PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) using either oXiris or conventional hemopurification filters in the treatment of intra-abdominal sepsis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of septic patients with severe intra-abdominal infections admitted to our hospital from October 2019 to August 2023. Patients who meet the criteria for intra-abdominal sepsis based on medical history, symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory/imaging findings were included. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: pregnancy, terminal malignancy, prior CRRT before intensive care unit admission, pre-existing liver or renal failure. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure, oxygenation index, lactic acid level (Lac), platelet count (PLT), neutrophil percentage, serum levels of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, norepinephrine dosage, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores before and after 24 h and 72 h of treatment, as well as ventilator use time, hemopurification treatment time, intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay, and 14-day and 28-day mortality were compared between patients receiving CRRT using either oXiris or conventional hemofiltration. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics 26.0 software, including the construction of predictive models via logistic regression equations and repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Baseline values including time to antibiotic administration, time to source control, and time to initiation of CRRT were similar between the 2 groups (all p>0.05). Patients receiving conventional CRRT exhibited significant changes in HR but of none of the other indexes at the 24 h and 72 h time points (p=0.041, p=0.026, respectively). The oXiris group showed significant improvements in HR, Lac, IL-6, and APACHE II score 24 h after treatment (p<0.05); after 72 h, all indexes were improved except PLT (all p<0.05). Intergroup comparison disclosed significant differences in HR, Lac, norepinephrine dose, APACHE II, SOFA, neutrophil percentage, and IL-6 after 24 h of treatment (p<0.05). Mean arterial pressure, serum levels of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, SOFA score, and norepinephrine dosage were similar between the 2 groups at 24 h (p>0.05). Except for HR, oxygenation index, and PLT, post-treatment change rates of △ (%) were significantly greater in the oXiris group (p < 0.05). Duration of ventilator use, CRRT time, and intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay were similar between the 2 groups (p>0.05). The 14-day mortality rates of the 2 groups were similar (p=0.091). After excluding patients whose CRRT was interrupted, 28-day mortality was significantly lower in the oXiris than in the conventional group (25.0% vs. 54.2%; p=0.050). The 28-day mortality rate increased by 9.6% for each additional hour required for source control and by 21.3% for each 1-point increase in APACHE II score. CONCLUSIONS In severe abdominal infections, the oXiris filter may have advantages over conventional CRRT, which may provide an alternative to clinical treatment. Meanwhile, early active infection source control may reduce the case mortality rate of patients with severe abdominal infections.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sepsis/mortality* ; Aged ; Adult ; Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy/methods* ; Intraabdominal Infections/mortality* ; APACHE ; Organ Dysfunction Scores ; Intensive Care Units ; Treatment Outcome

Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a critical transcription factor that governs the differentiation of cluster of differentiation 4⁺ (CD4⁺) T cells. The pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis are primarily attributed to an immune imbalance stemming from the overproduction of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) by T lymphocytes. However, the role of IRF4 in psoriasis remains unexplored. In this study, we found that IRF4 activity is increased in the cutaneous lesions of patients with psoriasis in response to stimulation by IL-23A and IL-1β. This IRF4 elevation heightens its binding to the E1A binding protein p300 (EP300) promoter, triggering the transcription of downstream retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-γt (RORγt) and increasing the secretion of IL-17A, thereby establishing the IL-1β/IL-23A-IRF4-EP300-RORC-IL-17A inflammatory cascade in psoriasis. The alleviation of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic-like symptoms was achieved through the creation of a Irf4 ^-/- gene deletion mouse model and pharmacological inhibition using antisense oligonucleotides targeted for Irf4. This amelioration was accompanied by a decreased number of IL-17A-producing CD4⁺ T cells in the skin. The findings of this study suggest that IRF4 plays a crucial role in the promotion of inflammation and exacerbation of IMQ-induced psoriasiform dermatitis. Consequently, IRF4 targeting could be a promising therapeutic strategy.

Monosodium urate (MSU)-induced the gouty arthritis (GA) model was used to investigate the effect of Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inhibitor N14 in alleviating GA. Firstly, the effect of NLRP3 inhibitor N14 on the viability of mouse monocyte macrophage J774A.1 was examined by the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The expression of mature interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) p20 in the cell supernatant and the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1 and pro-IL-1β proteins in the cell lysates was detected by Western blot for the inhibitory effect of N14 on the MSU-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in J774A.1 cells. Animal behavioral tests were used to detect redness, swelling, heat and pain in mice with gouty arthritis. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining revealed pathologic changes and inflammatory infiltration in foot sections. Protein expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and pro-IL-1β in mouse hind paw tissues were assessed by Western blot. The effect of N14 on the plasma levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine (CRE), urea, and uric acid (UA) was investigated by the MSU-induced gouty arthritis model in mice. All animal experiments in this paper were approved by the Scientific Ethics Review Board of Qingdao Marine Biomedical Research Institute (grant No. E-MBWNL-2024-20). The experimental results showed that N14 did not exhibit cytotoxicity in mouse monocyte macrophage J774A.1 cells at concentrations up to 100 μmol·L^-1, and N14 effectively prevented MSU-induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In the mouse gouty arthritis model, N14 significantly ameliorated the redness, swelling, heat and pain caused by GA, and down-regulated the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins in mouse hind paw tissues. Meanwhile, N14 appeared to be well tolerated, as it did not significantly affect various biochemical indices in mouse plasma. In conclusion, N14 effectively alleviated GA in mice by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which is important for both prevention and treatment of related diseases.

AIM: To understand the publication status, research trends, and cutting-edge and hot topics in this field by conducting a bibliometrics analysis of relevant literatures on the pathogenesis of primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)in the past 30 a.METHODS:A total of 986 relevant literatures on the pathogenesis of POAG published on the core databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)and Web of Science(WOS)from 1 September 1993 to 1 September 2023 were retrieved. CiteSpace(6.2.R.4)and VOSviewer(1.6.18)software were used to conduct knowledge graph analysis on the retrieved literature, including publication volume, author, research institution, country/region, and keywords.RESULTS:The United States(243 articles)has the highest number of publications, followed by China(121 articles). The foreign institution with the highest number of publications is Harvard University(37 articles), while domestic institutions such as Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, ophthalmology department of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, and Peking University First Hospital tied for the highest number of publications. Louis R. Pasquale(21 articles)is the most prolific English author. Wang Ningli is the most active Chinese researcher in this field. Keywords include trabecular meshwork, intraocular pressure, aqueous humor, glucocorticoid, hemorheology, etc.CONCLUSION: The research on the pathogenesis of POAG is in a period of vigorous development. The United States has the largest number of publications in this field, and Harvard University is a leading institution in this field. The research focus in the field of POAG has shifted from the structural aspect to the genetic level, and gene research and traditional Chinese medicine treatment have broad application prospects in this field.

Placental diseases may affect the outcome of pregnancy and long-term health of the mother and fetus. Fetal fraction is a key indicator for the success of non-invasive prenatal testing, and has been associated with gestational age, body mass index and fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. Many studies have found that fetal fraction is also related to placenta-derived diseases and may become a new predictor for such diseases. This article has summarized the association between the two, with an aim to provide new ideas for the prediction of placental diseases.

Vaccines are among the most effec-tive measures for preventing infectious diseases and play a crucial role in controlling the spread of these diseases.Adjuvants,serving as auxiliary com-ponents in vaccines,are indispensable in the vac-cine development process.Ideal adjuvants not only enhance the immune response,enabling the body to achieve optimal protective immunity but also play important roles in reducing the dosage of im-munogens and lowering vaccine production costs.To meet the demands of novel vaccines,many new types of adjuvants have been developed.However,there is still a lack of adjuvants that are safe,effec-tive,easy to prepare,highly pure,and suitable for a variety of vaccines in clinical settings.This article categorizes adjuvants and summarizes their mecha-nisms of action and characteristics,focusing on tra-ditional aluminum salt adjuvants and more modern lipid-based and nucleic acid-based adjuvants.The summary is based on a computer search of data-bases including PubMed,Embase,The Cochrane Li-brary,CNKI(China National Knowledge Infrastruc-ture),VIP Database,and Wanfang Database,using English search keywords such as Adjuvants,Vac-cine,Vaccine Adjuvant,aluminum salts,MF59,AS03,Toll-like receptor agonist,etc.,and corre-sponding Chinese search terms.The aim is to pro-vide references for the development and applica-tion of adjuvants.

In the process of seeking new strategies to improve the efficacy of antidepressants,traditional Chinese medicine inter-vention has gradually revealed its unique prevention and treat-ment advantages.The dopamine reward system is closely in-volved in the pathological occurrence and development of depres-sion.Currently,research has mostly focused on the functional mechanism of a specific nucleus in the dopamine reward system,and there is less research focused on the functional mechanism of the neural circuit.In the current micro research on reward cir-cuits,the association between abnormal reward circuits and neg-ative emotions such as anxiety and depression has been widely recognized.Traditional Chinese medicine intervention can exert antidepressant effects by influencing reward circuits.This article provides a review on the loop mechanism of dopamine reward system involvement in depression and research on traditional Chinese medicine intervention.

Cancer toxin is a specific pathogenesis leading to the heterogeneity of breast cancer.The nature and virulence of the cancer toxin determine the differences in the heterogeneity of breast cancer,which can dynamically evolve over time and space,resulting in varying invasion abilities and characteristics of the tumor.Cancer cells in the primary lesion possess"toxicity"that targets specific organs for metastasis,and cancer toxins can influence the metastatic propensity of different types of breast cancer.Therefore,breast cancer treatment strategies based on the theory of cancer toxins emphasize the continuous eradication of the cancer toxin,focusing on differentiating its strength and nature,protecting unaffected areas first,identifying the state based on symptoms,and targeting accordingly to combat resistance arising from tumor heterogeneity.This article aims to provide a new theoretical basis for the treatment strategies of different types of breast cancer.

With the population aging, the prevalence rate of cardiovascular diseases in China continues to rise, among which, the mortality rate of aortic diseases is high, the treatment is difficult, and the risk is high. In recent years, the surgical treatment of aortic diseases in China has developed rapidly, and the overall scale has been increasing. This paper introduces the current status of treatment of aortic diseases in China, analyzes the medical quality of endovascular surgery and open surgery, including the number of operations, patient characteristics, mortality, readmission rate and other indicators, and compares the differences among different regions. In addition, advances in the treatment of aortic disease are discussed, including surgical methods, evaluation of effectiveness, and application of new technologies. Overall, China has made some progress in the treatment of aortic diseases, but it still faces the challenge of uneven distribution of medical resources and improvement of medical quality.

Objective:To assess the changes of selenium nutrition of school-age children in Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) areas of Linzhou County, Lhasa City and Xietongmen County, Shigatse City in Tibet Autonomous Region (referred to as Tibet), and provide a scientific basis for evaluating the effectiveness of prevention and control measures.Methods:According to the historical condition of KBD, a total of 344 children's hair samples were collected to determine the content of selenium in Kazi (KBD area) and Jiangxia townships (non-KBD area) of Linzhou County in 2013 and 2021, Renqinze (KBD area) and Tongmen townships (non-KBD area) of Xietongmen County in 2015 and 2021.Results:Compared to 2013/2015, in 2021, the hair selenium level of children in the four townships increased ( P < 0.001). The selenium nutritional level of more than 90% of the children reached medium or above (hair selenium > 0.25 μg/g) in 2021. The hair selenium levels of girls in the two KBD areas (Kazi and Renqinze townships) were lower than those of boys ( Z = - 2.83, - 2.83, P < 0.05). Conclusions:The selenium nutrition level of school-age children in KBD areas in Linzhou and Xietongmen counties has increased rapidly in recent years. However, the selenium nutrition level of girls is significantly lower than that of boys. It is necessary to strengthen prevention, controlling and monitoring, and to further improve the dietary structure of school-age children through the joint efforts of families and schools, to increase the proportion of exogenous high selenium food intake.