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.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of toric implantable collamer lens (Toric-ICL) and femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) for myopia correction in patients with moderate to high myopia complicated with astigmatism. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 64 patients (aged 18-42 years) with moderate to high myopia complicated with astigmatism (128 eyes) undergoing either Toric-ICL (28 patients/56 eyes) or FS-LASIK (36 patients/72 eyes) at our department between January, 2019 and December, 2020. The changes of uncorrected distance visual acuity (UCVA), spherical equivalent (SE), mean astigmatism correction index (CI), corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and intraocular pressure (IOP) following the procedures were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In FS-LASIK group, all the eyes (72/72) achieved an UCVA≥1.0, similar to the rate in Toric-ICL group (55/56 eyes; P=0.2374). The postoperative SE was also comparable between FS-LASIK and Toric-ICL groups [0.43±0.06 D (range: -1.0 to 1.50 D) vs 0.38±0.05 D (range: -0.75 to 1.00 D); P=0.56]. The mean astigmatism CI was significantly higher in FS-LASIK group than in Toric-ICL group (0.8561 vs 0.7176; P<0.0001), and 88.89% of the eyes in FS-LASIK group and 69.64% in Toric-ICL group had postoperative astigmatism ≤0.50 D. No significant changes were observed in postoperative corneal ECD in FS-LASIK group, whereas ECD decreased significantly after the procedure in Toric-ICL group (P=0.0057). The patients undergoing Toric-ICL exhibited no significant changes of postoperative IOP, but the patients receiving FS-LASIK had significantly reduced IOP after the procedure (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Although the patients included in Toric-ICL group had higher myopia and astigmatism, Toric-ICL still showed better predictability and efficacy for astigmatic correction in Toric-ICL group. Toric-ICL is an effective and safe equivalent of FS-LASIK for correcting moderate myopia but can be more advantageous for correcting high myopia with astigmatism.
Humans ; Astigmatism/complications* ; Myopia/complications* ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Visual Acuity ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Male ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular/methods* ; Female ; Phakic Intraocular Lenses ; Intraocular Pressure

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized primarily by oral and periocular dryness. Astragalus-Salvia (AS) and Ophiopogon-Dendrobium (OD) represent two frequently utilized herb pairs in SS treatment. While the combination of AS-OD herb pairs demonstrates clinical efficacy in alleviating SS symptoms, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. This investigation sought to assess the therapeutic effects and elucidate the potential mechanisms of AS-OD in non-obese diabetic (NOD)/Ltj mice with SS. The study utilized NOD/Ltj mice as SS models, administering AS-OD treatment for 10 weeks at doses of 113.1, 226.2, and 339.3 mg·d^-1·20 g^-1. Results demonstrated that AS-OD improved SS symptoms, evidenced by enhanced salivary flow rate, decreased anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibody levels, increased swimming duration, and reduced lactate (LA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in NOD/Ltj mice. AS-OD reduced lymphocyte infiltration, enhanced Aquaporin-5 (AQP5) expression in the submandibular gland, decreased inflammatory cytokine levels in the submandibular gland, and reduced the T helper type 17/regulatory T lymphocyte (Th17/Treg) cell ratio in the spleen. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses indicated AS-OD's involvement in regulating phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and Janus kinase 3/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK1/STAT3) pathways, with inhibitory effects validated in both NOD/Ltj mice submandibular gland and A-253 cells. Furthermore, AS-OD enhanced cell viability and reduced A-253 cell apoptosis through the PI3K/AKT pathway. In A-253 cells, AS-OD reduced inflammatory cytokine levels, CXC chemokine ligand 9/10 (CXCL9/10), and T-cell chemotaxis by inhibiting the JAK1/STAT3 pathway. AS-OD mitigates SS by suppressing inflammation and immune responses through the PI3K/AKT and JAK1/STAT3 pathways.
Animals ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics* ; Sjogren's Syndrome/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Janus Kinase 1/genetics* ; Humans ; Female ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; Male

Objective To explore the impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage based on GBZ70-2015 criteria.Methods Sixty-five case of pneumoconiosis were retrospectively enrolled.Chest high-resolution CT were independently analyzed by one associate chief physician,one attending physician and one resident physician,respectively.The stage of pneumoconiosis was judged,and the inter-observer consistency was observed.Taken the results of 5 experts using Delphi method as gold standard,the impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage were analyzed.Results Among 65 cases,there were 42 cases of stage 1,16 cases of stage 2 and 7 cases of stage 3 pneumoconiosis.The inter-observer consistency of pneumoconiosis stage was relatively high(Kappa=0.653),of stage 3 pneumoconiosis was the best(Kappa=0.803),followed by stage 1(Kappa=0.661),while of stage 2 was the lowest(Kappa=0.518).Radiologist lack experience(OR=4.872),the lesions mainly located in the posterior upper area of lungs(OR=2.317),the present of r-type small shadows(OR=3.105)and high CT pulmonary emphysema index(OR=1.214)were all independent impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Both the experience of radiologist and lesions'heterogeneity were main impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage based on GBZ70-2015 criteria.

Objective To investigate the status of oral frailty(OF)in patients who underwent chemotherapy for lung cancer,identify key factors influencing OF,and develop a risk prediction model.Methods Using convenience sampling,431 lung cancer inpatient were recruited from three Tier-IIIA hospitals in Jiangsu Province between September and November 2024 as the training cohort.The patients were divided into OF and non-OF groups.Relevant data were compared between the two groups.Multifactorial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors that associated with OF,and a risk prediction model was created accordingly.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to predict model performance.In December 2024,additional 185 patients from one other Tier-IIIA hospitals were recruited to validate the developed model.Results The prevalence of OF among lung-cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was 58.93%.Following listed items were identified as the risk factors of OF(all P<0.05):older in age(OR=3.420),poor education(OR=0.030),brain metastasis(OR=7.880),high nutritional risk screening 2002 score(OR=1.550),elevated C-reactive protein(OR=1.100),and elevated lactate dehydrogenase(OR=1.010).ROC area under the curve(AUC)of the model was 0.860(95%CI:0.830-0.900)in modelling cohort and 0.840(95%CI:0.780-0.900)in validation cohort.Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test yielded χ 2=4.870,P=0.770 for the training set and χ 2=2.770,P=0.950 for the validation set.Conclusion The risk prediction model for OF developed in this study demonstrates a good predictive performance and can facilitate early identification of high-risk patients,thereby providing a scientific basis for clinical interventions.

Objective To investigate the status of oral frailty(OF)in patients who underwent chemotherapy for lung cancer,identify key factors influencing OF,and develop a risk prediction model.Methods Using convenience sampling,431 lung cancer inpatient were recruited from three Tier-IIIA hospitals in Jiangsu Province between September and November 2024 as the training cohort.The patients were divided into OF and non-OF groups.Relevant data were compared between the two groups.Multifactorial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors that associated with OF,and a risk prediction model was created accordingly.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to predict model performance.In December 2024,additional 185 patients from one other Tier-IIIA hospitals were recruited to validate the developed model.Results The prevalence of OF among lung-cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was 58.93%.Following listed items were identified as the risk factors of OF(all P<0.05):older in age(OR=3.420),poor education(OR=0.030),brain metastasis(OR=7.880),high nutritional risk screening 2002 score(OR=1.550),elevated C-reactive protein(OR=1.100),and elevated lactate dehydrogenase(OR=1.010).ROC area under the curve(AUC)of the model was 0.860(95%CI:0.830-0.900)in modelling cohort and 0.840(95%CI:0.780-0.900)in validation cohort.Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test yielded χ 2=4.870,P=0.770 for the training set and χ 2=2.770,P=0.950 for the validation set.Conclusion The risk prediction model for OF developed in this study demonstrates a good predictive performance and can facilitate early identification of high-risk patients,thereby providing a scientific basis for clinical interventions.

Objective To explore the impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage based on GBZ70-2015 criteria.Methods Sixty-five case of pneumoconiosis were retrospectively enrolled.Chest high-resolution CT were independently analyzed by one associate chief physician,one attending physician and one resident physician,respectively.The stage of pneumoconiosis was judged,and the inter-observer consistency was observed.Taken the results of 5 experts using Delphi method as gold standard,the impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage were analyzed.Results Among 65 cases,there were 42 cases of stage 1,16 cases of stage 2 and 7 cases of stage 3 pneumoconiosis.The inter-observer consistency of pneumoconiosis stage was relatively high(Kappa=0.653),of stage 3 pneumoconiosis was the best(Kappa=0.803),followed by stage 1(Kappa=0.661),while of stage 2 was the lowest(Kappa=0.518).Radiologist lack experience(OR=4.872),the lesions mainly located in the posterior upper area of lungs(OR=2.317),the present of r-type small shadows(OR=3.105)and high CT pulmonary emphysema index(OR=1.214)were all independent impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Both the experience of radiologist and lesions'heterogeneity were main impact factors of misjudge of pneumoconiosis stage based on GBZ70-2015 criteria.

There is no unified international guidelines or consensus on seizures and epilepsy following acute stroke reperfusion therapy so far.In this review,we briefly summarize its definitions and mechanisms.Post stroke epilepsy after reperfusion treatment is defined as patients with ischemic stroke who have received intravenous thrombolysis and/or endovascular therapy,without other definitive causes or epilepsy history before stroke,have at least two epileptic seizures occurred within 7 days of stroke onset,or at least one epileptic seizures occurred within 30 days of stroke onset.The incidence rate of epilepsy after intravenous thrombolysis is about 6.4%-20.6%,and arterial thrombectomy is about 5%.The pathophysiological mechanism of post stroke epilepsy after reperfusion treatment may be related to local hyperfusion,epileptogenic properties of tPA and hemorrhagic transformation.Higher stroke severity,cortical involvement,middle cerebral artery infarction,and early post-stroke seizures may be predictive factors for post-stroke epilepsy after reperfusion therapy.Levetiracetam and lamotrigine may be effective drugs for post-stroke epilepsy after reperfusion therapy.Sustained seizures after thrombolysis may increase the risk of death.

ObjectiveTo investigate the willingness of rehabilitation patients within an urban medical group to accept downward referrals and analyze the influencing factors. MethodsFrom June to October, 2023, a survey was conducted using a simple random sampling method among neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation patients in hospitals within a specific urban medical group. The 2013 version of the Andersen Model was employed to construct a theoretical framework for the willingness of rehabilitation patients to accept downward referrals and influencing factors. Within this framework, a questionnaire was designed using a 5-point Likert scale, comprising three sections including personal characteristics, environmental features and healthcare service utilization choices, totaling 23 questions. A preliminary survey was conducted, and the questionnaire had underwent reliability and validity testing. ResultsA total of 350 questionnaires were collected, with 314 valid questionnaires. The willingness of rehabilitation patients to accept downward referrals was found to be associated with age, rehabilitation specialties, rehabilitation phases, previous experiences with downward referrals, awareness of and perceptions regarding bidirectional referral policies, and understanding and opinions about the urban medical group (χ² > 7.755, P < 0.05). The primary influencing factors were rehabilitation specialties, rehabilitation phases, previous experiences with downward referrals and perceptions of the necessity of bidirectional referral policies (P < 0.05). ConclusionRehabilitation specialties, rehabilitation phases, previous experiences with downward referrals and perceptions of the necessity of bidirectional referral policies are the primary factors that influenced the willingness of rehabilitation patients to accept downward referrals. We should formulate targeted and focused improvement measures based on the specific circumstances and key influencing factors of rehabilitation patients within the urban medical group regarding their willingness to accept downward referrals. Continuously enhancing the proportion of patients willingness to accept downward referrals is essential for the effective implementation of bidirectional referral for rehabilitation patients.

The clinical data of a child with bronchial Dieulafoy disease treated in Wuhan Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, was analyzed retrospectively.The patient was a 9-month-old boy, who was admitted to hospital due to " intermittent hematemesis vomiting blood for 6 hours" . Chest CT suggested ground-glass opacity in both lungs.Electronic bronchoscopy showed that the neoplasm bulged into the lumen at the opening of the right inferior lobar bronchus, and fresh blood oozed from the basal segment of the neoplasm during the operation.Bronchial arteriography and transcatheter bronchial artery embolization were performed due to recurrent hemoptysis, during which the patient was diagnosed with bronchial arterial vascular malformation and finally diagnosed with bronchial Dieulafoy disease after consulting the relevant literatures.The disease is infrequent and characterized by rupture hemorrhage of bronchial submucosal malformed artery, the etiology and pathogenesis of which are still unclear, and it may be related to congenital vascular malformation in children.Bronchoscopy for hemoptysis of unknown cause in children should be performed with caution.If small and smooth protruded nodular lesions are seen under the bronchoscope, the bronchial Dieulafoy disease should be considered, and the lesions should not be touched too much or subjected to biopsy blindly.Fatal massive hemorrhage can be avoided by bronchial arteriography and bronchial artery embolization.