Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops within a profoundly immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), which limits the efficacy of immunotherapy. Polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) toward a pro-tumorigenic M2 phenotype is a major driver of immune escape. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent regulated cell death program, intersects with hepatic iron metabolism and immune regulation and thus offers promising points of therapeutic intervention. This review systematically elucidates the mechanistic role of TAM ferroptosis in HCC immune evasion and highlights a “bidirectional regulation” intervention strategy grounded in the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principle of “fortifying healthy qi and eliminating pathogens” (Fuzheng Quxie). This strategy employs “eliminating pathogens” (Quxie) approaches to exploit the metabolic vulnerability of M2-like TAMs and precisely induce their ferroptosis. Moreover, it utilizes “fortifying healthy qi” (Fuzheng) approaches to protect M1-like TAMs and CD8⁺ T cells from oxidative damage. This parallel “induction-protection” paradigm demonstrates the unique advantages of TCM in systemically remodeling TIME through multitarget synergistic actions. Accordingly, precision regulation of TAM ferroptosis based on the Fuzheng Quxie theory represents a promising integrative Chinese-Western medicine strategy for overcoming current bottlenecks in HCC immunotherapy, although its clinical translational potential warrants further validation.

Immune checkpoints (ICs) are immunosuppressive molecules expressed on immune cells, which can regulate immune cells' activation. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) which can block the interaction of immune checkpoints and their ligands, improve the cytotoxic effect of the immune system on tumor cells. Immunotherapy such as employing ICIs has gradually become a conventional therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. However, the low response rate and the emergence of drug resistance have seriously affected the clinical efficacy of ICIs. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are electronic reduction products of active oxygen, as well as natural by-products of cell metabolism, which can be used as regulators of intercellular signals. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is often in the state of oxidative stress (OS), which is the imbalance between oxidative system and antioxidant system. ROS can affect the interaction with its ligands by regulating the expression and activity of immune checkpoints in TME, thus affecting the anti-tumor effect of immune cells. Accumulating studies have shown that ROS could regulate tumor immune checkpoints through several pathways. Due to different types and stages of tumor, it would be clinical beneficial to understand the mechanistic link of ROS on tumor immune checkpoint, and choose appropriate ROS regulators combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors to maximize anti-tumor effects. This article reviews the common metabolic sources and characteristics of ROS, the regulatory effect and mechanism of ROS on tumor immune checkpoints and its therapeutic application.

The succession of microbiota is closely associated with several essential factors, including race, sex, health condition, lifestyle, postmortem interval, etc., and it has great potential application value in forensic medicine. This paper summarizes recent studies on the forensic applications of the microbiome, including individual identification, geographical feature identification, origin identification of the tissue or body fluid, and postmortem interval estimation, and introduces the current machine learning algorithms for microbiology research based on next-generation sequencing data. In addition, the current problems facing forensic microbiomics such as the extraction and preservation of samples, construction of standardization and database, ethical review and practical applicability are discussed. Future multi-omics studies are expected to explore micro ecosystems from a comprehensive and dynamic perspective, to promote the development of forensic microbiomics application.
Humans ; Forensic Medicine ; Autopsy ; Microbiota/genetics* ; Algorithms ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Postmortem Changes

Objective:To understand the time for observation and related factors in the clinics after vaccination among children's parents.Methods:From December 2019 to January 2020, parents of children aged 0-3 years were recruited by multiple-stage sampling from 34 vaccination clinics in 12 districts and counties in 6 provinces (Shandong, Guangdong, Henan, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning). A questionnaire survey on the time of observation after vaccination was conducted. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of parental observation time after vaccination.Results:A total of 3 292 parents of 0-3 year's old children were selected, and 3 178 parents were finally included in the analysis. 87.85%(2 792/3 178) of the parents reported that the observation time after vaccination at clinics was ≥30 minutes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for the regions, the main factors affecting the observation time at clinics after vaccination among parents appeared as observation time informed by physicians at the clinic appeared ≥30 minutes ( OR=31.622, 95% CI: 19.847-50.384), parents were medical personnel ( OR=2.779, 95% CI: 1.505-5.133), parents being volunteers working on vaccination-related publicity and education activities ( OR=1.986, 95% CI: 1.438-2.743), parents aged 35 years old or above ( OR=1.900, 95% CI: 1.215-2.971), being parents of the first child ( OR=1.663, 95% CI: 1.282-2.156), per capita annual income of the family as 8 000- Yuan ( OR=1.646, 95% CI: 1.168-2.319), children aged 0-12 months old ( OR=1.646, 95% CI: 1.203-2.252) or 13-24 months old ( OR=1.506, 95% CI: 1.064-2.133), obedient to physicians' advice at the clinic ( OR=1.481, 95% CI: 1.067-2.055). Conclusions:The proportions of parents observed for ≥30 minutes at the clinics of vaccination were high. When the information was from the physicians at the vaccination clinic, the observation time was the most critical factor for parents to observe at clinics as required.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of chemokine CCL2 in angiogenesis of primary adult rat cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMEC). The rat CMECs were isolated and identified through morphology examination and immunostaining with CD31 and factor VIII antibodies. The angiogenesis of CMEC on Matrigel was evaluated at different time points. The expression and secretion of CCL2 during the process of angiogenesis was detected by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. The results showed that, the primary rat CMEC was isolated successfully, and the angiogenesis of CMEC was significantly induced after Matrigel treatment for 4 h. The expression of CCL2 and CCR2 were increased during angiogenesis, and the secretion of CCL2 was detected after 2 h of angiogenesis and reached the peak concentration of 1 588.1 pg/mL after 4 h. Either CCL2 blocking antibody or CCR2 antagonist significantly reduced the angiogenesis of CMEC. These results suggest that CCL2 is secreted during the process of angiogenesis of CMEC, and CCL2/CCR2 signaling pathway may play an important role in promoting angiogenesis.
Animals ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Heart ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Rats ; Signal Transduction

Background:Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) offers a new approach for adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).The study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tACS treating MDD.Methods:This is an 8-week,double-blind,randomized,placebo-controlled study.Ninety-two drug-naive patients with MDD aged 18 to 65 years will receive 20 daily 40-min,77.5-Hz,15-mA sessions of active or sham tACS targeting the forehead and both mastoid areas on weekdays for 4 consecutive weeks (week 4),following a 4-week observation period (week 8).The primary outcome is the remission rate defined as the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS-17) score ≤7 at week 8.Secondary outcomes are the rates of response at weeks 4 and 8 and rate of remission at week 4 based on HDRS-17,the proportion of participants having improvement in the clinical global impression-improvement,the change in HDRS-17 score (range,0-52,with higher scores indicating more depression) over the study,and variations of brain imaging and neurocognition from baseline to week 4.Safety will be assessed by vital signs at weeks 4 and 8,and adverse events will be collected during the entire study.Discussion:The tACS applied in this trial may have treatment effects on MDD with minimal side effects.

Objective:To investigate the defensive medicine of physicians in the process of rehabilitation. Methods:Defensive medicine were investigated from the medical records of 220 inpatients included in the clinical pathway of stroke rehabilitation from January, 2016 to January, 2018. Results:There might be some defensive medicine behaviours for diagnosis, treatment, prevention of medical tangle, etc., in stroke rehabilitation. Conclusion:It is needed to reduce defensive medicine in various ways.

No abstract available.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease* ; China* ; Pedigree*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathologic bacterial distribution and their antibiotic resistance in infants aged from 1 to 3 months with lower respiratory tract infection, so as to provide instructions for clinical application of antibiotics.

METHODSInduced sputum was extracted from 622 cases of hospitalized infants aged from 1 to 3 months with lower respiratory tract infection between January 2013 and December 2013, and microbial sensitivity test was performed with agar diffusion sensitivity test.

RESULTSA total of 379 (60.9%) strains of bacteria were isolated from induced sputum in the 622 infants. The Gram-negative strains were detected in 325 strains (85.8%), and the Gram-positive strains were found in 50 strains (13.2%) in the 379 strains. The others were Fungal strains (4 strains, 1.1%). The Gram-negative bacteria included Escherichia coli (31.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.2%), with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) production of 48.3% and 52.2% respectively. The average rate of antibiotic resistance for ESBLs-producing bacteria was 53%. ESBLs-producing bacteria were highly resistant (100%) to ampicillin and cefotaxime, but sensitive to carbapenems. Staphylococcus aureus (10.0%) was the dominant bacteria in Gram-positive bacteria. A lower proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (1.8%) was observed, however the resistance rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to β-lactam antibiotics were 100%.

CONCLUSIONSEscherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are the main pathogenic bacteria causing lower respiratory tract infection in infants aged from 1 to 3 months. ESBLs-producing bacteria accounted for over 48%, and the antibiotic resistance rate were more than 53% in these infants. These results provide a basis for the first empirical clinical use of antimicrobial in infants with lower respiratory tract infection.

Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Escherichia coli ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; isolation & purification ; Male ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Sputum ; microbiology

Objective To study the tolerability and safety of single and multiple doses of Picika oral solution in healthy volunteers.Methods A single center, randomized, single -blind, placebo -controlled, dose -escalation study was designed.50 patients were given single dose, and 10 cases were given multiple doses.All of them had half male and fe-male.Single -dose group: 20 mL(4 subjects), 40 mL(6 subjects), 60 mL(10 subjects; 2 using placebo), 90 mL(10 subjects; 2 using place-bo), 120 mL (10 subjects ; 2 using placebo), 160 mL (10 subjects; 2 using placebo); multiple doses group: 10 subjects(2 using placebo), 40 mL? times-1 , tid, continuous medication for 10 days.Results Of the sixty healthy subjects enrolled , 58 finally completed the trial, and two shed.One case (female) of adverse event in single -dose 160 mL group was reported: her ctivated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was ab-normal with clinical significance.It may not be associated with the medi-cation.In multiple doses group, one case of abdominal pain (female) was reported, may not be associated with the medication.Conclusion Single and multiple doses of Picika oral solution are safe and well tolera -ted in healthy subjects.