The accumulation of uremic toxins such as urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, and uric acid of patients with renal failure in vivo would lead to aggravated kidney damage. In this study, coated aldehyde oxy-starch (CAO) was used as an adsorbent to investigate its in vitro adsorption performance on renal failure indexes for urea, indoxyl sulfate (INS), monomethylamine (MMA), dimethylamine (DMA), uric acid (UA), and creatinine (Cr). The effects of variables such as pH, temperature, concentration, dosage, and time on the adsorption capacity of CAO were systematically investigated, employing analytical techniques of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). The results revealed that CAO exhibited a strong adsorption capacity for urea, INS, and MMA, alongside a moderate adsorption capacity for DMA, UA, and Cr. The adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption of urea and UA by CAO were fitted in pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the adsorption isotherm aligned with the Freundlich adsorption model. The enthalpy change ΔH of urea in adsorption was in the range of 40 to 60 kJ·mol^-1, which demonstrated the presence of strong adsorption force due to the interactions of coordinating groups. The ΔH of UA was greater than 80 kJ·mol^-1, indicating the generation of chemical bonds during the adsorption. Both of them, Gibbs free energy ΔG was less than 0, within the range of -20 to 0 kJ·mol^-1, suggested that the adsorption of urea and UA by CAO occurred spontaneously as physical adsorption process. The adsorption entropy ΔS of urea and UA was > 0, which indicated an increase in entropy throughout the adsorption. The infrared spectroscopygram showed the formation of a chemical bond, specifically the imine bond, following the adsorption of urea by CAO, thereby indicating a chemical reaction during the adsorption. This study elucidates the adsorption mechanism of CAO on various indexes of renal failure, providing a scientific basis for its clinical usage.

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response caused by severe infection or trauma, and is one of the common causes of acute lung injury(ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). Sepsis-acute lung injury(SALI) is a critical clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality. Its pathogenesis is complex and not yet fully understood, and there is currently a lack of targeted and effective treatment options. Pyroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death, plays a key role in the pathological process of SALI by activating inflammasomes and releasing inflammatory factors, making it a potential therapeutic target. In recent years, the role of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in regulating signaling pathways related to pyroptosis through multi-components and multi-targets has attracted increasing attention. TCM may intervene in pyroptosis by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and regulating the expression of Caspase family proteins, thus alleviating inflammatory damage in lung tissues. This paper systematically reviews the molecular regulatory network of pyroptosis in SALI and explores the potential mechanisms and research progress on TCM intervention in cellular pyroptosis. The aim is to provide new ideas and theoretical support for basic research and clinical treatment strategies of TCM in SALI.
Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Humans ; Sepsis/genetics* ; Acute Lung Injury/physiopathology* ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the predictive factors for plastic bronchitis (PB) in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and to establish a nomogram prediction model for PB occurrence. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on children with MPP hospitalized at The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2023 to June 2024. The patients were randomly divided into a training set (n=562) and a validation set (n=240) at a ratio of 7:3 using simple random sampling. In the training set, patients were categorized into a PB group (n=70) and a non-PB group (n=492) based on the occurrence of PB. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to exclude collinearity among variables, followed by univariate analysis and LASSO regression to identify predictive factors. A nomogram prediction model for PB in children with MPP was constructed. The discriminative ability of the model was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, model calibration was evaluated with calibration curves, and clinical utility was appraised through decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the non-PB group, the PB group exhibited significantly longer disease duration prior to bronchoscopy, prolonged fever duration, higher fever peaks, higher proportions of patients with a family history of allergy and personal allergy history, and a higher proportion of patients with pleural effusion, as well as significantly elevated levels of white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, fibrinogen, D-dimer, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, immunoglobulin A, and interleukin-6, along with a significantly lower lymphocyte percentage (all P<0.05). LASSO regression analysis identified pleural effusion, procalcitonin, D-dimer, and lactate dehydrogenase as major predictive factors for PB occurrence in children with MPP. The nomogram model based on these factors demonstrated good discriminative ability (area under the ROC curve: 0.852 in the training set and 0.830 in the validation set), with satisfactory calibration and clinical benefit. CONCLUSIONS The nomogram prediction model based on pleural effusion, procalcitonin, D-dimer, and lactate dehydrogenase provides effective predictive performance for the occurrence of PB in children with MPP.
Humans ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/complications* ; Nomograms ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Bronchitis/etiology* ; Infant ; ROC Curve ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture on the neurotransmitter levels and gut microbiota in a mouse model of Tourette syndrome (TS). METHODS: Thirty-six male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups using a random number table method: 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) group, control group, acupuncture group, and tiapride group, with 9 mice in each group. In the IDPN group, acupuncture group, and tiapride group, mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of IDPN (300 mg/kg body weight) for 7 consecutive days to induce stereotyped behaviors. Subsequently, in the acupuncture intervention group, standardized acupuncture treatment was administered for 14 consecutive days to IDPN-induced TS model mice. The selected acupoints included Baihui (DU 20), Yintang (DU 29), Waiguan (SJ 5), and Zulinqi (GB 41). In the tiapride group, mice were administered tiapride (50 mg/kg body weight) via oral gavage daily for 14 consecutive days. The control group, IDPN group, and acupuncture group received the same volume of saline orally for 14 consecutive days. Stereotypic behaviors were quantified through behavioral assessments. Neurotransmitter levels, including dopamine (DA), glutamate (Glu), and aspartate (ASP) in striatal tissue were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Dopamine transporter (DAT) expression levels were additionally quantified through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Gut microbial composition was analyzed through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, while metabolic profiling was conducted using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). RESULTS: Acupuncture administration significantly attenuated stereotypic behaviors, concurrently reducing striatal levels of DA, Glu and ASP concentrations while upregulating DAT expression compared with untreated TS controls (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Comparative analysis identified significant differences in Muribaculaceae (P=0.001), Oscillospiraceae (P=0.049), Desulfovibrionaceae (P=0.001), and Marinifilaceae (P=0.014) following acupuncture intervention. Metabolomic profiling revealed alterations in 7 metabolites and 18 metabolic pathways when compared to the TS mice, which involved various amino acid metabolisms associated with DA, Glu, and ASP. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture demonstrates significant modulatory effects on both central neurotransmitter systems and gut microbial ecology, thereby highlighting its dual therapeutic potential for TS management through gut-brain axis regulation.
Animals ; Tourette Syndrome/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice

Objective To analyze the expression level of YEATS2 in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)about its clinical prognosis and therapeutic value based on biological information from the cancer genome atlas(TCGA)and human protein atlas(HPA)databases.Methods The mRNA expression data and clinical information of HCC were downloaded from the TCGA database,the expression of YEATS2 between HCC tissues and normal tissues was analyzed by using the R software,and the protein expression differences were preliminary verified by the HPA database.The expression differences of YEATS2 between various clinical features of HCC were compared,and their effects on the survival of HCC patients by Kaplan-Meier method and COX regression analysis were then evaluated.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to evaluate their diagnostic values.The biological functions of YEATS2 in HCC were analyzed using gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis.The relationship between YEATS2 expression and tumor microenvironment(TME)was analyzed by the"ESTIMATE"algorithm,and its relationship with tumor-infiltrating immune cells(TIICs)was assessed by CIBERSORT.Analysis of YEATS2 expression levels to immune checkpoints and drug sensitivity was performed using the R package.Results The expression of YEATS2 was increased in HCC tissues(P=4.96e-21),and its expression level was correlated with age,clinical stage,pathological grade and T stage(all P＜0.05).Overall survival(OS)(P＜0.001)and progression-free survival(FPS)(P=0.016)were decreased in HCC patients with high expression of YEATS2,COX regression results showed that the expression level ofYEATS2 was associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients(OS:HR=2.167,95％CI:1.441～3.261,P=2.06e-04),and it was an independent risk factor for predicting poor prognosis in HCC patients(OS:HR=1.891,95％CI:1.243～2.877,P=0.003).The ROC curve suggested the AUCs for 1,3 and 5 years were 0.677,0.622 and 0.612,respectively,indicating good predictive ability.The TCGA database screened a total of 6 764 differential genes in the YEATS2 high and low expression groups,of which 4 094 genes were up-regulated and 2 670 genes were down-regulated in the YEATS2 high expression group.The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the differentially differentiated genes in the YEATS2 high expression group were mainly enriched in immunoregulation,and cell cycle regulation drug resistance pathway.The results of the TME score showed that the YEATS2 high expression group caused a decrease in immunity score(P＜0.01).The correlation between YEATS2 and TIICs showed that YEATS2 expression was positively correlated with the level of M0-type macrophage infiltration levels(r=0.48,P＜0.001)and 23 immune checkpoint genes(r=0.20～0.46,all P＜0.05),and was negatively correlated with the CD8+T-cells,plasma cells and monocyte(r=-0.26,-0.29,-0.30,P=0.021,0.011,0.008).Drug sensitivity analysis showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of cabozantinib,lincitinib,doxorubicin,and cyclobenzaprine in patients with high expression of YEATS2 was higher than those in patients with low expression(all P＜0.01).Conclusion YEATS2 was highly expressed in HCC,and the expression level was associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients.YEATS2 can be used as a biomarker for the clinical early diagnosis,prognosis and immunotherapy of HCC,which may provide new ideas for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To investigate the effects of Tianma Jiannao Granules(derived from Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction)combined with hyperbaric oxygen on cognitive function,activities of daily living(ADL),and the expression levels of serum inflammatory factors,matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9),homocysteine(Hcy)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)in patients with vascular dementia(VD).Methods A total of 100 VD patients with wind-phlegm and stasis obstruction type were randomly divided into a trial group and a control group,50 cases in each group.The patients in the two groups were given symptomatic treatment such as controlling blood pressure,lowering blood glucose and regulating blood lipid.Additionally,the control group was given Oxiracetam Capsules orally,and the trial group was given Tianma Jiannao Granules orally combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the basis of treatment for the control group.The course of treatment covered 12 weeks.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)scores,ADL scores,and the expression levels of serum inflammatory factors,neurotransmitters,apoptosis-related factors,MMP-9,Hcy and SOD in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.Results(1)The scale scoring showed that after treatment,the TCM syndrome scores and ADL scores of the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the MMSE scores were significantly increased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of TCM syndrome scores and ADL scores and the increase of MMSE scores in the trial group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.01).(2)After treatment,the serum levels of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),C-reactive protein(CRP)and interleukin 6(IL-6)in the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease of serum TNF-α,CRP and IL-6 levels in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the serum levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine(NE),dopamine(DA)and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)in the two groups were significantly increased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the increase of serum NE,DA and 5-HT levels in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(4)After treatment,the serum level of apoptosis-related factor of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)in the two groups was significantly increased compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05),and the levels of serum soluble apoptosis-related factors(sFAS)and their ligands(sFASL)were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).The increase of serum HO-1 level and the decrease of serum sFAS and sFASL levels in the trial group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.01).(5)After treatment,the serum SOD level in the two groups was significantly increased compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05),and the levels of serum MMP-9 and Hcy were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).The increase of serum SOD level and the decrease of serum MMP-9 and Hcy levels in the trial group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Tianma Jiannao Granules combined with hyperbaric oxygen is effective on improving the cognitive function and ADL of VD patients,and has certain effects on counteracting inflammatory response and oxidation and on regulating the expression of neurotransmitters.

The lingnan liver-soothing and spirit-regulating acupuncture and moxibustion technique,developed by Professor FU Wen-Bin,a renowned traditional Chinese medicine expert in Guangdong Province,represents an innovative achievement in acupuncture therapy for depression-related disorders.Drawing upon the rich legacy of master scholars,meticulous study of medical literature,and over three decades of continuous research and innovation,Professor FU has formulated this technique with profound influence and widespread application.By tracing the developmental trajectory of the Lingnan liver-soothing and spirit-regulating technique,this paper sheds light on its significant guiding principles and reference value for the development of other distinctive acupuncture techniques.Furthermore,it offers insights and inspiration for advancement in various fields of traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab monoclonal antibody combined with molecular-targeted therapy in elderly patients with unresectable or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the patients with unresectable/advanced HCC who attended six hospitals from January 1,2019 to March 31,2021,and all patients received camrelizumab monoclonal antibody treatment,among whom 84.8%also received targeted therapy.According to the age of the patients,they were divided into elderly group(≥65 years)and non-elderly group(＜65 years).The two groups were assessed in terms of overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS),objective response rate(ORR),disease control rate(DCR),and immune-related adverse events(irAE).The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups;the independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data,and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups.The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis,and the log-rank test was used for comparison of survival curves.Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to determine the independent influencing factors for PFS and DCR at 6 months.Results A total of 99 HCC patients were enrolled,with 27 in the elderly group and 72 in the non-elderly group.The elderly group had an OS rate of 67.8%,an ORR of 44.4%,and a DCR of 74.1%at 12 months and a median PFS of 6.4(95%confidence interval[CI]:3.0-12.4)months,with no significant differences compared with the non-elderly group(all P＞0.05).The median OS was unavailable for the elderly group,while the non-elderly group had an OS of 18.9(95%CI:13.0-24.8)months;there was no significant difference between the two groups(P=0.485).The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that major vascular invasion(MVI)was an independent risk factor for PFS(hazard ratio[HR]=2.603,95%CI:1.136-5.964,P=0.024)and DCR(HR=3.963,95%CI:1.671-9.397,P=0.002)at 6 months,while age,sex,etiology of HBV infection,presence of extrahepatic metastasis,Child-Pugh class B,and alpha-fetoprotein＞400 ng/mL were not associated with PFS or DCR at 6 months.For the elderly group,the incidence rates of any irAE and grade 3/4 irAE were 51.9%and 25.9%,respectively,with no significant differences compared with the non-elderly group(P＞0.05),and skin disease was the most common irAE in both groups(39.4%).Conclusion Camrelizumab monoclonal antibody combined with molecular-targeted therapy has similar efficacy and safety in patients with unresectable/advanced HCC aged≥65 years and those aged＜65 years.MVI is associated with suboptimal response to immunotherapy and poor prognosis.

The emergence and evolution of digital intelligent technology has profoundly influenced the development of minimally invasive research-oriented hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery discipline. Over various periods, our team has always adhered to the principle of "being oriented by clinical issues and driven by clinical needs", continuously carried out innovative research across interdisciplinary boundaries, propelling the evolution of digital intelligent technology. Spanning over two decades, this journey includes the progression from digital virtual human, three-dimensional visualization, molecular fluorescence imaging, augmented reality and mixed reality, artificial intelligence, to the realm of human visualization meta-universe. This evolution facilitates the shift from two-dimensional empirical diagnoses of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgical diseases to deep learning intelligent diagnostics, the transition from morphology-based tumor diagnoses to molecular imaging-based diagnostics, and from conventional empirical surgery to intelligent navigation surgery. The authors provide a comprehensive review of our developmental process and achievements within the realm of digital intelligent diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, with the aims to promote the development and application of digital intelligent medicine.

Objective:To explore the relationship between the expression levels of beclin1, hypoxia-induced-factor-1 α (HIF-1α) and the efficacy of trastuzumab on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer.Methods:Clinical data of 90 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab after surgery in our hospital from Mar. 2021 to May. 2023 were collected. The expression levels of Beclin1 and HIF-1α in all patients were determined by immunohistochemistry. Patients were divided into the effective group and the ineffective group according to chemotherapy efficacy. Clinical data and expression levels of Beclin1 and HIF-1α were compared between the two groups, and the relationship between expression levels of Beclin1, HIF-1α and the efficacy was evaluated by Logistic regression analysis.Results:In 90 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab, the effective rate was 72.22% (65/90) and the ineffective rate was 27.78% (25/90). Beclin1 had no expression, low expression and high expression in 11, 26 and 53 HER2-positive breast cancer patients after treatment, which were better than the 23, 29 and 38 cases before treatment; HIF-1α had no expression in 53 cases, low expression in 8 cases and high expression in 29 cases, which was better than that before treatment in 32 cases, 17 cases and 41 cases ( Z=6.50, 7.31, P<0.05). The proportion of TNM stages I-II and histological grade 3 in the effective group was 83.08% (54/65) and 87.69% (57/65), higher than that in the ineffective group [60.00% (15/25) and 64.00% (16/25) ( χ2=5.38, 6.62, P<0.05). The high expression of Beclin1 in the effective group was higher [53.85% (35/65) vs. 12.00% (3/25) ], and the high expression of HIF-1α was lower [36.92% (24/65) vs. 68.00% (17/25) ] ( Z=16.76, 7.59, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that TNM stage, histological grade, Beclin1 expression level and HIF-1α expression level were all related factors affecting the curative effect of HER2-positive breast cancer patients ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:Beclin1 and HIF-1α expression levels are related to the efficacy of trastuzumab in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, and can be used as a predictor of the efficacy of patients.