Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) was named thus because it is the causative agent of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), with 80% of MCC cases being MCV-positive. MCV has been classified as a 2A carcinogen. It promotes carcinogenesis by integrating T antigens into the cell genome. The anti-MCV seroprevalence in the general population is as high as 90%. Usually, MCV is latent after infection in immunocompetent patients, and the incidence of MCC in immunosuppressive or defective patients, such as those with organ transplants, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and HIV infection, is remarkably high. Patients with HIV/AIDS are a typical population with acquired immunodeficiency. At present, the research on patients with HIV/AIDS and MCV infection, activation, and pathogenesis is limited. In this paper, the progress of previous research is reviewed and the relationship between HIV infection and MCV activation is systematically investigated to provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of MCC in key populations, such as patients with HIV/AIDS.

Objective To investigate the effect of antinuclear antibodies(ANAs)on hormone response in patients with autoimmune hepatitis(AIH)-primary biliary cholangitis(PBC)overlap syndrome(AIH-PBC OS)and AIH-only within half a year.Methods A retrospective analysis of 77 patients with autoimmune liver disease(AILD)admitted to First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University from January 2018 to December 2021,all of whom were confirmed by liver biopsy and receiving glucocorticoid treatment.Among them,46 patients were in AIH-PBC OS group and 31 were in AIH-only group.The general clinical characteristics,liver puncture-related indexes,autoantibodies and immunoglobulin indexes of patients in each group at the time of diagnosis were collected and compared,and the biochemical and immunoglobulin indexes of patients at the time of hormone use and at the time of review within 6 months were also collected,and the hormone response within 6 months was evaluated according to the levels of glutamic transaminase(AST),glutamic alanine transaminase(ALT)and immunoglobulin G(IgG),and the effect of ANAs on hormone response outcomes in both groups over a six-month period was analyzed.Multifactorial ordered logistic analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of ANAs on hormone response between two groups.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of AIH-PBC OS and AIH-only patients among both ANAs-positive and-negative AILD patients(55.6%vs.44.4%and 65.6%vs.34.4%,P>0.05).Among 46 patients with AIH-PBC OS,there were 25 in ANAs-positive group and 21 in ANAs-negative group.The rate of complete hormone response within 6 months was lower than that of ANAs-negative group(44.0%vs.76.2%),while the rate of hormone non-response was higher than that of ANAs-negative group(20.0%vs.0),and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).There were 20 cases of ANAs-positive and 11 cases of ANAs-negative in the 31 AIH-only patients.There was no statistically significant difference in the results of hormone response within 6 months between the two groups(P>0.05).Multifactorial ordered logistic analysis showed that AIH-PBC OS patients were more likely to have a higher likelihood of 6-month hormone non-response rate in ANAs-positive patients,and the difference was statistically different(P<0.05).And there was no significant effect of ANAs type on hormone response outcome in AIH-only patients(P>0.05).Conclusion AIH-PBC OS ANAs-positive patients have a poor hormone response within half a year.In AIH-only patients,ANAs have no significant effect on hormone response results.

AIM To investigate the protective effects and the mechanism of the Liuwei Dihuang Pills on mouse brain microvascular endothelial(bEnd.3)cells damaged by β-Amyloid protein1-40(Aβ1-40).METHODS CCK8 method was used to detect the effects of Aβ1-40 and medicated serum of Liuwei Dihuang Pills(MSLDP)on cell activity,and to screen the appropriate concentration.bEnd.3 cells of the control group,the Aβ1-40 group,the MSLDP+Aβ1-40 group and the MSLDP group had their low density lipoprotein-associated protein 1(LRP1),receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE),matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2),MMP-9,scaffold protein zonule protein-1(ZO-1)detected by Western blot.bEnd.3 cells assigned into the control group,the Aβ1-40 group,the FPS-ZM1(RAGE inhibitor)+Aβ1-40 group and the FPS-ZM1+Aβ1-40+MSLDP group had their expressions of RAGE,MMP-9,MMP-2 and ZO-1 detected by Western blot as well.RESULTS The cell activity of bEnd.3,was dose-dependently decreased by Aβ1-40(P<0.01),but was protected by MSLDP(P<0.05,P<0.01).And 10 μmol/L Aβ1-40 and 10%MSLDP were selected for subsequent experiments.Compared with the control group,the Aβ1-40 group displayed increased protein expressions of RAGE,MMP-2 and MMP-9(P<0.01),decreased protein expressions of LRP1,ZO-1 and BDNF(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased fluorescence intensities of LRP1 and ZO-1(P<0.01).Compared with the Aβ1-40 group,the MSLDP group shared decreased expressions of RAGE,MMP-2,MMP-9 proteins and RAGE fluorescence intensity(P<0.05,P<0.01),and increased expressions of LRP1,ZO-1 and BDNF proteins,and the fluorescence intensity of LRP1 and ZO-1(P<0.05,P<0.01);the Aβ1-40+FPS-ZM1 group displayed decreased protein expressions of MMP-2,MMP9 and RAGE(P<0.05,P<0.01),and increased ZO-1 protein expression(P<0.05);and the Aβ1-40+FPS-ZM1+ MSLDP group displayed an even more decreased protein expressions of MMP-2,MMP9 and RAGE(P<0.01),increased ZO-1 protein expression(P<0.01)due to the the combination use of FPS-ZM1 and MSLDP.CONCLUSION Liuwei Dihuang Pills can protect the tight junction of bEnd.3 injured by Aβ1-40 and neurovascular units from Alzheimer's disease by alleviating the dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier via RAGE-mediated MMP-2/MMP-9 pathway inhibition.

Teratoma is a type of germ cell tumor that derived from all the three embryonic layers which are endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. The commonest site of extragonadal germ cell tumor is at the mediastinum, which accounts for 50-70% of all mediastinal tumor. Intrapleural teratoma is exteremely rare, with only one previously reported case to date. Teratoma is usually a slow growing tumor, and symptoms typically presented late as a result of compression or obstruction to the surrounding structures. Due to its rare occurrence, intrapleural teratoma can pose a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Familiarity with the presentation and imaging findings is therefore of great values which can guide the diagnosis and later the specific management plans. This case report highlights the rare case of intrapleural teratoma and summarizes the presentations and imaging findings of intrapleural teratoma which was initially misdiagnosed as empyema thoracis. Several learning points from this case were outlined.

Through a compound induction method, combined with neurobehavioral, macroscopic characterization and objective pathological evaluation indicators, a murine depression model of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome was constructed and confirmed. The model was constructed using a combination of sleep deprivation, light exposure, and alternate-day food deprivation. Evaluation was conducted at three levels: face validity, constructs validity, and predictive validity. The establishment of the liver depression transforming into fire syndrome depression model was further validated through the counterproof of traditional Chinese medicine formulas. In terms of face validity, compared to the control group, mice in the model group exhibited typical depressive symptoms in neurobehavioral assessments; the general observation of the model group mice reveals disheveled and lackluster fur, along with delayed and easily agitated responses. Additionally, there is a substantial increase in water consumption. In the sleep phase detection of mouse, the model group showed a significant increase in the proportion of time spent in the wake phase during sleep, accompanied by a significant decrease in the proportions of time spent in both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep phases. There are significant differences in physiological indicators such as average blood flow velocity, blood flow rate, tongue, urine, and claw color (r values) in the internal carotid artery. Structural validity demonstrated that levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the hippocampus of model mice decreased significantly, while acetylcholine (ACh), tryptophan (Try), and glutamic acid (Glu) levels increased significantly. Treatment with Danzhi Xiaoyao San led to varying degrees of restoration in the aforementioned neurotransmitters. In terms of predictive validity, the antidepressant paroxetine effectively ameliorated depressive behaviors in the model mice, and the classic formula Danzhi Xiaoyao San demonstrated varying degrees of improvement in depression-related indicators. In conclusion, this study has established a novel animal model of liver-stagnation with the fire depression, thereby expanding the repertoire of traditional Chinese medicine depression models. This development contributes to the diversification of melancholic syndrome models in Chinese medicine, offering a broader spectrum of options for scientific exploration, efficacy evaluation, and drug screening in the future prevention and treatment of depression with traditional Chinese medicine. Animal experiments were conducted with the approval and supervision of the Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ethics number: 20230313040).

A high-throughput three-dimensional (3D) hepatocyte culture model is constructed in this study. It is capable of replicating the 3D in vivo environment and offers the advantages of high throughput, enhanced reproducibility, low cost, and simplified operation, rendering a valuable tool for hepatotoxicity screening of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). First, we constructed the 3D high throughput liver chip model using collagen hydrogel. The precision and its difference with traditional cell culture plates were assessed using acetaminophen, Tripterygium hypoglaucum, and Qili San as the references. The feasibility of this model was also investigated by comparing the hepatotoxicity among four batches of T. hypoglaucum and Qili San. The methodology verification shows that the 3D hepatocyte model is better than traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture model in precision and feasibility. Subsequently, we compared the hepatotoxicity of different samples over a period of three or seven days and found that the hepatotoxicity of TCM extracts increased over time. Finally, we compared the hepatotoxicity of T. hypoglaucum and its compound formula Kunxian capsule under equivalent concentration. The results showed that the compound Kunxian capsule could significantly reduce hepatotoxicity of T. hypoglaucum. Generally, we constructed a high-throughput, robust 3D liver-on-a-chip model with the potential of rapid assessing TCM-induced liver toxicity.

Orodispersible films (oral dispersible films), a novel form of oral solid dosage forms, are widely used for patients with dysphagia and those with uncontrollable autonomic behavior. In this study, suvorexant orodispersible film was prepared by hot melt extrusion technology, and the disintegration time, mechanical properties, in vitro dissolution and pharmacokinetics were evaluated, compared with other orodispersible films and commercially available tablets Belsomra. All experiments were approved by the Committee on the Management and Use of Laboratory Animals of Academy of Military Medical Sciences (IACUC-DWZX-2024-504). The results showed that the dissolution rate of suvorexant orodispersible film was faster and the mechanical strength was better than that of other commercially available orodispersible film, which could meet the needs of storage and transportation. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results showed that suvorexant was dispersed within the orodispersible film in an amorphous state. The in vitro dissolution of the film was observed to be four times faster than that of the commercial tablets, achieving complete dissolution within five minutes. Pharmacokinetic evaluations in Beagle dogs revealed that the self-formulated orodispersible film exhibited no significant differences in the area under the blood concentration-time curve when compared with Belsomra. However, the film showed a faster onset of action, with a peak time that was twice as rapid, and a maximum blood concentration that was twice as high as that of Belsomra. Leveraging hot melt extrusion technology, the suvorexant orodispersible film offers a straightforward, continuous production process with consistent quality. It serves as an excellent platform for the development of solvent-free film preparations tailored for patients with special needs.

The rheological properties of drug and carrier materials have a wide range of guiding significance for the formulation and process development of solid dispersions. In this study, the rheological properties of materials with different drug carrier ratios were systematically studied with suvorexant as the model drug and copovidone as the carrier material, which provided a sufficient basis for determining the formulation and process of solid dispersions. The optimal suvorexant-copovidone ratio obtained by oscillating temperature scanning was 1∶4. If the ratio is greater than 1∶ 4, the glass transformation temperature of the material will increase significantly, and the solubilization effect of the solid dispersion will show a downward trend. The results of oscillation temperature scanning and oscillation temperature sweep can show that when the extrusion temperature is greater than 150 ℃, the viscosity of the material is less than 10 000 Pa·s, and the melt can be extruded smoothly, and the best extrusion temperature of 160-180 ℃ can be obtained by combining the dissolution results. Finally, the dissolution of suvorexant tablets guided by rheological property studies in multiple media is similar to that of the commercially available tablets Belsomra. Therefore, rheological studies can screen and optimize the formulation and process of suvorexant solid dispersions at the mechanism level, which is of great significance to improve the success rate of R&D and shorten the R&D cycle of solid dispersions prepared by hot melt extrusion.

Objective To compare the effects of different dose prediction models of sufentanil in elderly hip arthroplasty with ultrasound-guided bow tie fascia iliac block.Methods A total of 90 elderly patients who underwent ultrasound-guided bow tie fascia iliac during hip arthroplasty in our hospital from June 2018 to June 2022 were selected.The dose of sufentanil was determined by a linear regression(ALR),multiple linear regression(MLR)or deep belief networks(DBN).Patients were randomly divided into the ALR group,the MLR group and the DBN group,with 30 cases in each group.The analgesic effect,hemodynamic index,inflammatory factor level and surgical index were compared among all groups.Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the incidence of hip infection 2 weeks after surgery in each group.Results There was no significant difference in the gender,age,body weight,American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)classification or complications among all groups(P>0.05).The Harris score 24 hours after surgery and duration of sensory block in the DBN group were higher/longer than those in the ALR group,numerical rating scale(NRS)score 24 hours after surgery,mean arterial pressure(MAP)and heart rate(HR)at the beginning of surgery and 30 minutes after surgery,levels of interleukin-17(IL-17)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)24 hours after surgery,onset time of sensory block,and number of patient controlled analgesia(PCA)compression were lower/earlier/less than those in the ALR group,the modified observer's assessment of alertness/sedation scale(OAA/S)score 24 hours after surgery was significantly lower than those in the ALR group and the MLR group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Harris score 24 hours after surgery and duration of sensory block in the MLR group were higher/longer than those in the ALR group,modified OAA/S score 12 hours after surgery,MAP 30 minutes after surgery,levels of IL-17 and TNF-α 24 hours after surgery,onset time of sensory block,and the number of PCA compressions were lower/longer/less than those in the ALR group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that there were significant differences in the incidences of hip infection 2 weeks after surgery among all groups(P<0.05),and there were significant differences in the incidences of hip infection 2 weeks after surgery between the ALR group and the DBN group(P<0.05).Conclusion The effectiveness of calculating the dose of sufentanil using the MLR and DBN in elderly hip arthroplasty with bow tie fascia iliac block is better than that of ALR,and the advantage of DBN is more obvious.

Objective To investigate the safety of using a self-made new type non-inflatable retractor for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via submental and vestibular approach(TOETSMVA).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the surgical records of 119 cases of unilateral thyroid lobe tumor from January 2021 to June 2022.Among them,37 cases underwent non-inflatable TOETSMVA by using a new type non-inflatable retractor(non-inflatable group),37 cases underwent traditional inflatable TOETSMVA(inflatable group),and 45 cases underwent traditional open anterior cervical thyroid surgery(open group).The differences in surgical indicators,postoperative complications,and patient satisfaction with incision were compared among the three groups.Results Compared with the open group,the non-inflatable group had longer operation time[(131.0±20.1)min vs.(81.1±15.7)min,P=0.000],but less intraoperative blood loss[19(15,27)ml vs.30(25,37)ml,P=0.000],lower pain score on the first day after surgery[(4.8±2.1)points vs.(6.4±1.9)points,P=0.000],and higher patient's satisfaction with the incision(the number of cases of very dissatisfied,dissatisfied,satisfied,comparatively satisfied,and very satisfied were 0,0,6,16,15 vs.4,3,19,17,2,P=0.000).Compared with the inflatable group,the non-inflatable group had shorter surgical time[(131.0±20.1)min vs.(141.8±22.9)min,P=0.019],and there were no statistically significant differences in intraoperative bleeding volume,pain score on the first day after surgery,and patient satisfaction with the incision(P＞0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the number of lymph node dissection,total postoperative drainage volume,and parathyroid hormone(PTH)levels on the first day after surgery among the three groups(P＞0.05).Postoperative bleeding occurred in 1 case in the open group,and 1 case of hoarseness and 1 case of subcutaneous ecchymosis of the neck were noted in the non-inflatable group.No tracheoesophageal injury,severe subcutaneous emphysema,hypercapnia,or gas embolism happened among the three groups.Conclusions The new type non-inflatable retractor can effectively maintain space during TOETSMVA surgery.Compared with traditional open anterior cervical thyroid surgery and conventional inflatable TOETSMVA,it has better surgical safety.