Objective To investigate the clinical effect of nicorandil for treatment of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).Methods A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 40 cases of patients with ARDS admitted to Department of Critical Care Medicine of Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital from October 2012 to October 2014 were enrolled, and they were randomly divided into two groups, 20 cases in each group. The two groups were treated with routine western medicine after admission. On this basis, the observation group was given nicorandil 10 mg, while the control group was given warm boiled water 10 mL, through gastric tubes 3 times a day, the therapeutic course being consecutive 5 days in both groups. The length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU), duration of mechanical ventilation after treatment, oxygenation index (OI), alveolo-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference (PA-aO2), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score, Glasgow coma score (GCS) before and after treatment, the predicted death rate (PDR) and 28-day mortality were compared between the two groups. The predicitive factors for 28-day mortality were screened by binary logistic analysis.Results The length of stay in ICU and duration of mechanical ventilation of control group were longer than those of observation group, but the difference was not statistically significant [ICU length of stay (day): 14.55±12.71 vs. 9.15±6.00, duration of mechanical ventilation (day): 13.25±12.27 vs. 7.75±5.32, bothP > 0.05]. After treatment, the GCS was higher than that before treatment in control group and observation group (11.95±3.98 vs. 10.75±4.89, 12.95±3.67 vs. 12.20±4.56), while APACHE Ⅱ score, PDR and PEEP were all lower than those before treatment [APACHE Ⅱ: 21.05±8.58 vs. 24.90±5.63, 18.70±11.21 vs. 26.65±7.67; PDR: (47.71±29.49)% vs. (61.00±23.29)%, (36.79±18.49)% vs. (56.12±18.16)%; PEEP (cmH2O, 1 cmH2O = 0.098 kPa): 4.40±3.14 vs. 5.75±2.59, 3.80±2.55 vs. 7.55±3.32], but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups before and after treatment (allP > 0.05). After treatment, the OI was significantly higher and the PA-aO2 was significantly lower than those before treatment in the two groups, and the degrees of improvement of the observation group were more remarkable than those of the control group [OI (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 224.72±85.12 vs. 141.37±45.82, PA-aO2 (mmHg): 132.60±46.64 vs. 204.30±121.2, bothP < 0.05]. The 28-day mortality of observation group was lower than that of control group, but no statistically significant difference was seen [15% (3/20) vs. 25% (5/20),χ2 = 0.156,P > 0.05). Binary logistic regression analyses showed that the PA-aO2 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.958,P = 0.013, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.927 - 0.991], APACHE Ⅱ score (OR = 0.882,P = 0.010, 95CI = 0.803 - 0.970), GCS (OR = 1.399, P = 0.004, 95%CI = 1.111 - 1.761) and PDR (OR = 0.907,P = 0.002, 95%CI = 0.853 - 0.965) after treatment were the independent predictors of 28-day mortality.Conclusion Nicorandil can significantly improve oxygenation, but cannot reduce 28-day mortality in patients with ARDS.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among freshmen in a vocational college in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, so as to provide insights into tuberculosis control in vocational colleges. Methods : All freshmen enrolled in a vocational college in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2020 were recruited and participants' demographics, life style, history of tuberculosis contacts, frequency of ventilation and disinfection in dormitories and classrooms and awareness of core tuberculosis control knowledge were collected through questionnaire surveys. LTBI was detected among freshmen by means of purified protein derivative test (PPD skin test) and chest X-ray scans, and the factors affecting LTBI were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 5 463 freshmen were screened for LTBI, with a screening rate of 100.00%, and the participants included 2 151 men and 3 312 women, with a male/female ratio of 0.65︰1, and had a mean age of (16.83±1.05) years. A total of 388 freshmen were detected with LTBI, with a detection rate of 7.10%, and no active pulmonary tuberculosis was detected. The prevalence of LTBI was 9.44% in men and 5.59% in women. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified males (OR=1.587, 95%CI: 1.281-1.965), smoking (OR=2.108, 95%CI: 1.355-3.278) and a history of tuberculosis of families (OR=2.851, 95%CI: 1.615-5.034) as risk factors for LTBI among freshmen, and knowing core tuberculosis control knowledge as a protective factor of LTBI among freshmen (OR=0.276, 95%CI: 0.218-0.350). Conclusions The risk of LTBI was associated with gender, smoking, history of tuberculosis of families and understanding of the core tuberculosis control knowledge among freshmen in this vocational college in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Health education about the core tuberculosis control knowledge is recommended to be reinforced among students in vocational colleges in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Objective:To study the influence of the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on the visual function of patients with type 2 diabetes, to provide scientific basis for the early prevention and control of DR.Methods:This study was designed as a cross-sectional study, recruiting already-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients in four community health service centers in Guizhou Province between February and September 2022. Employing the Chinese version of the Visual Function Index-14 (VF-14), assess the participants′ near vision, visual adaptation, subjective visual perception, and stereo vision, with higher scores indicating poorer visual function. Categorize the severity of each eye′s damage into no diabetic retinopathy (DR), mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), moderate NPDR, severe NPDR, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and use a 5-level DR grading system to evaluate the overall severity of diabetic retinopathy in both eyes. Employing linear regression analysis to investigate the linear relationship between DR and visual function index. Local weighted regression evaluates the nonlinear relationship between the DR composite score and the scores of visual function, with a steeper slope indicating poorer visual function for that level.Results:A total of 542 patients with type 2 diabetes were investigated, including 244 (45.02%) males, 298 (54.98%) females, and 162 (29.89%) patients with DR. After adjusting for confounders, compared with those without DR, patients with binocular DR Had overall scores ( β=0.136, P=0.003), near vision ( β=0.163, P<0.001), visual adaptation ( β=0.092, P=0.042), subjective vision ( β=0.120, P=0.009) and stereo vision ( β=0.094, P=0.044) were higher than those without DR. There were no differences in visual functions between DR And monocular DR. The local weighted regression curve showed that near vision (slope: 23.78) and overall score (slope: 58.37) increased sharply from mild to moderate NPDR in both eyes. Visual adaptation (slope: 5.37, 7.72), subjective vision (slope: 6.53, 7.93), stereovision (slope: 0.74, 0.91) increased slowly in mild to moderate NPDR in both eyes and in moderate to severe NPDR/PDR in both eyes. Conclusion:Binocular DR is associated with impaired visual function, but there is no difference between monocular DR And non-DR visual function. The early damage of DR To visual function is mainly manifested in near vision. In the prevention and control of DR, more attention should be paid to visual function, especially the change of near vision, and retinal damage should not be assessed solely by visual status.

Objective:To study the influence of the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on the visual function of patients with type 2 diabetes, to provide scientific basis for the early prevention and control of DR.Methods:This study was designed as a cross-sectional study, recruiting already-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients in four community health service centers in Guizhou Province between February and September 2022. Employing the Chinese version of the Visual Function Index-14 (VF-14), assess the participants′ near vision, visual adaptation, subjective visual perception, and stereo vision, with higher scores indicating poorer visual function. Categorize the severity of each eye′s damage into no diabetic retinopathy (DR), mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), moderate NPDR, severe NPDR, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and use a 5-level DR grading system to evaluate the overall severity of diabetic retinopathy in both eyes. Employing linear regression analysis to investigate the linear relationship between DR and visual function index. Local weighted regression evaluates the nonlinear relationship between the DR composite score and the scores of visual function, with a steeper slope indicating poorer visual function for that level.Results:A total of 542 patients with type 2 diabetes were investigated, including 244 (45.02%) males, 298 (54.98%) females, and 162 (29.89%) patients with DR. After adjusting for confounders, compared with those without DR, patients with binocular DR Had overall scores ( β=0.136, P=0.003), near vision ( β=0.163, P<0.001), visual adaptation ( β=0.092, P=0.042), subjective vision ( β=0.120, P=0.009) and stereo vision ( β=0.094, P=0.044) were higher than those without DR. There were no differences in visual functions between DR And monocular DR. The local weighted regression curve showed that near vision (slope: 23.78) and overall score (slope: 58.37) increased sharply from mild to moderate NPDR in both eyes. Visual adaptation (slope: 5.37, 7.72), subjective vision (slope: 6.53, 7.93), stereovision (slope: 0.74, 0.91) increased slowly in mild to moderate NPDR in both eyes and in moderate to severe NPDR/PDR in both eyes. Conclusion:Binocular DR is associated with impaired visual function, but there is no difference between monocular DR And non-DR visual function. The early damage of DR To visual function is mainly manifested in near vision. In the prevention and control of DR, more attention should be paid to visual function, especially the change of near vision, and retinal damage should not be assessed solely by visual status.

Objective To assess the effects of temperature and rainfall on the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) in Guiyang. Methods Using daily CVD incidence data and temperature and rainfall data in Guiyang City from September 2021 to August 2022, a distributed lag non-linear model was used to explore the nonlinear relationship between meteorological and environmental factors and CVD incidence. Results The risk of CVD was higher under cold (average, minimum, and maximum temperatures <2.1 ℃, 1.6 ℃, and 4.2 ℃, respectively) and hot (maximum temperature>32.5 ℃) effects, and the cumulative lag effect reached its maximum at 10 and 17 days, respectively. The risk of CVD increased sharply when there was a small diurnal temperature (<6.9 ℃), sudden drop in temperature (over 6.1 ℃), and heating (over 2.4 ℃ in 24 hours). The incidence risk of CVD was high when the daily rainfall exceeded 21.5 mm and the continuous rainy days exceed 5.7 days. The risk in rainstorm was 0.81 higher than that in heavy rain. Continuous absence of rain helped to prevent CVD patients from developing symptoms. Conclusion Meteorological environments such as hot and cold weather, dramatic change in temperature, significant rainfall and continuous rainfall have an impact on the incidence of CVD. It is necessary to consider the changes of the meteorological environment during the prevention and control of CVD.

Dental pulp can initiate its damage repair after an injury of the pulp-dentin complex by rearrangement of odontoblasts and formation of newly differentiated odontoblast-like cells. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is one of the gap junction proteins that participates in multiple tissue repair processes. However, the role of Cx43 in the repair of the dental pulp remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the function of Cx43 in the odontoblast arrangement patterns and odontoblastic differentiation. Human teeth for in vitro experiments were acquired, and a pulp injury model in Sprague-Dawley rats was used for in vivo analysis. The odontoblast arrangement pattern and the expression of Cx43 and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) were assessed. To investigate the function of Cx43 in odontoblastic differentiation, we overexpressed or inhibited Cx43. The results indicated that polarized odontoblasts were arranged along the pulp-dentin interface and had high levels of Cx43 expression in the healthy teeth; however, the odontoblast arrangement pattern was slightly changed concomitant to an increase in the Cx43 expression in the carious teeth. Regularly arranged odontoblast-like cells had high levels of the Cx43 expression during the formation of mature dentin, but the odontoblast-like cells were not regularly arranged beneath immature osteodentin in the pulp injury models. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that Cx43 is upregulated during odontoblastic differentiation of the dental pulp cells, and inhibition or overexpression of Cx43 influence the odontoblastic differentiation. Thus, Cx43 may be involved in the maintenance of odontoblast arrangement patterns, and influence the pulp repair outcomes by the regulation of odontoblastic differentiation.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Connexin 43 ; Dental Pulp ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Odontoblasts ; Phosphoproteins ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley