OBJECTIVE: Cassiae Semen (CS, Juemingzi in Chinese) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with a variety of pharmacological effects. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of anthraquinones of CS (AQS) for adiposity. METHODS: The chemical components of the AQS were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Network pharmacology analysis was used to predict potential anti-obesity targets of action for AQS. We constructed high fat with high sugar water diet-induced obese mice and observed their body weight and whole-body lipid metabolism to evaluate the efficacy of AQS in promoting lipid metabolism. Subsequently, the epidermal temperature at the brown adipose tissue (BAT) before and after cold stimulation was observed and the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in the liver and BAT tissues was detected to clarify the mechanism of action of AQS. RESULTS: Network pharmacology analysis showed that AQS was involved in the regulation of liver and adipose tissue function under obesity. Pathological and biochemical results showed that AQS reduced lipid accumulation in the liver and adipose tissue induced by an unhealthy diet. With the increase of cold tolerance, the volume and weight of BAT were increased by AQS, suggesting that it regulated the body heat production dominated by BAT. After AQS treatment, the levels of genes related to uncoupling protein1 (UCP1)-mediated adaptive thermogenesis in BAT tissues and lipid metabolism in the liver were also increased, which further proved that AQS activated BAT function to promote lipid metabolism in the whole body. CONCLUSION This study revealed the pharmacological effects of AQS, thereby providing a scientific basis for regulating BAT thermogenesis and liver lipid metabolism to alleviate obesity and providing clues for further exploring the application of natural active ingredients in the treatment of metabolism-related diseases.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of lower respiratory tract infections oc-currence and respiratory system prognosis in infantile stage of children patients with bronchopulmonary dys-plasia(BPD).Methods Fifty premature infants with lower respiratory tract infection and BPD treated in this hospital from March 2017 to December 2020 were selected as the BPD group and 50 preterm infants with low-er respiratory tract infection without BPD during the same period were selected as the non-BPD group.The clinical data and occurrence situation of respiratory system diseases within 3 years after birth in the two groups were collected and analyzed.Results Compared with the non-BPD group,the incidence rates of tachy-pnoea(48.0%vs.12.0%),wheeze(44.0%vs.10.0%),wheezing rale(44.0%vs.10.0%),three concave sign(28.0%vs.8.0%),cyanosis(20.0%vs.4.0%),severe pneumonia(48.0%vs.12.0%)and respirato-ry failure(20.0%vs.4.0%)in the BPD group were higher,the hospitalization duration[7.5(7.0,10.0)d vs.7.0(6.0,7.0)d]was longer,the reaching peak time ratio[18.20%(14.65%,22.25%)vs.24.85%(19.55%,32.78%)],the reaching peak volume ratio[22.15%(19.43%,23.83%)vs.25.65%(22.40%,34.90%)]and the inspiratory/expiratory ratio(0.70±0.12 vs.0.76±0.11)were lower,the 3-year total lower respiratory tract infection times[5.0(4.0,10.0)times vs.3.0(2.0,5.0)times],wheeze times[2.0(1.0,4.0)times vs.0.5(0,1.0)times],the hospitalization times[3.00(2.00,5.00)times vs.2.00(1.00,2.00)times],severe pneumonia times[2.0(1.0,2.0)times vs.1.0(0,1.0)times]and wheeze times in differ-ent ages were more,total hospitalization duration[29.50(19.50,38.25)d vs.13.00(7.00,17.75)d]was lon-ger,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The children patients with BPD are prone to lower respiratory tract infections,especially 0-<1 years old,the proportion of severe pneumonia af-ter infection is higher and wheezing is easily to develop.

Objective To compare the safety of laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy(LPD)and open pancreatoduodenectomy(OPD)and analyze the learning curve and safety at different stages of LPD.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 50 LPD patients and 54 OPD patients in the Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery of Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to June 2024,and intraoperative and postoperative conditions were compared.The Cumulative Sum(CUSUM)analysis method was used to analyze the technical nodes of the LPD learning curve.Results There were no significant differences in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the LPD group and the OPD group(P＞0.05).There was also no significant difference in the incidence rates of pancreatic fistula(grade B and C),delayed gastric emptying,postoperative bleeding,biliary fistula and intra-abdominal infection between the LPD group and the OPD group(P＞0.05).A time series plot of operation time was drawn based on the patient's operation time and surgical sequence,yielding a fitted curve.Curve analysis showed initial stage and stable stage were finished at the 17th and 24th cases.The LPD learning curve could be divided into three stages:stage Ⅰ characterized as the initial stage(cases 1 to 17),stage Ⅱ characterized as the stable stage(cases 18 to 24),and stage Ⅲ characterized as the proficient stage(cases 25 to 50).The operation time in stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ was significantly shorter than that in stage Ⅰ,and the intraoperative blood loss in stage Ⅰ was significantly higher than that in stage Ⅲ(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications among the three stages(P＞0.05).Conclusion LPD and OPD show no significant differences in indications and safety.The LPD learning curve can be divided into three stages.As the number of surgeries completed increa-ses,the operation time of physicians gradually shortens,and the incidence of complications of patients gradually decreases.

Objective To explore the correlation between serum vitamin D(VD3)level differences and immune inflammatory markers in elderly sepsis patients.Methods A total of 103 elderly patients with sepsis(aged 65-99 years)in the ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2020 to December 2022 were collected and divided into two groups according to the diagnostic criteria for VD3 deficiency:VD3 deficiency group(n=32)and VD3 severe deficiency group(n=71).Correlation analysis was conducted by comparing the differences in serum 25-(OH)-D3(VD3)levels,immune function-related indicators upon admission(blood routine,infection-related proteins,combined detection of 12 cytokines,absolute count analysis of lymphocytes and subgroups,quantitative determination of infection-related immune cells,immunoglobulin,and complement),illness severity,and prognostic indicators(APACHE-II score,SOFA score,duration of ICU stay,and 28-day mortality rate).Result(1)Serum VD3 levels were lower in elderly patients with sepsis.No patient was in the VD3 normal or insufficient group.Patients with severe VD3 deficiency had higher APACHE-II scores,SOFA scores,and 28-day mortality rates than those with VD3 deficiency,and these scores were negatively correlated with serum VD3 levels(P<0.001),while the difference in ICU stay duration between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05);(2)WBC,PCT,CRP,and CD4/CD8 in the VD3 deficiency group were all lower than those in the VD3 severe deficiency group(P<0.05),while IL-6,IL-10,CD45+,CD3+/CD45+,and CD19+Abs were all higher than those in the VD3 severe deficiency group(P<0.05);In the VD3 deficiency group,VD3 levels were positively correlated with CD45+(P<0.05 for all),while negatively correlated with IL-6,IL-10,PCT,and CRP(P<0.05 for all);In the VD3 severe deficiency group,there were fewer corre-lation indicators and the correlation strength was not as strong as that in the VD3 deficiency group.Conclusion(1)Elderly patients with sepsis generally have lower levels of VD3,with lower levels associated with more severe illness and poorer prognosis;(2)In elderly sepsis patients,compared to patients with severe VD3 deficiency,patients with VD3 deficiency have lower levels of inflammation,stronger cellular immune response,and stronger correlation,suggesting that the effects of different VD3 levels on immune inflammatory responses may vary in elderly sepsis patients.

Sepsis is a syndrome caused by a dysregulated host response to infection that leads to life-threatening organ dysfunction.The immune response in sepsis is usually divided into two stages:hyperimmunity and immunosuppression.Immunosuppression is considered as the main cause of secondary infection and increased mortality in patients.This article reviews the main mechanisms of immunosuppression in sepsis,including dysfunction of immune cells,release of immunosuppressive cytokines,excessive activation of immunomodulatory cells,increased expression of immune checkpoints,and epigenetic dysregulation that have attracted much attention in recent years.At the same time,it also summarizes the existing and some new immunotherapy strategies.It includes immunostimulatory cytokines(such as GM-CSF,IL-7,IL-15),immune checkpoint inhibitors(such as PD-1/PD-L1 antibody,CTLA-4 antibody,TIM-3 antibody)and emerging immunotherapy methods(such as mesenchymal stem cells,calprotectin inhibitors,triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 inhibitors).This article focuses on epigenetic regulation mechanisms and emerging immunotherapies such as mesenchymal stem cells,aiming to provide theoretical support for individualized precision immunotherapy in patients with sepsis.

Traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome (TSOFS) is a symptom complex caused by nerve entrapment in the supraorbital fissure after skull base trauma. If the compressed cranial nerve in the supraorbital fissure is not decompressed surgically, ptosis, diplopia and eye movement disorder may exist for a long time and seriously affect the patients′ quality of life. Since its overall incidence is not high, it is not familiarized with the majority of neurosurgeons and some TSOFS may be complicated with skull base vascular injury. If the supraorbital fissure surgery is performed without treatment of vascular injury, it may cause massive hemorrhage, and disability and even life-threatening in severe cases. At present, there is no consensus or guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS that can be referred to both domestically and internationally. To improve the understanding of TSOFS among clinical physicians and establish standardized diagnosis and treatment plans, the Skull Base Trauma Group of the Neurorepair Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Traumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized relevant experts to formulate Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome ( version 2024) based on evidence of evidence-based medicine and clinical experience of diagnosis and treatment. This consensus puts forward 12 recommendations on the diagnosis, classification, treatment, efficacy evaluation and follow-up of TSOFS, aiming to provide references for neurosurgeons from hospitals of all levels to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS.

Objective:To investigate the role of group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) in skin wound healing, and to explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods:Twenty-four 5-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly and equally allocated into 3 groups: the skin wound + ILC3 inhibitor group (referred to as ILC3 inhibitor group), the skin wound group, and the control group, with 8 mice in each group. Four days before the establishment of the wound model, mice in the ILC3 inhibitor group were intraperitoneally injected with 1 μg of ILC3 inhibitor every 2 days for a total of 2 doses, mice in the skin wound group were injected with an equal volume of physiological saline solution, and mice in the control group were fed normally. To establish a mouse skin wound model, a full-thickness circular incision with a diameter of 0.6 cm was made around the midpoint of the dorsal midline using a biopsy punch after the intraperitoneal injection of anesthetics, which was histologically confirmed to be a full-thickness injury. The size of the wounds was observed and recorded, photographs of the wounds were taken on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 after wounding, and corresponding wound healing rates were calculated. On day 9 after wounding, tissue samples were collected from the wound edges, and subjected to flow cytometry analysis to quantify ILC3 infiltrating around the skin wound, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed to assess the healing status of the skin wounds. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to determine the mRNA expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR), Notch1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) -17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 in the wound-edge tissues, and Western blot analysis to determine their protein expression. Statistical analysis was carried out by using one-way analysis of variance and t test. Results:On day 9 after wounding, the skin wound group showed an increased number of ILC3 in the wound-edge tissues (5.31% ± 1.47% vs. 3.10% ± 0.54%, P < 0.01), increased mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, IL-22, IL-17A, and IL-17F (all P < 0.05), but decreased mRNA and protein expression of VDR (both P < 0.05) compared with the control group; the protein expression of Notch1 was significantly higher in the skin wound group than in the control group ( P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in its mRNA expression between the two groups ( P > 0.05). On days 1, 3 and 5, the wound healing rates were significantly higher in the ILC3 inhibitor group (45.17% ± 9.90%, 61.58% ± 11.61%, 75.61% ± 9.12%, respectively) than in the skin wound group (25.87% ± 10.96%, 47.78% ± 13.81%, 64.55% ± 10.29%, respectively, all P < 0.05). On day 9, the ILC3 inhibitor group showed a decreased number of ILC3 around the wound (2.69% ± 0.95%, P < 0.01), decreased mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, IL-22, IL-17A, and IL-17F in the wound-edge tissues (all P < 0.05), but increased mRNA and protein expression of Notch1 and VDR in the wound-edge tissues (all P < 0.05) compared with the skin wound group. On day 9 after wounding, histopathological examination with HE staining revealed continuous and intact epithelial structure, as well as dense and neatly arranged collagen fibers in the ILC3 inhibitor group, and the structures of hair follicles, blood vessels, and sebaceous glands were similar to those in the control group. Conclusions:Skin ILC3 infiltrated local wounds and were involved in the skin wound healing process through inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22. Downregulating the number of ILC3 may promote skin wound healing by activating VDR and Notch1, as well as inhibiting the TNF-α signaling pathway and the expression of downstream inflammatory factors.

Clinicians need to focus on various points in the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.This article prescribed the treatment protocol based on the unique features,such as insomnia in the elderly,women experiencing specific physiologi-cal periods,children insomnia,insomnia in sleep-breathing disorder patients,insomnia in patients with chronic liver and kidney dysfunction.It pro-vides some reference for clinicians while they make decision on diagnosis,differentiation and treat-ment methods.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by a dysregulated immune microenvironment, posing formidable challenges for effective treatment. The disease is characterized by an altered glucose metabolism in macrophages, specifically an increase in aerobic glycolysis, which is linked to heightened inflammatory responses. This suggests that targeting macrophage metabolism could offer a new therapeutic avenue. In this study, we developed an immunometabolic intervention using quercetin (Q) encapsulated in bioadhesive mesoporous polydopamine (Q@MPDA) to treat periodontitis. Our results demonstrated that Q@MPDA could reprogram inflammatory macrophages to an anti-inflammatory phenotype (i.e., from-M1-to-M2 repolarization). In a murine periodontitis model, locally administered Q@MPDA reduced the presence of inflammatory macrophages, and decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the periodontium. Consequently, it alleviated periodontitis symptoms, reduced alveolar bone loss, and promoted tissue repair. Furthermore, our study revealed that Q@MPDA could inhibit the glycolysis of inflammatory macrophages while enhancing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), facilitating the shift from M1 to M2 macrophage subtype. Our findings suggest that Q@MPDA is a promising treatment for periodontitis via immunometabolic rewiring.

The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of c(RGDyK) peptide modified mesenchymal stem cell exosomes loaded with ginsenoside Rg1 (G-Rg1) on ischemic stroke. Thread-tying method was used to establish SD rats transient middle cerebral occlusion model (tMCAO). The model rats were randomly divided into tMCAO group, Exo group, free G-Rg1 group, Exo-Rg1 group and cRGD-Exo-Rg1 group, and sham group was used as control. The infarct volume was measured by 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrachloride (TTC) staining, the changes of neuron and endothelium were observed by immunofluorescence, and the expression of related proteins was detected by Western blotting. The results showed that cRGD-Exo-Rg1 up-regulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1α) by activating PI3K/AKT pathway, thus promoting angiogenesis and neurogenesis, effectively reducing the volume of cerebral infarction and improving neural function. In addition, the delivery of cRGD-Exo-Rg1 to ischemic brain tissue up-regulated the expression of occludin and claudin-5, and reduced the injury of blood-brain barrier. Taken together, cRGD-Exo-Rg1 was effective in the treatment of ischemic stroke by promoting angiogenesis and neurogenesis, which provided experimental evidence for the potential clinical benefits of other neuroprotective therapies.
Rats ; Animals ; Ischemic Stroke/drug therapy* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Ginsenosides/therapeutic use*