OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the protective effect of Schistosoma japonicum cystatin (rSj-Cystatin) in a mouse mode of "two-hit" sepsis. METHODS: Sixty male C57BL/6 mice randomized equally into sham-operated group, protein group, "two-hit" modeling group, and protein intervention group. In the former two groups, the mice received an intraperitoneal injection of 100 μL PBS followed by exposure of the cecum and then by intraperitoneal injection of 100 μL PBS or 25 μg rSj-Cystatin 30 min later; In the latter two groups, 100 μL PBS containing LPS (5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 24 h before cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and 100 μL PBS or 25 μg rSj-Cystatin were injected 30 min after CLP. At 12 h after rSj-Cystatin treatment, 6 mice from each group were sacrificed for detection of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β, iNOS and Arg-1 in the serum, spleen, liver, lung and kidney tissues using ELISA, for examinations of liver, lung and kidney pathologies with HE staining, and for analysis of CD3⁺CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cell percentage in the spleen using flow cytometry. The remaining mice were observed for general condition and 72-h survival. RESULTS: The 72-h survival rates in the 4 groups were 100%, 100%, 0% and 20%, respectively, showing significant differences between the latter two groups. The mouse models of "two-hit" sepsis exhibited obvious tissue pathologies and significant elevations of TNF-α and IL-6 in both the serum and tissue homogenate, which were significantly ameliorated by rSj-Cystatin treatment. Treatment with rSj-Cystatin also increased IL-10 and TGF-β levels and spleen CD3⁺CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cell percentage. The septic mouse models also showed increased iNOS levels in all the detected tissues and a decreased Arg-1 level in the kidney, and these changes were obviously improved by rSj-Cystatin treatment. CONCLUSIONS rSj-Cystatin has a protective effect against "two-hit" sepsis in mice by regulating the inflammatory microenvironment.
Animals ; Mice ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Male ; Schistosoma japonicum/chemistry* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cystatins/therapeutic use* ; Interleukin-10/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism*

Objective : To analyze the influencing factors associated with the coexistence of multidrug-resistantEscherichia coli(MDR-ECO) infection and active tuberculosis(ATB) in patients with lung infections. Methods: A total of 204 hospitalized patients with lung infections caused by MDR-ECO were enrolled. Among them, patients with coexisting ATB were identified and assigned to the observation group. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for the coexistence of MDR-ECO lung infection and ATB. Results : Factors such as patient age, neutrophil count, hemoglobin level, malignancy, rheumatoid arthritis, history of antibiotic exposure, and history of surgery within the past year were found to be influencing factors for the coexistence of MDR-ECO lung infection and ATB(allP<0.05). Specifically, advanced age(95%CI: 0.949-0.992,P=0.008), decreased neutrophils(95%CI: 0.750-0.922,P<0.001), and a history of antibiotic exposure(95%CI: 1.202-2.596,P=0.004) were identified as risk factors. Conclusion Some patients with MDR-ECO lung infections are prone to coexisting with ATB. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen ATB screening among high-risk patients, including those at peak ages for susceptibility, with low neutrophil counts, and with a history of antibiotic exposure.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women in our country.Conventional ultrasound has become a common imaging method for breast cancer screening.New technologies such as elastography,contrast-enhanced ultrasound,automatic breast ultrasound system,S-detect technology and ultrasound-guided needle biopsy are developing rapidly and gradually applied in clinical practice,providing more valuable information for the diagnosis of breast cancer.This article reviews the clinical application progress of various ultrasound imaging techniques in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Objective To investigate the effect of rehabilitation instruction based on resourceful theory on the execution intention of exercise behaviour in patient with the first-episode stroke.Methods From September 2022 to February 2023,a total of 80 inpatients with first-episode stroke from a general hospital in Anhui Province participated in the study.Patients in Wards Ⅰ and Ⅱ were assigned to an intervention group,while those in Wards Ⅲ and Ⅳ were assigned to a control group,with 40 patients per group.The patients in control group received standard interventions,while those in the intervention group were offered with a rehabilitation instruction based on resourceful theory in addition to the standard interventions.Stroke patient rehabilitation exercise behaviour execution intention questionnaire,resourcefulness scale and modified Barthel were employed for assessments before and after the intervention.Results After the intervention,the intervention group showed significantly higher scores inexecutive intention of exercise behaviour,resourcefulness level and daily living activities compared to those in the control group(all P＜0.01).Conclusion Rehabilitation instruction based on the theory of resourcefulness can effectively increase the executive intention of exercise behaviour in the patients with first-episode stroke,improve the resourcefulness thinking levels and enhance the daily living activity of the patients.

Objective:To analyze regional differences in MMACHC gene variations among patients with cblC-type methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) in China and to explore the relationship between these variations and neonatal screening, biochemical markers and prognosis.Methods:Retrospective case summary. Clinical and laboratory data, including general condition, biochemical markers and genetic analysis, were collected from 1 859 cblC MMA patients from 2005 to 2023. Patients were divided into 7 groups according to their regions: north China, northeast China, east China, central China, south China, southwest China and northwest China. They were also classified into neonatal screening and non-neonatal screening groups. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare biochemical marker levels. In contrast, the Chi-square test was applied to compare MMACHC gene variant frequencies, neonatal screening proportion, onset age and prognosis between groups. Results:Among 1 859 cases of cblC MMA, 1 019 were male and 840 were female, with a consultation age of 1.0 (0.1, 5.0) month. A total of 1 787 cases carried compound heterozygous or homozygous variants and only 1 variant site was identified in 72 cases. The 10 most frequent variants were c.609G>A (1 238 cases), c.658_660delAAG (343 cases), c.80A>G (284 cases), c.482G>A (239 cases), c.567dupT (191 cases), c.656_658delAGA (131 cases), c.217C>T (109 cases), c.394C>T (105 cases), c.445_446delTG (51 cases) and c.1A>G (50 cases). The frequency of the c.609G>A was the lowest in northwest China (28.8% (44/154), χ2=-18.42, P<0.05). The frequency of the c.567dupT was the most common in southwest China (25.0% (20/80), χ2=71.70, P<0.001) and c.656_658delAGA had the highest frequency in northeast China (9.3% (19/205), χ2=32.08, P<0.001). Non-missense variants (91.2% (62/68), 88.5% (46/52)) and early-onset patients (90.0% (36/40), 94.4% (34/36)) were both more prevalent in southwest and south China ( χ2=14.95, 31.69, both P<0.05). The proportion of neonatal screening was the lowest in south China (22.2% (8/36), χ2=98.48, P<0.05), where the mortality rate was the highest (19.1% (4/21), χ2=38.98, P<0.001). East China exhibited the highest frequency of missense variants (21.5% (339/1 579)), the highest proportion of patients identified through neonatal screening (54.5% (465/853)), and a more significant proportion of patients with good prognosis (36.6% (227/621), χ2=14.57, 93.49, 38.98, all P<0.05). In addition, the c.482G>A variant was more frequent in patients diagnosed by neonatal screening compared to those diagnosed by other methods (8.3% (132/1 586) vs. 5.9% (122/2 060), χ2=7.97, P<0.05). Conclusions:The frequency of MMACHC gene variation varies across different regions. The c.609G>A was least frequent in northwest China, c.567dupT was most common in southwest China, and c.656_658delAGA was most prevalent in northeast China. South China had the lowest neonatal screening rate and the highest mortality. At the same time, east China exhibited the highest frequency of missense variants, the highest proportion of patients identified through neonatal screening and the best prognosis. The c.482G>A variant was more frequent in patients diagnosed by neonatal screening compared to those diagnosed by other methods.

Objective To quantitatively study the correlation between T1ρ and T2 values of glenohumeral articular cartilage and the degree of rotator cuff injury.Methods A total of 149 patients with rotator cuff injury and healthy volunteers were prospectively selected.All of them underwent MRI routine scanning and T1 ρ and T2 mapping sequences.The degree of rotator cuff injury was graded,and the T1ρ and T2 values of glenohumeral articular cartilage were measured to analyze their relationship.Results With the development of rotator cuff injury grading,the T1 ρ and T2 values of glenohumeral articular cartilage increased.There were statistically significant differences in T1ρ and T2 values of articular cartilage between the different grades of rotator cuff injury(P＜0.001).Conclusion The injury of glenohumeral articular cartilage is aggravated with the severity of rotator cuff injury.The severity of rotator cuff injury can be evaluated by analyzing the T1 ρ and T2 values of glenohumeral articular cartilage.

Objective To explore the teaching effect of case-integrated scenario simulation instruction model on proba-tionary instruction of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Methods A total of 40 medical students of grade 2021 majoring in clinical medicine,namely,Nanshan Class,from Guangzhou Medical University were selected as participants.The students were randomly divided into two groups,with 22 as an experimental group and 18 as a control group.The former group received the case-integrated based scenario simulation teaching model,while the latter adopted the traditional bedside teaching model.The teaching content was on acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Results There was no statistically significant differ-ence in the total score of gastroenterology between the experimental group and the control group(P＞0.05).The experimental group scored significantly higher in the gastrointestinal bleeding-related contents compared to the control group(P＜0.05).The post-class survey revealed that the majority of the students in the research group expressed their high-level satisfaction with the new instruction model and demonstrated their greater interests in participation in the new instruction model.Conclusion The case-integrated scenario simulation instruction model demonstrates significant superiority to the traditional bedside teaching model in terms of stimulating learning interests,cultivating medical professionalism,and enlivening classroom atmosphere.It is suitable for practical teaching in gastroenterology and can be widely adopted as routine probationary teaching for undergraduate students.