.
Humans ; Hepatoblastoma/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Child, Preschool ; Prospective Studies ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Child ; Cisplatin/adverse effects* ; Vincristine/adverse effects* ; Fluorouracil/adverse effects*

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-associated protein-like 1 (GABARAPL1) in patients with gouty arthritis (GA).Methods:Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between GA patients and healthy controls were identified by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, followed by the screening of autophagy-related DEGs (au-DEGs) associated with GA. Peripheral blood single nucleated cells (PBMCs) were collected from 80 male GA patients and 60 healthy controls treated at the Affiliated Taizhou People′s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between March to December 2023. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to assess the expression of au-DEGs, bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) was used to determine the methylation status of the GABARAPL1 promoter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with qPCR (ChIP-qPCR) was used to analyze the binding activity of histone H3 to the GABARAPL1 promoter. Spearman ′s Correlations between GABARAPL1 expression and clinical indicators such as serum uric acid (UA) were analyzed. The diagnostic efficacy of GABARAPL1 in PBMCs for GA was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:The relative expression of GABARAPL1 in PBMCs was significantly higher in GA patients compared to healthy controls (1.91±0.72 vs. 0.84±0.39, t=11.27, P<0.001). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that GABARAPL1 expression was positively correlated with UA, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, monocyte count, globulin, urea, and creatinine ( r=0.61, 0.40, 0.46, 0.32, 0.28, 0.22, 0.34; P<0.05 for all), and negatively correlated with lymphocyte count, albumin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, and estimated glomerular filtration rate ( r=-0.18, -0.34, -0.33, -0.50, -0.22; P<0.05 for all). ROC curve analysis showed that GABARAPL1 in PBMCs had high diagnostic efficacy for GA, with an area under the curve of 0.936. No significant differences in the methylation levels of GABARAPL1 promoter regions MC1 and MC2 were observed between GA patients and healthy controls ( t=2.28、1.43, P<0.05 for all), whereas histone H3 acetylation levels were significantly elevated in GA patients ( t=11.19, P<0.001). Conclusion:The expression of GABARAPL1 in PBMCs is significantly upregulated in GA patients, which may be associated with increased histone H3 acetylation at its promoter. The high expression of GABARAPL1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of GA by regulating autophagy and holds promise as a diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for GA.

Objective:Through the comparative analysis of the payment program for the therapeutic value of Traditional Chinese Medicine dominant diseases in 8 provinces,we found the shortcomings of the existing program and put forward the perfect policy suggestions.Methods:Comparative analysis of the core content of the programs in various places,the selection of disease types,efficacy evaluation indexes,the application of the payment link and the protection mechanism.Results:The fragmentation of existing programs is an obvious problem,the specific content settings of each item are quite different,reflecting differences in the understanding of the core content of the program,the existence of inconsistent understanding of Chinese medicine's therapeutic value,the failure to link the payment standard to the results of the therapeutic value evaluation,and the lack of recognition of the value of Chinese medicine's technical labor,among other problems.Conclusions:We can select disease types based on the prominent advantages of Traditional Chinese medicine,learn from the evaluation framework of western medicine value-based medical care,construct the evaluation system of Chinese medicine therapeutic value,and carry out"equal price"payment based on the"same effect"of health results,set performance indicators and payment standards in stages,realize the whole process management of disease,and enhance the Traditional Chinese Medicine's therapeutic value,and promote the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine inheritance and innovation.

Objective To investigate the association between glycated albumin/hemoglobin A1c(GA/HbA1c)and type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated with metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).Methods A total of 502 hospitalized T2DM patients were enrolled between January 2022 and December 2023 and divided into T2DM group(n=301)and combined with MAFLD(MAFLD,n=201)group.Clinical data were collected,and Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between GA/HbA1c and MAFLD.Mediation analysis was conducted to assess the role of blood lipids.Results The MAFLD group had higher levels of drinking,waist-to-hip ratio,body mass index,fasting insulin,fasting C-peptide,insulin resistance index,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,triglycerides(TG),small dense low-density lipoprotein(sdLDL),and blood uric acid compared to the T2DM group(P<0.05).The age,DM duration,GA,GA/HbA1c,and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were lower in the MAFLD group than in the T2DM group(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors,GA/HbA1c was an influencing factor for the occurrence of MAFLD in T2DM patients.Mediation analysis revealed that TG,sdLDL,and HDL-C had significant mediating effects,accounting for 19.3%,12.4%,and 8.5%of the risk association,respectively.Conclusions GA/HbA1c is influencing factor of MAFLD in T2DM patients,with blood lipids showing significant mediating effects,suggesting that GA/HbA1c may serve as a novel indicator for assessing MAFLD risk.

Objective:To construct an evaluation index system for rural order-oriented general practice residents based on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) and conduct an empirical analysis. ?Methods:A mixed-methods study design was adopted (November 2022-April 2023). The preliminary draft of the index system was developed through literature review and group discussions, then refined and improved via two rounds of expert consultation using the Delphi method. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to determine the weight of each index. Meanwhile, questionnaires were distributed to 181 participants, including general practitioners from general hospitals, general practitioners from community hospitals, and general practice residents. The scores of the three groups regarding the importance and feasibility of the indices were compared. Ten general practitioners of the above three types were selected for semi-structured interviews on their cognitive and practical aspects of the system. ?Results:The positive coefficients of the two rounds of expert consultation were 16/17 and 16/16, respectively. The expert authority degree was >0.70, and the test of coordination coefficient was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Finally, an index system consisting of 20 first-level indices and 56 second-level indices was established. In terms of weight, among the first-level indices,"EPA1: Information Acquisition"had the highest weight (0.11), while"EPA12: Clinical Research"had the lowest (0.02). Among the second-level indices, "Medical History Taking" and "Physical Examination" under EPA1 had the highest weight (both 0.056), while "Healthcare for Patients with Severe Mental Illness" and "Healthcare for Disabled and Handicapped Populations" under EPA15 had the lowest (both 0.003). The 181 participants gave scores ranging from 4.49 to 4.92 for the importance of the 20 first-level indices and from 4.16 to 4.81 for their feasibility. Only for" EPA19: Common Diseases in Primary Care and Health Management", the feasibility score given by general practitioners from community hospitals was higher than that from general hospitals ( t=2.157, P=0.032); no statistically significant differences were observed among the groups for the other indices ( P>0.05).The interview results showed that general practitioners have a relatively high level of recognition for this system, but there is still room for improvement in its practical application.? Conclusions:The evaluation index system for rural order-oriented general practice residents constructed based on EPAs has high reliability, and it is consistently recognized by different types of general practitioners. It can provide a reference for the cultivation of post competency of this group.?

Objective To explore the role of secreted phosphoprotein 1(SPP1)and myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MYD88)in morphine-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.Methods A morphine addiction model was established in Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats.Twelve SD rats were randomly assigned to the normal saline(NS)group or the morphine-dependent(DAM)group.Histopathological analysis was employed to observe and compare myocardial tissue morphology between the two groups.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL)staining was performed to assess the number of apoptotic cells in each group.The expression levels of SPP1 and MYD88 were evaluated using immunohistochemistry.Quantitative real-time poly merase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of SPP1,MYD88,Bax,Bcl2,Caspase-3,and Caspase-9.Simultaneously,Western blot analysis was used to detected the expression of Cleaved Caspase-3 and Cleaved Caspase-9 proteins.In vitro,SPP1 expression was knocked down in primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes(NRCMs),and cells were divided into three groups:control(CON),morphine treated(DA),and shSPP1#3+DA.Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay,and apoptosis rates were determined by flow cytometry.Results HE and TUNEL staining of myocardial tissues from morphine-addicted SD rats revealed that,compared with the NS group,myofibrils in the DAM group exhibited partial disruption and a significant increase in apoptotic cells(P<0.05).Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses demonstrated that,relative to the NS group,the mRNA and protein levels of SPP1,MYD88,Bax,Caspase-3,and Caspase-9 were significantly upregulated in the DAM group(P<0.05),whereas Bcl2 expression was significantly downregulated at both mRNA and protein levels(P<0.05),and the protein expression levels of Cleaved Caspase-3 and Cleaved Caspase-9 were also increased.with all differences being statistically significant.In NRCMs following morphine intervention,cell viability in the DA group was markedly reduced compared to the CON group(P<0.05),accompanied by a signifi-cant increase in apoptosis rate(P<0.05).Consistently,Western blot and RT-qPCR results showed elevated mRNA and protein expression of SPP1,MYD88,Bax,Caspase-3,and Caspase-9 in the DA group(P<0.05),along with decreased Bcl2 expression(P<0.05).The protein expression levels of Cleaved Caspase-3 and Cleaved Caspase-9 were elevated simultaneously.In contrast,the shSPP1#3+DA group exhibited opposing trends compared to the DA group,with statistically sig nificant differences(P<0.05).Conclusion SPP1 and MYD88 play critical roles in mediating morphine-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis,and silencing SPP1 has been shown to significantly reduce the extent of cardiomyocyte apoptosis following morphine exposure.

Objective To establish a flow cytometry method for detecting C1s protein on platelet surface and preliminarily explore its potential application value in the auxiliary diagnosis of primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP).Methods C1s-conjugated 2 μm car-boxylated magnetic beads(C1s beads)were prepared and used as quality control particles.Fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-labeled anti-C1s antibody was employed as the detection antibody to develop a flow cytometric assay for detecting C1s protein expression on platelets.The intra-assay and inter-assay precision,as well as the dilution linearity of the method,were evaluated.Subsequently,the expression levels of C1 s protein on the surface of platelets were compared among the ITP group,the non-ITP thrombocytopenia group,and the healthy control group.Results Light microscopy showed that both unconjugated carboxylated magnetic beads(blank beads)and C1s-conjugated beads were uniformly dispersed without aggregation.Under fluorescence microscopy,C1s beads exhibited strong yellow-green fluorescence,whereas the blank beads showed no fluorescence signal.The established flow cytometry assay exhibited ac-ceptable precision,with intra-assay coefficient of variation(CV)values of 7.02％,7.12％,and 3.91％for low,medium,and high con-centrations of C1s beads,respectively,and inter-assay CV values of 13.49％,6.15％,and 0.78％,respectively.The dilution linearity was satisfactory,coefficient of determination(R2)=0.998 8.Clinical sample testing revealed that the proportion of C1s-positive plate-lets in ITP group(2.56±0.79)％was significantly higher than that in healthy control group(0.23±0.18)％and the non-ITP thrombo-cytopenia control group(0.22±0.10)％,with statistically significant differences(both P＜0.05).Conclusion This study successfully established a stable and reliable flow-cytometry method for quantifying C1s expression on platelet surface and preliminarily demonstrated that C1s expression is significantly elevated on platelets of ITP patients,suggesting that C1s could serve as a potential auxiliary diag-nostic marker for ITP.