ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of hypoxia-treated mesenchymal stem cell （MSCs） exosomes （Exo） and their loading with curcumin on microglial inflammatory responses， and to explore the enhancing effect of hypoxia treatment on the function of MSCs Exo. MethodsThe supernatants of human umbilical cord （hUC）-MSCs cultured under normal and hypoxic conditions were collected， and Exo were isolated using ultracentrifugation. After identification by transmission electron microscopy and Western blot， curcumin was loaded using the co-incubation method. The lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced microglial inflammation model was treated with dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO）， curcumin， normoxia Exo， hypoxia Exo， normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin， and hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin， respectively. The expression of the M1-type marker inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） in BV2 cells was detected by immunofluorescence （IF）. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were used to measure the expression and secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and IL-6 in the cells and their culture supernatants. ResultsNormoxia Exo， hypoxia Exo， normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin， and hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin exhibited a "saucer-like" shape with a diameter ranging from 30~150 nm， and the expression of exosomal markers CD9， CD81， and TSG101 were positive. After treating the BV2 cell inflammation model， IF results showed that， compared with the normoxia Exo group， treatment with hypoxic Exo significantly reduced the expression of iNOS. Moreover， when compared with the curcumin group and the normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin group， the expression level of iNOS significantly decreased after treatment with hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin. The results of Western blot and ELISA indicated that， in comparison with the normoxia Exo group， treatment with hypoxic Exo significantly reduced the expression and secretion of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6. Additionally， when compared with the curcumin group and the normoxic Exo loaded with curcumin group， both the expression and secretion of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 significantly decreased after treatment with hypoxic Exo loaded with curcumin. ConclusionHypoxia preconditioning can enhance the ability of hUC-MSCs-Exo in the inhibition of microglial polarization and inflammatory factors’ secretion. Additionally， using Hypoxia-MSCs-Exo as a drug-delivery carrier of curcumin can improve its solubility and stability， facilitating its absorption by cells and exerting the therapeutic effect of combination therapy.

OBJECTIVE To explore the potential mechanisms of astragalin （AG） in allevating ulcerative colitis （UC） in mice through modulation of the intestinal flora. METHODS Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group （CON group）， model group [dextran sodium sulfate （DSS） group]， 5-aminosalicylic acid group （5-ASA group）， AG low-dose group and high-dose group （AGL and AGH groups）， with 8 mice in each group. The mice UC model was established by drinking 3% DSS solution continuously for 7 days in all groups except the CON group. After that， 3% DSS solution was replaced by water， and the mice of each drug group were gavaged with the corresponding drug solution. Mice in the CON and DSS groups were gavaged with an equal volume of normal saline， once a day， for 7 days. After the last gavage， the body weight change index， disease activity index （DAI） score， colon length and spleen index， and levels of inflammatory factors （tumor necrosis factor-α， interleukin-1β， interleukin-6） were compared among the mice in each group； pathological changes in colonic tissues of the mice were observed in each group， and the pathological score and the percentage of goblet cells were compared； mRNA expressions of barrier-related factors [occludin and ZO-1] and inflammation-related factors [silencing information regulatory factor 1 （SIRT1）， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK） and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）] were detected in each group of mice； the changes in the intestinal flora of mice in each group were analyzed and the contents of intestinal metabolites short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs） was determined. Using DSS and AG-treated fecal bacterial liquid as an intervention， the mechanism of anti-UC effect of AG was further verified by a fecal microbiota transplant experiment. RESULTS Compared with the CON group， the intestinal mucosal structure of mice in the DSS group was severely damaged， with obvious infiltration of inflammatory cells collapsing the wall； their body weight change index， colon length， the percentage of goblet cells， mRNA expressions of occludin， ZO-1 and SIRT1， Chao1 and Shannon indexes， and contents of acetic acid and butyric acid were significantly reduced， shortened or down-regulated （P＜0.05）； however， DAI score， spleen index， levels of inflammatory factors， pathological score， as well as mRNA expressions of p38 MAPK and JNK， were all significantly increased or up-regulated （P＜0.05）. Compared with the DSS group， colon tissue lesions of AG mice in all dose groups showed different degrees of improvement， and the above quantitative indexes were generally regressed （P＜0.05）， and the intervention effect of AG-treated fecal bacterial fluid was basically the same as that of AG. CONCLUSIONS AG can improve relevant symptoms in UC mice and reduce their inflammatory response and colonic histopathological changes. The above effects may be related to regulating the diversity of intestinal flora in mice， increasing the contents of butyric acid and propionic acid， and promoting the repair of the colonic mucosal barrier， thus regulating the expressions of genes related to the SIRT1/p38 MAPK inflammatory pathway.

Background: The function of CD69 expressed on T cells in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains unclear. We aimed to elucidate the roles of CD69 on T cells in the disease process and in antiviral therapy for CHB. Methods: We enrolled 335 treatment-naive patients with CHB and 93 patients with CHB on antiviral therapy. CD69, antiviral cytokine production by T cells, T-helper (Th) cells, and inhibitory molecules of T cells were measured using flow cytometry, and clinical-virological characteristics were examined dynamically during antiviral therapy. Results: CD69 expression on CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells was the lowest in the immune-active phase and was negatively correlated with liver transaminase activity, fibrosis features, inflammatory cytokine production by T cells, and Th-cell frequencies but positively with inhibitory molecules on T cells. CD69 expression on CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells decreased after 48 weeks of antiviral therapy, and patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in week 48 showed lower CD69 expression on T cells at baseline and week 48. The area under the ROC curve of CD69 expression on T cells at baseline for predicting HBeAg seroconversion in week 48 was 0.870, the sensitivity was 0.909, and the specificity was 0.714 (P = 0.002). Conclusions CD69 negatively regulates T-cell immunity during CHB, and its expression decreases with antiviral therapy. CD69 expression predicts HBeAg seroconversion in week 48. CD69 may play an important negative role in regulating T cells and affect the efficacy of antiviral therapy.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between the timing of minimally invasive puncture drainage and the outcome of patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH) in the basal ganglia region.Methods:Patients with HICH in the basal ganglia region underwent minimally invasive puncture and drainage at Hanchuan People's Hospital from January 2019 to September 2023 were selected. According to the timing of surgery, the patients were divided into onset to surgery time ≤12-hour group and >12-hour group. According to the modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days after onset, they were divided into a good outcome group (0-2) and a poor outcome group (>2). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent influencing factors of functional outcome. Results:A total of 150 patients were included, with 78 males (52.00%), aged 53.15±4.35 years (range, 40-75 years). Eighty-six patients (57.33%) underwent surgery within 12 hours after onset, while 64 (42.67%) underwent surgery after 12 hours; 97 patients (64.67%) had good outcome, while 53 (35.33%) had poor outcome. Univariate analysis showed that compared with the onset to surgery time ≤12-hour group, the onset to surgery time >12-hour group had a longer time from onset to admission, a larger postoperative hematoma volume, longer hospitalization time, lower postoperative hematoma clearance rate, and a higher proportion of patients with poor outcome and deaths within 90 days (all P<0.05). Compared with the good outcome group, the poor outcome group had a longer time from onset to admission, higher baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, larger baseline and postoperative hematoma volumes, and a higher proportion of patients with onset to surgery time >12 hours. However, the postoperative hematoma clearance rate, baseline Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and the proportion of patients with baseline GCS score >8 was lower in the poor outcome group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the higher baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio [ OR] 1.847, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.362-2.503; P=0.001) and the time from onset to surgery >12 hours (compared with ≤12 hours: OR 1.347, 95% CI 1.058-1.715; P=0.016) were the independent risk factors for poor outcome, while higher baseline GCS scores ( OR 0.723, 95% CI 0.558-0.937; P=0.006) and higher postoperative hematoma clearance rates ( OR 0.615, 95% CI 0.462-0.819; P=0.004) were the independent protective factors for good outcome. Conclusion:In patients with HICH in basal ganglia, it is ideal to perform minimally invasive puncture and drainage within 12 h after onset, and the postoperative recovery is relatively better.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Jianpi Bushen Jiedu Prescription combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy and targeted therapy for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer patients with liver and kidney yin deficiency combined with spleen deficiency pattern.Methods:A randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 72 hospitalized patients with advanced colorectal cancer treated at the Department of Oncology, Nanjing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from October 2022 to January 2024 were enrolled as study subjects. Using a random number table method, they were allocated into two groups, with 36 patients in each group. The control group received the mFOLFOX6/FOLFIRI combined with bevacizumab regimen, while the treatment group was administered additional oral Jianpi Bushen Jiedu Prescription on the basis of the control group. Two weeks was a cycle in both groups, with a total of 6 cycles of treatment. Serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199), and carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724) were detected using electrochemiluminescence; the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale was utilized to evaluate patients' functional status; vital signs were continuously monitored, and adverse reactions were recorded. The short-term efficacy and TCM syndrome efficacy of patients were evaluated.Results:The treatment group demonstrated higher objective response rate (ORR) [31.25% (10/32) vs. 21.88% (7/32), χ2=0.72] and disease control rate (DCR) [84.38% (27/32) vs. 71.88% (23/32), χ2=1.46] compared to the control group, without statistical significance ( P>0.05). Post-treatment levels of CEA [4.09 (3.31,8.57) μg/L vs. 10.07 (4.55,22.35) μg/L, Z=-2.10] and CA72-4 [4.54 (2.04,10.99) mU/L vs. 9.48 (4.34,18.95) mU/L, Z=-2.52] in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The total effective rate of TCM syndrome was significantly higher in the treatment group [78.13% (25/32)] compared with the control group [50.00% (16/32)], with statistical significance ( χ2=5.50, P=0.019). Post-treatment KPS scores in the treatment group [80.0 (80.0, 80.0) vs. 70.0 (62.5, 80.0), Z=-2.76] were significantly higher compared with the control group ( P<0.01). During the treatment period, the treatment group showed statistical significance compared with the control group in the incidence of hemoglobin decrease ( χ2=4.66), leukopenia decrease ( χ2=4.27), and peripheral neuropathy ( χ2=3.93), with statistical significance ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The addition of Jianpi Bushen Jiedu Prescription to 5-FU-based chemotherapy combined with targeted therapy demonstrates significant clinical benefits in advanced colorectal cancer patients, including reducing tumor marker levels, alleviating clinical symptoms, improving quality of life, and mitigating treatment-related toxicities, with a good safety.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of death during hospitalization in patients with community-acquired pneumonia(CAP)complicated with diabetes mellitus(DM).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 566 patients with CAP hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022.The patients were divided into simple CAP group(n=478)and CAP combined with diabetes(CAP+DM)group(n=88)according to whether they had diabetes,and then CAP+DM group(n=88)was divided into survival group(n=69)and death group(n =19)according to whether the patients died during hospitalization.The clinical data and laboratory test indicators of patients in different groups were compared.Cox regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of death during hospitalization in the CAP+DM group.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive value of independent risk factors on hospitalization death.Results Compared with the simple CAP group,the CAP+DM group had significant differences in age,concomitant hypertension,coronary heart disease,CURB-65 score,neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR),C-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),albumin(ALB),prealbumin(PA),glucose(GLU),serum potassium(K),calcium(Ca),phosphorus(P),magnesium(Mg),lactic acid(Lac),non-invasive ventilation time,ICU occupancy rate and mortality rate(P<0.05);Compared with the survival group,there were statistically significant differences in CURB-65 score,NLR,CRP,PCT,GIU,ALB,PA,serum iron(Fe),Ca,non-invasive ventilation time,and ICU admission rate among the death group patients(P<0.05).Cox regression analysis showed that the increase of NLR level and the decrease in PA level were the risk factors for in-hospital death in patients with CAP complicated with diabetes(P<0.05).When the PA cutoff value was 91 mg/L,the AUC,sensitivity,and specificity for predicting in-hospital death of CAP patients with diabetes were 0.849,84.2%and 81.2%,respectively.Conclusion Patients with CAP combined with diabetes are more serious and have worse prognosis than those with CAP alone.PA has a good predictive value for the prognosis of these patients.Early detection and active intervention should be carried out to reduce the in-hospital mortality of patients.

BACKGROUND:In recent years,the demand for in vitro maturation of immature oocytes has increased.Oocyte maturation is affected by many factors,among which the selection of medium is particularly important,and there is currently no unified plan. OBJECTIVE:To compare the in vitro maturation of germinal vesicle stage oocytes with different maturation media and to investigate its effects on oocyte quality and developmental potential. METHODS:Germinal vesicle oocytes were matured in G-1TM PLUS medium,CZB medium and M16 medium,and mature oocytes in vivo were used as control group to compare in vitro fertilization and early embryo development among various groups.The immunofluorescence method was used to evaluate mitochondrial function in mature oocytes of each group.Calcium oscillation was detected by confocal microscopy real-time imaging system. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)There was no significant difference in the first polar body ejection rate among the three groups(P>0.05).(2)The rate of in vitro fertilization was higher in the G-1TM PLUS group(52.86±11.24)%than that in the M16 group(37.76±6.70)%and the CZB group(30.62±5.51)%.The blastocyst rate was lower in the CZB group(36.23±6.63)%than that in the control group(78.16±4.17)%,G-1TM PLUS group(55.75±7.63)%and M16 group(53.36±6.33)%.(3)Compared with the control group,the length-to-width ratio of the spindle in the CZB group increased(P<0.005).(4)The mitochondrial function of the CZB group was worse than that of the control group,G-1TM PLUS group and M16 group,and abnormal mitochondrial agglutination occurred in the CZB group.(5)The frequency of calcium oscillations in the CZB and M16 groups was significantly higher than that in the G1 and control groups.In conclusion,during in vitro maturation of mouse oocytes,in vitro maturation rate was not significantly different among G-1TM PLUS,CZB and M16 media,but the G-1TM PLUS medium had a higher rate of fertilization and blastocyst formation.

BACKGROUND:The increase in multi-drug resistant bacterial infections has become a major problem in modern healthcare due to the development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the development of new antibacterial alternative drug materials is of great importance. OBJECTIVE:To synthesize and perform a series of characterization of a CeO2 nanoenzyme to investigate its biocompatibility and antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli. METHODS:CeO2 nanoenzymes were synthesized using a hydrothermal method.The morphology,product composition,and chemical composition were analyzed using characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Fourier infrared analysis,Raman spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and transmission electron microscopy.The peroxide-mimetic enzyme activity of CeO2 nanoenzymes was characterized using TMB color development assay.The toxic effect of CeO2 nanoenzymes at different concentrations(10,25,and 50 μg/mL)on mouse fibroblast L929 cells was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay.The antibacterial properties of CeO2 nanoenzymes against Escherichia coli under different conditions were evaluated using the plate coating method.Changes in intra-bacterial reactive oxygen species after treatment with different conditions were detected using a reactive oxygen species detection kit. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The morphology of the synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles was rod-shaped,with Ce3+ accounting for 29.87%of the total Ce3+/Ce4+ and an average grain size of 7.4 nm.In a slightly acidic environment containing TMB and pH=5.5,CeO2 nanoenzymes mixed with H2O2 showed excellent peroxidase activity,but did not show peroxidase simulated activity at pH=7.4.(2)There was no statistically significant difference in the toxic effects of CeO2 nanoparticles at various mass concentrations on mouse fibroblast L929 cells.(3)In a slightly acidic environment at pH 5.5,Escherichia coli was inhibited to a certain extent in the presence of CeO2 nanoenzyme alone at a concentration of 10 μg/mL,with a decrease in CFU results of about 0.5 log(P＜0.01);in a slightly acidic environment containing 50 μmol/L H2O2,CeO2 nanoenzyme showed excellent antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli,with a decrease in Escherichia coli CFU results of by about 1.5 log(P＜0.001).After CeO2 nanoenzymes interacted with Escherichia coli,the level of reactive oxygen species in Escherichia coli increased(P＜0.05);after CeO2 nanoenzymes interacted with Escherichia coli together with H2O2,the level of reactive oxygen species in Escherichia coli increased significantly(P＜0.001).(4)The results show that the CeO2 nanoenzymes have good biocompatibility,are inherently antibacterial,and can exhibit peroxidase activity in a slightly acidic environment containing low concentrations of H2O2,and generate reactive oxygen species to kill bacteria,thus showing excellent antibacterial effects.