Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of mitochondrial translational initiation factor 2 （MTIF2） gene methylation and its association with the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. MethodsMethSurv and EWAS Data Hub were used to perform the standardized analysis and the cluster analysis of MTIF2 methylation samples， including survival curve analysis， methylation signature analysis， the association of tumor signaling pathways， and a comparative analysis based on pan-cancer database. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison between two groups； a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to perform the univariate and multivariate survival analyses of methylation level at the CpG site. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to investigate the survival differences between the patients with low methylation level and those with high methylation level， and the Log-likelihood ratio method was used for survival difference analysis. ResultsGlobal clustering of MTIF2 methylation showed that there was no significant difference in MTIF2 gene methylation level between different races， ethnicities， BMI levels， and ages. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the patients with N-Shore hypermethylation of the MTIF2 gene had a significantly better prognosis than those with hypomethylation （hazard ratio ［HR］=0.492， P<0.001）， while there was no significant difference in survival rate between the patients with different CpG island and S-Shore methylation levels （P>0.05）. The methylation profile of the MTIF2 gene based on different ages， sexes， BMI levels， races， ethnicities， and clinical stages showed that the N-Shore and CpG island methylation levels of the MTIF2 gene decreased with the increase in age， and the Caucasian population had significantly lower N-Shore methylation levels of the MTIF2 gene than the Asian population （P<0.05）； the patients with clinical stage Ⅳ had significantly lower N-Shore and CpG island methylation levels of the MTIF2 gene than those with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ （P<0.05）. Clinical validation showed that the patients with stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ HCC had a significantly lower methylation level of the MTIF2 gene than those with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ HCC and the normal population （P<0.05）. ConclusionN-Shore hypomethylation of the MTIF2 gene is a risk factor for the development and progression of HCC.

OBJECTIVE To provide valuable insights for the adjustment of anti-infectious regimens， identification of adverse reactions， and individualized pharmaceutical care in patients with critically severe scrub typhus. METHODS Clinical pharmacists actively participated in the pharmaceutical care process for a patient with severe scrub typhus leading to mixed shock undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Initially， the patient received meropenem （1 g， q12 h， ivdrip）， in combination with doxycycline （0.1 g， q12 h， po）， which was later switched to meropenem （1 g， q8 h， ivdrip） along with omacycline （100 mg， qd， ivdrip） due to impaired gastrointestinal function. However， as the patient’s condition progressively deteriorated and the infection became uncontrolled， the clinical pharmacists recommended that the clinicians adjust the anti-infective regimen to meropenem （2 g， q8 h， ivdrip） combined with tigecycline （100 mg for first dose； 50 mg， q12 h for maintenance； ivdrip）. The clinicians followed the advice of the clinical pharmacists. After treatment， the patient’s symptoms exhibited significant improvement， accompanied by a notable decrease in inflammatory markers， indicating that the infection had been successfully controlled. However， due to continuously increasing bilirubin levels， in order to reduce the risk of drug-induced liver injury， the clinicians changed tigecycline to azithromycin （0.5 g， qd， ivdrip） following the recommendation of the clinical pharmacists. RESULTS Ultimately， metagenomic next-generation sequencing of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood specimens indicated that Orientia tsutsugamushi had been completely eradicated in the patient. CONCLUSIONS Tigecycline may be a viable therapeutic choice for patients with severe scrub typhus. In the context of critically ill patients with scrub typhus， combining tigecycline with azithromycin might potentially enhance the efficacy in eliminating Orientia tsutsugamushi.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Anmeidan （AMD） on neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of sleep-deprived rats. MethodsSD rats were randomly divided into four groups （n = 10 per group）： control group， model group， AMD group， and melatonin group. A sleep deprivation model was established using the modified multiple platform water environment method. The AMD group received AMD at a dose of 18.18 g·kg^-1·d^-1， the melatonin group received melatonin at 100 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， and the control and model groups were given an equal volume of pure water. All treatments were administered by gavage for four weeks. Spontaneous activity was assessed using an animal behavior video system. Serum levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Hippocampal pyramidal neuron morphology was examined using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and ultrastructural changes of hippocampal neurons were observed via transmission electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） and nerve growth factor （NGF） in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was performed to measure the expression of nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， phosphorylated NF-κB （p-NF-κB）， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， and Caspase-1 proteins. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed a significant increase in activity duration and frequency （P<0.01）， increased hippocampal pyramidal cell structural damage and decreased cell count， aggravated hippocampal ultrastructural damage， mitochondrial cristae disruption， and exacerbated vacuolization. The expression of p-NF-κB p65， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 proteins was upregulated， serum IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α levels were significantly elevated （P<0.01）， and the fluorescence intensity of BDNF and NGF proteins was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the AMD group showed a significant reduction in activity duration and frequency （P<0.01）， increased hippocampal pyramidal cell count with reduced structural damage， alleviated hippocampal ultrastructural damage， significantly downregulated p-NF-κB p65， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 protein expression （P<0.01）， decreased serum IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α levels （P<0.01）， and significantly increased the fluorescence intensity of BDNF and NGF proteins （P<0.01）. ConclusionAnmeidan alleviates hippocampal neuronal damage in sleep-deprived rats， potentially by downregulating the NLRP3 signaling pathway， reducing inflammatory cytokine release， and increasing neurotrophic factor levels.

Tick-borne encephalitis is a central nervous system disease caused by infections with tick-borne pathogens, which is characterized by severe clinical symptoms, multiple sequelae, and a high fatality rate. Currently, there is no cure for tick-borne encephalitis. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the most common pathogen of tick-borne encephalitis. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of TBEV contributes to reducing the mortality of tick-borne encephalitis, improving patients' prognosis, and reducing the risk of TBEV transmission. The currently available serological tests for detection of TBEV infections mainly include neutralization test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay, and nucleic acid tests mainly include polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), reverse transcription polymerase spiral reaction, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas)-based assays. This review summarizes the progress of researches on serological and nucleic acid tests for detection of TBEV infections, so as to provide insights into prevention and control of tick-borne encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Huayu Tongluo (transforming stasis and unblocking collaterals) moxibustion on cognitive function and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cognitive decline. METHODS: Ninety patients with T2DM and cognitive decline were randomly divided into a moxibustion group (n=45, 3 cases dropped out, 2 cases were eliminated) and a waiting moxibustion group (n=45, 2 cases dropped out). Both groups received routine hypoglycemic treatment for 12 weeks. The moxibustion group additionally received Huayu Tongluo moxibustion at Baihui (GV20), Shenting (GV24), and Dazhui (GV14). Pressing moxibustion was applied to Baihui (GV20) for 20 min, while suspended moxibustion was applied to Shenting (GV24) and Dazhui (GV14) for 20 min each. Treatments of moxibustion were administered every other day (three times per week) for 12 weeks. All patients were followed up for 12 weeks, during which their original hypoglycemic medication regimen was maintained. Before treatment, after 12 weeks of treatment, and at the 12-week follow-up, the scores of Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Addenbrooke's cognitive examination Ⅲ (ACE-Ⅲ), symbol digit modalities test (SDMT), and Athens insomnia scale (AIS) and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, the MoCA scores, MMSE scores, ACE-Ⅲ subscale scores (attention, memory, language fluency, language, visuospatial ability) and total scores, and SDMT scores were increased (P<0.01), while the AIS scores were decreased (P<0.05) in the moxibustion group after treatment and at follow-up. Compared with before treatment, the MMSE score, ACE-Ⅲ subscale scores (memory, attention) and total score after treatment, as well as the ACE-Ⅲ subscale scores (language, memory, attention) and total score, and SDMT score at follow-up were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the waiting moxibustion group. Compared with before treatment, HOMA-IR was decreased in both groups after treatment and at follow-up (P<0.01). At follow-up, ACE-Ⅲ subscale scores (attention, memory), and the total score in the moxibustion group were lower than those after treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the ACE-Ⅲ language subscale score, total ACE-Ⅲ score, and SDMT score in the waiting moxibustion group were higher than those after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). After treatment and at follow-up, compared with the waiting moxibustion group, the moxibustion group had higher MoCA scores, MMSE scores, SDMT scores, ACE-Ⅲ subscale scores (attention, memory, language fluency) and total scores (P<0.05, P<0.01), and lower HOMA-IR (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Huayu Tongluo moxibustion can effectively improve cognitive function in patients with T2DM and cognitive decline. This improvement may be associated with the reduction in insulin resistance.
Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Moxibustion ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Cognition ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy*

BACKGROUND: T cell dysfunction, which includes exhaustion, anergy, and senescence, is a distinct T cell differentiation state that occurs after antigen exposure. Although T cell dysfunction has been a cornerstone of cancer immunotherapy, its potential in transplant research, while not yet as extensively explored, is attracting growing interest. Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) has been shown to play a pivotal role in inducing T cell dysfunction. METHODS: A novel ultra-low-dose combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin, targeting IRF4 inhibition, was employed to investigate T cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine secretion, expression of T-cell dysfunction-associated molecules, effects of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways, and allograft survival in both in vitro and BALB/c to C57BL/6 mouse cardiac transplantation models. RESULTS: In vitro , blockade of IRF4 in T cells effectively inhibited T cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and significantly upregulated the expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), Helios, CD160, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA-4), markers of T cell dysfunction. Furthermore, it suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. Combining ultra-low-dose Trametinib (0.1 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) and Rapamycin (0.1 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) demonstrably extended graft survival, with 4 out of 5 mice exceeding 100 days post-transplantation. Moreover, analysis of grafts at day 7 confirmed sustained IFN regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) inhibition, enhanced PD-1 expression, and suppressed IFN-γ secretion, reinforcing the in vivo efficacy of this IRF4-targeting approach. The combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin synergistically inhibited the MAPK and mTOR signaling network, leading to a more pronounced suppression of IRF4 expression. CONCLUSIONS Targeting IRF4, a key regulator of T cell dysfunction, presents a promising avenue for inducing transplant immune tolerance. In this study, we demonstrate that a novel ultra-low-dose combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin synergistically suppresses the MAPK and mTOR signaling network, leading to profound IRF4 inhibition, promoting allograft acceptance, and offering a potential new therapeutic strategy for improved transplant outcomes. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and facilitate translation to clinical practice.
Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Interferon Regulatory Factors/metabolism* ; Heart Transplantation/methods* ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; Sirolimus/therapeutic use* ; Pyridones/therapeutic use* ; Graft Survival/drug effects* ; Pyrimidinones/therapeutic use* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

BACKGROUND: The choice of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) vs . total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) remains controversial. This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the clinical results of UKA and TKA for treating unicompartmental KOA. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for articles published up to January 2, 2023. The literature was rigorously screened to include only RCTs comparing UKA and TKA for unicompartmental KOA. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to calculate the mean difference (MD), relative risk (RR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) according to the Cochrane standards. RESULTS: Thirteen publications involving 683 UKAs and 683 TKAs were analyzed. Except for one study with a follow-up period of 15 years, all outcome measures reported were within 5 years of follow-up. Meta-analysis showed better knee recovery (MD: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.01-1.45; P  <0.001), greater knee function (MD: 1.78; 95% CI: 0.34-3.22; P  = 0.020), less pain (MD: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.43-1.06; P  <0.001), and better health status (MD: 3.75; 95% CI: 0.81-6.69; P  = 0.010) after UKA than TKA. However, considering the minimal clinically important difference values for these variables, the findings were not clinically relevant. Moreover, UKA patients had fewer complications (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.45-0.78; P  <0.001) and shorter hospital stays (MD: -0.89; 95% CI: -1.57 to -0.22; P  = 0.009) than did TKA patients. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of postoperative range of movement, revision, failure, operation time, and patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS In terms of clinical efficacy, there was no obvious advantage of UKA over TKA in the surgical treatment of knee OA when considering the minimal clinically important difference. The main advantage of UKA over TKA is that it leads to fewer complications and a shorter length of hospital stay. It is ideal to perform prospective studies with longer follow-up periods to fully evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of the two procedures in the future.
Humans ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/surgery* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To investigate the association between overweight, obesity, central obesity and hypertension, so as to provide the basis for formulating targeted hypertension prevention and control strategies. Methods: Permanent residents aged ≥18 years were selected in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province from June 2023 to August 2024 by a multistage cluster random sampling method. Data on demographic information, lifestyle, height, weight, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, and blood biochemical indicators were collected through questionnaire surveys, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. The prevalence of hypertension was calculated and standardized using the data of the Sixth National Population Census in 2010. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated to determine overweight and obesity, while WC was used to identify central obesity. The association between overweight, obesity, central obesity and hypertension were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: A total of 38 593 residents were surveyed, including 19 481 (50.48%) males and 19 112 (49.52%) females. The median age was 46.00 (interquartile range, 26.00) years. The rates of overweight, obesity, and central obesity were 32.74% (12 634 individuals), 10.27% (3 963 individuals), and 27.87% (10 755 individuals), respectively. There were 11 813 cases of hypertension, with a prevalence and standardized prevalence of 30.61% and 24.41%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for demographic information, lifestyle, diabetes and dyslipidemia, the likelihood of hypertension in the overweight and obesity groups was 1.927 (95%CI: 1.815-2.045) times and 3.724 (95%CI: 3.404-4.073) times that of the normal BMI group, respectively. The likelihood of hypertension in the central obesity group was 2.346 (95%CI: 2.214-2.486) times that of the normal WC group. The likelihood of hypertension in the central obesity only, overweight only, overweight with central obesity, obesity only and obesity with central obesity groups was 1.586 (95%CI: 1.391-1.809), 1.704 (95%CI: 1.582-1.835), 2.433 (95%CI: 2.254-2.626), 1.768 (95%CI: 1.424-2.194), and 4.466 (95%CI: 4.053-4.921) times that of the normal BMI and WC group, respectively. Conclusions Overweight, obesity and central obesity were all associated with hypertension among adult residents. The highest likelihood of hypertension was observed among adult residents with both general obesity and central obesity.