ObjectiveTo develop and validate a diagnostic prediction model for differentiating pulmonary tuberculosis from community-acquired pneumonia based on routine blood parameters. MethodsA total of 642 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 503 patients with community-acquired pneumonia were retrospectively enrolled from the Seventh Hospital of Tangshan. They were randomly divided into a training set and an internal validation set at a 7∶3 ratio. Additionally， 218 patients from the 981st Hospital were independently included as an external validation set. The Boruta algorithm and recursive feature elimination were employed to select predictors from 82 blood parameters， sex， and age. A multivariate Logistic regression model was established and evaluated using receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves， calibration curves， and decision curve analysis. ResultsThe final model incorporated eight predictors， namely uric acid， urea nitrogen， alkaline phosphatase， monoamine oxidase， alanine aminotransferase， glutathione， neutrophil percentage， and age. The model achieved areas under the curve （AUCs） of 0.800 （95%CI： 0.769-0.830）， 0.787 （95%CI： 0.738-0.836）， and 0.736 （95%CI： 0.667-0.835） in the training， internal validation， and external validation sets， respectively. The model demonstrated good calibration， and decision curve analysis showed clinical net benefit within the threshold probability range of 10%-80%. ConclusionThe developed model exhibits good discriminative ability and clinical utility， serving as an effective early screening tool for primary healthcare institutions.

Bufalin(BF)has a significant anti-tumor effect, but its clinical application is severely restricted by its high toxicity and poor water solubility. In this study, Scrophularia ningpoensis polysaccharide(SNP)and ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA) were synthesized into an SNP-UDCA conjugate. BF was encapsulated to prepare BF/SNP-UDCA nanoparticles(NPs). The amphiphilic compound SNP-UDCA was synthesized via the one-step method, and its structure was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)and proton nuclear magnetic resonance(~1H-NMR). The preparation process of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs was optimized through single-factor investigations. The encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading capacity of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The molecular form of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs was characterized by using a transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction(XRD), and differential scanning calorimeter(DSC). Additionally, the stability of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs was evaluated. The release behavior of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs at different pH values was determined by dialysis. The in vitro anti-tumor effect of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs was evaluated by MTT cytotoxicity assay, flow cytometry for apoptosis, and cellular uptake. The in vitro liver targeting was evaluated by measuring cellular uptake by laser confocal microscopy. The results demonstrated that the SNP-UDCA conjugate was successfully synthesized through an esterification reaction between SNP and UDCA. The preparation process of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs was as follows: the feed ratio of SNP-UDCA to BF was 2∶1, the ultrasonic time was 30 minutes, and the stirring time was two hours. The prepared BF/SNP-UDCA NPs were spherical in shape, with a particle size of(252.74±6.05)nm, an encapsulation efficiency of 65.00%±2.51%, and a drug-loading capacity of 6.80%±0.44%. The XRD and DSC results indicated that BF was encapsulated within the NPs and existed in a molecular or amorphous state. The short-term stability of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs and stability in DMEM medium are good, and their in vitro release behavior followed the first-order equation and was pH-dependent according to the in vitro experiment. Compared with BF, BF/SNP-UDCA NPs at the same concentration showed significantly stronger cytotoxicity and apoptotic effects on HepG2 cells(P<0.05, P<0.01). The uptake of coumarin 6(C6)/SNP-UDCA NPs in HepG2 cells was time-dependent and higher than that in HeLa cells at the same concentration of C6/SNP-UDCA NPs. Moreover, after treatment with SNP, the uptake of C6/SNP-UDCA NPs in HepG2 cells decreased. In conclusion, the preparation process of BF/SNP-UDCA NPs was simple and feasible. BF/SNP-UDCA NPs could enhance the targeting ability and inhibitory effect of BF on liver cancer cells. This study will provide a foundation for liver-targeting nanoformulations of BF.
Bufanolides/pharmacology* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Humans ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Ursodeoxycholic Acid/chemistry* ; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology* ; Polysaccharides/chemistry* ; Scrophularia/chemistry* ; Liver Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Hep G2 Cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is characterized by high mortality and recurrence rates. Common treatments include hepatectomy, liver transplantation, ablation therapy, interventional therapy, radiotherapy, systemic therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). While exhibiting specific advantages, these approaches are associated with varying degrees of adverse effects. To alleviate patients' suffering and burdens, it is crucial to explore additional treatments and elucidate the pathogenesis of HCC, laying a foundation for the development of new TCM-based drugs. With emerging research on gut microbiota, it has been revealed that microbiota plays a vital role in the development of HCC by influencing intestinal barrier function, microbial metabolites, and immune regulation. TCM, with its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics, has been increasingly recognized as a vital therapeutic treatment for HCC, particularly in patients at intermediate or advanced stages, by prolonging survival and improving quality of life. Recent global studies demonstrate that TCM exerts anti-HCC effects by modulating gut microbiota, restoring intestinal barrier function, regulating microbial composition and its metabolites, suppressing inflammation, and enhancing immune responses, thereby inhibiting the malignant phenotype of HCC. This review aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which gut microbiota contributes to the development and progression of HCC and highlight the regulatory effects of TCM, addressing the current gap in systematic understanding of the "TCM-gut microbiota-HCC" axis. The findings provide theoretical support for integrating TCM with western medicine in HCC treatment and promote the transition from basic research to precision clinical therapy through microbiota-targeted drug development and TCM-based interventions.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/microbiology* ; Liver Neoplasms/microbiology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

This study retrospectively reviews and analyzes the application and funding status of traditional Chinese medicine pediat-rics(code H3112)projects under the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)from 2014 to 2023.It introduces the ap-plication and funding situations of projects in three categories:general programs,young scientists programs,and regional fund programs.The study also summarizes the characteristics of funded projects in the field of traditional Chinese medicine pediatrics,ai-ming to provide references for researchers and clinical professionals in this field when applying for future projects.

OBJECTIVE T o analyze the distribution and clinical characteristics of carbapenem-resistant organisms(CRO)in the intestinal and respiratory tracts of high-risk ICU patients,and to evaluate the effectiveness of two screening methods:plate screening and Gene Xpert Carba(hereinafter referred to as Xpert Carba).METHODS In-testinal samples(anal swabs,feces)and respiratory samples(sputum,lavage fluid)from 320 patients admitted to the ICU ward of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from Apr.2023 to Dec.2024 were collected.Plate screening and Xpert Carba methods were used for active screening of CRO strains,and clinical data of patients were collected through electronic medical records.RESULTS The plate screening results indicated that 70 out of 573 samples from 320 patients tested positive for CRO,with a positive rate of 12.22％(70/573).The positive rates for anal swabs,feces,sputum and lavage fluid were 9.26％(20/216),10.39％(8/77),13.02％(22/169)and 18.02％(20/111),respectively.There was no statistically significant difference in the positive rates among different sample types.The predominant CRO-positive organisms detected were Klebsiella pneumoniae in intestinal samples and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in respiratory samples.Among 361 intestinal and respiratory samples tested from 88 patients,plate screening and Xpert Carba screening showed the positive rates of 14.40％(52/361)and 6.37％(23/361),respectively.Analysis of the clinical characteristics of the 31 CRO-posi-tive patients revealed that they were predominantly elderly(average age 69 years),with 51.61％(16/31)having a history of interdepartmental transfers and 48.39％(15/31)having surgerical history.The mechanical ventilation usage rate in the respiratory positive group(58.82％,10/17)was higher than that in the intestinal positive group(0,0/7)and the dual positive group(14.28％,1/7).Compared with Xpert Carba,plate screening had lower screening costs,higher positive rates across different sample types and a broader range of detected bacterial species.CONCLUSIONS The ICU ward is a high-prevalence area for CRO strains,with K.pneumoniae(from in-testinal samples)and P.aeruginosa(from respiratory samples)showing the highest isolation rates.Plate screen-ing boasts lower costs,higher detection rate and broader bacterial species coverage for active screening of CRO strains in the intestinal and respiratory tracts of high-risk ICU patients.

Macrophages are immune cells capable of exerting both pro-tumor and anti-tumor effects. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) comprise a heterogeneous group of macrophages originating from monocytes and resident tissue macrophages. Their phenotypes and functions vary depending on factors such as tumor type, location, and stage. TAMs can promote tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, immunosuppression, and drug resistance, or they can facilitate antigen presentation and immune activation, thereby contributing to tumor elimination. As such, TAMs are potential targets for cancer therapy, and various pharmacological strategies and clinic-approved drugs have been suggested to modulate their activity, recruitment, and depletion. However, the complexity and diversity of TAMs present significant challenges to understanding their roles and designing effective drug interventions. This review summarizes the current knowledge of TAMs, and drug development for TAMs as anti-tumor therapy targets, emphasizing the importance of single-cell omics technologies for characterizing TAM heterogeneity and identifying therapeutic opportunities. Additionally, it presents the latest clinical trials focused on TAM-targeted therapies and drugs. Collectively, this review discusses the therapeutic opportunities and challenges of TAM-targeted drug therapies and offers future perspectives and directions for advancing our understanding and manipulation of TAMs in drug development.

OBJECTIVES: To study the mechanism mediating the protective effect of asiaticoside (AS) against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in rats. METHODS: Fifty SD rats were randomized into sham-operated group, MIRI model group and AS treatment group. AS treatment was administered at low, moderate and high doses by daily gavage for 2 weeks before MIRI modeling (n=10). Serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-1β, the volume of myocardial infarction and ischemia, and myocardial pathologies of the rats were determined or observed. The protein expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, IL-1β and IL-18 in the myocardial tissues were detected using Western blotting. The changes in the expression levels of these proteins were also detected in H9C2 cells with AS pretreatment prior to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) injury. RESULTS: The rats models of MIRI exhibited significant myocardial infarction and ischemia with increased serum levels of LDH and CK-MB and myocardial expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, IL-1β and IL-18. AS pretreatment effectively reduced myocardial infarction volume in the rat models and significantly reduced serum LDH and CK-MB levels and the protein levels in the myocardial tissue in a dose-dependent manner. In the H9C2 cell model of H/R injury, AS pretreatment significantly suppressed the elevation of the protein expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, IL-1β and IL-18. Molecular docking studies showed that AS had a strong binding affinity with NLRP3. CONCLUSIONS Asiaticoside can alleviate MIRI in rats possibly by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis.
Animals ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Interleukin-18/metabolism* ; Male ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Caspase 1/metabolism*