Metabolites produced as intermediaries or end-products of microbial metabolism provide crucial signals for health and diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). These metabolites include products of the bacterial metabolism of dietary substrates, modification of host molecules (such as bile acids [BAs], trimethylamine-N-oxide, and short-chain fatty acids), or products directly derived from bacteria. Recent studies have provided new insights into the association between MASLD and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, alterations in microbiota composition and metabolite profiles, notably altered BAs, have been described in studies investigating the association between MASLD and the risk of CKD. This narrative review discusses alterations of specific classes of metabolites, BAs, fructose, vitamin D, and microbiota composition that may be implicated in the link between MASLD and CKD.

Metabolites produced as intermediaries or end-products of microbial metabolism provide crucial signals for health and diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). These metabolites include products of the bacterial metabolism of dietary substrates, modification of host molecules (such as bile acids [BAs], trimethylamine-N-oxide, and short-chain fatty acids), or products directly derived from bacteria. Recent studies have provided new insights into the association between MASLD and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, alterations in microbiota composition and metabolite profiles, notably altered BAs, have been described in studies investigating the association between MASLD and the risk of CKD. This narrative review discusses alterations of specific classes of metabolites, BAs, fructose, vitamin D, and microbiota composition that may be implicated in the link between MASLD and CKD.

Metabolites produced as intermediaries or end-products of microbial metabolism provide crucial signals for health and diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). These metabolites include products of the bacterial metabolism of dietary substrates, modification of host molecules (such as bile acids [BAs], trimethylamine-N-oxide, and short-chain fatty acids), or products directly derived from bacteria. Recent studies have provided new insights into the association between MASLD and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, alterations in microbiota composition and metabolite profiles, notably altered BAs, have been described in studies investigating the association between MASLD and the risk of CKD. This narrative review discusses alterations of specific classes of metabolites, BAs, fructose, vitamin D, and microbiota composition that may be implicated in the link between MASLD and CKD.

Due to the high similarity with the lipid layer between human skin keratinocytes, functional cosmetics with layered liquid crystal structure prepared by liquid crystal emulsification technology encapsulating natural active substances have become a hot research topic in recent years. This type of functional cosmetic often has a fresh and natural skin feel, excellent skin barrier repair function and efficient moisturizing effect, etc., showing great potential in cosmetic application. However, the present research on the application of liquid crystal emulsification technology to functional cosmetics is still in the initial stage, and there are fewer relevant reports with reference values. Based on the mentioned above, this review provides a comprehensive summary of functional cosmetics with layered liquid crystal structures prepared by liquid crystal emulsification technology from the following aspects: the structure of human skin, the composition of lamellar liquid crystal, the advantages of liquid crystal emulsification technology containing natural active substances used in the field of functional cosmetics, the preparation process, main components, influencing factors during the preparation and the market functional cosmetics with lamellar liquid crystal structure. Finally, the prospect of the application of liquid crystal emulsification technology in functional cosmetics is presented, to provide useful references for those engaged in the research of liquid crystal emulsification technology-related functional cosmetics.

Helicobacter pylori(HP)infection is a Class Ⅰ carcinogen in gastric cancer,closely related to the occurrence of gastric cancer.Many studies have shown that HP eradication has a preventive effect on gastric cancer.However,2.7%-6.1%of patients with early gastric cancer who have been eradicated after endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)can still develop metachronous gastric cancer(MGC),and the mechanism of its occurrence is still unclear.In this review,the atrophy of gastric mucosa and intestinal metaplasia cannot be completely reversed after HP eradication,the excessive proliferation of gastric mucosa epithelial cells,the accumulation of genetic abnormalities,the homeostasis imbalance of the epigenetic group,changes in immune microenvironment,the abnormality of stem cells in gastric mucosa,chromatin accessibility,and changes in chromosome remodeling were discussed in the mechanism of carcinogenesis caused by the above molecular changes after ESD and HP eradication in early gastric cancer.

Objective·To investigate the efficacy and safety of hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy(DPT)in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia.Methods·Seventy-eight patients with postherpetic neuralgia who visited the Department of Pain of The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from June 2019 to December 2022 were selected.The patients were randomly assigned to a control group and a research group in a 1∶1 ratio,with 39 patients in each group.The control group was treated with traditional analgesic solution,while the research group was treated with traditional analgesic solution combined with DPT.Visual analog scale(VAS)was used to evaluate the patients'pain level before and after treatment,flow cytometry was used to measure the patients'T-cell subsets,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-10 cytokines.The VAS scores were compared between the two groups of patients before and at 1,2,4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment.CD4+/CD8+,CRP,IL-6,IL-10 levels,and the incidence of adverse reactions before and 2 weeks after treatment were compared between the two groups.Results·There was no statistically significant difference in sex ratio,age,and disease duration between the two groups of patients.The VAS scores of the two groups of patients at 1,2,4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The VAS scores of the research group at 1,2,4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment were significantly lower than those of the control group(all P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in basal CD4+/CD8+,CRP,IL-6 and IL-10 levels between the two groups of patients.IL-6 and CRP levels in the research group were significantly lower after treatment than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(all P=0.000).CD4+/CD8+ and IL-10 levels were significantly higher in the research group than those in the control group after treatment,and the difference was statistically significant(all P=0.000).No adverse reactions such as local nerve damage,epidural hematoma,infection,pneumothorax or allergy occurred in both groups of patients during the treatment.Conclusion·DPT can significantly reduce the pain of PHN patients,improve patients'T lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokine expression,and can be safely applied to the clinic.

Superior vena cava syndrome(SVCS)is a group of clinical syndromes caused by obstruction of the superior vena cava and its major branches from various causes.Pulmonary artery stenosis(PS)is a complication of lung cancer or mediastinal tumours.SVCS combined with PS due to pulmonary metastases from bladder cancer is extremely rare and has not been reported in the literature.Here we reported an old male patient with pulmonary metastases from bladder cancer presenting with swelling of the head,neck and both upper limbs.SVCS combined with PS was clarified by pulmonary artery computed tomography angiography(CTA)and digital subtraction angiography(DSA).Endovascular stenting was used to treat SVCS.Angiography also showed that PS had not caused pulmonary hypertension and did not need to be treated.The swelling of the patient's head,neck and upper limbs was gradually reduced after the procedure.

Protein as the allergens could lead to allergy. In addition, a widespread class of allergens were known as glycans of N-glycoprotein. N-glycoprotein contained oligosaccharide linked by covalent bonds with protein. Recently,studies implicated that allergy was associated with glycans of heterologous N-glycoprotein found in food, inhalants, insect toxins, etc. The N-glycan structure of N-glycoprotein allergen has exerted an influence on the binding between allergens and IgE, while the recognition and presentation of allergens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were also affected. Some researches showed thatN-glycan structure of allergen was remodeled by N-glycosidase, such as cFase I, gpcXylase, as binding of allergen and IgE partly decreased. Thus, allergic problems caused by N-glycoproteins could potentially be solved by modifying or altering the structure ofN-glycoprotein allergens, addressing the root of the issue. Mechanism of N-glycans associated allergy could also be elaborated through glycosylation enzymes, alterations of host glycosylation. This article hopes to provide a separate insight for glycoimmunology perspective, and an alternative strategy for clinical prevention or therapy of allergic diseases.

Objective:To investigate the value of a novel technique called visual transient elastography (ViTE) and liver steatosis analysis (LiSA) in assessing liver function injury in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC) patients after ablation therapy.Methods:A total of 129 HBV-related HCC patients in Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2022 to August 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.ViTE and LiSA examinations were applied to record the liver stiffness E value and LiSA value before ablation. An albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was constructed using laboratory indicators. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between E value, LiSA value and ALBI score, body mass index (BMI). According to the change of ALBI grade in perioperative period, the patients could be divided into two groups: liver function unchanged group and liver function injury group. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used to analyze related factors affecting changes in liver function after ablation, followed by establishing a predictive model.Results:Spearman analysis showed a strong positive correlation between E value and ALBI score ( rs=0.686, P<0.001), and LiSA value was weakly positively correlated with BMI ( rs=0.338, P<0.001). There were no significant correlations between E value and BMI, LiSA value and ALBI score (all P>0.05). Univariate analysis showed that differences of age, BMI, ablation parameters, E value, and LiSA value in the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that E value, LiSA value, and ablation time were independent predictors of hepatic dysfunction after ablation (all P<0.05). AUC was 0.892 indicating high accuracy in the predictive model based on above indicators. Conclusions:Under the real-time ultrasound guidance, a non-invasive liver function injury prediction model based on ViTE and LiSA technology can offer personalized predictions for ablative perioperative changes in liver function among HBV-related HCC patients.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.