Atherosclerosis （AS） is a chronic and inflammatory vascular disease. Macrophages are common immune cells and play an important role in the development of AS. In recent years， research has found that the formation of AS plaques is closely related to pathological and physiological processes such as macrophage polarization， energy metabolism， and lipid phagocytosis. This review aims to summarize the mechanism of macrophages in the development of AS， and to explore potential therapeutic methods for delaying AS by regulating macrophages， providing new ideas for the treatment and research of AS.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture （消肿止痛合剂） combined with antibiotic bone cement in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer （DFU） with damp-heat obstructing syndrome. MethodsA total of 72 DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome were randomly assigned to treatment group （36 cases） and the control group （36 cases）. Both groups received standard treatment and topical antibiotic bone cement for ulcer wounds， while the treatment group received oral Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture （50 ml per time， three times daily） in additionally. Both groups underwent daily wound dressing changes for 21 consecutive days. Ulcer healing rate， serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-1 beta （IL-1β）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and white blood cell （WBC） count were observed before and after treatment， and visual analog scale （VAS） scores for wound pain， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， and the DFU Healing Scale （DMIST scale） were also compared. Liver and kidney function were evaluated before and after treatment， and adverse events such as allergic reactions， worsening ulcer pain were recorded. ResultsTotally 35 patients in the treatment group and 33 in the control group were included in the final analysis. The ulcer healing rate in the treatment group was （87.93±9.34）%， significantly higher than （81.82±12.02）% in the control group （P = 0.035）. Compared to pre-treatment levels， both groups showed significant reductions in serum CRP， WBC， MDA， IL-1β， and TNF-α levels， with an increase in SOD level （P＜0.05）. TCM syndrome scores， VAS， and DMIST scores also significantly decreased in both groups （P＜0.05）， with greater improvements in the treatment group （P＜0.05）. No significant adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment. ConclusionXiaozhong Zhitong Mixture combined with antibiotic bone cement has significant advantages in promoting DFU healing， reducing inflammatory response， and alleviating oxidative stress in DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome， with good safety for DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome.

AIM:This study aimed to investigate the differences in hepatic lipid metabolites in ICR mice in-duced by a high-fat diet and treated with Shaqi concentrated pills(SQ).METHODS:Thirty 8-week-old SPF-grade ICR mice were randomly assigned to five groups:the normal(CON,n=6)group,the high-fat diet model(HFD,n=6)group,the low-dose SQ administration(SQL,n=6)group,the high-dose SQ administration(SQH,n=6)group,and the liver-protecting tablets positive control(PLT,n=6)group.The HFD group was fed a diet consisting of 60%fat for 8 weeks to es-tablish a metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease model.Upon successful model establishment,the SQL group received a daily gavage of 395 mg/kg for 4 weeks,while the SQH group received 790 mg·kg-1·d-1.The PLT group was ad-ministered liver-protecting tablets at a dosage of 0.655 g/kg via gavage.Body weight and food intake were monitored week-ly.Liver indices,including Lee's index,triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),and aspartate transaminase(AST)levels,were measured in each group.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and oil red O staining were performed to assess the extent of pathological damage in liver tissues.Western blot analysis was conducted to evaluate the protein expres-sion levels of choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase-1(CEPT1),adipose triglyceride lipase(ATGL),and diacylglycerol acyltransferase(DGAT)in the liver.A non-targeted lipidomic analysis using LC-MS was employed to detect changes in hepatic lipid content,and multivariate statistical analyses(principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis)were utilized to compare lipid metabolic profiles among the groups and identify differential lipid metabolites.RESULTS:Compared to the CON group,mice in the HFD group exhibited significantly increased body weight,blood glucose levels,serum TG,TC,LDL-C,ALT,and AST levels,accompanied by a marked decrease in HDL-C levels.HE and oil red O staining results revealed significant lipid droplet accumulation in the liver tissues of HFD mice.In contrast,mice in the SQL and SQH groups showed significant reductions in body weight,blood glucose,serum TG,TC,LDL-C,ALT,and AST levels,along with increased HDL-C levels and less lipid accumulation in liver tissues compared to the HFD group.Staining of liver sections confirmed that SQ treatment mitigated the abnormal accumulation of lipid droplets.Lipidomic analysis indicated that SQ treatment normalized 25 aberrantly expressed lipid metabolites to lev-els comparable to the CON group and identified nine representative differential lipid metabolites.Western blot results dem-onstrated that SQ treatment reduced the protein expression levels of ATGL and DGAT while increasing the expression of CEPT1.CONCLUSION:Treatment with SQ can alleviate metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)by modulating triglyceride metabolism,phosphatidylcholine metabolism,and dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine lipid me-tabolism,thereby altering the hepatic lipid profile in MAFLD mice.

Objective:To assess the efficacy and safety profile of antaitasvir phosphate combined with yiqibuvir in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) of various genotypes, without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis.Methods:394 cases with CHC from 22 centers were collected from October 2021 to April 2023. They were randomly assigned to receive either the experimental drugs (antaitasvir phosphate 100 mg+yiqibuvir 600 mg) or placebo treatment in a 3∶1 ratio. The patients were administered drugs once a day for 12 consecutive weeks, and then followed up for 24 weeks after treatment cessation. All subjects were unblinded at the four-week follow-up following drug discontinuation, with the experimental drug group continuing to complete subsequent post-discontinuation follow-up. The placebo group was switched to receive the experimental drugs for a repeated 12-week treatment period and followed up for another 24 weeks after discontinuation of the drug (placebo delayed treatment phase).The sustained virologic response rate (SVR12) was observed for subjects in the double-blind phase and the placebo delayed-treatment phase at 12 weeks after treatment cessation.Virological resistance analysis was performed on subjects who failed treatment. The primary efficacy endpoint was SVR12. The number and percentage of subjects who achieved "HCV RNA

The Healthy China 2030 Plan set the goal of reducing premature deaths from diabetes by 30% by 2030. However, there has been a lack of assessment of premature mortality for diabetes since the action plan was issued. This study used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, calculated the premature deaths for diabetes by sex, provinces, and subtypes from 1990 to 2021. We explored the temporal trend of premature mortality using the average annual percent change (AAPC) for different sexes, provinces, and subtypes from 1990 to 2021. Furthermore, we predicted premature mortality for diabetes through 2030 for China and its provinces according to the average annual change rate from 2010 to 2021. There was a first slow upward trend in premature mortality for diabetes from 0.5% in 1990 to 0.6% in 2004, and then a decline until 2021 with premature mortality of 0.4%. By 2030, only Fujian (30.3%) will achieve the desired level of reduction, with only seven provinces meeting the target for females and none for males. There is a large range in the degree of decline between inland and coastal regions, showing obvious geographic differences, and there should be a focus on balancing medical resources.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Mortality, Premature/trends* ; Diabetes Mellitus/mortality* ; Goals ; Middle Aged ; Adult

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

The Ebola virus (EBOV), a member of the Filoviridae family, is a highly pathogenic agent responsible for severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing its replication is critical for developing effective antiviral strategies. VP35-TurboID immunosuppression coupled with quantitative mass spectrometry identified Septin9, the host GTP-binding protein which played a role in cytoskeletal regulation, as a novel interactor of VP35. Western blotting and Far-Western blotting confirmed the direct interaction and demonstrated that the C-terminal region of VP35 was the critical binding domain. Functionally, EBOV replication as well as the formation of viral inclusion bodies (VIBs) was demonstrated to be significantly suppressed by Septin9 knockdown and depletion, as shown by the EBOV minigenome (EBOV MG) and the transcription- and replication-competent virus-like particles (trVLPs) system. This study reveals that VP35 engages in a specific interaction with the GTP-binding protein Septin9, thereby impeding EBOV replication through the disruption of inclusion bodies. The overarching objective of this study is to significantly enhance our understanding about the pathogenic mechanism of EBOV and offer a robust theoretical foundation and solid empirical support for the formulation of innovative therapeutic strategies against EBOV.
Virus Replication/physiology* ; Septins/physiology* ; Humans ; Ebolavirus/physiology* ; Inclusion Bodies, Viral/metabolism* ; Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins/metabolism* ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/virology*

Objective To investigate the effects of cornuside on intestinal injury in rats with septic shock,and clarify its possible mechanism.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group,model group,low-,medium-,and high-dose comecarpine glycosides groups,and TREM1 inhibitor(LR12)group.HE staining was used to observe the pathological injury of small intestinal mucosa.The levels of D-lactic acid(D-LA)and diamine oxidase(DAO)in serum and secretory immunoglobulin(sIg A)in small intestine were detected by ELISA.Intestinal mucosal permeability was detected by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran(FITC-D)tracer method.ELISA was used to detect the levels of interferon(IFN)-γ,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-10 and arginase(Arg)-1 in serum.The polarization of macrophages in small intestinal tissue was detected by flow cytometry.Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1(TREM1),CD86 and CD206 in small intestine.Results Compared with the normal control group,the model group had serious pathological injury of the small intestinal mucosa,and the serum levels of D-LA,DAO,FITC-D,IFN-γ,TNF-α,and IL-1β significantly increased(P<0.05),while the levels of sIg A,IL-10,and Arg-1 significantly decreased(P<0.05).The M1/M2 ratio of macrophages and the expression levels of TREM1 and CD86 proteins in the small intestine tissue significantly increased(P<0.05),while the expression level of CD206 protein significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the small intestinal mucosal injury of the rats in each dose cornuside group and LR12 group significantly improved,and the serum levels of D-LA,DAO,FITC-D,IFN-γ,TNF-α,and IL-1β significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the levels of sIg A,IL-10,and Arg-1 significantly increased(P<0.05).The M1/M2 ratio of macrophages and the expression levels of TREM1 and CD86 proteins in the small intestine tissue significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the expression level of CD206 protein significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Cornuside can reduce intestinal injury in rats with septic shock,and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting TREM1-mediated M1 polarization of macrophages.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)with half-dose recombinant staphylokinase(r-SAK)in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)who are expected to undergo PCI within 120 minutes.Methods From October 2021 to August 2022,a total of 200 STEMI patients in eight centers were included and randomly assigned in a 1﹕1 ratio to either r-SAK group or control group.Patients received loading doses of aspirin and ticagrelor and intravenous heparin and were randomized to receive an intravenous bolus of either 5 mg r-SAK or normal saline prior to PCI.The outcomes were set as ST-segment resolution(STR)at 60-90 minutes after PCI,the proportion and transition of pathological Q waves on the 5th day after PCI,and the proportion of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T(hs-cTnT)peaking within 12 hours of onset.The safety outcome was major bleeding events defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium(BARC)≥type 3 bleeding during hospitalization.Results Compared with the control group,the r-SAK group had a higher proportion of STR≥70%within 60-90 minutes after PCI(58.3%vs.40.3%,P=0.009);a lower proportion of pathological Q waves(59.1%vs.74.1%,P=0.040);a lower rate of Q wave progression(14.8%vs.43.2%,P＜0.001);a higher rate of Q wave disappearance(12.5%vs.3.7%,P=0.027);and a higher proportion of hs-cTnT peaking within 12 hours of symptom onset[31/40(77.5%)vs.17/33(51.5%),P=0.027].Regarding the safety outcome,no significant difference in BARC≥type 3 bleeding was found between the two groups during hospitalization(P＞0.05).Conclusions For STEMI patients who were expected to undergo primary PCI within 120 minutes of symptom onset,the facilitated PCI with half-dose r-SAK significantly increased the proportion of STR≥70%at 60-90 minutes after PCI,reduced the formation of pathological Q waves,and shortened the time to peak hs-cTnT,without increasing the risk of bleeding,which should be an alternative reperfusion strategy worthy of further study.