Objective: To investigate the factors influencing the co-prevalence of allergic rhinitis and obesity among primary and secondary school students in Inner Mongolia, so as to provide a data foundation and theoretical basis for developing targeted intervention measures. Methods: In September and October 2024, a stratified cluster random sampling method was employed to select 139 102 students from 539 schools across 12 leagues/cities and 103 banners/counties in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Participants who were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis by a doctor at least once within one year and had a body mass index ≥ 28 kg/m 2 were considered to have comorbid conditions. Results: The coprevalence rate of allergic rhinitis and obesity among primary and secondary school students in Inner Mongolia was 6.4% (8 931 cases). Lasso-Logistic regression revealed that nonboarding status, higher maternal education, consuming high protein foods ≥1 time daily, occasionally or never eating breakfast, engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity for ≥60 minutes on fewer than half of holidays, and having been exposed to second hand smoke in person within the past seven days were associated with higher odds ratios for co-prevalence of allergic rhinitis and obesity( OR = 1.23 , 1.22-1.63, 1.20, 1.19, 1.38, 1.35); being female, higher grade level, residence in flag/county/district areas, non only child status, never having consumed a full glass of alcohol, non hypertensive status, and households without pets were associated with lower co-prevalence risks ( OR =0.65, 0.67-0.77, 0.81, 0.87, 0.73, 0.41, 0.68) (all P <0.05). The ROC curve indicated an area under the curve of 0.64 for the predictive model, demonstrating satisfactory discriminatory ability. The calibration curve showed consistency between predicted and actual occurrence probabilities. Conclusions The co-prevalence of allergic rhinitis and obesity among primary and secondary school students in Inner Mongolia is closely associated with demographic characteristics, dietary behaviours, and lifestyle habits. Future prevention and control strategies should prioritize these factors to implement targeted interventions.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which Buyang Huanwutang regulates the glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）-acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 （ACSL4） axis to inhibit ferroptosis and promote neurological functional recovery after spinal cord injury （SCI）. MethodsNinety rats were randomly divided into five groups： sham operation group， model group， low-dose Buyang Huanwutang group （12.5 g·kg^-1）， high-dose Buyang Huanwutang group （25 g·kg^-1）， and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group （25 g·kg^-1 + 5 g·kg^-1 RSL3）. The SCI model was established by using the allen method. Tissue was collected on the 7th and 28th days after operation. Motor function was assessed by using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan （BBB） scale. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Nissl， and Luxol fast blue （LFB） staining were performed to observe spinal cord histopathology. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine mitochondrial ultrastructure. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the number of NeuN-positive cells and the fluorescence intensity of myelin basic protein （MBP）， GPX4， and ACSL4. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to analyze the mRNA expression of GPX4 and ACSL4. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was performed to measure the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD）. Colorimetric assays were used to determine the iron content in spinal cord tissue. ResultsCompared to the sham operation group， the model group exhibited significantly reduced BBB scores （P<0.01）， severe pathological damage in spinal cord tissue， and marked mitochondrial ultrastructural disruption. In addition， the model group showed a decrease in the number of NeuN-positive cells （P<0.01）， reduced fluorescence intensity of MBP and GPX4 （P<0.01）， lower levels of GSH and SOD （P<0.01）， and downregulated mRNA expression of GPX4 （P<0.01）. Moreover， compared to the sham operation group， the model group had elevated levels of ROS， MDA， and tissue iron content （P<0.01）， along with increased fluorescence intensity and mRNA expression of ACSL4 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group， the Buyang Huanwutang group showed significantly improved BBB scores （P<0.05， P<0.01） and exhibited less severe spinal cord tissue damage， reduced edema and inflammatory cell infiltration， increased neuronal survival， and more intact myelin structures. Additionally， mitochondrial ultrastructure was significantly improved in the Buyang Huanwutang group. Compared to the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group， the Buyang Huanwutang group significantly increased the number of NeuN-positive cells and the fluorescence intensity of MBP （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， Buyang Huanwutang significantly increased the fluorescence intensity and mRNA expression of GPX4 （P<0.01） and decreased the fluorescence intensity and mRNA expression of ACSL4 （P<0.01） compared to the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group. Finally， the Buyang Huanwutang group significantly decreased ROS， MDA， and tissue iron content （P<0.01） and significantly increased GSH and SOD levels （P<0.01） compared to the model group and Buyang Huanwutang + inhibitor group. ConclusionBuyang Huanwutang inhibits ferroptosis through the GPX4/ACSL4 axis， reduces secondary neuronal and myelin injury and oxidative stress， and ultimately promotes the recovery of neurological function.

[Objective] To evaluate the risk of bacterial contamination of platelets apheresis and improve the clinical diagnosis rate of transfusion-transmitted bacterial infections. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 cases involving bacterial contamination detected in apheresis platelets during quality inspections at our center from 2021 to 2023, as well as cases of transfusion-transmitted bacterial infection (TTBI) caused by platelet transfusion. The return of positive platelet bacteria test results and clinical transfusion adverse reactions were statistically analyzed. [Results] There were 9 donors with bacteria-contaminated platelets, of which 3 were reported as clinical transfusion reaction, 4 were detected by quality sampling, and 2 were identified by appearance detection before transfusion. The bacterial contamination rate of platelets was about 0.08% (9/10 762). The contaminated platelets were involved in 11 cases of TTBI, with an incidence of TTBI of approximately 0.05% (11/21 916). Only 3 cases of transfusion reactions were clinically reported, while the rest were case tracking with positive results of platelet bacterial test from quality sampling. The clinical return rate of TTBI was 27.27% (3/11), with an average reporting time of 8.12 hours after the occurrence of transfusion reactions. The majority of the contaminated platelets were detected at the end stage of storage, with 55.56% (5/9) of platelets collected on the 4th day after collection. Partial contaminated platelets were identified through quality sampling, with a positive rate of 2.78% (4/144). [Conclusion] The platelet bacterial contamination rate is high, but with low clinical return rate. It is recommended to conduct routine platelet bacterial monitoring and improve clinical diagnostic level.

BACKGROUND:Observational studies have shown that intervertebral disc degeneration affects sedentary and physical activity levels;however,the causal relationship between sedentary and physical activity levels in the Oswestry disability index score and intervertebral disc degeneration is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the causal relationship between sedentary and physical activity levels in the Oswestry disability index score and intervertebral disc degeneration using the Mendelian randomization method. METHODS:Five features associated with behavioral correlations in the Oswestry disability index score,including time spent watching TV,time spent on the computer,and light/moderate/vigorous physical activity,were selected from large-scale population-based genome-wide association studies,and instrumental variables were extracted for each of these behaviorally related features.Mendelian randomization analyses were performed in conjunction with the extraction of intervertebral disc degeneration as an outcome from the Finn Gen latest version 9 database.The results were analyzed using the inverse variance weighted,MR-Egger regression,simple mode,weighted mode,weighted median estimator,and regression model odds ratios(OR)and 95%confidence interval(CI)to assess the causal relationship between sedentary and physical activity levels in the Oswestry disability index scoring and intervertebral disc degeneration.Cochran's Q was used to test for heterogeneity,MR-Egger intercept to test for multiplicity,and leave-one-out to test the sensitivity of single nucleotide polymorphisms to the causal relationship between exposure factors and disc degeneration. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of the Mendelian randomization analysis using inverse variance weighted method showed a positive causal association between time spent watching TV/on the computer and the risk of intervertebral disc degeneration(OR=1.775,95%CI:1.418-2.221,P<0.001)/(OR=1.384,95%CI:1.041-1.839,P<0.001),an inverse causal association between light physical activity and the risk of intervertebral disc degeneration(OR=1.000,95%CI:0.999-1.000,P=0.020).MR-Egger intercept analysis indicated there was potential horizontal polytropy between light physical activity and intervertebral disc degeneration(P=0.005),while there was no horizontal pleiotropy between time spent watching TV,time spent on the computer and intervertebral disc degeneration(P=0.521,P=0.851).Cochran's Q analysis showed that heterogeneity was observed between time spent watching TV,time spent on the computer and intervertebral disc degeneration(P=3.33×10-11,P=0.001),and no significant heterogeneity was observed between light physical activity and intervertebral disc degeneration(P=0.186).Overall,there is a bidirectional causal relationship between sedentary and physical activity levels in the Oswestry disability index score and intervertebral disc degeneration,i.e.,not only does intervertebral disc degeneration affect sedentary and physical activity levels in the Oswestry disability index score,but sedentary and physical activity levels in the Oswestry disability index score also affect intervertebral disc degeneration.These findings add to the genetic evidence for a positive effect of light physical activity on intervertebral disc degeneration,indicate that moderate/vigorous physical activity shows no significant causal relationship with intervertebral disc degeneration,and expand the evidence base for sedentary behaviors such as prolonged time spent watching TV/on the computer as a risk factor for intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objective To introduce an innovative technique, the "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" and its application in the subxiphoid uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for anterior mediastinal masses resection. Methods Patients who underwent single-port thoracoscopic assisted anterior mediastinal tumor resection through the xiphoid process at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from May to June 2024 were included, and their clinical data were analyzed. Results A total of 7 patients were included, with 3 males and 4 females, aged 28-72 years. The diameter of the tumor was 1.9-17.0 cm. The operation time was 62-308 min, intraoperative blood loss was 5-100 mL, postoperative chest drainage tube retention time was 0-9 days, pain score on the 7th day after surgery was 0-2 points, and postoperative hospital stay was 3-12 days. All patients underwent successful and complete resection of the masses and thymus, with favorable postoperative recovery. Conclusion The "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" effectively expands the retrosternal space, providing surgeons with satisfactory surgical views and operating space. This technique significantly enhances the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive surgery for anterior mediastinal masses, reduces trauma and postoperative pain, and accelerates patient recovery, demonstrating important clinical significance and application value.

Background: and Purpose This study aimed to investigate the association between residual inflammatory risk (RIR) and vulnerable plaques using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Methods: This retrospective study included 70%–99% symptomatic ICAS patients hospitalized from January 2016 to December 2022. Patients were classified into four groups based on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C): residual cholesterol inflammatory risk (RCIR, hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), RIR (hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L), residual cholesterol risk (RCR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), and no residual risk (NRR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L). Vulnerable plaque features on HRMRI included positive remodeling, diffuse distribution, intraplaque hemorrhage, and strong enhancement. Results: Among 336 included patients, 21, 60, 58, and 197 were assigned to the RCIR, RIR, RCR, and NRR groups, respectively. Patients with RCIR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.606; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.346–9.662; P=0.011) and RIR (aOR, 3.361; 95% CI, 1.774–6.368, P<0.001) had higher risks of strong enhancement than those with NRR. Additionally, patients with RCIR (aOR, 2.965; 95% CI, 1.060–8.297; P=0.038) were more likely to have intraplaque hemorrhage compared with those with NRR. In the sensitivity analysis, RCR (aOR, 2.595; 95% CI, 1.201–5.608; P=0.015) exhibited an additional correlation with an increased risk of intraplaque hemorrhage. Conclusion In patients with symptomatic ICAS, RIR is associated with a higher risk of intraplaque hemorrhage and strong enhancement, indicating an increased vulnerability to atherosclerotic plaques.

Background and Objectives: SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 3 (Shank3) proteins play crucial roles as neuronal postsynaptic scaffolds. Alongside neuropsychiatric symptoms, individuals with SHANK3 mutations often exhibit symptoms related to dysfunctions in other organs, including the heart. However, detailed insights into the cardiac functions of Shank3 remain limited. This study aimed to characterize the cardiac phenotypes of Shank3-overexpressing transgenic mice and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Cardiac histological analysis, electrocardiogram and echocardiogram recordings were conducted on Shank3-overexpressing transgenic mice. Electrophysiological properties, including action potentials and L-type Ca2+ channel (LTCC) currents, were measured in isolated cardiomyocytes. Ca2+ homeostasis was assessed by analyzing cytosolic Ca2+transients and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ contents. Depolarization-induced cell shortening was examined in cardiomyocytes. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometrybased identification was employed to identify proteins in the cardiac Shank3 interactome.Western blot and immunocytochemical analyses were conducted to identify changes in protein expression in Shank3-overexpressing transgenic cardiomyocytes. Results: The hearts of Shank3-overexpressing transgenic mice displayed reduced weight and increased fibrosis. In vivo, sudden cardiac death, arrhythmia, and contractility impairments were identified. Shank3-overexpressing transgenic cardiomyocytes showed prolonged action potential duration and increased LTCC current density. Cytosolic Ca2+ transients were increased with prolonged decay time, while sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ contents remained normal. Cell shortening was augmented in Shank3-overexpressing transgenic cardiomyocytes. The cardiac Shank3 interactome comprised 78 proteins with various functions. Troponin I levels were down-regulated in Shank3-overexpressing transgenic cardiomyocytes. Conclusions This study revealed cardiac dysfunction in Shank3-overexpressing transgenic mice, potentially attributed to changes in Ca2+ homeostasis and contraction, with a notable reduction in troponin I.

In order to explore the possible role and molecular mechanism of the combined action of leech and bear bile in liver and gallbladder diseases, this study first used network pharmacology methods to screen the components and targets of leech and bear bile, as well as the related target genes of liver and gallbladder diseases. The selected key genes were subjected to interaction network and GO/KEGG enrichment analysis. Then, using sodium oleate induced HepG2 cell lipid deposition model and DL-ethionine induced mouse fatty liver model, the activity of leech and bear bile alone and in combination in reducing liver fat was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and the expression of key pathway related proteins suggested by network pharmacology was detected by Western blot. The results of network pharmacology analysis showed that the active ingredients of leech and bear bile have 295 intersecting targets with liver and gallbladder related diseases, involving more than 200 signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and phospholipase D signaling pathway closely related to glucose and lipid metabolism. The results of in vitro validation experiments showed that both leech and bear bile, alone and in combination, can significantly inhibit the lipid deposition induced by sodium oleate in human liver cells, reduce the triacylglycerol level in cell culture supernatant, and inhibit the lipid content in liver cells. The observation results of Nile red staining confocal microscopy showed that the combination of leech and bear bile had better activity in reducing lipid deposition in liver cells compared to using them alone. In a mouse fatty liver model, the combination of leech and bear bile can better reduce elevated organ indices, blood lipids, and liver lipid levels, as well as lower the levels of serum liver injury biomarkers. The animals used in this experiment and related disposal meet the requirements of animal welfare. Before the experiment, it was reviewed and approved by IACUC, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The Western blot experiment results showed that the combination of leech and bear bile can significantly upregulate the expression levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins, and increase the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios, which is consistent with the predicted results of network pharmacology. The combination of leech and bear bile has great potential for treating fatty liver disease, and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway may be one of the important mechanisms for reducing lipid deposition in liver cells.

[Objective] To compare the efficacy and safety of deglycerolized red blood cells (DRBC) and suspended red blood cells (SRBC) based on the propensity score matching (PSM) method, so as to provide evidence for the rational use of DRBC resources in clinical practice. [Methods] A total of 89 patients who received DRBC transfusion and 2 916 patients who received SRBC transfusion in our hospital from January 2023 to September 2024 were included. A 1∶1 nearest neighbor PSM was used to balance covariates such as gender, age, and body mass index (BMI). The changes of hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit (HCT), and inflammatory markers such as white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (NE) count, C-reactive protein (CRP), and Interleukin-6(IL-6) in the last 72 hours after transfusion were analyzed by SPSS 26.0 and R software to evaluate clinical efficacy and transfusion safety. [Results] The baseline of the two groups was balanced after PSM (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the total effective rate between the DRBC group (80.9%) and the SRBC group (86.5%) (P>0.05). In the SRBC group, WBC (×10 /L) increased from 9.634±6.742 to 10.147±6.835, CRP (mg/dL) increased from 5.468±4.647 to 6.174±6.114, and IL-6(pg/mL) decreased from 213.733±587.191 to 157.255±552.626. In the DRBC group, WBC (×10 /L) decreased from 11.123±7.880 to 11.011±8.549, CRP (mg/dL) decreased from 5.729±4.761 to 5.326±4.466, and IL-6(pg/mL) decreased from 238.806±639.060 to 152.255±266.558. Compared with the before treatment, the differences between the SRBC group and DRBC group were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Among all patients included in the statistics, the overall incidence of transfusion adverse reactions was 0.205% (6/2 916) in the SRBC group, and no adverse reactions occurred in the DRBC group. The incidence in the SRBC group was higher than that in the DRBC group. [Conclusion] Based on PSM analysis, there was no significant difference in the efficacy and safety of DRBC transfusion compared with SRBC transfusion, which can provide evidence-based support for routine application.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.