Quantum dots (QDs), nanoscale semiconductor crystals, have emerged as a revolutionary class of nanomaterials with unique optical and electrochemical properties, making them highly promising for applications in disease diagnosis and treatment. Their tunable emission spectra, long-term photostability, high quantum yield, and excellent charge carrier mobility enable precise control over light emission and efficient charge utilization, which are critical for biomedical applications. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in the use of quantum dots for disease diagnosis and therapy, highlighting their potential and the challenges involved in clinical translation. Quantum dots can be classified based on their elemental composition and structural configuration. For instance, IB-IIIA-VIA group quantum dots and core-shell structured quantum dots are among the most widely studied types. These classifications are essential for understanding their diverse functionalities and applications. In disease diagnosis, quantum dots have demonstrated remarkable potential due to their high brightness, photostability, and ability to provide precise biomarker detection. They are extensively used in bioimaging technologies, enabling high-resolution imaging of cells, tissues, and even individual biomolecules. As fluorescent markers, quantum dots facilitate cell tracking, biosensing, and the detection of diseases such as cancer, bacterial and viral infections, and immune-related disorders. Their ability to provide real-time, in vivo tracking of cellular processes has opened new avenues for early and accurate disease detection. In the realm of disease treatment, quantum dots serve as versatile nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery. Their nanoscale size and surface modifiability allow them to transport therapeutic agents to specific sites, improving drug bioavailability and reducing off-target effects. Additionally, quantum dots have shown promise as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT). When exposed to specific wavelengths of light, quantum dots interact with oxygen molecules to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can selectively destroy malignant cells, vascular lesions, and microbial infections. This targeted approach minimizes damage to healthy tissues, making PDT a promising strategy for treating complex diseases. Despite these advancements, the translation of quantum dots from research to clinical application faces significant challenges. Issues such as toxicity, stability, and scalability in industrial production remain major obstacles. The potential toxicity of quantum dots, particularly to vital organs, has raised concerns about their long-term safety. Researchers are actively exploring strategies to mitigate these risks, including surface modification, coating, and encapsulation techniques, which can enhance biocompatibility and reduce toxicity. Furthermore, improving the stability of quantum dots under physiological conditions is crucial for their effective use in biomedical applications. Advances in surface engineering and the development of novel encapsulation methods have shown promise in addressing these stability concerns. Industrial production of quantum dots also presents challenges, particularly in achieving consistent quality and scalability. Recent innovations in synthesis techniques and manufacturing processes are paving the way for large-scale production, which is essential for their widespread adoption in clinical settings. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the latest research progress in quantum dot applications, including drug delivery, bioimaging, biosensing, photodynamic therapy, and pathogen detection. It also discusses the multiple barriers hindering their clinical use and explores potential solutions to overcome these challenges. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the future directions of quantum dot research, emphasizing the need for further studies on toxicity mitigation, stability enhancement, and scalable production. By addressing these critical issues, quantum dots can realize their full potential as transformative tools in disease diagnosis and treatment, ultimately improving patient outcomes and advancing biomedical science.

Objective To study the effect of Hedysarum polysaccharides(HPS)on the farnisol X receptor(FXR)-small heterodimer chaperone(SHP)-sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 c(SREBP-1c)signaling pathway in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease cell model.Methods The cells were cultured with 1.2 mmol·L-1 fatty acids to construct the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease cell model.The cell were divided into normal group(complete medium),model group(1.2 mmol·L-1 fatty acid solution),positive control group(1.2 mmol·L-1 fatty acid solution+50 μmol·L-1 alpha-lipoic acid)and experimental group(1.2 mmol·L-1 fatty acid solution+80 mg·L-1 HPS),culture for 24 h.The content of triglyceride(TG)and total cholesterol(TC),the activity of glutamate transaminase(GOT)and glutamate transaminasewas(GPT)detected by GPO-PAP enzyme method;the apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry;the expressions of FXR,SHP,SREBP-1c protein and mRNA in hepatocytes were detected by Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The contents of TG in hepatocytes of normal group,model group,positve control group and experimental group were(2.91±1.13),(6.81±1.32),(3.72±0.52)and(4.67±0.62)mmol·gprot-1;the contents of TC in these four groups were(23.66±4.92),(67.96±5.56),(29.41±4.22)and(54.34±3.96)mmol·gprot-1;the activity of GOT in these four groups were(249.10±11.59),(322.63±28.81),(288.89±19.14)and(266.91±8.77)U·gprot-1;the activity of GPT in these four groups were(58.83±16.88),(134.55±22.96),(89.63±15.81)and(77.37±7.25)U·gprot-1,respectively;FXR mRNA expression levels were 1.01±0.16,2.09±0.12,1.83±0.17 and 1.45±0.15,respectively;SHP mRNA expression levels were 1.00±0.11,0.51±0.15,0.64±0.14 and 0.70±0.14,respectively;SREBP-1c mRNA were 1.00±0.08,1.57±0.19,1.37±0.13 and 1.21±0.15;the expression levels of FXR protein were 1.00±0.02,1.63±0.03,1.42±0.02 and 1.25±0.03,respectively;the expression levels of SHP protein were 1.00±0.02,0.23±0.01,0.54±0.21 and 0.62±0.02;the expression levels of SREBP-1c protein were 1.00±0.03,4.08±0.05,1.99±0.02 and 1.48±0.01,respectively.Compared with the normal group,there were significant differences in the above indexes of model group(all P＜0.05);compared with the model group,there were significant differences in the above indexes of experimental group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion HPS may protect liver cells by regulating the FXR-SHP-SREBP-1 c signaling pathway,reducing lipid synthesis in liver cells.

Objective To investigate the effect of hedysarum polysacchcaide(HPS)on nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB)/IκB kinase β(IKKβ)signaling pathway in cardiac tissue of db/db mice with diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM).Methods Altogether 60 7-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into model group,control group and experimental-H,-M,-L groups,with 12 mice in each group.In addition,12 db/m mice of the same week age were selected as the normal group.Normal group and model group were given 0.9％NaCl by intragastric administration.Experimental-L,-M,-H groups were given 50,100 and 200 mg·kg-1 HPS suspension by intragastriction,respectively.Control group was given 4 mg·kg-1 rosiglitazone suspension by intragastric administration.Six groups of rats were given the drug once a day for 8 weeks.The contents of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)in myocardial tissue were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The mRNA expression levels of NF-κB and IKKβ in myocardial tissue were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The correlation between the expression of NF-κB protein and the content of TNF-α and IL-6 was analyzed.Results The contents of IL-6 in myocardial tissue of normal,model,control and experimental-H groups were(1.24±0.54),(7.72±0.24),(2.90±0.50)and(2.78±0.56)ng·L-1;the contents of TNF-α were(1.96±0.52),(5.25±0.72),(2.84±0.86)and(2.82±0.58)ng·L-1;the mRNA expression levels of NF-κB were I.00±0.00,3.35±0.81,2.05±0.44 and 1.67±0.22;the mRNA expression levels of IKKβ were 1.00±0.00,2.92±0.07,1.51±0.07 and 1.41±0.08,respectively.Compared with the model group,the above indexes of the control and experimental-H groups were statistically significant(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).The expression of NF-κB protein was positively correlated with the content of IL-6 and TNF-α,and the correlation coefficients were 0.866 and 0.740(all P＜0.01).Conclusion HPS can alleviate the damage of myocardial pathology in mice,reduce myocardial collagen deposition and fibrosis,its mechanism may be through regulating the expression of NF-κB/IKKβ signaling pathway to play a role in inhibiting the inflammatory reaction.

Objective To study the effect of Hedysarum polysaccharides(HPS)on the expression of transforming growth factor-β,(TGF-β1),smad homologue 3 recombinant protein(smad3)and smad7 in renal tissue of db/db mice with diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods According to their body weight,6-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into 5 groups:model group(0.9％NaCl 0.2 mL·d-1),positive control group(22.75 mg·kg-1·d-1 irbesartan)and experimental-H,-M,-L groups(200,100,50 mg kg-1·d-1 HPS),with 10 mice in each group;another 10 SPF grade male C57BL/6 mice of the same week were selected as normal group(0.9％NaCl 0.2mL·d-1).The mice in the 6 groups were given intragastric administration once a day for 12 weeks.The blood glucose concentration of mice was measured before treatment and at the 4th,8th and 12th week after treatment.The expression levels of TGF-β1,smad3 and smad7 were detected by Western blotting.Results After treatment,the blood glucose levels of the model group was significantly higher than those of the normal group(all P＜0.01);compared with the model group,the levels of blood glucose in the experimental-H,-M groups decreased significantly,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The relative expression levels of TGF-β,protein in normal group,model group,positive control group and experimental-H,-M groups were 0.71±0.16,1.66±0.18,1.00±0.17,0.88±0.15 and 1.23±0.15;the relative expression levels of smad3 protein were 0.89±0.32,2.26±0.35,1.24±0.31,1.05±0.30 and 1.67±0.35;the relative expression levels of smad7 protein were 1.66±0.03,0.60±0.03,1.10±0.07,1.48±0.08 and 0.97±0.09;there were statistically significant differences between the experimental-H,-M groups and the model group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion Hedysarum polysaccharides can improve renal fibrosis and delay the development of diabetic nephropathy by regulating the level of blood glucose,inhibiting TGF-β1,smad3 and increasing the expression of smad7.

Objective To compare the early predictive value of different scoring systems for the severity,organ failure and complications of acute pancreatitis(AP)in elderly patients under the newly revised Atlanta criteria.Methods Patients with acute pancreatitis treated was collected.After admission,complete the computed tomography severity index(CTSI),the bedside index of severity in acute pancreatitis(BISAP),the pancreatis 3(PANC-3)and the harmlessness acute pancreatitis score(HAPS).The area under receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC),sensitivity,specificity and Yordan's index of four scores for predicting SAP,local pancreatic complications and multiple organ failure were compared.Results The areas under the ROC curve predicted by the CTSI,BISAP,PANC-3 and HAPS scoring systems for SAP were 0.76,0.91,0.48 and 0.55;sensitivities of 75.87％,89.61％,61.18％and 78.38％;specificity of 80.29％,74.72％,67.48％and 69.69％;Yordan's index of 0.56,0.64,0.29 and 0.48,respectively.The AUC of CTSI,BISAP,PANC-3 and HAPS scoring systems for predicting local pancreatic complications were 0.94,0.82,0.59 and 0.64;sensitivity of 74.59％,68.23％,71.11％and 69.28％;specificity of 93.88％,83.01％,78.59％and 76.46％;Yordan's index were 0.68,0.51,0.50 and 0.46,respectively.The AUC of CTSI,BISAP,PANC-3 and HAPS scoring systems for predicting multiple organ failure were 0.60,0.84,0.64 and 0.80,sensitivities were 54.18％,74.82％,58.59％and 65.67％,specificity were 76.11％,77.20％,72.68％and 89.36％,Jordan's indices were 0.30,0.52,0.31 and 0.55,respectively.Conclusion BISAP score is higher than CTSI,HAPS and PANC-3 scoring system in predicting the accuracy of sap and the risk of multiple organ failure.

Objective To explore the effect of propranolol on femoral fracture healing in mice through regulation of microRNA-92a-3p(miR-92a-3p)and its mechanism.Methods C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into sham group(equal amount of 0.9％NaCl),model group(equal amount of 0.9％NaCl),experimental group(50 mg·kg-1 propranolol administration),inhibitor group(mice were injected with 100 mg·kg-1 miR-92a-3p inhibitor via tail vein on the basis of the experimental group).Femur was severed and molded in all mice except sham operation group.X-ray was used to observe bone healing.Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of miR-92a-3p in femur tissues.The expression level of bone formation and bone metabolism markers was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Western blot was used to detect the expression of pathway-related proteins.Results The X-ray scores of femur in sham group,model group and experimental group were 11.20±2.60,4.70±1.50 and 9.60±2.40,respectively;the relative expression levels of miR-92a-3p in sham operation group,model group,experimental group and inhibitor group were 1.00±0.09,0.73±0.06,0.90±0.07 and 0.78±0.06;alkaline phosphatase levels were(35.21±2.63),(43.16±3.29),(67.58±5.37)and(49.62±4.05)U·L-1,respectively;crosslaps levels were(4.57±0.52),(8.41±0.91),(4.26±0.67)and(5.73±0.84)ng·mL-1,respectively;the relative expression levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor were 1.00±0.14,0.58±0.05,0.83±0.09 and 0.71±0.06,respectively;the relative expression levels of phospho-tyrosine kinase receptor B were 1.00±0.12,0.62±0.05,0.89±0.08 and 0.76±0.07,respectively;the relative expression levels of phospho-extracellular regulated protein kinases were 1.00±0.11,0.54±0.04,0.78±0.07 and 0.65±0.05,respectively.The above indexes in the model group were compared with those in the sham group,those in the experimental group were compared with those in the model group,and those in the inhibitor group were compared with those in the experimental group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05,P＜0.001).Conclusion Propranolol can promote femoral fracture healing in mice,which may be achieved by up-regulating miR-92a-3p activation of brain derived neurotrophic factor/tyrosine kinase receptor B/extracellular regulated protein kinases signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Diabetic kidney disease is an important microvascular complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Its pathological characteristics mainly include epithelial mesenchymal transition(EMT) in glomerulus, podocyte apoptosis and autophagy, and damage of glomerular filtration barrier. Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway is specifically regulated by a variety of mechanisms, and is a classic pathway involved in physiological activities such as apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. At present, many studies have found that TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease. Traditional Chinese medicine has significant advantages in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease for its multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics, and some traditional Chinese medicine extracts, traditional Chinese medicines and traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription improve the renal injury of diabetic kidney disease by regulating TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. This study clarified the mechanism of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in diabetic kidney disease by expounding the relationship between the key targets of the pathway and diabetic kidney disease, and summarized the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease by interfering with TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in recent years, to provide reference for drug research and clinical treatment of diabetic kidney disease in the future.
Humans ; Diabetic Nephropathies/genetics* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Kidney/pathology* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Smad Proteins/metabolism* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus/genetics*

This study aims to provide evidence for clinical practice by systematically reviewing the efficacy and safety of Gusongbao preparation in the treatment of primary osteoporosis(POP). The relevant papers were retrieved from four Chinese academic journal databases and four English academic journal databases(from inception to May 31, 2022). The randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Gusongbao preparation in the treatment of POP was included after screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of articles was evaluated using risk assessment tools, and the extracted data were subjected to Meta-analysis in RevMan 5.3. A total of 657 articles were retrieved, in which 15 articles were included in this study, which involved 16 RCTs. A total of 3 292 patients(1 071 in the observation group and 2 221 in the control group) were included in this study. In the treatment of POP, Gusongbao preparation+conventional treatment was superior to conventional treatment alone in terms of increasing lumbar spine(L2-L4) bone mineral density(MD=0.03, 95%CI[0.02, 0.04], P<0.000 01) and femoral neck bone mineral density, reducing low back pain(MD=-1.69, 95%CI[-2.46,-0.92], P<0.000 1) and improving clinical efficacy(RR=1.36, 95%CI[1.21, 1.53], P<0.000 01). Gusongbao preparation was comparable to similar Chinese patent medicines in terms of improving clinical efficacy(RR=0.95, 95%CI[0.86, 1.04], P=0.23). Gusongbao preparation was inferior to similar Chinese patent medicines in reducing traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores(MD=1.08, 95%CI[0.44, 1.71], P=0.000 9) and improving Chinese medicine syndrome efficacy(RR=0.89, 95%CI[0.83, 0.95], P=0.000 4). The incidence of adverse reactions of Gusongbao preparation alone or combined with conventio-nal treatment was comparable to that of similar Chinese patent medicines(RR=0.98, 95%CI[0.57, 1.69], P=0.94) or conventio-nal treatment(RR=0.73, 95%CI[0.38, 1.42], P=0.35), and the adverse reactions were mainly gastrointestinal discomforts. According to the available data, Gusongbao preparation combined with conventional treatment is more effective than conventional treatment alone in increasing lumbar spine(L2-L4) bone mineral density and femoral neck bone mineral density, reducing low back pain, and improving clinical efficacy. The adverse reactions of Gusongbao preparation were mainly gastrointestinal discomforts, which were mild.
Humans ; Bone Density ; Low Back Pain ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy*

Objective: To identify the risk factors in mortality of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods: Second analysis of the data collected in the "efficacy of pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the treatment of children with moderate to severe PARDS" program. Retrospective case summary of the risk factors of mortality of children with moderate to severe PARDS who admitted in 14 participating tertiary PICU between December 2016 to December 2021. Differences in general condition, underlying diseases, oxygenation index, and mechanical ventilation were compared after the group was divided by survival at PICU discharge. When comparing between groups, the Mann-Whitney U test was used for measurement data, and the chi-square test was used for counting data. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the accuracy of oxygen index (OI) in predicting mortality. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for mortality. Results: Among 101 children with moderate to severe PARDS, 63 (62.4%) were males, 38 (37.6%) were females, aged (12±8) months. There were 23 cases in the non-survival group and 78 cases in the survival group. The combined rates of underlying diseases (52.2% (12/23) vs. 29.5% (23/78), χ²=4.04, P=0.045) and immune deficiency (30.4% (7/23) vs. 11.5% (9/78), χ²=4.76, P=0.029) in non-survival patients were significantly higher than those in survival patients, while the use of pulmonary surfactant (PS) was significantly lower (8.7% (2/23) vs. 41.0% (32/78), χ²=8.31, P=0.004). No significant differences existed in age, sex, pediatric critical illness score, etiology of PARDS, mechanical ventilation mode and fluid balance within 72 h (all P>0.05). OI on the first day (11.9(8.3, 17.1) vs.15.5(11.7, 23.0)), the second day (10.1(7.6, 16.6) vs.14.8(9.3, 26.2)) and the third day (9.2(6.6, 16.6) vs. 16.7(11.2, 31.4)) after PARDS identified were all higher in non-survival group compared to survival group (Z=-2.70, -2.52, -3.79 respectively, all P<0.05), and the improvement of OI in non-survival group was worse (0.03(-0.32, 0.31) vs. 0.32(-0.02, 0.56), Z=-2.49, P=0.013). ROC curve analysis showed that the OI on the thind day was more appropriate in predicting in-hospital mortality (area under the curve= 0.76, standard error 0.05,95%CI 0.65-0.87,P<0.001). When OI was set at 11.1, the sensitivity was 78.3% (95%CI 58.1%-90.3%), and the specificity was 60.3% (95%CI 49.2%-70.4%). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, sex, pediatric critical illness score and fluid load within 72 h, no use of PS (OR=11.26, 95%CI 2.19-57.95, P=0.004), OI value on the third day (OR=7.93, 95%CI 1.51-41.69, P=0.014), and companied with immunodeficiency (OR=4.72, 95%CI 1.17-19.02, P=0.029) were independent risk factors for mortality in children with PARDS. Conclusions: The mortality of patients with moderate to severe PARDS is high, and immunodeficiency, no use of PS and OI on the third day after PARDS identified are the independent risk factors related to mortality. The OI on the third day after PARDS identified could be used to predict mortality.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Child ; Critical Illness ; Pulmonary Surfactants/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/therapy*