OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the impact of foam macrophages (FMs) on the intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and identify the molecular mechanisms influencing MTB survival. METHODS: An in vitro FM model was established using oleic acid induction. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted to identify the key molecular pathways involved in FM-mediated MTB survival. RESULTS: Induced FMs effectively restricted MTB survival. Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling revealed distinct changes in gene and metabolite expression in FMs during MTB infection compared with normal macrophages. Integrated analyses identified significant alterations in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, indicating that its activation contributes to the FM-mediated restriction of MTB survival. CONCLUSIONS FMs inhibit MTB survival. The cAMP signaling pathway is a key contributor. These findings enhance the understanding of the role of FMs in tuberculosis progression, suggest potential targets for host-directed therapies, and offer new directions for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against tuberculosis.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/physiology* ; Transcriptome ; Metabolomics ; Foam Cells/microbiology* ; Humans ; Metabolome ; Tuberculosis/microbiology* ; Gene Expression Profiling

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between long-term glycemic control and cerebral infarction risk in patients with diabetes through a large-scale cohort study. METHODS: This prospective, community-based cohort study included 12,054 patients with diabetes. From 2006 to 2012, 38,272 fasting blood glucose (FBG) measurements were obtained from these participants. FBG trajectory patterns were generated using latent mixture modelling. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to assess the subsequent risk of cerebral infarction associated with different FBG trajectory patterns. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean age of the participants was 55.2 years. Four distinct FBG trajectories were identified based on FBG concentrations and their changes over the 6-year follow-up period. After a median follow-up of 6.9 years, 786 cerebral infarction events were recorded. Different trajectory patterns were associated with significantly varied outcome risks (Log-Rank P < 0.001). Compared with the low-stability group, Hazard Ratio ( HR) adjusted for potential confounders were 1.37 for the moderate-increasing group, 1.23 for the elevated-decreasing group, and 2.08 for the elevated-stable group. CONCLUSION Sustained high FBG levels were found to play a critical role in the development of ischemic stroke among patients with diabetes. Controlling FBG levels may reduce the risk of cerebral infarction.
Humans ; Cerebral Infarction/blood* ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; Fasting/blood* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Adult ; Proportional Hazards Models

Objective To explore the application effect of pressure moxibustion at Baihui and Guanyuan acupoints combined with butylphthalide in treating stroke patients in recovery phase.Methods A total of 108 stroke patients in recovery phase were randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 54 cases in each group.The control group was treated with bu-tylphthalide on the basis of conventional treatment,while the observation group was treated with pres-sure moxibustion at Baihui and Guanyuan acupoints combined with butylphthalide for 8 consecutive weeks.After the end of the treatment course,the efficacy was evaluated in both groups,and the func-tional status[the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS),the Montreal Cognitive Assess-ment(MoCA),the Barthel Index(BI)],event-related potential P300,the levels of hemodynamic indicators[resistance index(RI),pulsatility index(PI),mean velocity(Vm)],cognitive function markers[lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2(Lp-PLA2),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),humanβ-amyloid 1-42(Aβ-42)]and safety were compared between the two groups before and after treat-ment.Results The total effective rate in the observation group was 96.30％,which was significantly higher than 85.19％in the control group(P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the MoCA and BI scores in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group,while the NIHSS score was significantly lower(P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the latency in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group,while the amplitude and the differences in latency and amplitude before and after treatment were significantly higher(P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,Vm in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the con-trol group,while PI and RI were significantly lower(P＜0.05).After 8 weeks of treatment,the levels of Lp-PLA2,ALP and Aβ-42 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).No serious adverse reactions occurred in patients in each group.Conclusion Pressure moxibustion at Baihui and Guanyuan acupoints combined with butylphthalide can improve cerebral blood flow and promote the recovery of cognitive and neurological functions in stroke patients in recovery phase.The mechanism may be related to the downregulation of Lp-PLA2,ALP and Aβ-42 expression.

Objective To analyze the correlation between right atrial strain at various stages and various influencing factors in patients with pulmonary hypertension,and to explore the role of right atrial strain in the assessment of pulmonary hypertension.Methods A total of 239 cases diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension who underwent echocardiography and complete right heart catheterization at hospital from October 2021 to December 2023 were included.Conventional ultrasound parameters such as right heart strain,right atrial area(RA area),inferior vena cava diameter(IVC diameter),and collapse rate of the inferior vena cava(IVC diameter changes)were measured.The heart rate(HR)corresponding to the ultrasound images were recorded.General information such as age and gender,as well as catheter data including mean right atrial pressure(mRAP),mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP),and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),were collected.The relationship between right atrial strain and its influencing factors was analyzed,and further analysis was conducted by dividing into shunt group and non-shunt group based on the presence or absence of left-to-right shunt disease.Results The correlation with RA reservoir strain(RASr)from high to low is RV global strain(RV4CSL),RV free wall strain(RVFWSL),RA area,IVC diameter,mRAP,age,HR,and PVR;the correlation with RAconduit strain(RAScd)from high to low is RV4CSL,RVFWSL,RA area,IVC diameter,mRAP,age,PVR,and HR;the correlation with RA contraction strain(RASct)from high to low is RA area,RV4CSL,RVFWSL,mRAP,IVC diameter,and HR.The collapse rate of the inferior vena cava is correlated with strain at various stages of the right atrium;gender is correlated with RASr and RASct.Conclusions Right atrial strain can reflect changes in right atrial function,with the highest correlation to right ventricular strain and right atrial area.Right atrial strain can indicate the severity of right ventricular function and right atrial remodeling,serving as an evaluative index for the condition and treatment outcomes of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Radiation prevention and treatment drugs are a rapidly developing field.Radiation prevention and treatment drugs can be roughly divided into four categories:chemical synthetic drugs,biological products,natural plant extracts and traditional Chinese medicine compounds,which are widely used in medical,scientific research and other fields.This paper reviews the classification of radiation prevention and treatment drugs,which can be roughly divided into four categories:chemical synthetic drugs,biological products,natural plant extracts and traditional Chinese medicine compounds.At the same time,its mechanism of action and clinical application are elaborated in detail,and the risk assessment is carried out from the aspects of effectiveness,safety and drug interaction.Finally,the risk reduction strategies are summarized from the aspects of clinical medication specification and monitoring,continuous drug safety research,improvement of emergency reserve and support capacity and construction of full-cycle regulatory system,so as to provide reference for the rational application and further research of radiation prevention and treatment drugs.

Objective To analyze the correlation between right atrial strain at various stages and various influencing factors in patients with pulmonary hypertension,and to explore the role of right atrial strain in the assessment of pulmonary hypertension.Methods A total of 239 cases diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension who underwent echocardiography and complete right heart catheterization at hospital from October 2021 to December 2023 were included.Conventional ultrasound parameters such as right heart strain,right atrial area(RA area),inferior vena cava diameter(IVC diameter),and collapse rate of the inferior vena cava(IVC diameter changes)were measured.The heart rate(HR)corresponding to the ultrasound images were recorded.General information such as age and gender,as well as catheter data including mean right atrial pressure(mRAP),mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP),and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),were collected.The relationship between right atrial strain and its influencing factors was analyzed,and further analysis was conducted by dividing into shunt group and non-shunt group based on the presence or absence of left-to-right shunt disease.Results The correlation with RA reservoir strain(RASr)from high to low is RV global strain(RV4CSL),RV free wall strain(RVFWSL),RA area,IVC diameter,mRAP,age,HR,and PVR;the correlation with RAconduit strain(RAScd)from high to low is RV4CSL,RVFWSL,RA area,IVC diameter,mRAP,age,PVR,and HR;the correlation with RA contraction strain(RASct)from high to low is RA area,RV4CSL,RVFWSL,mRAP,IVC diameter,and HR.The collapse rate of the inferior vena cava is correlated with strain at various stages of the right atrium;gender is correlated with RASr and RASct.Conclusions Right atrial strain can reflect changes in right atrial function,with the highest correlation to right ventricular strain and right atrial area.Right atrial strain can indicate the severity of right ventricular function and right atrial remodeling,serving as an evaluative index for the condition and treatment outcomes of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Radiation prevention and treatment drugs are a rapidly developing field.Radiation prevention and treatment drugs can be roughly divided into four categories:chemical synthetic drugs,biological products,natural plant extracts and traditional Chinese medicine compounds,which are widely used in medical,scientific research and other fields.This paper reviews the classification of radiation prevention and treatment drugs,which can be roughly divided into four categories:chemical synthetic drugs,biological products,natural plant extracts and traditional Chinese medicine compounds.At the same time,its mechanism of action and clinical application are elaborated in detail,and the risk assessment is carried out from the aspects of effectiveness,safety and drug interaction.Finally,the risk reduction strategies are summarized from the aspects of clinical medication specification and monitoring,continuous drug safety research,improvement of emergency reserve and support capacity and construction of full-cycle regulatory system,so as to provide reference for the rational application and further research of radiation prevention and treatment drugs.

Progressive ossifying fibrous dysplasia(FOP)is a rare,hereditary,and progressive connective tissue disease characterized by heterotopic ossification(HO)formation in muscles,joints,tendons,and ligaments,leading to major joint stiffness,limited movement,deformity,and severe disability in patients.In August 2023,Palovarotene was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA)to reduce the formation of HO in adults and children aged 8 years and above for females and 10 years and above for males with FOP.It is currently the only approved curable drug worldwide.Palovarotene is a selective retinoic acid receptor γ(RAR-γ)agonist that reduces the formation of HO by inhibiting bone morphogenetic protein and SMAD 1/5/8 signaling.The pharmacological study,pharmacokinetics,clinical research,and safety are reviewed to comprehensively introduce Palovarotene.

68Ga-DOTATOC injection is a radiopharmaceutical agent for positron emission tomography localization of somatostatin receptor positive neuroendocrine tumors(NETs)in adult and pediatric patients.68 Ga-DOTATOC binds to cells that express somatostatin receptors(SSTRs),including malignant neuroendocrine cells that overexpress SSTR2 receptor.Gallium-68 is a radionuclide used in positron emission tomography for tumor diagnosis.This paper introduces its the mechanism of action,pharmacokinetics,usage and dosage,clinical evaluation,safety and use in specific populations.

Pafolacianine is a fluorescent agent that specifically targets folate receptors,employed in the treatment of adult ovarian cancer patients to support the detection of malignant growths during surgical interventions.Pafolacianine binds to cancer cells expressing folate receptors,accumulating within folate-receptor-positive tumor tissue through receptor-mediated endocytosis.It can be excited by near-infrared fluorescence imaging,facilitating the surgical removal of tumors during procedures.This article gives an introduction to the mechanism of action,pharmacokinetics,clinical studies,and safety aspects of Pafolacianine.