Disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier caused by gut dysbiosis and metabolic imbalance is the underlying pathology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Traditional Chinese medicine Wuji Wan (WJW) is commonly used to treat digestive system disorders and showed therapeutic potential for IBD. In this interdisciplinary study, we aim to investigate the pharmacological effects of WJW against experimental colitis by combining functional metabolomics and gut-microbiota sequencing techniques. Treatment with WJW altered the profile of the intestinal microbiota and notably increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, thereby facilitating the conversion of tryptophan into indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indoleacrylic acid (IA). These indole derivatives activated the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway, which reduced colonic inflammation and restored the expression of intestinal barrier proteins. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of WJW on gut barrier function improvement and tryptophan metabolism were disappeared in the absence of gut microbiota. Finally, pre-treatment with the AhR antagonist CH-223191 confirmed the essential role of IAA-mediated AhR activation in the therapeutic effects of WJW. Overall, WJW enhanced intestinal barrier function and reduced colonic inflammation in a murine colitis model by modulating Lactobacillus-IAA-AhR signaling pathway. This study provides novel insights into colitis pathogenesis and presents an effective therapeutic and preventive approach against IBD.

Recent studies have shown that the physiological homeostasis of oral mucosal cells is regulated by the circadian clock.Dis-ruption or dysfunction of the circadian clock is closely associated with the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Research based on the circadian clock offers a novel perspective on the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies for OSCC.However,there is current-ly limited research on this topic,and people generally have insufficient understanding and recognition of the circadian clock.Given the complexity and challenges of circadian clock which is the fourth dimension of medical research,we organize relevant experts based on summarizing the current research results of circadian clock in the pathogenesis and precision diagnosis and treatment of OSCC,combining the scientific principles of the circadian clock's role and their long-term research experience,then summarizes and recommends the con-sensus opinions for the research of circadian clock in the pathogenesis mechanism and precision diagnosis and treatment of human OSCC,with the hope of providing guidance for the basic research and clinical application of circadian clock or circadian rhythm in the pathogene-sis mechanism and precision diagnosis and treatment of oral and maxillofacial squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND:The occurrence of neuronal axonal injury can result in neurological dysfunction,and the facilitation of axonal elongation is anticipated to play a pivotal role in the treatment of diseases affecting the nervous system.OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles can promote neuronal axonal elongation.METHODS:(1)Ectomesenchymal stem cells were obtained from nasal mucosa using the tissue adherence method,and the specific markers of were identified through immunofluorescence.Ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles were acquired via ultracentrifugation and identified.(2)Ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles(0,0.5,1.0,1.5 mg/mL)were incubated with PC12 cells for 72 hours.The cytotoxicity and proliferation of ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles on PC12 cells were assessed using the CCK-8 assay.(3)Ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles(1.0 mg/mL)were incubated with PC12 cells or neurons for 72 hours.The changes in axon length were observed using microscopic analysis.The expression levels of axon-related markers β3-tubulin(early stage),growth associated protein 43(middle stage),and neurofilament 200(mature stage)were analyzed through real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blotting.These investigations aimed to explore the potential of ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles in promoting neurite elongation within PC12 cells or neurons.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The majority of the acquired ectomesenchymal stem cells exhibited a spindle-shaped morphology,while a minority displayed irregular shapes,and demonstrated high expression levels of mesenchymal stem cell-specific markers Nestin,CD44,and Vimentin.The obtained ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles fulfilled the biological criteria for extracellular vesicles.(2)Within the detected protein concentration range of 0.5 to 1.5 mg/mL,the proliferation of PC12 cells was promoted by ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles,and this effect was further enhanced with increasing concentrations.(3)Ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles increased the length of axons in PC12 cells and neurons and the expression of axon-related markers β3-tubulin,growth associated protein 43,and neurofilament 200.Above findings suggest that ectomesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles have the potential to enhance neuronal axonal elongation.

Objective:To identify the relevant factors for the first-course remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to develop a predictive model as well as assess its predictive capability.Methods:Clinical data of 749 patients newly diagnosed with AML admitted to the Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine from January 1, 2019, to April 30, 2023, were collected and randomly divided into training and validation sets. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine variables associated with complete remission in the first course of induction therapy, and a predictive model was established based on these variables. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the predictive model was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated.Results:The indicators predicting the first remission course included peripheral blood white blood cell count during onset, CBF::MYH11 fusion gene, CEBPA bZIP region mutation, myelodysplastic syndrome-related gene mutation, and induction chemotherapy regimen selection as independent factors for the first remission course. The model’s area under the training and validation curves was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.696-0.780) and 0.726 (95% CI: 0.650-0.801), respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results yielded P-values of 0.993 and 0.335, respectively. Conclusion:In this study, the developed model demonstrates a strong predictive capability for the efficacy of the first course of patients with AML, providing valuable guidance to clinicians in assessing patient prognosis and selecting appropriate treatment strategies.

Objective To investigate the incidence of functional bowel disease(FBD)and its relationship with depression,anxiety and sleep in navy submarine forces.Methods A questionnaire survey on the incidence of FBD was conducted on 364 naval soldiers who were enrolled according to Rome Ⅳ classification and diagnostic criteria.The risk factors of FBD were analyzed.The incidence of specific diseases of FBD was compared among soldiers with different jobs.The depression,anxiety,and sleep quality were investigated in FBD patients.Results In the 364 participants,132(36.3%)were diagnosed with FBD according to Roman Ⅳcriteria.Military rank and marital status might be risk factors for FBD.There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of FBD among the participants with various jobs(P>0.05).The incidence of functional constipation in the submariners was significantly higher than that in the land soldiers,while the incidence of functional diarrhea in the land soldiers was higher than that in the submariners(all P<0.05).The incidences of depression,anxiety and sleep disorder in the participants with FBD were higher than those in the participants without FBD.Conclusion There is a high incidence of FBD in submariners,which may be related to their psychological states.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary autoimmune cerebellar ataxia (PACA) patients with autoantibodies.Methods:Patients from the Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (from March 2013 to December 2023) who met the modified diagnostic criteria of PACA were collected. Cell based assay and tissue based assay were used to detect anti-cerebellar antibodies. The clinical features, results of neuroimaging, cerebrospinal fluid examinations and the prognosis of the patients were analyzed. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score≤2 at the last follow-up was defined as a favorable prognosis. Exacerbation of cerebellar ataxia after clinical improvement or stabilization for at least 2 months was defined as relapse.Results:A total of 20 patients were included, including 7 males. The onset age was 48.4 (22.8, 59.3) years. Gait ataxia was the most common cerebellar symptom. Extracerebellar neurological abnormalities included pyramidal sign, peripheral neuropathy/radiculopathy and diplopia. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid white blood cells and positive specific oligoclonal bands were observed in 4/16 and 7/15 of patients, respectively. The brain magnetic resonance imaging examination of the patients showed that 8 patients had no obvious abnormalities, 9 patients showed cerebellar atrophy, and 3 patients showed abnormal signals in the brain or cerebellum. A total of 9 different anti-cerebellar antibodies were detected in the patient′s serum and (or) cerebrospinal fluid, with the most common being anti-Homer-3 antibodies ( n=7). After immunotherapy, 13/17 of patients improved. After 37.5 (21.0, 93.0) months of follow-up, the median mRS score of the patients was 3, and 8 patients (8/20) achieved good prognosis and 6 patients experienced disease recurrence. Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of PACA patients have certain heterogeneity, and positive anti-neuroantibodies and meeting PACA diagnostic criteria are the main basis for diagnosing the disease. Immunotherapy is effective for most patients, but there is still a considerable proportion of patients who have not achieved a good long-term functional prognosis.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics, RAN-binding protein 2 ( RANBP2) gene variations, and prognosis in Chinese acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) patients. Methods:A retrospective analysis of ANE cases registered in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital Encephalitis Registry System from 2022 to 2024, involving patients from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and other hospitals, was conducted. A descriptive study was performed on the clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis, cerebrospinal fluid examination results, and imaging findings of these patients based on adjusted ANE diagnostic criteria. Whole-exome sequencing technology was used to detect gene mutations in these patients.Results:A total of 18 ANE cases were included, ranged in age from 2 to 72 [20(5, 43)] years. The male-to-female ratio was 4∶5. All patients were found with precipitating infections including COVID-19, influenza A virus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. All patients presented with fever, with varying degrees of consciousness disturbance observed in 16 cases, and seizures in 10 cases. All patients underwent lumbar puncture, with normal or mildly elevated white cell counts [3(2, 13)×10 6/L] and mildly to moderately elevated protein levels [1.90(0.92, 4.65) g/L]. A total of 6 patients were found with extremely elevated interleukin-6 level [950(164, 2 000) pg/ml] in cerebrospinal fluid. Bilateral symmetric thalamic lesions were typical imaging features of ANE, while involvement of other areas such as cortical and subcortical white matter, brainstem, and cerebellum was also observed. A total of 14 patients performed genetic tests while 4 patients were identified with RANBP2 gene mutations (c.1754C>T in 3 cases, c.1966A>G in 1 case). All patients received immunotherapy, and 7 patients died at discharge while other patients presented with neurological sequelae of varying degrees. Conclusions:ANE is a rare and severe parainfectious encephalopathy that can occur in both children and adults. Clinically, it is characterized by rapidly progressing encephalopathy following systematic infection, with bilateral symmetric thalamic lesions. The detection of RANBP2 gene mutations could help make the diagnosis.

Objective:To investigate the treatment regimens, therapeutic effects, and adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in the treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with PML who received ICI treatment at the Department of Neurology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from October 2020 to September 2024. The patients′ demographic characteristics, baseline immune status, clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes were analyzed.Results:A total of 2 male patients with PML, aged 40 and 59 years, received ICI treatment. One patient had underlying combined immunodeficiency, while the other had acute myeloid leukemia subtype M2 and had previously undergone umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation. Both patients were treated with pembrolizumab (dosage range: 2-3 mg/kg, administered every 3-4 weeks), receiving a total of 2-4 courses of treatment. In terms of therapeutic effects, both patients showed significant improvement. Regarding adverse events, 1 patient experienced immune-related adverse event (irAE) of immune-related pneumonia combined with immune-related hypophysitis.Conclusions:ICI may be an effective treatment option for PML. However, the use of ICI may be accompanied by the occurrence of irAE, necessitating close monitoring during treatment.

Objective:To explore the relationship between the dynamic alterations of immune cell subsets in a patient with autoimmune encephalitis and the clinical relapses.Methods:For a patient with multiple relapses of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis superimposed with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease who visited Peking Union Medical College Hospital on July 18, 2018, the lymphocyte subsets were monitored dynamically over a long period and the relationship between lymphocyte subsets and the relapses was summarized.Results:The 38-year old male patient experienced a total of 5 episodes (including 4 relapses) during the six-year immunotherapy and follow-up process, and responded well to first-line and maintenance immunotherapy. His relapses occurred during drug reduction. Finally, the neurological symptoms resolved after rituximab treatment. A total of 39 tests of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were conducted during the follow-up, and 5 peaks of elevated CD19 positive B cells, 9 peaks of elevated CD3 positive T cells and 11 peaks of elevated natural killer cells were observed. The peak period of peripheral blood CD19 positive B cells exactly coincided with clinical relapses. While the consistency rates of clinical relapse and the peaks of peripheral blood CD3 positive T cells and natural killer cells were 5/9 and 2/11, respectively.Conclusions:The dynamic alterations of CD19 positive B cells in peripheral blood are correlated with the clinical relapse of autoimmune encephalitis and can predict clinical relapse.