Objective To investigate whether miR-15b-5p can alleviate airway inflammation in asthma by negatively regulating ubiquitin specific peptidase 9X (USP9X) to down-regulate the expression of phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-diphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit α/AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (PIK3CA/AKT1) pathway. Methods USP9X was predicted to be a direct target of miR-15b-5p by using an online database (miRWalk), and the luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify it. Co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) was used to verify the direct binding between USP9X and PIK3CA and the role of USP9X and its small molecule inhibitor WP1130 in the deubiquitination of PIK3CA. C57 mice were randomly divided into Control group, OVA group, OVA combined with NC group and miR-15b-5p agomir group, with 10 mice in each group. BEAS-2B cells were induced with interleukin 13 (IL-13) and treated with miR-15b-5p mimic. HE, Masson, PAS, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR) were performed. Results It was found that the administration of miR-15b-5p agomir and mimic could reduce peribronchial inflammatory cells and improve airway inflammation, and miR-15b-5p could target negative regulation of USP9X. USP9X could directly bind to PIK3CA and regulate PIK3CA level in a proteasome-dependent manner, and USP9X could deubiquitinate K29-linked PIK3CA protein. Down-regulation of USP9X could increase PIK3CA ubiquitination level. WP1130, a small molecule inhibitor of USP9X, has the same effect as knockdown of USP9X, both of which could increase the ubiquitination level of PIK3CA and reduce the protein level of PIK3CA. Conclusion The miR-15b-5p/USP9X/PIK3CA/AKT1 signaling pathway may provide potential therapeutic targets for asthma.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Asthma/pathology* ; Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Inflammation/genetics* ; Cell Line ; Female ; Male

BACKGROUND: The association of systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) with prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has never been investigated in a large sample with long-term follow-up. This study aimed to explore the association of SIRI with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a nationally representative sample of CAD patients from United States. METHODS: A total of 3386 participants with CAD from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018 were included in this study. Cox proportional hazards model, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were performed to investigate the association of SIRI with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Piece-wise linear regression and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.7 years, 1454 all-cause mortality occurred. After adjusting for confounding factors, higher lnSIRI was significantly associated with higher risk of all-cause (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23) and CVD mortality (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05-1.30) but not cancer mortality (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.99-1.38). The associations of SIRI with all-cause and CVD mortality were detected as J-shaped with threshold values of 1.05935 and 1.122946 for SIRI, respectively. ROC curves showed that lnSIRI had robust predictive effect both in short and long terms. CONCLUSIONS SIRI was independently associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, and the dose-response relationship was J-shaped. SIRI might serve as a valid predictor for all-cause and CVD mortality both in the short and long terms.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of Chinese medicine (CM) Lianhua Qingwen Granule (LHQW) and Jingyin Gubiao Prescription (JYGB) in asymptomatic or mild patients with Omicron infection in the shelter hospital. METHODS: This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted in the largest shelter hospital in Shanghai, China, from April 10, 2022 to May 30, 2022. A total of 56,244 asymptomatic and mild Omicron cases were included and divided into 4 groups, i.e., non-administration group (23,702 cases), LHQW group (11,576 cases), JYGB group (12,112 cases), and dual combination of LHQW and JYGB group (8,854 cases). The length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was used to assess the effectiveness of LHQW and JYGB treatment on Omicron infection. RESULTS: Patients aged 41-60 years, with nadir threshold cycle (C_T) value of N gene <25, or those fully vaccinated preferred to receive CM therapy. Before or after propensity score matching (PSM), the multiple linear regression showed that LHQW and JYGB treatment were independent influence factors of LOS (both P<0.001). After PSM, there were significant differences in LOS between the LHQW/JYGB combination and the other groups (P<0.01). The results of factorial design ANOVA proved that the LHQW/JYGB combination therapy synergistically shortened LOS (P=0.032). CONCLUSIONS Patients with a nadir C_T value <25 were more likely to accept CM. The LHQW/JYGB combination therapy could shorten the LOS of Omicron-infected individuals in an isolated environment.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Hospitalization ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Length of Stay ; Young Adult ; Aged

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and potential mechanism of caffeic acid （CA） on severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） induced by caerulein combined with lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， and to provide a basis for the research on novel drugs for the treatment of SAP. MethodsC57BL/6J mice， aged 6 weeks， were divided into control group， model group， CA group， and octreotide acetate （OA） group， with 6 mice in each group. The mice in the control group were given injection of normal saline， and those in the other groups were given intraperitoneal injection of caerulein combined with LPS to establish a mouse model of SAP. At 1 hour after the first injection of caerulein， the mice in the CA group and the OA group were given intraperitoneal injection of CA or subcutaneous injection of OA at an interval of 8 hours. The general status of the mice was observed after 24 hours of modeling， and serum， pancreas， lung， and colon samples were collected. HE staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of the pancreas and lungs， and the serum levels of α-amylase， lipase， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， alanine aminotransferase， aspartate aminotransferase， and creatinine were measured. RT-PCR was used to measure the expression of proinflammatory factors in the pancreas and lungs； myeloperoxidase （MPO） immunohistochemistry was used to observe the degree of neutrophil infiltration； Western blot was used to measure the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） and the level of citrullinated histone H3 （CitH3）， a marker for the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps （NETs）， in the pancreas and lungs， as well as the expression level of ZO-1 in colon tissue. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the Dunnett’s t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group had severe injury in the pancreas and lungs and significant increases in the activity of serum α- amylase and lipase and the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and TNF-α in serum and lung tissue （all P<0.05）， as well as significant increases in NF-κB activation， neutrophil infiltration， and the formation of NETs in the pancreas and lungs （all P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the CA group had alleviated pathological injury of the pancreas and lungs and significant reductions in the activity of serum α-amylase and the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α in serum and lung tissue （all P<0.05）， as well as significant reductions in NF-κB activation， neutrophil infiltration， and the formation of NETs in the pancreas and lungs （all P<0.05）. ConclusionCA can alleviate SAP induced by caerulein combined with LPS in mice， possibly by inhibiting neutrophil recruitment and the formation of NETs.

Postoperative infection of internal fixation of closed fractures the lower limbs in adults represents a devastating complication, characterized by diagnostic challenges, prolonged treatment duration and high disability rates. Current management of these infections faces multiple challenges, such as difficulties in early accurate diagnosis, and various controversies about the treatment plan, leading to poor overall diagnosis and treatment results. To address these issues, based on evidence-based medicine and principles with emphasis on scientific rigor, clinical applicability and innovation, the Trauma Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Orthopedics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Trauma Orthopedics and Polytrauma Group of the Resuscitation and Emergency Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association have collaboratively organized a panel of relevant experts to develop the Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of infection after internal fixation of closed lower limb fractures in adults ( version 2025). The guideline proposed 10 recommendations, aiming to provide a foundation for standardized diagnosis and treatment of postoperative infection in adults with closed lower limb fractures.

Objective:To investigates the efficacy and safety of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT)in treating older patients(≥60 years old)with hematologic malignancies.Methods:We conducted a retrospective study involving 67 patients aged 60 years and above, diagnosed with malignant hematological diseases, who received allo-HSCT at the Clinical Research Centrer for Haematologic Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between June 2015 and March 2023.We collected pre-transplant data, including the patients' age, gender, pre-transplantation disease risk stratification, disease status, and the haematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index(HCT-CI). We retrospectively analyzed clinical data regarding treatment-related toxicity, infections, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease(a/cGVHD), as well as recurrent and non-recurrent deaths, to estimate the overall survival(OS)rate and event-free survival (EFS)rate.Results:Sixty-seven patients were included in the study, comprising 55 males(82.1%)and 12 females(17.9%), with a median age of 63(61, 65) years .The cohort consisted of 42 cases of acute myeloid leukaemia, 22 cases of myelodysplastic syndromes, and 3 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 1-year OS and EFS rates were 62.9% and 59.2%, respectively, while the 2-year OS and EFS rates were 55.3% and 51.8%, respectively.The cumulative incidence of 1-year non-relapse mortality and relapse was 25.4% and 21.2%, respectively.A total of 13 patients developed grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD, with a 1-year cumulative incidence of 22.0%, and 7 patients developed cGVHD requiring treatment.When stratified by age group, the OS rate was higher in patients aged 60~64 years compared to those aged ≥65 years; however, this difference was not statistically significant(Log-rank χ2=0.99, P=0.317). In contrast, when stratified by disease load, the OS rate was significantly higher in the complete remission(CR)group than in the non-CR group, with a statistically significant difference(Log-rank χ2=15.04, P<0.001). When stratified by donor type, the OS rate was higher in the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) allogeneic group compared to the haploinsufficiency group; however, the difference was not statistically significant(Log-rank χ2=2.71, P=0.100). Twenty-seven patients died at an average of 125 days (range 3-1 054 days) after HSCT.The causes of death included leukemia recurrence in 9 cases (33.3%), infection in 8 cases (29.6%), GVHD in 5 cases (18.5%), poor implantation in 3 cases (11.1%), multi-organ failure in 1 case (3.7%), and cerebrovascular accident in 1 case (3.7%). The results of multifactorial analysis indicated that a pre-transplant tumor load greater than 5% was an independent risk factor for OS after transplantation ( HR=4.59, 95% CI: 2.01-10.42, P<0.001)as well as for disease recurrence ( OR=13.11, 95% CI: 1.96-87.87, P=0.008). Additionally, the occurrence of infection was identified as an independent risk factor for non-recurrent death after transplantation( OR=3.95, 95% CI: 1.13 to 13.71, P=0.031). Conclusions:For patients aged 60 years or older with hematologic malignancies, HSCT can serve as a viable treatment option, particularly for those with refractory recurrence and high cytogenetic risk, as it has the potential to significantly enhance prognosis and increase both EFS and OS rates.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in pediatric recipients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods:Clinical data of children who underwent first allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed from March 2017 to November 2024. A total of 259 pediatric allo-HSCT recipients were analyzed through comparing HCMV infection group (n=115) and Non-HCMV infection group (n=144). Clinical characteristics were compared, and risk factors for HCMV infection were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results:The result of univariate analysis showed that adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), length of hospitalization, duration of antiviral therapy, and bacterial infection were significantly associated with HCMV infection in pediatric allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05). The result of multivariate analysis showed that ALD was an independent protective factor against HCMV infection of allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05) [OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.06-0.86], while umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) was an independent risk factor for HCMV infection in allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05) [OR=6.13, 95% CI: 1.34-28.04]. When the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for predicting post-transplant relapse based on HCMV viral load was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.55-0.94, P=0.014) and at the cutoff value of 3×10 3 copies/ml, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting relapse were 81.13% and 66.67%, respectively. Conclusions:HCMV infection in pediatric allo-HSCT recipients may lead to longer hospitalization and increased risk of relapse.

Objective:To determine the epidemiological characteristics of human bocavirus (HBoV) in children with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024.Methods:Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from 269 children with ARI in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024. Seventeen respiratory pathogens were screened using quantitative fluorescence PCR. For HBoV-positive samples, the VP1/VP2 structural gene fragments of HBoV were amplified and sequenced for genetic evolutionary analysis.Results:Among the 269 nasopharyngeal swab samples from children with ARI, the overall detection rate of respiratory pathogens was 48.33% (103/269). The top three pathogens with the highest detection rates were: Influenza A virus (FluA): 10.04% (27/269), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): 8.18% (22/269), Human bocavirus (HBoV): 7.43% (20/269). The age distribution of HBoV-infected children showed that the detection rate was highest in the 0-2 years age group (50%, 10/20), followed by the 3-5 years age group (25%, 5/20) and the over 6 years age group (25%, 5/20). However, there was no statistically significant difference in viral detection rates among the age groups. Genetic evolutionary analysis based on VP1/VP2 revealed that all 13 HBoV strains were of the HBoV-1 genotype.Conclusions:HBoV is one of the major pathogens causing ARI in children in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024, with HBoV-1 being the predominant genotype. Additionally, infants aged 0-2 years are the most susceptible population to HBoV infection.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and cytokines expression characteristics in infants with mild and severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.Methods:From May 2023 to December 2023, plasma samples and clinical information were collected from 16 infants with RSV infection and 14 control infants. Cytek Aurora flow cytometry (Cytek, America) and Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the expression levels of 25 cytokines after mild and severe RSV infection.Results:Cough and nasal obstruction were the main clinical manifestations in infants with mild RSV infection, accompanied by polypnea, wheezing and other symptoms. The main symptoms of severe RSV infection were cough and rales, accompanied by fever and polypnea. In comparison with the control group, the expression levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-13, IL-22, TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-β, MIP-1β, I-TAC, ENA-78, GROα, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 in the RSV infection group all exhibited an upregulation trend. Both IP-10 and MIP-3α demonstrated a downward trend in the RSV infection group; however, there was no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). The levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, and IL-8 in the RSV infection group were significantly higher than those in the control group, whereas the levels of MIG, TARC, and RANTES in the RSV infection group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-22, IFN-β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, I-TAC, MIP-1β, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 in the mild RSV infection group were significantly higher than those in the severe RSV infection group ( P>0.05). Among these, the levels of MIG, RANTES, TARC, MIP-3α, and ENA-78 in the mild infection group were all lower than those in the severe infection group. The expressions of ENA-78 and MIP-1α in the severe infection group were significantly higher than those in the mild infection group and also higher than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in IP-10 and GROα between the mild and severe RSV infection groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The differences in clinical features and cytokines between infants with mild and severe RSV infection provide important data support for the prevention and treatment of RSV infection in infants.