Objective To investigate the risk factors for early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke，to construct a clinical predictive model，and to perform internal validation of this model. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 739 patients with mild acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to Department of Neurology，Kuntong Hospital of Zunhua，from October 2020 to December 2023，and they were randomly divided into a training set with 534 patients （72.3%） and a validation set with 205 patients （27.7%） at a ratio of 7∶3. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed for the training set to determine the risk factors for early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke. A clinical predictive model was constructed，and internal validation was performed in terms of discriminatory ability，calibration，and clinical decision making. A nomogram was plotted. Results The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female sex （OR=1.87，95% CI 1.14~3.09，P=0.014），time window ≤6 hours （OR=3.10，95%CI 1.56~6.19，P=0.001），a baseline NIHSS score of 2 points （OR=3.72，95%CI 1.30~10.61，P=0.014），a baseline NIHSS score of 3 points （OR=4.24，95%CI 1.45~12.35，P=0.008），a TOAST classification of large artery atherosclerosis （OR=3.88，95%CI 2.20~6.83，P<0.001），and the responsible arteries of the basilar artery，the middle cerebral artery，and the internal carotid artery （OR=8.39，95%CI 2.28~30.85，P=0.001； OR=6.22，95%CI 1.78~21.71，P=0.004； OR=5.38，95%CI 1.15~25.13，P=0.032） were independent risk factors for early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke. The clinical predictive model constructed showed a moderate discriminatory ability （AUC>0.7），good calibration （P>0.05） in the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test），and good clinical benefits in both the training set and the validation set. Conclusion This clinical predictive model can effectively predict the onset of early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke and guide clinicians to make decisions，and therefore，it holds promise for clinical application.
Nomograms

Based on the interaction between supramolecule of traditional Chinese medicine and enterobacteria, the material basis of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma was explored. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to characterize the morphological differences of Rhubarb single decoction, Coptis single decoction and Rhubarb and Coptis co-decoction. An in vitro antibacterial model (E. coli, E. faecium and B. subtilis) was established to evaluate the damage effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma on enterobacteria. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the changes of chemical components of single decoctions and co-decoctions. The co-decoction of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma was turbid after decocting. The spherical particles of 300-400 nm were observed under SEM, and the co-decoction was more uniform and stable than that of single decoction. The interaction between supramolecules formed after the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma and enterobacteria was significantly different from that of single decoction. In the process of interaction between supramolecules and enterobacteria, the spherical state was maintained, and the medicinal ingredients in Coptidis Rhizoma or Rhei Radix et Rhizoma were blocked, which could effectively alleviate the damage to enterobacteria. This study provided a reference for subsequent studies on the regulation of intestinal flora homeostasis by the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma.

Objective By analyzing relevant literature of long COVID,we aimed to understand the current research status,hotspots and trends in this field.Methods Based on Web of Science core collection data,bibliometric analysis was used as the main research method.The results were visualized with VOSviewer.A comprehensive analysis was performed from various perspectives including trends in publication,journal distribution,highly cited papers,international research collaboration networks,and clusters of keywords,etc.Results The field of long COVID has garnered significant global academic attention.A total of 7 877 related articles were retrievable,with a total citation count of 103 389 and an average citation count of 13.13 per article.Among them,the United States published the most articles(1 780 articles,22.59%),while China ranked fifth in publication volume(686 articles,8.71%).The international scientific cooperation network reflected the close collaborative relationships between countries in long COVID research,predominantly involving the United States,the United Kingdom,Italy,India,and China.Keywords clustering indicated that the current main research focuses in the long COVID field include:clinical manifestations,epidemiological characteristics,risk factors,and mechanisms of occurrence,treatment and rehabilitation measures of long COVID,and its impact on public and social life.Conclusion This article reveals the current state,research hotspots and trends in the long COVID field,providing valuable references for related research institutions,scholars as well as health administrative office.

Objective To explore the effect of miRNA-222-3p in endothelial progenitor cell-derived exosomes(EPCs-Exo)on skin wound healing in diabetic mice.Methods Endothelial progenitor cell(EPCs)derived from C57BL/6 mouse bone marrow were identified by fluorescence staining.Subsequently,EPCs-Exo isolated from the media of EPCs were identified,and high-throughput sequencing of EPCs-Exo miRNA was completed.The skin injury model of diabetic mice was established.According to different groups,the wounds were treated with externally ap-plied phosphate buffer solution(PBS)and EPCs-Exo;Subcutaneous injection of PBS,agomiR-222-3p,and an-tagomiR-222-3p at the edge of the wound was performed continuously for 14 days,and the wound healing rate was observed.Meanwhile,immunofluorescence methods were used to investigate the changes in the expression levels of ROS,CD31,and VEGF in the wound margin tissue before and after treatment.Results EPCs-Exo significantly ac-celerated skin wound healing in diabetic mice,reduced the level of ROS,and increased the expression level of VEGF and CD31 in the wound margin tissue(P＜0.05).High-throughput sequencing showed that miRNA-222-3p was highly expressed in EPCs-Exo.Local subcutaneous injection of miRNA-222-3p into wound margin tissue signifi-cantly promoted the skin wound healing of diabetic mice,reduced the level of ROS,and increased the expression level of VEGF and CD31 in the wound margin tissue(P＜0.05).Conclusion MiRNA-222-3p promotes wound healing in diabetic mice and plays an important role in EPCs-Exo promoting wound healing.

ObjectiveTo comprehensively elucidate the potential mechanisms of Xiao Xumingtang （XXMT） combined with electroacupuncture （EA） collaboratively in alleviating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion （I/R） injury. MethodThe rat model of cerebral I/R injury was established using the modified suture-occluded method. Seven days after modeling， rats in the XXMT+EA groups were administered XXMT at low （15 g·kg^-1）， medium （30 g·kg^-1）， and high （60 g·kg^-1） doses， alongside daily 20-min EA treatment （stimulating acupoints GV14 and GV20）. Cerebral infarction and neuronal damage were evaluated using the Zea Longa test score， TTC staining， and TUNEL staining. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of NOD-like receptor hot protein domain related protein 3 （NLRP3）， Gasdermin D （GSDMD）， cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 （Caspase-1）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-18 （IL-18） in the ischemic area of the cerebral cortex. ResultCompared with the sham group， the I/R group showed a significant increase in neurological deficit scores and infarct volume （P<0.01）， along with a higher apoptosis rate of cortical neurons and elevated mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3， GSDMD， Caspase-1， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.05）. In contrast， the medium- and high-dose XXMT combined with EA treatment significantly reduced neurological deficit scores and infarct volume （P<0.01）， and decreased the apoptosis rate of cortical neurons as well as the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3， GSDMD， Caspase-1， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.05）. The improvement showed a dose-dependent relationship with XXMT. ConclusionThe combined use of XXMT and EA can exert neuroprotective effects by modulating the NLRP3/GSDMD/Caspase-1 signaling pathway， thereby reducing neurological deficits， minimizing brain infarct size， and improving cortical neuronal damage.

ObjectiveAlveolar macrophages (AMs) are critical for maintaining the homeostasis of pulmonary microenvironment. They process surfactants to ensure alveoli patency, and also serve as the first line of immune defense against pathogen invasion. Available studies have shown that monocyte-derived AMs continuously release pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, recruiting other immune cells to the damaged area during pulmonary fibrosis. These monocyte-derived AMs maintains and amplifies inflammation, playing a negative role in pulmonary fibrosis progression. Current researches have predominantly focused on the gene expression levels of AMs in pulmonary fibrosis microenvironment, with less emphasis on the function and regulation of proteins. This study aims to investigate the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of AMs under normal physiological conditions and after pulmonary fibrosis, in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role of AMs in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. MethodsFirstly, the construction of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse models was evaluated through using measurements such as body mass, lung coefficient, lungwet-to-dry mass ratio, H&E staining and Masson staining. Subsequently, AMs from both the saline controls and the pulmonary fibrosis models (2.5×10⁵ cells per sample) were collected using FACS sorting, and protein expression profiles of these cells were obtained through label-free proteomics approach. The quality of the proteomic data was assessed by comparing our saline control proteomic data with public proteomic data of physiological AMs. Thirdly, DEPs analysis between the saline controls and the bleomycin groups was carried out using R package Prostar. Functional enrichment analyses of significantly upregulated DEPs were performed using R package Clusterprofiler for GO and KEGG pathways. Finally, the STRING database was used to explore the protein-protein interaction networks related to phagocytosis regulation, inflammatory response regulation, andI-κB/NF-κB signaling pathway. The expression levels of Tlr2 and Pycard were detected respectively by FACS and western blotting. ResultsCompared to the saline controls, mice in the bleomycin groups exhibited a lower average body mass, extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells, and deposition of collagen in the lungs. This indicates that bleomycin successfully induced pulmonary fibrosis in mouse models. The proteomic data of AMs obtained from these models was of high quality and fulfilled the research requirements. A comprehensive analysis showed that 778 proteins were upregulated in pulmonary fibrosis groups compared with control groups. Moreover, the signal pathways enriched in up-regulated DEPs were related to the I‑κB/NF‑κB pathway, inflammatory response regulation, phagocytosis regulation, TGF-β signaling, and HIF-1 pathway, indicating that AMs in pulmonary fibrosis microenvironment exerted pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic functions. Protein-protein interaction network analysis of the DEPs suggested that the interactions between Tlr2 and Pycard were control nodes for the pro-inflammatory phenotype of AMs, thereby contributing to pulmonary fibrosis progression. Further validation by FACS and Western blotting respectively confirmed that the expression levels of Tlr2 and Pycard in AMs were significantly increased after pulmonary fibrosis. ConclusionThis study investigates the changes in the protein expression profile of AMs in the pulmonary fibrosis microenvironment. The results show that AMs notably enhanced the activity of various pathways associated with inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting that the interaction between Tlr2 and Pycard serves as a key control node for the highly pro-inflammatory behavior of AMs.

The effect of different concentrations of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and Zn²⁺ on the self-assembly of metal complexes was investigated by forming metal complexes, and the properties and assembly mechanisms of the formed carrier-free supramolecular hydrogel were characterised. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and zeta potential were used to characterise the microscopic morphology and stability of the GA-Zn complex hydrogel, which had spherical-like particles of about 1 μm with good stability; the rheometer was used to detect its materialistic properties, which showed excellent stability, self-healing property and reversibility; through in vitro bacterial inhibition, it was found that the GA-Zn carrier-free supramolecular hydrogel has enhanced bacterial inhibition function after assembly. The hydrogel was also found to possess both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant efficacy when evaluated using LPS and H₂O₂ induced RAW 264.7 cell damage models, respectively. The above results suggest that GA-Zn hydrogel not only has good materialistic properties, but also possesses good antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, which has the value of clinical research as a carrier-free multi-functional antimicrobial dressing, and the present study provides a reference for the discovery of novel biomedical materials from active molecules of natural traditional Chinese medicine.

Epigenomic imbalance drives abnormal transcriptional processes,promoting the onset and progression of cancer.Although defective gene regulation generally affects carcinogenesis and tumor suppression networks,tumor immunogenicity and immune cells involved in antitumor responses may also be affected by epigenomic changes,which may have significant implications for the development and application of epigenetic therapy,cancer immunotherapy,and their combinations.Herein,we focus on the impact of epigenetic regulation on tumor immune cell function and the role of key abnormal epigenetic processes,DNA methylation,histone post-translational modification,and chromatin structure in tumor immunogenicity,and introduce these epigenetic research methods.We emphasize the value of small-molecule inhibitors of epigenetic modulators in enhancing antitumor immune responses and discuss the challenges of developing treatment plans that combine epigenetic therapy and immuno-therapy through the complex interaction between cancer epigenetics and cancer immunology.

Thyroglobulin(Tg)is a glycoprotein with large molecular weight,which is synthesized and secreted into the bloodstream by thyroid follicular cells.The concentration level of Tg in blood is one of the important biomarkers for diagnosis of thyroid diseases such as differentiated thyroid cancer(DTC),subacute thyroiditis,etc..Radioimmunoassay(RIA),immunoradiometric assay(IRMA),and immunochemiluminescence assay(ICMA)are the main clinical methods for detecting Tg.Recently,for meeting the requirement of detecting low concentration of Tg in blood after thyroid clearance surgery,researchers have developed various high-performance analysis methods for detecting Tg concentration in blood samples,providing new assays for thyroid disease screening and efficacy evaluation.This review summarized the analysis methods of Tg,especially the new progresses in the biosensors for monitoring low concentration of Tg in blood during the past five years.The current technical challenges of these methods in clinical applications were briefly discussed,which might provide useful information for developing new liquid biopsy methods of DTC.

AIM:To evaluate the effectiveness of heparin-binding protein(HBP)in combination with organ function indicators for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction in patients with severe trauma complicated with sepsis.METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 184 patients with multiple injuries who were admitted to the Emergency Medicine Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University Medical College between January 2019 and September 2020 and underwent HBP testing.Patients were classified according to the SEPSIS 3.0 diagnostic cri-teria into a sepsis group(n=89)and a non-sepsis group(n=95).Clinical outcomes were tracked,dividing patients into a deceased group(n=43)and a survival group(n=141).HBP levels were continuously measured,and the peak values of the two groups were compared to assess the efficacy of diagnosing sepsis.Further analysis on the correlation of HBP peak value median with clinical prognosis was conducted.The effectiveness of HBP alone and in combination with total biliru-bin(TBil)and white blood cell(WBC)count in prognosis assessment was evaluated.RESULTS:(1)No significant dif-ference was found in the peak level of HBP between the sepsis group(n=89)and the non-sepsis group(n=95)(71.7±68.6 vs 52.5±56.1,P=0.051).(2)Among the 184 patients,the peak level of HBP was positively correlated with WBC count(r=0.244,P<0.01)and TBil levels(r=0.241,P<0.01).(3)The area under curve(AUC)for independent diag-nosis of sepsis using TBil levels,WBC count,and PCT levels were 0.618,0.631,and 0.718,respectively,and the com-bined AUC was 0.684,with a diagnostic sensitivity of 60.7%and specificity of 71.6%(P<0.05).(4)Prognostic analy-sis of mortality showed that patients in the high HBP level group had a significantly higher mortality rate than those in the low-level group(30.4%vs 16.3%,P<0.05).The WBC count was also significantly higher in the deceased group than in the survival group(17.5±6.9 vs 12.8±4.7,P<0.01),especially in those with sepsis(P<0.01).The AUCs for predict-ing sepsis mortality prognosis using HBP peak level,TBil levels,WBC count,SOFA score,and APACHE-II score were 0.618,0.603,0.719,0.823,and 0.811,respectively.The combined AUC of HBP with TBil and WBC for assessing sepsis prognosis was 0.750,with a sensitivity of 74.4%and specificity of 74.5%,showing statistically significant differ-ences(P<0.05).(5)The combined assessment of these three indicators showed no statistically significant difference from artificial scoring systems in predicting sepsis prognosis(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:The combination of HBP,TBil,and WBC is highly effective in predicting the risk of sepsis in patients with multiple injuries and has significant clinical value in predicting the mortality risk of trauma patients with sepsis.