Hepatitis B virus （HBV） exclusively infects liver parenchymal cells and forms covalently closed circular DNA （cccDNA） within their nuclei. HBV cccDNA serves as the essential template for viral gene transcription， the sole source of progeny virus production， and the key driver of viral antigen expression， and it is the molecular basis for the persistence of HBV infection. Therefore， elimination and/or functional silencing of cccDNA is the key to eradicate chronic HBV infection. This article discusses the critical scientific issues that need to be solved during elimination of the harm of HBV infection from the perspectives of the synthesis， transcription， and clearance of cccDNA， as well as the impact of nonparenchymal cells on cccDNA， in order to provide a reference for eradicating HBV infection in the future.

Background The decline of physical activity in the elderly due to aging may increase the risk of sarcopenia. Currently, there is a lack of evidence from large natural populations on the relationship between PA and sarcopenia. Objective To explore the relationship between PA and sarcopenia in the elderly aged 60 years and above in 10 provinces (autonomous regions) of China. Methods Data were retrieved from the 2022—2023 round of the China Development and Nutrition Health Impact Cohort. Personal basic information and PA data were collected by questionnaire survey. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by bio-electrical impedance analysis, muscle strength was measured using a grip dynamometer, and physical performance was reflected by 6-meter walk speed. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria were used to diagnose sarcopenia. Light physical activity (LPA) duration, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration, and total physical activity volume were calculated. A total of 3326 residents aged ≥60 years with complete data were selected as the survey participants. Multiple logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to assess the association between PA duration/volume and sarcopenia. Results In 10 provinces (autonomous regions) of China, the prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly aged 60 years and above was 5.5% (95%CI: 4.7%, 6.2%). The logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the elderly reporting 0-7.0 h·week⁻¹ in LPA duration, the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly with LPA duration of >14.0-21.0 h·week⁻¹ was reduced by 51% (OR=0.49, 95%CI: 0.26, 0.96). Compared with the elderly with total physical activity ≥15.0 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-h·week⁻¹, those with <7.5 MET-h·week⁻¹ had a 2.24-fold increased risk of sarcopenia (OR=2.24, 95%CI: 1.17, 4.29). The RCS results found that LPA duration and total physical activity volume each showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with the risk of sarcopenia (P_overall<0.05, P_non-linear<0.05). Compared with the elderly with an LPA duration of 0 h· week⁻¹, the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly with an LPA duration of 12.6 h· week⁻¹ was the lowest (OR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.83). Compared with the elderly with a total physical activity volume of 15.0 MET-h· week⁻¹, the elderly with a total physical activity volume of 46.0 MET-h· week⁻¹ had the lowest risk of sarcopenia (OR=0.57, 95%CI: 0.38, 0.84). There was no statistically significant association between weekly MVPA duration and the risk of sarcopenia (P>0.05). Conclusion Increasing weekly LPA duration and total physical activity volume would help to reduce the risk of sarcopenia.

Champagne bottle neck sign (CBNS) is an important morphological feature of extracranial artery damage in patients with moyamoya disease (MMD), and more than half of them have this sign. Carotid ultrasound is the most convenient imaging examination method for diagnosing CBNS. CBNS can have a serious impact on cerebral hemodynamics and is closely associated with the staging of MMD, stroke risk, stroke characteristics, MMD-related headaches, and the risk of postoperative complications. This article comprehensively reviews the pathology and pathogenesis, imaging examination, correlation with clinical symptoms, and intervention of CBNS in patients with MMD, aiming to provide reference for the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and research of MMD combined with CBNS.

Objective To explore the clinical effect of applying an improved"outside-in"technique in hip arthroscopic surgery.Methods Totally 136 patients undergoing hip arthroscopic surgery between June 2021 and July 2023 were selected and studied retrospectively.According to their different surgi-cal approach,they were divided into a modified approach group(n=75,including 30 males and 45 fe-males,with an average age of 36±14)and a classic approach group(n=61,including 33 males and 28 females,with an average age of 31±11).Before as well as 4 weeks,3 months and 6 months after the surgery,both groups were evaluated using the visual analog scale(VAS)and Harris hip score,and observed their surgical complications.Moreover,the surgical outcomes and time of sur-gical approach establishment were compared between the two groups.Results There was no significant difference between the two groups in general information,preoperative VAS and Harris scores.More-over,no significant difference was found between the two groups in the Harris score after surgery.Compared with the classic approach group,the improved group had significantly less surgical time(49.0±16.9 min vs.66.0±13.3 min,P<0.05),without using the C-arm fluoroscopy during surgery.Moreover,in the modified approach group,the time for establishing the mid-anteriorapproach was sig-nificantly shortened(10.4±5.9 min vs.25.9±15.1 min,P<0.05),along with the traction time during surgery(66.0±13.3 min vs.49.0±16.9 min,P<0.05).Conclusion The modified"outside-in"hip ar-throscopy technique is a safe and effective surgical method,easier to operate,with shorter surgical time.

Central nerve injuries, most commonly caused by traffic accidents or falls, frequently result in irreversible deficits such as paralysis, cognitive impairment and respiratory failure, profoundly impairing patients′ life quality and even proving to be fatal. Current therapeutic strategies including early surgical decompression, corticosteroid administration and neurotrophic pharmacotherapy fail to restore the neuro-homeostatic balance and systemic function. In recent years, biomaterial-based interventions have emerged as a promising alternative for central nerve injuries. Among them, the human amniotic membrane (HAM), a placental basement-membrane scaffold rich in collagen, hyaluronic acid and a cocktail of growth factors, perfectly combines angiogenic, anti-fibrotic and neurotropic properties that meet the complex demands of central nerve repair. Nevertheless, HAM-based therapies for central nerve injuries remain at an early stage of pre-clinical investigation. In the meantime, most studies have simply translated protocols validated for peripheral nerve injuries without addressing the pathological microenvironment specific to central nerve injuries. To this end, the authors reviewed recent advances in the modes of HAM application for central nerve injuries, aiming to provide novel insights and reference for future research on central nerve injuries.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) of throat swab samples for detecting community-acquired respiratory viruses (CARV) in patients with hematological diseases.Methods:Clinical and laboratory data from 64 episodes involving patients with hematological diseases and suspected infections—who underwent both pharyngeal swab tNGS and CARV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing concurrently—were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were drawn from the Department of Hematology, Peking University People’s Hospital, between September 2023 and April 2024. Concordance between tNGS and CARV PCR results, as well as the diagnostic performance of tNGS in detecting CARV, were evaluated.Results:Among the 64 episodes, 29 were clinically diagnosed with respiratory tract infections, including one case of cytomegalovirus pneumonia and 28 CARV-positive cases. The remaining 35 episodes involved patients with fever or respiratory symptoms attributed to other causes, including 14 with extrapulmonary infections and 21 with noninfectious etiologies. The median follow-up duration was 215.5 days (range: 7-271 days). PCR detected 24 strains of seven CARV types, whereas tNGS detected 25 strains of eight CARV types. Using PCR results as the reference standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of tNGS were 85.0%, 88.6%, 77.3%, 92.9%, and 87.5%, respectively. The two methods showed good concordance (Kappa=0.717, P<0.001) . Conclusion:Pharyngeal swab tNGS may serve as a viable alternative to PCR for diagnosing CARV infections in patients with hematological diseases.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and healthcare burden in patients with McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS).Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Clinical and healthcare burden data were systematically collected through structured questionnaires in 164 children with MAS from February 2022 to May 2023. According to the clinical characteristics, patients were categorized into 3 groups: monosymptomatic, bisymptomatic and trisymptomatic groups. Patients were also divided into 3 groups according to the age of <7, 7-<10 and 10-18 years. Comparative analyses of clinical characteristics and healthcare burden were conducted across age, sex, and symptom categories.Results:The cohort comprised 59 males (36.0%) and 105 females (64.0%) with an age of 4.6 (2.0, 7.4) years. Age stratification revealed 117 cases (71.3%) aged 0-<7 years, 29 cases (17.7%) aged 7-<10 years, and 18 cases (11.0%) aged 10-<18 years. Among monosymptomatic (67 cases, 40.9%), the cohort comprised 32 females (47.8%) and 35 males (52.2%), predominantly presenting with fibrous dysplasia (57 cases, 85.1%). This subgroup showed peak prevalence in the 0-<7 years age range (29 cases (50.9%)). The bisymptomatic cohort (56 cases, 34.1%) consisted of 39 females (69.6%) and 17 males (30.4%), predominantly manifesting fibrous dysplasia with skin hyperpigmentation (25 cases, 44.6%). Peak prevalence occurred in the 0-<7 years subgroup(16 cases (64.0%)). The trisymptomatic cohort (41 cases, 25.0%) consisted of 34 females (82.9%) and 7 males (17.1%), with peak prevalence occurring in the 0-<7 years subgroup (36 cases (87.8%)). The diagnostic journey analysis revealed 94 cases (57.3%) required 1-3 referrals, and 34 cases (20.7%) necessitated >3 referrals from symptom onset to definitive diagnosis. Healthcare expenditure analysis revealed 69 families (42.1%) incurred direct medical costs of 10 000-100 000 CNY, with 11 families (6.7%) exceeding >100 000 CNY. Direct non-medical costs reached of 10 000-100 000 CNY for 62 families (37.8%) and >100 000 CNY for 4 families (2.4%). Productivity loss affected 58 families (35.4%) at 10 000-100 000 CNY and 8 families (4.9%) above 100 000 CNY during the study period.Conclusion:MAS requires increased attention to skeletal manifestations, especially in children aged 0-<7 years. Moreover, the significant financial burden on families necessitates a society-wide support system.

Traumatic injuries represent the fifth leading cause of death in China and the primary cause of death among young adults. While facial fractures can lead to significant aesthetic and psychological consequences, fractures in the limbs and joints impair functional mobility. In traumatic incidents requiring forensic evaluation, such as traffic accidents or violent conflicts, the type and severity of fractures directly determine injury grading and disability assessment. Consequently, the accurate diagnosis of traumatic fractures is not only a critical medical issue impacting patient management and rehabilitation but also a significant social issue influencing judicial fairness. This article systematically reviews advancements in multi-modal imaging techniques. While conventional X-ray radiography remains a fundamental screening tool, it faces challenges in detecting occult fractures. Multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT), utilizing 3D reconstruction, enables spatial analysis of complex fractures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with its multi-sequence capabilities, plays an indispensable role in detecting bone marrow edema and assessing concomitant soft tissue injuries. Regarding innovative technologies, dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) employs virtual non-calcium (VNC) techniques for quantitative bone marrow edema analysis; ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT) breaks through imaging limitations of trabecular microarchitecture with a resolution of approximately 10 μm; and 7.0 T ultra-high-field MRI, alongside MRI-based CT-like imaging techniques, advances radiation-free bone structure evaluation. Artificial intelligence (AI) models significantly enhance diagnostic efficiency in fracture detection. Future developments will focus on multi-modal image fusion, the construction of intelligent decision-support systems, and the quantitative functional assessment of bone microstructure, facilitating a paradigm shift from anatomical description to prognostic prediction and realizing the principles of personalized medicine.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of endoclip papillaplasty (ECPP) for preventing recurrent choledocholithiasis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 941 patients who underwent ERCP for choledocholithiasis in Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023. A total of 250 patients who received ECPP were assigned to the ECPP group, while 251 matched controls were selected via 1∶1 year-stratified sampling into the control group. After follow-up, 209 ECPP cases and 190 controls were ultimately included in the analysis. Stone removal success rate, incidence of perioperative complications, and postoperative choledocholithiasis recurrence were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the risk factors for choledocholithiasis recurrence after ERCP.Results:Both groups achieved 100.0% stone removal success rate. There was no significant difference in the incidence of intraoperative perforation [0.5% (1/209) VS 1.1% (2/190), χ2=0.01, P=0.934], postoperative hyperamylasemia [21.5% (45/209) VS 17.4% (33/190), χ2=1.10, P=0.295] or post-ERCP pancreatitis [3.8% (8/209) VS 8.1% (9/190), χ2=0.20, P=0.653] between the ECPP group and the control group. The ECPP group showed significantly lower bleeding rate [5.1% (11/209) VS 12.3% (23/190), χ2=5.98, P=0.014] and choledocholithiasis recurrence rate [10.5% (22/209) VS 18.9% (36/190), χ2=5.68, P=0.017] compared with the control group. The multivariate logistic regression identified dilated common bile duct diameter ( OR=1.881, 95% CI: 1.101-3.213, P=0.021) as an independent risk factor for choledocholithiasis recurrence, while being female ( OR=0.482, 95% CI: 0.266-0.875, P=0.016) and ECPP ( OR=0.497, 95% CI:0.278-0.887, P=0.018) were protective factors. Conclusion:ECPP effectively reduces choledocholithiasis recurrence rate and bleeding risk after ERCP. ECPP and being female serve as protective factors for choledocholithiasis recurrence, while dilated bile duct diameter is an independent risk factor.

To investigate the distribution and biological characteristics of Trueperella pyogenes in caprine mastitis,67 milk samples from were collected from goats with mastitis in 9 dairy goat farms in the Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province.A total of 21 strains of T.pyogenes were isolated through bacterial separation and culture.PCR amplification was conducted for 8 virulence genes of the 21 isolated strains,and the susceptibility of the strains to 10 antimicrobial drugs was tested u-sing the micro broth dilution method.Nine selected strains were subjected to genomic sequencing using Illumina Nova Seq 6000 next-generation sequencing technology,and their pathogenicity was verified by inoculating mice through the teat canal.The results of virulence gene detection showed that the positive rates of plo,cbpA,nanH,nanP,fimA,fimC-,and fimE genes among the 21 iso-lated strains were 100.0％,38.1％,52.6％,31.6％,61.9％,57.1％,and 52.4％,respectively.In con-trast,the fimG gene was not detected,which was consistent with the results of genomic compari-son by next-generation sequencing.The drug susceptibility test results showed that the susceptibil-ity rates of the isolated strains to clindamycin(CLI),ceftiofur(CEF),and vancomycin(VAN)were 100.0％,while the resistance rates to penicillin(PEN),erythromycin(ERY),sulfamethox-azole-trimethoprim(SXT),florfenicol(FFC),tetracycline(TE),gentamicin(GEN),and enroflox-acin(ENR)were 76.2％,52.1％,52.4％,52.4％,47.6％,42.9％,and 33.3％,respectively.The pro-portion of strains resistant to at least three antimicrobial drugs was 71.4％(15/21).ResFinder a-nalysis of the resistant genes identified 8 types of resistance genes in the genomes of the 9 strains,including ant(2")-Ia and ant(3")-Ia mediating aminoglycoside resistance,cmlA1 and cmx media-ting chloramphenicol resistance,erm(X)and lnu(A)mediating macrolide resistance,sul1 media-ting sulfonamide resistance,and tet(W)mediating tetracycline resistance.Except for tet(W),cm-lA,and erm(X),the other resistance genes were detected for the first time in T.pyogenes in Chi-na.In animal pathogenicity tests,mice inoculated with the isolated strains showed signs of mastitis such as redness,congestion,and inflammatory cell infiltration in the glandular tissue within 24 h,indicating that the isolated strains have pathogenicity to mouse mammary tissue.This study pro-vides preliminary insights into the biological characteristics and pathogenicity of T.pyogenes from caprine mastitis,enriching the data on its drug resistance and genomics,and offering reference and guidance for the prevention and treatment of T.pyogenes infections in large-scale dairy goat farm-ing.