Objective:To investigate the infection rate of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) after intensive immunosuppressive therapy in combination with a thrombopoietin receptor agonist (lST+TPO-RA) as well as assess the clinical impact of treatment.Methods:A retrospective, case series study was undertaken involving patients with SAA who were admitted to Soochow Hopes Hematonosis Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and Zhengzhou Third People′s Hospital from June 2022 to February 2025. Thirty patients with complete CMV and EBV monitoring data after IST+TPO-RA treatment were enrolled. The first activation time of CMV and EBV, the maximum viral load, the first negative conversion time, and blood routine tests within 3 days before CMV and EBV positivity, during the positive period, and within 3 days after turning negative were recorded. The patients were followed up for 9 months after the completion of IST. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the changes of blood routine before and after virus positivity and after turning negative. The χ2 test was used to compare the viral infection rate and the therapeutic effect of IST between the two groups. Results:The 30 SAA patients comprised 15 males and 15 females with an average age of (40.0±16.9) years. Of the 30 patients, 18 (60.0%) were infected with CMV and 6 (20.0%) with EBV. Among them, 17 cases received rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin (r-ATG) treatment (r-ATG group), 13 cases received porcine anti-human lymphocyte immunoglobulin (p-ALG) treatment (p-ALG group). The CMV infection rate was significantly higher in the r-ATG group than in the p-ALG group (15/17 vs. 3/13, χ2=13.03, P<0.001); meanwhile, the rate of EBV infection was only slightly higher in the r-ATG group than in the p-ALG group, and the difference did not reach statistical significance (5/17 vs. 1/13, χ2=2.17, P=0.196). In patients infected with CMV, neutrophil, hemoglobin, and platelet counts were significantly decreased during the infection phase, followed by significant increases after CMV clearance ( F=14.48, 11.38, 4.73; all P<0.05). No significant differences in treatment efficacy were found between the r-ATG and p-ALG groups at 3, 6, and 9 months post-IST (all P>0.05). Conclusions:This preliminary study showed that the incidence of CMV and EBV infection in patients with SAA increased after IST, with CMV infections occurring significantly more frequently than EBV infections. The CMV infection rate was significantly higher in patients treated with r-ATG than in those receiving p-ALG. CMV infection was associated with notable alterations in hematological parameters, highlighting the need for close clinical monitoring.

Objective:To investigate the infection rate of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) after intensive immunosuppressive therapy in combination with a thrombopoietin receptor agonist (lST+TPO-RA) as well as assess the clinical impact of treatment.Methods:A retrospective, case series study was undertaken involving patients with SAA who were admitted to Soochow Hopes Hematonosis Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and Zhengzhou Third People′s Hospital from June 2022 to February 2025. Thirty patients with complete CMV and EBV monitoring data after IST+TPO-RA treatment were enrolled. The first activation time of CMV and EBV, the maximum viral load, the first negative conversion time, and blood routine tests within 3 days before CMV and EBV positivity, during the positive period, and within 3 days after turning negative were recorded. The patients were followed up for 9 months after the completion of IST. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the changes of blood routine before and after virus positivity and after turning negative. The χ2 test was used to compare the viral infection rate and the therapeutic effect of IST between the two groups. Results:The 30 SAA patients comprised 15 males and 15 females with an average age of (40.0±16.9) years. Of the 30 patients, 18 (60.0%) were infected with CMV and 6 (20.0%) with EBV. Among them, 17 cases received rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin (r-ATG) treatment (r-ATG group), 13 cases received porcine anti-human lymphocyte immunoglobulin (p-ALG) treatment (p-ALG group). The CMV infection rate was significantly higher in the r-ATG group than in the p-ALG group (15/17 vs. 3/13, χ2=13.03, P<0.001); meanwhile, the rate of EBV infection was only slightly higher in the r-ATG group than in the p-ALG group, and the difference did not reach statistical significance (5/17 vs. 1/13, χ2=2.17, P=0.196). In patients infected with CMV, neutrophil, hemoglobin, and platelet counts were significantly decreased during the infection phase, followed by significant increases after CMV clearance ( F=14.48, 11.38, 4.73; all P<0.05). No significant differences in treatment efficacy were found between the r-ATG and p-ALG groups at 3, 6, and 9 months post-IST (all P>0.05). Conclusions:This preliminary study showed that the incidence of CMV and EBV infection in patients with SAA increased after IST, with CMV infections occurring significantly more frequently than EBV infections. The CMV infection rate was significantly higher in patients treated with r-ATG than in those receiving p-ALG. CMV infection was associated with notable alterations in hematological parameters, highlighting the need for close clinical monitoring.

In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on exploring innovative drug delivery approaches due to the limitations of conventional therapeutic strategies, such as inadequate drug targeting, insufficient therapeutic efficacy, and significant adverse effects. Nanomedicines have emerged as a promising solution with notable advantages, including extended drug circulation, targeted delivery, and improved bioavailability, potentially enhancing the clinical treatment of various diseases. Natural products/materials-derived nanomedicines, characterized by their natural therapeutic efficacy, superior biocompatibility, and safety profile, play a crucial role in nanomedicine-based treatments. This review provides a comprehensive overview of currently approved natural products-derived nanomedicines, emphasizing the essential properties of natural products-derived drug carriers, their applications in clinical diagnosis and treatment, and the current therapeutic potential and challenges. The aim is to offer guidance for the application and further development of these innovative therapeutic approaches.
Animals ; Humans ; Biological Products/chemistry* ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Nanomedicine/methods*

Objective:This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between high-dose intravenous iron and oral iron in treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) .Methods:This prospective randomized controlled study (1∶1) enrolled 338 patients with IDA at The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou Hongci Hematology Hospital, and Huai’an Second People’s Hospital from June 1, 2022, to January 19, 2024. Of all the patients, 169 received high-dose intravenous iron therapy and 169 received oral iron treatment for 12 weeks of observation. Focus on the hemoglobin (HGB) change from baseline to week 4, secondary focus was on the HGB and iron metabolism parameters (serum iron [SI], transferrin saturation [TSAT], total iron binding force [TIBC], serum ferritin [SF]), and changes in the fatigue score, efficacy, and treatment-related adverse effects were monitored throughout in the two treatment groups.Results:The HGB levels were improved in both treatments, but the HGB improved faster in the intravenous group compared with the oral group. HGB increased from (76.8±15.0) g/L to (118.0±13.3) g/L in the intravenous group and from (77.9±11.6) g/L to (104.3±15.0) g/L in the oral group after 4 weeks of treatment. The increase from baseline in the intravenous group (40.7±17.3) g/L was significantly higher than that in the oral group (27.2±17.5) g/L ( P<0.001). The intravenous group demonstrated a more significant early effect than the oral group in terms of iron metabolism parameter improvement. SI, TSAT, TBIC, and SF increased better from baseline at 4 weeks in the intravenous group than in the oral group ( P<0.001). Additionally, the intravenous group exhibited better fatigue scores for early improvement than the oral group ( P<0.001). The incidence of total adverse effects was similar in the intravenous group as compared to the oral group (3.5% [6/169] vs 5.9% [10/169], P=0.442) . Conclusion:High doses of intravenous iron quickly boost HGB early, causing rapid improvement in SI, TSAT, TBIC, SF, and patient fatigue scores. The patient was well tolerated.

Objective:This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between high-dose intravenous iron and oral iron in treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) .Methods:This prospective randomized controlled study (1∶1) enrolled 338 patients with IDA at The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou Hongci Hematology Hospital, and Huai’an Second People’s Hospital from June 1, 2022, to January 19, 2024. Of all the patients, 169 received high-dose intravenous iron therapy and 169 received oral iron treatment for 12 weeks of observation. Focus on the hemoglobin (HGB) change from baseline to week 4, secondary focus was on the HGB and iron metabolism parameters (serum iron [SI], transferrin saturation [TSAT], total iron binding force [TIBC], serum ferritin [SF]), and changes in the fatigue score, efficacy, and treatment-related adverse effects were monitored throughout in the two treatment groups.Results:The HGB levels were improved in both treatments, but the HGB improved faster in the intravenous group compared with the oral group. HGB increased from (76.8±15.0) g/L to (118.0±13.3) g/L in the intravenous group and from (77.9±11.6) g/L to (104.3±15.0) g/L in the oral group after 4 weeks of treatment. The increase from baseline in the intravenous group (40.7±17.3) g/L was significantly higher than that in the oral group (27.2±17.5) g/L ( P<0.001). The intravenous group demonstrated a more significant early effect than the oral group in terms of iron metabolism parameter improvement. SI, TSAT, TBIC, and SF increased better from baseline at 4 weeks in the intravenous group than in the oral group ( P<0.001). Additionally, the intravenous group exhibited better fatigue scores for early improvement than the oral group ( P<0.001). The incidence of total adverse effects was similar in the intravenous group as compared to the oral group (3.5% [6/169] vs 5.9% [10/169], P=0.442) . Conclusion:High doses of intravenous iron quickly boost HGB early, causing rapid improvement in SI, TSAT, TBIC, SF, and patient fatigue scores. The patient was well tolerated.

Lysobacter harbors a plethora of cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), albeit only a limited number have been analyzed to date. In this study, we described the activation of a cryptic polyketide synthase (PKS)/nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene cluster (lsh) in Lysobacter sp. DSM 3655 through promoter engineering and heterologous expression in Streptomyces sp. S001. As a result of this methodology, we were able to isolate two novel linear lipopeptides, lysohexaenetides A (1) and B (2), from the recombinant strain S001-lsh. Furthermore, we proposed the biosynthetic pathway for lysohexaenetides and identified LshA as another example of entirely iterative bacterial PKSs. This study highlights the potential of heterologous expression systems in uncovering cryptic biosynthetic pathways in Lysobacter genomes, particularly in the absence of genetic manipulation tools.
Lysobacter/metabolism* ; Streptomyces/metabolism* ; Lipopeptides/metabolism* ; Polyketide Synthases/genetics* ; Multigene Family

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.Methods:Consecutive Chinese patients with RA were recruited from August 2015 to September 2019 at Department of Rheumatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Demo-graphic data and clinical data were collected including indicators of disease activity, functional assessment and radiographic assessment, comorbidities and previous medications. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the related factors of hypertension in RA patients.Results:There were 674 RA patients recruited with 82.3%(555/674) female and mean age (50±13) years. The prevalence rate of hypertension was 32.9% (222/674), followed by dyslipidemia (9.9%, n=67), type 2 diabetes (8.8%, n=59), hyperuricemia (8.5%, n=43), fatty liver disease (8.0%, n=54), cardiovascular disease (6.2%, n=42) and chronic kidney disease (3.3%, n=22). Compared with those without hypertension, RA patients with hypertension had advanced age with longstanding disease duration, higher disease activity indicators, worse joint destruction, and higher proportions of comorbidities. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that comorbidities including hyperuricemia [ OR=1.977, 95% CI(1.002, 3.900)], dyslipidemia [ OR=1.903, 95% CI(1.102, 3.288)] and fatty liver disease [ OR=2.335, 95% CI(1.278, 4.265)] were risk factors of hypertension after adjustment for age and gender. Conclusion:Hyperten-sion is the most common comorbidity in RA patients which is associated with comor-bidities including hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia and fatty liver disease. Detection and management of hyperten-sion and other cardiovascular disease related comorbidities in RA patients should be emphasized.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of functional limitation and associated factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods:Consecutive patients with RA were recruited from August 2015 to June 2019 at Department of Rheumatology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital. Demographic and clinical characteristics including age, gender, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain, clinical disease activity index (CDAI), modified total Sharp score were collected. Physical function was assessed by the Stanford health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI).Ordered logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of HAQ-DI.Results:A total of 643 RA patients were finally recruited including 114 males and 529 females with mean age (49.7±12.9) years. There were 399 (62.1%) patients having different degrees of functional limitation, who were classified as mild (293, 45.6%), moderate (73, 11.4%) and severe (33, 5.1%). The prevalence of functional limitation was positively correlated with age and disease activity. The most restricted activity was walking [43.5% (280/643)], followed by gripping [36.1% (232/643)], reaching [35.5% (228/643)], daily activities [33.4% (215/643)], hygiene [33.0% (212/643)], dressing and grooming [29.7% (191/643)] and arising [29.1% (187/643)], and the last eating [18.4% (118/643)]. Multivariate ordered logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR=1.019, 95% CI 1.004-1.035),pain VAS ( OR=1.820, 95% CI 1.616-2.050), ESR ( OR=1.009, 95% CI 1.001-1.017), CDAI ( OR=1.080, 95% CI 1.059-1.102) and modified total Sharp score ( OR=1.010, 95% CI 1.004-1.015) were associated factors of functional limitation. Conclusion:The majority RA patients have functional limitation. Age, pain and active disease are independent associated factors. Therefore, target treatment and control of pain should be emphasized in RA patients.

Objective To explore the influence of excessive PTEN expression to fibroblast cycle and collagen secretion induced by LPS.Methods Normal skin fibroblast in the patient with hyperplastic scar were cultured in vitro.When the primary culture was close to 80% fusion,the digestive passage was performed,cultured to the third generation.LPS(0.5 μg/mL) was adopted to stimulate the third generation of normal skin fibroblasts.Defective adenovirus carrying PTEN gene was transfected to the third passage fibroblasts after LPS stimulation.Flow cytometer was adopted to detect the cell cycle.ELISA method was adopted to detect the secreted collagen amont.Results Excessive PTEN expression could inhibit the increase of G2M cell cycle induced by LPS.LPS stimulation could increase the secretion of collagen in skin fibroblasts,yet excessive PTEN expression could inhibit the secretion of collagen induced by LPS.Conclusion LPS could increase the amont of fibroblasts on G2M cell cycle and secretion of collagen,yet excessive PTEN expression can inhibit the effect.

Objective:To investigate the current status and related factors of psychological distress in tele-phone operators.Methods:Totally 575 telephone operators from sample of a convenient survey in a certain telecom-munication company of Shandong Province were selected.They were assessed with Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10),Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10),Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS)and Sim-plified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ)for the evaluation of psychological distress,resilience,perceived social support and the coping style respectively.Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify the related factors of psy-chological distress.Results:The mean score of K10 was (24.7 ±6.7),91.8% (528 /575)of telephone operators had psychological distress.Specifically,24.5%(141 /575)had mild psychological distress,45.4% (261 /575)had moderate psychological distress,21.9% (126 /575)had severe psychological distress.Ordinal logistic regression a-nalysis indicated that the ones with good economic conditions (OR =1.74,95%CI:1.15 -2.63),higher level of re-silience (OR =1.13,95%CI:1.10 -1.17)and other social support (OR =1.07,95%CI:1.02 -1.12)had milder psychological distress;while with negative coping style (OR =0.29,95%CI:0.20 -0.41)had more severe psycho-logical distress.Conclusion:It suggested that the prevalence rate of psychological distress among telephone opera-tors is high.Poor economic conditions,lower level of resilience and social support,and negative coping style might be the related factors of psychological distress.