PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the prevalence and risk factors of military training-related abdominal injuries and help plan and conduct training properly. METHODS: This questionnaire survey study was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 among military personnel from 6 military units and 8 military medical centers and participants' medical records were consulted to identify the training-related abdominal injuries. All the military personnel who ever participated in military training were included. Those who refused to participate in this study or provided an incomplete questionnaire were excluded. The questionnaire collected demographic information, type of abdominal injury, frequency, training subjects, triggers, treatment, and training disturbance. Chi-square test and t-test were used to compare baseline information. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with military training-related abdominal injuries. RESULTS: A total of 3058 participants were involved in this study, among which 1797 (58.8%) had suffered training-related abdominal injuries (the mean age was 24.3 years and the service time was 5.6 years), while 1261 (41.2%) had no training-related abdominal injuries (the mean age was 23.1 years and the service time was 4.3 years). There were 546 injured patients (30.4%) suspended the training and 84 (4.6%) needed to be referred to higher-level hospitals. The most common triggers included inadequate warm-up, fatigue, and intense training. The training subjects with the most abdominal injuries were long-distance running (589, 32.8%). Civil servants had the highest rate of abdominal trauma (17.1%). Age ≥ 25 years, military service ≥ 3 years, poor sleep status, and previous abdominal history were independent risk factors for training-related abdominal injury. CONCLUSION More than half of the military personnel have suffered military training-related abdominal injuries. Inadequate warm-up, fatigue, and high training intensity are the most common inducing factors. Scientific and proper training should be conducted according to the factors causing abdominal injuries.
Humans ; Military Personnel ; Risk Factors ; Prevalence ; Male ; Abdominal Injuries/etiology* ; Female ; Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on immune mediators dysregulation in severe infection after chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its molecular mechanism. METHODS: Bone marrow or peripheral blood samples of 36 AML patients with severe infection (AML-SI) and 29 AML patients without infection (AML-NI) after chemotherapy were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University from August 2022 to June 2023. In addition, the peripheral blood of 21 healthy subjects from the same period in our hospital was selected as the control group. The mRNA expressions of CXCL12, CXCR4 and CXCR7 were detected by RT-qPCR technology, and the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA. Leukemia-derived THP-1 cells were selected and constructed as AML disease model. At the same time, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) from AML-SI patients were co-cultured with THP-1 cells and divided into Mono group and Co-culture group. THP-1 cells were treated with different concentration gradients of HCQ. The cell proliferation activity was subsequently detected by CCK-8 method and apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/PI double staining flow cytometry. ELISA was used to detect the changes of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels in the supernatant of the cell co-culture system, RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression changes of the core members of the CXCL12-CXCR4/7 regulatory axis, and Western blot was used to detect the expressions of apoptosis regulatory molecules and related signaling pathway proteins. RESULTS: CXCL12, CXCR4, CXCR7, as well as IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were all abnormally increased in AML patients, and the increases were more significant in AML-SI patients (P <0.01). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences between AML-NI patients and AML-SI patients (all P <0.05). HCQ could inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of THP-1 cells, but the low concentration of HCQ had no significant effect on the killing of THP-1 cells. When THP-1 cells were co-cultured with BM-MSCs of AML patients, the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in the supernatance of Co-culture group were significantly higher than those of Mono group (all P <0.01). After HCQ intervention, the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in cell culture supernatant of Mono group were significantly decreased compared with those before intervention (all P <0.01). Similarly, those of Co-culture group were also significantly decreased (all P <0.001). However, the expression of the core members of the CXCL12-CXCR4/7 regulatory axis was weakly affected by HCQ. HCQ could up-regulate the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, down-regulate the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, as well as simultaneously promote the hydrolytic activation of Caspase-3 when inhibiting the activation level of TLR4/NF-κB pathway, then induce the programmed death of THP-1 cells after intervention. CONCLUSION The core members of CXCL12-CXCR4/7 axis and related cytokines may be important mediators of severe infectious immune disorders in AML patients. HCQ can inhibit cytokine levels to reverse immune mediators dysregulation and suppress malignant biological characteristics of leukemia cells. The mechanisms may be related to regulating the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, hydrolytically activating Caspase-3 and inhibiting the activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology* ; Hydroxychloroquine/pharmacology* ; Receptors, CXCR4/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Chemokine CXCL12/metabolism* ; Interleukin-8/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Receptors, CXCR/metabolism* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; THP-1 Cells

OBJECTIVE: To explore and verify the effect and potential mechanism of Brucea javanica Seed Oil Emulsion Injection (YDZI) and Shengmai Injection (SMI) on peripheral microcirculation dysfunction in treatment of gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: The potential mechanisms of YDZI and SMI were explored through network pharmacology and verified by cellular and clinical experiments. Human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) were cultured for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured for tube formation assay. Twenty healthy volunteers and 97 patients with GC were enrolled. Patients were divided into surgical resection, surgical resection with chemotherapy, and surgical resection with chemotherapy combining YDZI and SMI groups. Forearm skin blood perfusion was measured and recorded by laser speckle contrast imaging coupled with post-occlusive reactive hyperemia. Cutaneous vascular conductance and microvascular reactivity parameters were calculated and compared across the groups. RESULTS: After network pharmacology analysis, 4 ingredients, 82 active compounds, and 92 related genes in YDZI and SMI were screened out. β-Sitosterol, an active ingredient and intersection compound of YDZI and SMI, upregulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2, P<0.01), downregulated the expression of caspase 9 (CASP9) and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1, P<0.01) in HMECs under oxaliplatin stimulation, and promoted tube formation through VEGFA. Chemotherapy significantly impaired the microvascular reactivity in GC patients, whereas YDZI and SMI ameliorated this injury (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS YDZI and SMI ameliorated peripheral microvascular reactivity in GC patients. β-Sitosterol may improve peripheral microcirculation by regulating VEGFA, PTGS2, ESR1, and CASP9.
Humans ; Microcirculation/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Emulsions ; Male ; Plant Oils/administration & dosage* ; Brucea/chemistry* ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Drug Combinations ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Seeds/chemistry* ; Injections ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Aged ; Network Pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is a natural product commonly used in food preservation and pharmaceutical applications. Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, is prevalent globally while the impact of AITC on toxoplasmosis is unclear. We explored the effect of AITC on acute toxoplasmosis. We infected C57BL/6 mice with T. gondii type I RH strain following AITC administration. On the 4th day after infection, which corresponds to the initial stage of infection, we collected serum for the determination of inflammatory cytokine levels. The mice serum of the AITC-administered group contained significantly lower levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-23 subunit p19, IL-4, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. The lifespan of the mice in the AITC-administered group was significantly reduced. In vitro experiments showed that AITC promoted the proliferation of intracellular T. gondii accompanied by the inhibition of IL-4, IL-1β, and IL-6 production in RAW264.7 macrophages. Our results showed that AITC facilitated T. gondii infection in the early stage by inhibiting the production of several inflammatory cytokines.

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is a natural product commonly used in food preservation and pharmaceutical applications. Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, is prevalent globally while the impact of AITC on toxoplasmosis is unclear. We explored the effect of AITC on acute toxoplasmosis. We infected C57BL/6 mice with T. gondii type I RH strain following AITC administration. On the 4th day after infection, which corresponds to the initial stage of infection, we collected serum for the determination of inflammatory cytokine levels. The mice serum of the AITC-administered group contained significantly lower levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-23 subunit p19, IL-4, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. The lifespan of the mice in the AITC-administered group was significantly reduced. In vitro experiments showed that AITC promoted the proliferation of intracellular T. gondii accompanied by the inhibition of IL-4, IL-1β, and IL-6 production in RAW264.7 macrophages. Our results showed that AITC facilitated T. gondii infection in the early stage by inhibiting the production of several inflammatory cytokines.

Objective:To investigate the specimen quality of intersphincteric resection with transabdominal transanal mixed approach for rectal cancer in the Chinese Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision Registry Collaborative (CTRC) database.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. Based on the concept of real-world research, the clinicopathological data of 281 pati-ents with rectal cancer in the CTRC database who underwent intersphincteric resection with trans-abdominal transanal mixed approach in 19 medical centers, including the Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University et al, from November 15,2017 to December 31,2023 were collected. There were 196 males and 85 females, aged 61(range, 27-87)years. Observation indicators: (1) preoperative examinations; (2) neoadjuvant therapy; (3) postoperative examinations; (4) analysis of influencing factors for positive circumferential margin in surgical specimen of intersphincteric resec-tion for rectal cancer. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages. The chi-square test was used for univariate analysis. Logistic regression model was used for multivariate analysis. Results:(1) Preoperative examinations. Of the 281 patients, 234 cases underwent preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examina-tion. There were 2 cases in clinical stage T0, 3 cases in clinical stage T1, 58 cases in clinical stage T2, 137 cases in clinical stage T3, 24 cases in clinical stage T4, 3 cases in clinical stage Tx, 7 cases missing clinical T staging data. There were 87 cases in clinical stage N0, 68 cases in clinical stage N1, 60 cases in clinical stage N2, 9 cases in clinical stage Nx, 10 cases missing clinical N staging data. There were 30 cases with mesorectal fascia invasion, 53 cases with extramural venous invasion. The distance from lower margin of tumor to anal margin was 41.9(range, 1.0-80.0)mm. (2) Neoadjuvant therapy. Of the 281 patients, 125 cases underwent neoadjuvant therapy, including 39 cases receiving chemo-therapy alone, 6 cases receiving short-course simultaneous chemoradiotherapy, 5 cases receiving short-course simultaneous chemoradiotherapy and delayed surgery, 48 cases receiving long-course simultaneous chemoradiotherapy, 2 cases receiving other treatments, and 25 cases missing neoadju-vant therapy data. (3) Postoperative examinations. Of the 281 patients, 249 cases achieved R 0 resection, 9 cases achieved R 1 resection, and there were 23 cases missing surgical margin data. The maximum tumor diameter, the number of lymph nodes harvested and positive rate of vessel carcinoma embolus were 30.0(range, 0.5-200.0)mm, 13(range, 0-70) and 27.55%(73/265) in 281 patients. There were 252 patients with circumferential margin records, showing positive in 15 cases, with a positive rate as 5.95%(15/252). The minimum distance from deep part of tumor to circumferential margin was 7.0(range, 0-150.0)mm in 252 patients. There were 85 cases with distal margin records, showing positive in 1 case, and the distance from lower margin of tumor to distal margin was 10.0(range, 0-202.0)mm. There were 273 patients with specimen integrity records, which showed intact specimen in 208 cases, fair specimen in 58 cases, poor specimen in 4 cases, unevaluated specimen in 3 cases. There were 7 cases with rectal perforation. Of the 281 patients, cases in pathological stage T0, Tis, T1, T2, T3, T4 were 14, 5, 22, 107, 113, 12, respectively, and there were 8 cases missing pathological T staging data. Of the 281 patients, cases in pathological stage N0, N1a, N1b, N1c, N2a, N2b were 176, 27, 27, 11,20, 12, respectively, and there were 8 cases missing pathological N staging data. Of the 281 patients, there were 4 cases with distant metastasis, 262 cases without distant metastasis, 5 cases not evaluated, and 10 cases missing tumor metastasis data. Of the 125 patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy, there were 85 cases with tumor regression grade records, including 16 cases as grade 1, 27 cases as grade 2, 19 cases as grade 3, 15 cases as grade 4, 8 cases as grade 5. (4) Analysis of influencing factors for positive circumferential margin in surgical specimen of intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer. Results of univariate analysis showed that preoperative T staging on preoperative pelvic MRI, mesorectal fascia invasion, extramural venous invasion, pathological T staging, and pathological N staging were related factors for positive circumferential margin in surgical specimen of intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Intersph-incteric resection with transabdominal transanal mixed approach has good specimen quality and low positive rate of surgical margin. T staging on preoperative pelvic MRI may be related to positive circumferential margin after intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer.

AIM:The study aimed to explore the effect of curcumin(Cur)on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-in-duced RAW264.7 cell-derived osteoclasts,together with its underlying mechanism.METHODS:An osteoclast model was established by treating RAW264.7 cells with LPS.The viability of the cells was assessed by CCK-8 assays and osteo-clast formation was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)activity.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),Fe2+,glutathione(GSH),and malondialdehyde(MDA)were examined by biochemical assays.Mitochondrial morphology was assessed by transmission electron microscopy.The mRNA and protein levels of p53,glutathione peroxi-dase 4(GPX4),and solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)were determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot,re-spectively.RESULTS:Treatment with LPS successfully induced osteoclasts formation in RAW264.7 cells.The TRAP results showed that compared with the LPS-treated group,the number of osteoclasts and TRAP activity in the curcumin-treated group decreased dose-dependently(P<0.01).Compared with the control group,the LPS+Erastin group showed significantly increased TRAP activity(P<0.01),while after curcumin treatment,the TRAP activity declined in a dose-de-pendent manner(P<0.01).The results of the biochemical tests showed that compared with the control group,the LPS+Erastin group had significantly elevated levels of ROS,Fe2+,and MDA,while the GSH level was significantly reduced(P<0.01),and compared with the LPS+Erastin group,the ROS,Fe2+,and MDA levels in the curcumin group decreased(P<0.01)and GSH levels increased(P<0.01).These effects were all dose-dependent.Transmission electron microscopy showed that compared with the LPS group,the LPS+Erastin group had reduced mitochondrial cristae and increased mem-brane density,while after treatment with curcumin,both these effects were reversed.The RT-qPCR and Western blot re-sults showed that compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein levels of p53 in the LPS+Erastin group were sig-nificantly increased,while those of of SLC7A11 and GPX4 were significantly reduced(P<0.01).After curcumin treat-ment,the p53 mRNA and protein levels were reduced while the levels of SLC7A11 and GPX4 were increased(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Curcumin can inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced differentiation of RAW264.7 cells into osteoclasts,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the p53/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]