Ephedra can improve chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pseudoephedrine (PSE) is a main active ingredients of ephedra. It has anti-inflammatory pharmacological properties. Its effect on COPD and its possible mechanism have not been elucidated. The COPD rat model was constructed by systemic cigarette smoke exposure combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) tracheal instillation. BEAS-2B cells were treated using cigarette smoke extract; PSE was administered for treatment. The senescence level of rat lung tissue and bronchial epithelial cells was evaluated through staining, immunofluorescence and western blot.The mitochondrial damage of rats and BEAS-2B cells was detected by transmission electron microscopy, JC-1 probe, MitoSOX Red probe and kits. In addition, the lung function indexes of rats were detected by animal lung function analysis system. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining analyzed the pathological damage. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), kit and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate inflammation and oxidative stress. Western blot detected phosphoinositide 3-kinase/ protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) axis protein. PSE significantly reduced senescent cells, apoptosis rate and P21 level in rat lung tissue and BEAS-2B cells, significantly increased the levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), restored mitochondrial structure, and visible mitochondrial cristae. It also inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and mitochondrial excessive fission. PSE also significantly improved lung function in rats, increased mean alveolar number (MAN), reduced pro-inflammatory factors, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. PSE markedly suppressed p-p85, p-AKT and p-mTOR protein expressions. In addition, the PI3K/AKT agonist 740Y-P weakened the effect of PSE on improving COPD. PSE inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis, improved lung tissue senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction and pathological damage, and reduced airway inflammation and oxidative stress damage, thereby alleviating COPD.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of age on the genetic variant spectrum and prognosis of patients with previously untreated Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data and follow-up information of 254 previously untreated DLBCL patients from 14 hospitals in the Jiangsu Cooperative Lymphoma Group (JCLG) enrolled from July 2018 and July 2023. Following extraction of DNA from tumor tissue samples, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique was employed to analyze the genetic variant spectrum of the DLBCL patients, with an evaluation of the relationship between age and genetic variants as well as prognosis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University (Ethics No.: 2023-K048-01). RESULTS: The median age of the 254 DLBCL patients was 62 years old, with 55% of patients aged 60 years or above. Clinical evaluation showed that younger (< 60 years) patients had higher complete response (CR) (70% vs. 59%), and objective response rate (ORR) (88% vs. 79%) than older patients, though the difference between the two groups was not statistically. Survival analysis indicated that both the five-year overall survival (OS) (82.7% vs. 71.7%, P = 0.006) and progression-free survival (PFS) (70.6% vs. 50.2%, P < 0.05) rates were significantly higher in younger patients. NGS showed that 99.6% of the patients harbored genetic variants, with PIM1, KMT2D, TP53, MYD88, and CD79B being the most common genes. Age significantly affected the variant frequency of certain genes, with MYC variants serving an adverse prognostic factor for OS in younger patients (P = 0.002), while TP53 (P = 0.024) and BCL2 (P = 0.002) variants significantly impacted OS in older patients. Prognostic analysis identified age ≥ 60 years (HR = 3.439, 95%CI: 1.318~9.874), presence of B symptoms (HR = 2.871, 95%CI = 1.133~7.307), and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (HR = 3.528, 95%CI = 1.231~10.66) as independent adverse prognostic factors. CONCLUSION Age, genetic variants, and clinical factors may significantly affect the prognosis of the DLBCL patients. Younger patients have better survival compared to older patients. Variants of the MYC, BCL2, and TP53 genes are closely associated with poor prognosis.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/diagnosis* ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Prognosis ; Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Genetic Variation

Objective:To explore the impact of age on the genetic variant spectrum and prognosis of patients with previously untreated Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data and follow-up information of 254 previously untreated DLBCL patients from 14 hospitals in the Jiangsu Cooperative Lymphoma Group (JCLG) enrolled from July 2018 and July 2023. Following extraction of DNA from tumor tissue samples, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique was employed to analyze the genetic variant spectrum of the DLBCL patients, with an evaluation of the relationship between age and genetic variants as well as prognosis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University (Ethics No.: 2023-K048-01).Results:The median age of the 254 DLBCL patients was 62 years old, with 55% of patients aged 60 years or above. Clinical evaluation showed that younger (< 60 years) patients had higher complete response (CR) (70% vs. 59%), and objective response rate (ORR) (88% vs. 79%) than older patients, though the difference between the two groups was not statistically. Survival analysis indicated that both the five-year overall survival (OS) (82.7% vs. 71.7%, P=0.006) and progression-free survival (PFS) (70.6% vs. 50.2%, P<0.05) rates were significantly higher in younger patients. NGS showed that 99.6% of the patients harbored genetic variants, with PIM1, KMT2D, TP53, MYD88, and CD79B being the most common genes. Age significantly affected the variant frequency of certain genes, with MYC variants serving an adverse prognostic factor for OS in younger patients ( P=0.001), while TP53 ( P=0.024) and BCL2 ( P=0.002) variants significantly impacted OS in older patients. Prognostic analysis identified age ≥ 60 years ( HR=3.439, 95% CI=1.318~9.874), presence of B symptoms ( HR = 2.871, 95% CI=1.133~7.307), and elevated lactate dehydrogenase ( HR=3.528, 95% CI=1.231~10.66) as independent adverse prognostic factors. Conclusion:Age, genetic variants, and clinical factors may significantly affect the prognosis of the DLBCL patients. Younger patients have better survival compared to older patients. Variants of the MYC, BCL2, and TP53 genes are closely associated with poor prognosis.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and analyze the factors associated with prognosis.Methods:A case series study was conducted by retrospectively collecting clinical data from patients aged over 60 years with newly diagnosed stage Ⅰ DLBCL across 20 medical centers in Jiangsu Province, China, between June 2010 and April 2023. The involved site, classification and treatment plan were summarized. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model.Results:The study included 255 patients with a median age of 69 years, of whom 130 (51.0%) were male, 66 (25.9%) were aged ≥75 years and 26 (10.1%) had a high Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score of ≥2. Extranodal involvement was observed in 163 (63.9%) patients, with the stomach (37.4%, 61/163), intestine (19.0%, 31/163), testes (11.0%, 18/163), and breast (7.4%, 12/163) being the most frequently affected sites. The non-germinal center B-cell (non-GCB) subtype was prevalent in 63.7% of patients (142/223), with no significant difference between the nodal and extranodal groups ( P=0.681). Furthermore, 73.9% (184/249) and 11.7% (29/249) of patients received the R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and R-miniCHOP regimen, respectively. The overall 3-year PFS rate was 81.5%, and the 3-year OS rate was 85.6%. Patients aged ≥75 years ( HR=2.910, 95% CI 1.565-5.408, P=0.001) and/or with a CCI score ≥2 ( HR=2.324, 95% CI 1.141-4.732, P=0.020) had a significantly poorer PFS. Incorporating age ≥75 years and CCI score ≥2 into the stage-modified international prognostic index (sm-IPI) can better stratify the prognosis of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL. The 3-year PFS rate was 48.7% in the high-risk group versus 85.7% in the low-risk group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Our findings show that the elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL were predominantly characterized by extranodal involvement (particularly in the stomach and intestinal tract) and non-GCB subtype. Age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2 were identified as independent prognostic factors. The newly established sm-IPI-75-CCI incorporating these factors demonstrated superior prognostic discrimination compared to conventional risk assessment systems.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and analyze the factors associated with prognosis.Methods:A case series study was conducted by retrospectively collecting clinical data from patients aged over 60 years with newly diagnosed stage Ⅰ DLBCL across 20 medical centers in Jiangsu Province, China, between June 2010 and April 2023. The involved site, classification and treatment plan were summarized. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model.Results:The study included 255 patients with a median age of 69 years, of whom 130 (51.0%) were male, 66 (25.9%) were aged ≥75 years and 26 (10.1%) had a high Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score of ≥2. Extranodal involvement was observed in 163 (63.9%) patients, with the stomach (37.4%, 61/163), intestine (19.0%, 31/163), testes (11.0%, 18/163), and breast (7.4%, 12/163) being the most frequently affected sites. The non-germinal center B-cell (non-GCB) subtype was prevalent in 63.7% of patients (142/223), with no significant difference between the nodal and extranodal groups ( P=0.681). Furthermore, 73.9% (184/249) and 11.7% (29/249) of patients received the R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and R-miniCHOP regimen, respectively. The overall 3-year PFS rate was 81.5%, and the 3-year OS rate was 85.6%. Patients aged ≥75 years ( HR=2.910, 95% CI 1.565-5.408, P=0.001) and/or with a CCI score ≥2 ( HR=2.324, 95% CI 1.141-4.732, P=0.020) had a significantly poorer PFS. Incorporating age ≥75 years and CCI score ≥2 into the stage-modified international prognostic index (sm-IPI) can better stratify the prognosis of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL. The 3-year PFS rate was 48.7% in the high-risk group versus 85.7% in the low-risk group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Our findings show that the elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL were predominantly characterized by extranodal involvement (particularly in the stomach and intestinal tract) and non-GCB subtype. Age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2 were identified as independent prognostic factors. The newly established sm-IPI-75-CCI incorporating these factors demonstrated superior prognostic discrimination compared to conventional risk assessment systems.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanisms of action of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan in treating viral pneumonia by combining network pharmacology and molecular docking with in vivo experimental validation. MethodsNetwork pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the core components， target genes， and major pathways of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan. Molecular docking was then applied to verify the interactions between the core components and key targets. Sixty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into six groups （n = 10 per group）， including blank， model， dexamethasone， and Ganlu Xiaodu Dan low-， medium-， and high-dose groups. The blank and model groups were gavaged with physiological saline （10 mL·kg^-1） every 12 h. The dexamethasone group received intraperitoneal injections of dexamethasone （5 mg·kg^-1）. The low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan were gavaged with solutions at concentrations of 7.2， 14.4， and 21.6 g·kg^-1， respectively， every 12 h. Lung wet/dry weight ratio （W/D） was measured. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin （IL）-17， and IL-1β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF）. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K） and protein kinase B （Akt） in lung tissue for further validation. ResultsTwelve potential active components of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan were identified through network pharmacology. A total of 306 overlapping target genes were obtained between Ganlu Xiaodu Dan and viral pneumonia. PPI network analysis identified the top 20 key targets， and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed the top 20 signaling pathways. An “active component–target–pathway” network was constructed. Molecular docking demonstrated strong affinity between the core components of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan and key targets related to viral pneumonia. In animal experiments， compared with the blank group， the model group showed severe bronchial epithelial damage， disordered alveolar structure， massive inflammatory cell infiltration， widened alveolar septa， and obvious interstitial edema. W/D， levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and IL-17 in BALF， and protein expression of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in lung tissue were all significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， lung injury in the Ganlu Xiaodu Dan groups and the dexamethasone group was alleviated. W/D and TNF-α levels were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. IL-1β and IL-17 levels were significantly reduced in the medium- and high-dose groups and the dexamethasone group， and the protein expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in lung tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. ConclusionGanlu Xiaodu Dan can alleviate lung injury in viral pneumonia by suppressing the inflammatory response， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway activation.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanisms of action of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan in treating viral pneumonia by combining network pharmacology and molecular docking with in vivo experimental validation. MethodsNetwork pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the core components， target genes， and major pathways of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan. Molecular docking was then applied to verify the interactions between the core components and key targets. Sixty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into six groups （n = 10 per group）， including blank， model， dexamethasone， and Ganlu Xiaodu Dan low-， medium-， and high-dose groups. The blank and model groups were gavaged with physiological saline （10 mL·kg^-1） every 12 h. The dexamethasone group received intraperitoneal injections of dexamethasone （5 mg·kg^-1）. The low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan were gavaged with solutions at concentrations of 7.2， 14.4， and 21.6 g·kg^-1， respectively， every 12 h. Lung wet/dry weight ratio （W/D） was measured. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin （IL）-17， and IL-1β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF）. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K） and protein kinase B （Akt） in lung tissue for further validation. ResultsTwelve potential active components of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan were identified through network pharmacology. A total of 306 overlapping target genes were obtained between Ganlu Xiaodu Dan and viral pneumonia. PPI network analysis identified the top 20 key targets， and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed the top 20 signaling pathways. An “active component–target–pathway” network was constructed. Molecular docking demonstrated strong affinity between the core components of Ganlu Xiaodu Dan and key targets related to viral pneumonia. In animal experiments， compared with the blank group， the model group showed severe bronchial epithelial damage， disordered alveolar structure， massive inflammatory cell infiltration， widened alveolar septa， and obvious interstitial edema. W/D， levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and IL-17 in BALF， and protein expression of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in lung tissue were all significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， lung injury in the Ganlu Xiaodu Dan groups and the dexamethasone group was alleviated. W/D and TNF-α levels were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. IL-1β and IL-17 levels were significantly reduced in the medium- and high-dose groups and the dexamethasone group， and the protein expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in lung tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. ConclusionGanlu Xiaodu Dan can alleviate lung injury in viral pneumonia by suppressing the inflammatory response， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway activation.

Objective:To explore the impact of age on the genetic variant spectrum and prognosis of patients with previously untreated Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data and follow-up information of 254 previously untreated DLBCL patients from 14 hospitals in the Jiangsu Cooperative Lymphoma Group (JCLG) enrolled from July 2018 and July 2023. Following extraction of DNA from tumor tissue samples, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique was employed to analyze the genetic variant spectrum of the DLBCL patients, with an evaluation of the relationship between age and genetic variants as well as prognosis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University (Ethics No.: 2023-K048-01).Results:The median age of the 254 DLBCL patients was 62 years old, with 55% of patients aged 60 years or above. Clinical evaluation showed that younger (< 60 years) patients had higher complete response (CR) (70% vs. 59%), and objective response rate (ORR) (88% vs. 79%) than older patients, though the difference between the two groups was not statistically. Survival analysis indicated that both the five-year overall survival (OS) (82.7% vs. 71.7%, P=0.006) and progression-free survival (PFS) (70.6% vs. 50.2%, P<0.05) rates were significantly higher in younger patients. NGS showed that 99.6% of the patients harbored genetic variants, with PIM1, KMT2D, TP53, MYD88, and CD79B being the most common genes. Age significantly affected the variant frequency of certain genes, with MYC variants serving an adverse prognostic factor for OS in younger patients ( P=0.001), while TP53 ( P=0.024) and BCL2 ( P=0.002) variants significantly impacted OS in older patients. Prognostic analysis identified age ≥ 60 years ( HR=3.439, 95% CI=1.318~9.874), presence of B symptoms ( HR = 2.871, 95% CI=1.133~7.307), and elevated lactate dehydrogenase ( HR=3.528, 95% CI=1.231~10.66) as independent adverse prognostic factors. Conclusion:Age, genetic variants, and clinical factors may significantly affect the prognosis of the DLBCL patients. Younger patients have better survival compared to older patients. Variants of the MYC, BCL2, and TP53 genes are closely associated with poor prognosis.

Objective To systematically evaluate the experiences of drug self-management in elderly patients with multiple chronic illnesses,so as to provide references for the development of personalized drug self-management intervention programs.Methods Qualitative research on drug self-management experiences of elderly patients with multiple chronic diseases was retrieved from PubMed,Cochrane Library,Embase,CINAHL,Web of Science,Scopus,CNKI,Wanfang,VIP and SinoMed.The retrieval time limit is from the establishment of the databases to November 2023.The qualitative research quality evaluation criteria of the Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-based Health Care Center in Australia was used to evaluate quality of studies.The results were integrated by meta-integration method.Results A total of 9 studies were included,and 33 research results were extracted,and 4 integrated results and 12 categories were synthesized.The integration results included the objective dilemmas and challenges of drug self-management,the low level of drug literacy,willingness to engage in positive behavior attempts,need of multi-party assistance.Conclusion The objective dilemmas of drug self-management and low level of drug literacy in elderly patients with multimorbidity will seriously affect their health outcomes.Medical staffs should pay attention to the different experiences of patients in the process of drug self-management,identify the needs of patients,formulate targeted intervention support strategies,and improve the level of drug self-management in elderly patients.

Objective:To explore the real experience and needs of successful aging among urban elderly people who participated in intergenerational raising.Methods:This study was a qualitative study. From February to April 2023, purposive sampling was used to select 10 elderly individuals from Fanjingjiayuan Community in Changqing District, Jinan City who participated in intergenerational raising as the research subject. Semi-structured interviews and face-to-face nonverbal behavior observation methods were used to collect data, while Colaizzi's 7-step analysis method was used to summarize, analyze the data and extract themes.Results:A total of three themes and 10 sub-themes were extracted, namely positive psychological feelings (self-realization, obtaining emotional support, health benefits), negative psychological feelings (intergenerational raising pressure, decreased life satisfaction, mental stress, physical and mental exhaustion), and the need to promote successful aging (family support, community support, policy support) .Conclusions:Urban elderly people who participate in intergenerational raising have both negative and positive psychological experiences. Families and society should pay attention to the psychological feelings of participating in intergenerational raising of elderly people in urban communities, so as to promote successful aging of the elderly people.