Quantitative analysis of differences in blood flow parameters in the macular area of healthy people of different ethnic groups in Xinjiang by OCTA / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To measure the superficial capillary plexus(SCP)vessel density(VD), deep capillary plexus(DCP)VD, and the area, circumference, and roundness index of the foveal avascular zone(FAZ)in healthy individuals of four ethnic groups, namely, Uyghur, Han, Kazakh, and Hui by optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA), and to investigate the differences of blood flow parameters in macular area of healthy individuals among different ethnic groups in China.METHODS: A total of 80 cases(80 eyes)of healthy subjects if each of the four ethnic groups who went to the Eye Center of the Friendship Hospital of Ili Kazak autonomous Prefecture from December 2022 to March 2023 and met the criteria were selected for the study, with 320 eyes totally. The patients were grouped and numbered according to their ethnicity, and the spherical equivalent and axial length were obtained by using an autorefractor and IOL Master. The blood flow images of the macular area in the range of 3 mm×3 mm were obtained by using a DRI Triton OCT detector, and the images were analyzed by using the built-in IMAGENET6 software to obtain the blood flow parameters. Furthermore, the differences in the blood flow parameters between different ethnic groups as well as the effects of gender, age, and axial length on macular blood flow parameters of different ethnic groups were compared.RESULTS:There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, axial length, diopter, and image quality(IQ)among the four groups of subjects(all P>0.05). Ethnic differences: in SCP, Uyghur inferior VD is higher than Kazakh, Hui inferior VD is higher than Han and Kazakh, Han and Hui nasal VD is higher than Uyghur, Kazakh foveal VD is higher than Han and Hui, Kazakh FAZ area is smaller than the other 3 ethnic groups, Han and Hui FAZ perimeter is larger than Kazakh, and Hui FAZ circularity index is lower than the other 3 ethnic groups; in DCP, Uyghur foveal VD is higher than Han and Hui, Kazakh foveal VD is higher than Han and Hui, Kazakh FAZ area and perimeter are smaller than the other 3 ethnic groups and Kazakh FAZ circularity index is higher than the other 3 ethnic groups(all P<0.05). Sex differences: in SCP, FAZ area and perimeter of Han females were larger than those of males, and FAZ circularity index of Hui females was higher than that of males(all P<0.05); in DCP, parafoveal VD and whole VD in females of all four ethnic groups were higher than those of males(all P<0.05). Age correlation: in SCP, age was negatively correlated with the FAZ circularity index of Kazakh; in DCP, age was negatively correlated with the parafoveal and the whole VD of Han, Kazakh, and Hui(all P<0.05). Axial length correlation: in SCP, the axial length was negatively correlated with Kazakh and Hui foveal VD, Hui parafoveal VD, Uyghur, Kazakh and Hui whole VD, and positively correlated with Kazakh FAZ area and perimeter; in DCP, the axial length was negatively correlated with Uyghur, Kazakh, Hui foveal VD, Hui whole VD, and positively correlated with Kazakh and Hui FAZ area and perimeter(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION:There were differences in macular blood flow parameters among the Uyghur, Han, Kazakh, and Hui populations, with the area and perimeter of the FAZ of the Kazakh significantly smaller than those of the other three ethnic groups. Gender, age, and axial length are also related to macular blood flow parameters.

Strategy and Status of Neoadjuvant Therapy for HER2-positive Breast Cancer / 肿瘤防治研究

Neoadjuvant therapy is a preoperative systemic treatment for patients with breast cancer. This therapy has greatly improved the clinical outcomes of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer, which is associated with poor prognosis. Currently, dual anti-HER2 antibodies, including trastuzumab and pertuzumab, combined with non-anthracycline chemotherapy is one of the standard regimens to achieve high pathologic complete response rate and satisfactory efficacy. The combination of trastuzumab with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugate drugs, or immunotherapy combined with target therapy, under the indications of reasonable biomarkers, is effective for HER2-positive breast cancer. In this article, we briefly reviewed neoadjuvant therapy in the dual-targeting therapy era and discussed its future perspectives.

Determination of cobalt and tungsten in human urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To establish a inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method for the determination of trace cobalt and tungsten in human urine. Methods: The authors used 1% nitric acid solution as diluent in October-December 2021, the sample dilution factor and internal standard element were optimized by single factor rotation experiment, and the difference between the working curve and the standard curve was compared. Results: The method uses working curve to determine cobalt and tungsten in urine, the linear range of this method was 0.0~10.0 μg/L, the correlation coefficient was 0.999 9, the detection limits respectively were 0.005 μg/L (cobalt) and 0.09 μg/L (tungsten), the recoveries of samples respectively were 87.0%~100.2% (cobalt) and 89.4%~104.8% (tungsten), the relative standard deviations respectively were 0.4%~4.4% (cobalt) and 0.6%~3.8% (tungsten) . Conclusion: A simple and rapid method for determination of cobalt and tungsten in urine has been established. This method has the advantages of simple operation, high sensitivity, low detection limit and good stability. It is suitable for determination of cobalt and tungsten in urine of all kinds of people.

Impact of social support for schizophrenia patients on their quality of life and family life satisfaction / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To explore the relationship of social support to patients with schizophrenia, family burden with patients' quality of life and family life satisfaction. Methods: Multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to select 358 patients with schizophrenia and 358 patients' family members in Gansu Province who met the inclusion criteria were included. The Social Support Rating Scale, Family Burden Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale and Quality of Life Scale were used in the survey. AMOS 24.0 was used to explore the pathway of influence of family burden on social support to patients with schizophrenia, patients' quality of life and patients' family life satisfaction. Results: There was a two-by-two significant correlation between patients' access to social support, family burden, patients' life quality and family life satisfaction (P<0.05), and the total score of the social support scale negatively predicted the total score of the life quality scale (β=-0.28, P<0.05) and positively predicted the total score of the life satisfaction scale (β=0.52, P<0.05). Family burden was a full mediator between the social support to the patient and the patient's quality of life, and as a partial mediator between the social support to the patient and the family's life satisfaction. Conclusions: Social support to people with schizophrenia is a significant predictor of their quality of life and family life satisfaction. Family burden mediates the relationship of social support to patients with their quality of life and family life satisfaction. Interventions can focus on increasing social support for the patient and reducing the burden on the patient's family to improve the patient's quality of life and increase the satisfaction of the patient's family.

scRNA-seq reveals that origin recognition complex subunit 6 regulates mouse spermatogonial cell proliferation and apoptosis via activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

The regulation of spermatogonial proliferation and apoptosis is of great significance for maintaining spermatogenesis. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of the testis was performed to identify genes upregulated in spermatogonia. Using scRNA-seq analysis, we identified the spermatogonia upregulated gene origin recognition complex subunit 6 (Orc6), which is involved in DNA replication and cell cycle regulation; its protein expression in the human and mouse testis was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. To explore the potential function of Orc6 in spermatogonia, the C18-4 cell line was transfected with control or Orc6 siRNA. Subsequently, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays, flow cytometry, and western blot were used to evaluate its effects on proliferation and apoptosis. It was revealed that ORC6 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of C18-4 cells. Bulk RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis indicated that Orc6 was involved in the activation of wingless/integrated (Wnt)/ β-catenin signaling. Western blot revealed that the expression of β-catenin protein and its phosphorylation (Ser675) were significantly decreased when silencing the expression of ORC6. Our findings indicated that Orc6 was upregulated in spermatogonia, whereby it regulated proliferation and apoptosis by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Correlation analysis of Cobb angle and linear spinous process angle in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the correlation between Cobb angle and spinous process angle (SPA) on X-ray film and body surface in patients with mild to moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis(AIS). To explore the possibility of linear SPA to assess scoliosis.@*METHODS@#Retrospective study for correlation of Cobb angle and linear SPA on X-ray film. AIS patients treated and taken full spine anteroposterior X-ray from January 2019 to December 2021 were analyzed correlation of Cobb angle and linear SPA on X-ray film. Prospective study for correlation of Cobb angle and body linear SPA. AIS patients treated and taken full spine anteroposterior X-ray from December 1 to December 9 this year were analyzed correlation of Cobb angle and body linear SPA.@*RESULTS@#A total of 113 AIS patients with age an average of (14.02±2.16) years old(ranged from 10 to 18 years old) were recruited in retrospective study, involving 26 males and 87 females;there were 71 patients with mild AIS and 42 patients with moderate AIS. Cobb angle in AIS patients was significantly inversely associated with SPA(r=-0.564, P<0.001), the linear regression equation was:Cobb angle=169.444-0.878×SPA. Cobb angles in patients with mild scoliosis were significantly and inversely associated with SPA(r=-0.269, P=0.012), the linear regression equation was:Cobb angle=46.832-0.185×SPA. Cobb angles in patients with moderate scoliosis were also clearly correlated with SPA(r=-0.417, P=0.003), the linear regression equation was:Cobb angle=113.889-0.516×SPA. Thirty-eight patients were recruited in prospective study. The mean Cobb angle and body linear SPA were(18.70±6.98)°, ranged from 11.3° to 36.0° and (170.34±4.57)°, ranged from 162.1° to 177.7° respectively. There was significantly negative correlation(r=-0.651, P<0.001), the linear regression equation is:Cobb angle=187.91-0.99×SPA.@*CONCLUSION@#Linear SPA on X-ray film or on the body was significantly negatively correlated with Cobb angles, but the regression equation fits poorly, so it's not suitable for diagnosis of scoliosis;however, linear SPA is appropriate for self-controlled assessment of scoliotic therapy or for dynamic assessment of spinal flexibility.

Characteristic changes of blood stasis syndrome in rat model of steroid-induced femoral head necrosis based on the combination of disease, syndrome, and symptom / 中国中药杂志

The approach combining disease, syndrome, and symptom was employed to investigate the characteristic changes of blood stasis syndrome in a rat model of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head(SONFH) during disease onset and progression. Seventy-two male SD rats were randomized into a healthy control group and a model group. The rat model of SONFH was established by injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in the tail vein at a dose of 20 μg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) on days 1 and 2 and gluteal intramuscular injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate(MPS) at a dose of 40 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) on days 3-5, while the healthy control group received an equal volume of saline. The mechanical pain test, tongue color RGB technique, gait detection, open field test, and inclined plane test were employed to assess hip pain, tongue color, limping, joint activity, and lower limb strength, respectively, at different time points within 21 weeks of modeling. At weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 21 after modeling, histopathological changes of the femoral head were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and micro-CT scanning; four coagulation items were measured by rotational thromboelastometry; and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to determine the levels of six blood lipids, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), endothelin-1(ET-1), nitric oxide(NO), tissue-type plasminogen activator(t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor factor-1(PAI-1), bone gla protein(BGP), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB(RANKL), osteoprotegerin(OPG), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b(TRAP5b) in the serum, as well as the levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin 1α(6-keto-PGF1α) and thromboxane B2(TXB2) in the plasma. The results demonstrated that the pathological alterations in the SONFH rats were severer over time. The bone trabecular area ratio, adipocyte number, empty lacuna rate, bone mineral density(BMD), bone volume/tissue volume(BV/TV), trabecular thickness(Tb.Th), trabecular number(Tb.N), bone surface area/bone volume(BS/BV), and trabecular separation(Tb.Sp) all significantly increased or decreased over the modeling time after week 4. Compared with the healthy control group, the mechanical pain threshold, gait swing speed, stride, standing time, and walking cycle of SONFH rats changed significantly within 21 weeks after modeling, with the greatest difference observed 12 weeks after modeling. The time spent in the central zone, rearing score, and maximum tilt angle in the open field test of SONFH rats also changed significantly over the modeling time. Compared with the healthy control group, the R, G, and B values of the tongue color of the model rats decreased significantly, with the greatest difference observed 11 weeks after modeling. The levels of total cholesterol(TC), total triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C), and apoprotein B(ApoB) in the SONFH rats changed significantly 4 and 8 weeks after modeling. The levels of VEGF, ET-1, NO, t-PA, PAI-1, 6-keto-PGF1α, TXB2, four coagulation items, and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio in the serum of SONFH rats changed significantly 4-16 weeks after modeling, with the greatest differences observed 12 weeks after modeling. The levels of BGP, TRAP5b, RANKL, OPG, and RANKL/OPG ratio in the serum of SONFH rats changed significantly 8-21 weeks after modeling. During the entire onset and progression of SONFH in rats, the blood stasis syndrome characteristics such as hyperalgesia, tongue color darkening, gait abnormalities, platelet, vascular, and coagulation dysfunctions were observed, which gradually worsened and then gradually alleviated in the disease course(2-21 weeks), with the most notable differences occurred around 12 weeks after modeling.

A survey on satisfaction of supply and demand sides of community health services in Shanghai / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo investigate the satisfaction of both service providers and users in community health service centers through questionnaires， and to analyze the reasons， so as to put forward suggestions for improving satisfaction. MethodsSampling was conducted in 247 community health service centers in 16 districts of Shanghai， and data were collected from employees and patients through on-site questionnaires. ResultsA total of 10 334 eligible questionnaires were collected from community health service centers， of which 7 712 were from patients and 2 622 were from employees. In 2021， the public's satisfaction with community health service centers was 96.51 points， and the satisfaction of employees was 94.08 points. The public expressed lower satisfaction with the availability of essential drugs for outpatient services， while the staff were less satisfied with their salary and benefits， work recognition， and career development. Regarding family doctor services， 73.38% of the public had signed up for family doctor services， while 23.57% of the public did not know about the family doctor services， and 16.18% believed it was necessary to improve the publicity of basic public health services. ConclusionThe public's overall satisfaction with the service of community health services is gradually increased. The basic medical services of community health are recognized by residents. Drug allocation needs to be improved urgently， and publicity and promotion need to be further strengthened. The overall satisfaction of employees is high， but further improvement is needed in terms of salary and benefits， work recognition， and career development.

Mechanism of Osteoking in Improving Energy Metabolism in Rats with Myofascial Pain Syndrome Based on cAMP/PKA/PGC1α Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveFrom the perspective of energy metabolism， the mechanism of Osteoking （OK） in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome （MPS） was revealed through systems biology prediction combined with holistic animal experimental validation methods. MethodFirstly， the key targets of MPS and their related molecular mechanisms were predicted by the systems biology method， and the core network targets were screened. Then， the network-predicted targets were verified by animal experiments. Specifically， 60 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， low， medium， and high dose OK groups （0.66， 1.31， 2.63 mL·kg-1）， and positive celecoxib group （21 mg·kg-1）. The MPS model was established by beating combined with a centrifugal exercise method for eight weeks. Except for two days after modeling， the intervention of OK or celecoxib was performed. After the completion of the model， the drug was administered for two weeks. The histopathological changes of trigger point muscle tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The content/activity of Na-K-ATP enzyme （Na+-K+-ATPase）， Ca2+ pump （Ca2+ATPase）， Ca2+， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， glutathione （GSH）， malondialal （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， cyclic adenosine phosphate （cAMP）， and protein kinase A （PKA） in serum and/or trigger point muscle tissue in MPS rats was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Protein expression levels of PKA and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α （PGC1α） in MPS rats were detected by immunohistochemistry. The protein expression levels of PKA， PGC1α， and mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM） in MPS rats were detected by Western blot. ResultThe network prediction results suggest that OK acts on the key target of energy metabolism related to the occurrence and development of MPS and may participate in the activation of the cAMP/PKA/PGC1α signaling pathway. The experimental validation results show that compared with the normal group， contracture nodules and disordered arrangement of muscle fibers appear in the trigger point muscle tissue of MPS rats. Na+-K+-ATPase， Ca2+ATPase， SOD activity， Ca2+， and GSH contents in serum and/or trigger point muscle tissue are significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Both LDH activity and MDA contents are significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of cAMP， PKA， PGC1α， and TFAM are significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， OK improves the histopathological morphology of trigger point muscle fibers in MPS rats， and after the intervention of OK， Na+-K+-ATPase， Ca2+ATPase， SOD activity， Ca2+， and GSH contents in serum and/or trigger point muscle tissue in MPS rats are significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. LDH activity and MDA contents are significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of cAMP， PKA， PGC1α， and TFAM are significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe mechanism of OK's intervention in MPS rats may be related to its effective activation of the cAMP/PKA/PGC1α signaling pathway， thus promoting mitochondrial energy metabolism and trigger point muscle fiber damage repair in muscle cells.

Intervention of Osteoking in Rats with Myofascial Pain Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo clarify the intervention effect of Osteoking （OK） in rats with myofascial pain syndrome （MPS） and preliminarily explore the pharmacological mechanism of OK in relieving chronic pain from the perspective of anti-inflammatory disease. MethodThe 60 SD rats were divided into normal group， model group， low， medium， and high dose OK groups （0.66， 1.31， 2.63 mL·kg-1）， and positive celecoxib group （21 mg·kg-1）. The MPS rat model was established by beating combined with the centrifugal exercise method， and the OK and celecoxib were given at the same time. SMALGO paw pressure pain manometer detected the shock pain point tenderness threshold of rats， and the Von-Frey needle and acetone stimulation method detected the mechanical hyperalgesia threshold and cold hyperalgesia stimulation response respectively. Eight weeks and 10 weeks after modeling， the spontaneous discharge state and convulsion response of MPS rats were determined by electromyograph （EMG） instrument. The gait changes of MPS rats were detected using a CatWalk gait analyzer. The expression levels of interleukin-1 β （IL-1β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， substance P （SP）， and bradykinin （BK） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein expression levels of nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB） inhibiting protein α （IκBα）， phosphorylates （p）- IκBα， NF-κB p65， and p-NF-κB p65 were detected in MPS rats by Western blot. The positive expression of p-NF-κB p65 was detected by immunofluorescence. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group shows 100% positive rates for EMG signal and local convulsions response at both the 8th and 10th weeks. The tenderness threshold and mechanical hyperalgesia threshold are significantly reduced. Cold hyperalgesia score is significantly increased， and gait is abnormal. The expression levels of serum and trigger points IL-1β， TNF-α， SP， BK， p-IκBα， and p-NF-κB p65， as well as the positive expression intensity of p-NF-κB p65 are significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the positive rate of EMG detection and local convulsion response is significantly reduced in the medium and high dose OK groups （P<0.05）. The tenderness threshold and mechanical hyperalgesia threshold increase significantly in the medium and high dose OK groups， and the cold hyperalgesia score is significantly reduced in the high dose OK group （P<0.01）. The standing time， swing time， and walking period are significantly increased. The swing speed， maximum contact area， and maximum contact intensity are significantly decreased in the high dose OK group （P<0.05）. Moreover， the protein expression levels of p-IκBα/IκBα and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 are significantly reduced in the medium and high dose OK groups （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The positive expression intensity of p-NF-κB p65 is significantly decreased in the high dose OK group （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe mechanism of OK in relieving the pain in trigger points of MPS and improving gait abnormalities is related to the downregulation of the NF-κB p65 inflammatory signaling pathway to reduce the expression of inflammatory factors and pain mediators in blood and trigger point tissue.

Phylogeny and virulence gene profile of Francisella salimarina / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To study the molecular phylogeny and virulence gene profile of Francisella salimarina. Methods:Phylogenetic analysis of Francisella salimarina was performed based on the global genome data of related Francisella species on GenBank database. The consistency in phylogenetic analysis based on single marker genes (such as 16S rRNA gene, rpoB gene and mdh gene) and the core genome as compared. Virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes were annotated using the virulence factor database (VFDB) and the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD), respectively. The virulence of Francisella salimarina was analyzed with a Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) infection model using Francisella philomiragia ATCC 25015 T as reference strain. Results:The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Francisella salimarina was closely related to Francisella philomiragia. The phylogenetic tree based on mdh gene was highly similar to that based on the core genome. Francisella salimarina could be differentiated from other related species by 16S rRNA gene or mdh gene, with the latter being more accurate. Eight Francisella salimarina strains carried multiple virulence genes, mainly involved in secretion, adhesion, immune regulation, motility and stress survival. Moreover, beta-lactam resistance gene blaFPH was identified in all eight strains. Francisella salimarina showed high lethality in the Galleria mellonella infection model, which was similar to Francisella philomiragia ATCC 25015 T. Conclusions:Francisella salimarina was a rare pathogen with similar pathogenicity to Francisella philomiragia. The mdh gene could be used as a molecular target for rapid identification of Francisella salimarina.

Isolation and identification of Balneatrix alpica from patient′s blood and hot spring water / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To identify and characterize two Balneatrix alpica strains isolated from a patient′s blood sample (strain X117) and the natural hot spring water in the patient′s residential district (strain GN-1), and to provide experimental evidence for the pathogenic diagnosis of clinical infection caused by this rare pathogen. Methods:Biochemical phenotypic identification, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, and genome-wide analysis were performed to accurately determine the taxonomic status of the isolates X117 and GN-1 by using Balneatrix alpica DSM 16621 T as a reference. Microdilution broth method was used to test their antimicrobial susceptibility. The virulence genes carried by them were annotated and analyzed using the virulence factor database (VFDB). Results:Strains X117 and GN-1 formed light yellow or tan colonies with mottled surfaces on Columbia blood agar and chocolate agar plates after 4 d of culture. They were Gram-negative rods and positive for oxidase and indole tests, which were consistent with the characteristics of Balneatrix alpica DSM 16621 T. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that the isolates X117 and GN-1 were both Balneatrix alpaca. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between the two isolates and Balneatrix alpica DSM 16621 T were 98.44% and 98.41%, respectively, and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were both 87.1%. The SNP distance between the two strains was 13, indicating that X117 and GN-1 might belong to the same clone. The antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that all of the three Balneatrix alpica strains were sensitive to the commonly used antibiotics against Gram-negative rods. The virulence genes carried by the three Balneatrix alpica strains were mainly involved in adhesion, invasion, flagella and biofilm formation. Conclusions:This study identified a case of bloodstream infection caused by Balneatrix alpica which was closely related to natural hot spring water. Natural hot spring water migh be an important source of clinical infections caused by this species.

Identification and characterization of one Spiroplasma species isolated from blood culture of a rare case of sepsis / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To identify and characterize one Spiroplasma strain (designated as DGKH1) isolated from the blood of a patient with sepsis. Methods:The traditional bacterial culture, staining, morphological observation, physiological and biochemical identification, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, genome sequencing, and the genome-related index analysis were performed to accurately determine the taxonomic status of the strain DGKH1. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using a specific kit for culturing and testing Ureaplasma urealyticum/ Metamycoplasma hominis. Results:The strain DGKH1 could weakly grow on Columbia blood agar, chocolate agar, and Haemophilus chocolate 2 agar. However, it did not grow in liquid culture medium containing tetracycline (4 μg/ml), doxycycline (1 μg/ml), minocycline (1 μg/ml), josamycin (2 μg/ml), roxithromycin (1 μg/ml), clarithromycin (1 μg/ml), or telithromycin (1 μg/ml). DGKH1 resembling Metamycoplasma hominis formed "fried egg-like colonies" on Mycoplasma solid culture medium. DGKH1 could not be stained by Gram staining. When observed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using phosphate buffer as the matrix, the bacteria were spiral-shaped. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence alignment showed that DGKH1 was highly similar (99.85%) to Spiroplasma eriocheiris CCTCC M 207170 T. However, the urea decomposition test was positive, which was different from all of the known Spiroplasma species. The phylogenetic analysis based on whole genome showed that DGKH1 was clustered in a small branch along with Spiroplasma eriocheiris CCTCC M 207170 T. However, the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between the two strains were 94.14% and 56.00%, respectively, both below the threshold for prokaryotic species identification. Conclusions:DGKH1 represented a potential new species of genus Spiroplasma, closely related to Spiroplasma eriocheiris. Some microbiological characteristics of DGKH1 were similar to Mycoplasmas. However, the natural host and epidemiological data of DGKH1 need to be further studied.

A case of liver failure caused by fatal amanita poisoning was successfully treated by open cholecystostomy drainage / 中华危重病急救医学

The fatality rate of liver failure caused by fatal amanita poisoning is high, and there are no effective antidote drugs in China. On July 30, 2020, the department of infectious diseases and liver diseases of the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province admitted a 67-year-old female patient with liver failure caused by fatal amanita poisoning. The patient went to the emergency department for treatment due to abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea after eating 350-400 g of amanita mushroom for 2 days, accompanied by fatigue for 1 day. There was no abnormality in physical examination. Laboratory indexes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 4 798 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 10 030 U/L, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) 57.5 s, prothrombin time (PT) 72.1 s, international normalized ratio (INR) 8.66, prothrombinactivity (PA) 10%. Based on the patient's medical history, clinical manifestations and laboratory data, the diagnosis was amanita peptide mushroom poisoning and acute liver failure. According to the mechanism of amanita toxin poisoning as enterohepatic circulation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and ultrasound-guided gallbladder puncture and drainage for drainage of bile to discharge toxins were performed to interrupt the enterohepatic circulation of toxins. However, both methods failed, so open cholecystostomy was performed. Because the patient's coagulation function was very poor, artificial hepatic plasma exchange was given to improve coagulation function before open cholecystostomy, and eventually bile was drained successfully. After a total of 19 days of comprehensive medical treatment, the patient was cured and discharged from the hospital, and no sequelae was found after 1 year of follow-up. For such patients, early identification of the disease is required, and blocking the enterohepatic circulation of toxins as soon as possible according to the characteristics and toxicological mechanism of toxins may be the key treatment for rescuing patients with liver failure poisoned by amanita toxin, and it is necessary to combine comprehensive treatments such as active fluid replacement and blood purification to further improve the survival rate.

Reform and practice of blended teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology in the context of new medicine / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To investigate the application effect of the blended teaching model of "pre-class synchronous small private online course (SPOC)+ flipped classroom+post-class knowledge expansion" in the theoretical teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology. Methods:A total of 951 students majoring in clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and pharmacy in the class of 2020 in Qiqihar Medical College were selected as teaching reform research group (experimental group), and their curriculum relied on the self-built massive open online course (MOOC) curriculum and the MOOC resources of Chinese universities to construct a blended teaching model; the reform methods such as small class grouping, case-based learning, and diversified examination were adopted to carry out theoretical flipped teaching activities with cross integration of cases and knowledge points as the main line. A total of 847 students majoring in clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and pharmacy in the class of 2019 were selected as control group, and the traditional teaching method was used for theoretical courses. The courses were evaluated by offline assessment and online assessment, and feedback information was collected through examination scores, questionnaire survey, and online voting. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis, and the t-test was used for comparison between groups. Results:The experimental group had a significantly higher total score of final examination than the control group [(92.12±3.88) vs. (86.73±5.27), P<0.05]. The questionnaire survey showed that the students in the experimental group showed a relatively high degree of satisfaction with the blended teaching reform, which increased their participation, experiencing, and sharing activities. The students majoring in clinical medicine in the class of 2020 believed that they had established clinical thinking ability (263, 92.61%) and become familiar with the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of common diseases (262, 92.25%); the students majoring in preventive medicine in the class of 2020 believed that they had increased their awareness of serving the public (151, 93.21%) and developed the ability to teach and guide healthy living (148, 91.36%); the students majoring in pharmacy in the class of 2020 believed that they had mastered the mechanism of action of drugs for disease treatment (138, 93.24%) and understood the importance of rational drug use in clinical practice (135, 91.22%). Conclusion:The blended teaching model realizes student-centered teaching, stimulates the interest and initiative in learning, and improves learning outcome, thereby improving teaching quality to a certain extent.

The application of blended learning in clinical practice of college students majoring in medical imaging diagnosis / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the application effect of blended learning in clinical practice of undergraduate students majoring in medical imaging diagnosis.Methods:A total of 60 undergraduate students majoring in medical imaging diagnosis who practiced in the Department of Radiology of Chongqing General Hospital from 2017 to 2019 were selected as subjects. The students were divided into experimental group and control group, each with 30 students. During the internship, the experimental group adopted the blended learning, including lecture-based learning, case-based learning, problem-based learning and team-based learning according to different teaching scenarios. While the control group adopted the traditional teaching mode. At the end of the internship, the test scores of the two groups of intern students were compared, and the satisfaction degree of the teaching was investigated by questionnaire. SPSS 19.0 was used to conduct t-test and Chi-square test. Results:The score of theoretical knowledge examination in the experimental group was (90.27±5.38) points, and that in the control group was (83.13±7.57) points. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t=4.21, P<0.001). The score of imaging analysis examination in the experimental group was (90.07 ± 4.80) points, and that in the control group was (82.13±8.71) points. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t=4.37, P<0.001). The results of the satisfaction survey showed that the overall satisfaction with teaching was 76.7% (23/30) in the experimental group and 50.0% (15/30) in the control group, with statistically significant difference ( χ2= 6.57, P=0.037). Conclusion:The blended learning has a good effect in the teaching of undergraduate students majoring in medical imaging diagnosis.

Efficacy comparison between pneumovesicoscopic Cohen and Politano-Leadbetter technique in transvesicoscopic ureteral reimplantation in children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy of pneumovesicoscopic Cohen and Politano-Leadbetter procedures in the treatment of vesicoureteral junction obstruction (VUJO) in children.Methods:The data of 48 children with VUJO who underwent operations in the Department of Urology, Anhui Provincial Children′s Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.According to the operation time, the patients were divided into the pneumovesicoscopic Cohen group(group C) (28 cases) and pneumovesicoscopic Politano-Leadbetter group(group P) (20 cases). The operation time, postoperative urinary catheterization duration, hematuria duration, hospitalization time, and the improvement of hydronephrosis, ureteral dilatation, and renal function after surgery were compared between the 2 groups.The enumeration data were compared by the χ2 test or Fisher′ s exact probability method.The measurement data were compared by the t-test. Results:All the 48 children were successfully operated on by the same surgeon, without conversion to open surgery.Six cases in the group C had a megaureter and underwent ureter tailoring.Two cases in the group P had calyceal and ureteral calculi, which were all removed after operation.There was a statistically significant difference in the operation time between group C and group P[(136.5±35.4) min vs.(165.8±33.2) min, t=-3.154, P=0.002]. The patients were followed up for (10.3±2.6) months after operation.There were 8 cases and 6 cases of urinary tract infection in group C and group P within 2 months after the operation, respectively.They all improved after conservative anti-infection treatment, and the infection was well controlled after removal of the D-J tube.Besides, their intravenous pyelography 6 months after operation showed that the ureter was unobstructed.In group C, 6 months after the operation, the anterior and posterior diameters of the renal pelvis [(1.62±0.54) cm vs.(2.55±1.24) cm, t=-5.027, P=0.001] and the largest diameter of the ureter [(0.95±0.27) cm vs.(1.51±0.52) cm, t=-8.495, P<0.001] were significantly decreased, compared with those before operation.However, the renal cortex thickness was increased significantly [(1.47±0.25) cm vs.(0.86±0.46) cm, t=2.028, P=0.004], and the renal function (as indicated by the diuretic nephrogram) was notably improved [(46.27±2.16)% vs.(41.83±3.04)%, t=1.647, P=0.030]. In group P, 6 months after operation, the anterior and posterior diameters of the renal pelvis[(1.48±0.82) cm vs.(2.68±1.41) cm, t=-2.740, P=0.003] and the maximum diameter of the ureter [(1.05±0.46) cm vs.(1.36±0.27) cm, t=-1.635, P=0.040] were significantly smaller than those before operation.However, the renal cortical thickness was increased [(1.38±0.33) cm vs.(0.74±0.39) cm, t=9.073, P<0.001], and the renal function (as indicated by the diuretic nephrogram) was significantly improved [(45.18±3.35)% vs.(39.55±2.49)%, t=1.277, P=0.030]. Politano-Leadbetter surgery outperformed Cohen surgery in promoting the recovery of the anterior and posterior diameters of the renal pelvis [(1.48±0.82) cm vs.(1.62±0.54) cm, t=-1.748, P=0.030]. Conclusions:Pneumovesicoscopic Politano-Leadbetter operation can establish a longer submucosal tunnel without changing the ureteral shape and opening position, having good effects in treating VUJO combined with calyceal and ureteral calculi.Pneumovesicoscopic Politano-Leadbetter operation can also better improve postoperative recovery from hydronephrosis than Cohen operation.However, the pneumovesicoscopic Politano-Leadbetter operation is more difficult and requires longer time.The surgeon should choose a reasonable operation based on his/her own experience.

Predictive value of Pcv-aCO 2 on left ventricular ejection fraction in myocardial infarction / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between central venous-arterial blood carbon dioxide partial pressure difference (Pcv-aCO 2) and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) in acute myocardial infarction. Methods:Clinical data of patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Fujian Provincial Hospital from November 2019 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. LVEF was measured by bedside echocardiogram. The patients were divided into the normal LVEF group (LVEF ≥ 52%) and decreased LVEF group (LVEF < 52%) according to LVEF. The differences in general information and hemodynamic parameters between the two groups were compared. The normality of the above data was tested by the Jarque-Bera test. Correlation analysis of hemodynamic indices with LVEF was performed. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors associated with the decrease in LVEF. The feasibility of diagnosing LVEF decline with Pcv-aCO 2 was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results:Seventy-two patients with acute myocardial infarction were included for analysis, including 25 patients in the normal LVEF group and 47 patients in the decreased LVEF group. Pcv-aCO 2 was significantly higher in the decreased LVEF group than that in the normal LVEF group [(7.13±1.19) mmHg vs. (5.41±1.23) mmHg, P<0.01]. There was a negative correlation between LVEF and Pcv-aCO 2 ( rs= -0.740, P<0.01). The area under the ROC curve for Pcv-aCO 2 was 0.849 (95% CI: 0.758-0.939, P<0.01). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that Pcv-aCO 2 was an independent risk factor for decreased LVEF ( OR=2.251, 95% CI: 1.326-3.820). Conclusions:To a certain extent, the increase of Pcv-aCO 2 can predict the decrease of LVEF in acute myocardial infarction.

The prognostic and predictive value of plasma D-dimer in children with neuroblastoma: a 7-year retrospective analysis at a single institution

Purpose@#Elevated plasma D-dimer level is a poor prognostic factor for many solid tumors. However, limited research has been conducted on D-dimer in children with neuroblastoma (NB), and its clinical significance remains unclear. The present study investigated the clinical and prognostic significance of D-dimer in pediatric NB patients. @*Methods@#A retrospective analysis of all newly admitted NB patients was conducted from January 2014 to December 2020.Baseline clinicopathological features, preoperative laboratory parameters, and follow-up information were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the relationship between D-dimer level, clinical features, and the prognostic value. @*Results@#Among 266 patients, the median value of D-dimer was 2.98 ng/mL, of which 132 patients showed elevated D-dimer levels before surgery (>2.98 ng/mL). Univariate analysis revealed that elevated D-dimer was significantly associated with age, hemoglobin, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, neuron-specific enolase, 24-hour vanillylmandelic acid, overall survival, and so on (P < 0.05). Patients with elevated D-dimer levels had shorter median overall survival time when compared with normal D-dimer levels (P = 0.01). The prognosis was better in patients with normal D-dimer levels when combined with lower age, ganglioneuroblastoma tumor type, lower stage on International Neuroblastoma Staging System, low-risk group, and without bone metastasis or bone marrow metastasis. The continuous increase of D-dimer level after treatment indicated tumor recurrence or progression. @*Conclusion@#A high D-dimer level is associated with low overall survival, and an elevated D-dimer level after treatment indicates tumor recurrence and progression. D-dimer can be used as one of the evaluation factors for NB treatment or prognosis.

Clinical characteristics and drug efficacy evaluation of voltage-gated potassium channel-related genetic epilepsy / 中国药理学通报

Aim To analyze the genotype-phenotype characteristics of voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv) associated genetic epilepsy and evaluate the efficacy of anti-seizure medications(ASMs). Methods PubMed database was searched and patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included for analysis. We divided the patients into “benign”, “encephalopathic” and other phenotypes according to the clinical characteristics. We performed descriptive statistical analysis of patients' mutated genes, clinical phenotype and drug efficacy, and used logistic regression to explore the influencing factors of treatment outcome. Results Data of 474 children were included for analysis. There were significant differences among different phenotypes in mutated genes, source of mutations and so on. In terms of clinical characteristics, there were also significant differences between patients with different phenotypes in age of onset, combined developmental delay and so on. In terms of monotherapy, phenobarbital was the most common treatment choice for children with “benign” phenotype, and sodium channel blockers (SCBs) were the most common treatment choice for children with “encephalopathy” phenotype, and the efficacy of SCBs monotherapy was superior to that of other ASMs. Multivariate Logistic analysis of the children receiving monotherapy showed that whether the children were combined with developmental delay and whether SCBs were used were significant factors influencing the efficacy of drug therapy. Conclusions Patients with the “benign” and “encephalopathic” phenotypes differ in several aspects of genetic variation, clinical characteristics, and drug selection. These results suggest that SCBs may be one of the recommended options for monotherapy.