Objective To evaluate and analyze the feasibility and application effect of ^“DOTS + WeChat^” in the treatment and management of tuberculosis patients. Methods From 2018 to 2019, a total of 2 420 active pulmonary tuberculosis patients were registered in Zibo City, and 1 988 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were selected as the research subjects. 836 patients were randomly enrolled under the ^“DOTS + WeChat^” integrated management mode, while the other 1152 cases were treated with single DOTS management mode. The regular medication status, treatment and outcome, and core knowledge awareness of the two groups were analyzed by SPSS16.0 software, χ²- test and t- test methods. Result The ^“DOTS + WeChat^” comprehensive management group had higher a regular medication rate (98.80%), coincidence rate of sputum test times (95.81%), and success rate of treatment (98.68%) than the single DOTS management group (92.10%, 90.19%, and 96.53%) (P=0.000, 0.000, 0.003). The rate of medical staff participating in supervision and management in the comprehensive management group (100%) was higher than that in the single management group (75.87%) (P=0.000). The complete follow-up rate in the consolidation period (100%) and the complete whole course follow-up rate (99.76%) were both higher than those in the single management group (P=0.000, 0.001). The awareness level of core knowledge in the comprehensive management group (78.58±4.32) was higher than that in the single management group (70.70±8.02) (P=0.000). Conclusion The application of WeChat management mode has a positive effect on the treatment and management of tuberculosis patients in Zibo City. It is a feasible and effective supplement and improvement to the current tuberculosis control and management measures, which is worthy of further promotion and exploration.

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of tuberculosis in Zibo City in recent years, and to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of tuberculosis prevention and control strategies and measures during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was used to analyze the information of tuberculosis patients registered in ^“China Disease Control and Prevention Information System-Tuberculosis Information System^” from 2012 to 2020 in Zibo City. Results From 2012 to 2020, a total of 12,706 pulmonary tuberculosis patients were registered in Zibo City, and the registered incidence rate decreased year by year (F=53.348, P<0.001), with an average annual rate of 30.45/10 million. There was no significant change in mortality. In regional distribution, the incidence was higher in northern region of Zibo than that in the southern region, with a cross distribution in the central region. In terms of time distribution, there were cases in each month over the years, and the overall trend increased first, then decreased and once again increased (F=8.856, P=0.006<0.01), with two low points occurring between January to February and also in October, and two peaks occurring between May to June and also in December. In terms of population distribution, most patients were local cases (82.38%). The incidence rate of males was about 2.09 times that of females. The incidence rate of children aged 0-14 was the lowest, while elderly people aged 65 years old and over had the highest incidence (61.02/10 million). Farmers were the main occupation among tuberculosis cases, accounting for 60.59% of the total. The main source of patients was from tracking, accounting for more than 50% since 2016. Conclusion The epidemic of tuberculosis in Zibo is stable and the incidence rate is decreasing year by year, showing seasonal variations. The majority of the patients are male. Special attention should be paid to farmers and the elderly, and further research on risk factors in high-risk areas and counties should be strengthened.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ligation level of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) on postoperative defecation function in patients with rectal cancer.

METHODSA total of 128 rectal cancer patients who were planned to undergo low anterior resection in the First Hospital of Zibo City between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013 were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into IMA high ligation group(63 cases, cutting distance of 1.0 to 1.5 cm to the root of IMA) and low ligation group(65 cases, cutting distance of 0.5 to 1.0 cm to the root of left colic artery originated from IMA). The efficacy, especially the defecation function, was observed and compared 3 months and 1 year after surgery between the two groups.

RESULTSNo significant difference was found in the number of harvested lymph nodes between two groups[8(1-30) vs. 7(2-28), P=0.125], but high ligation group had greater number of metastatic lymph nodes[1(0-9) vs. 0(0-8), P=0.041]. Frequency of defecation in high ligation group was significantly higher than that in low ligation group during postoperative 3-month follow-up[5(2-10)/d vs. 3(1-8)/d, P=0.035], whereas other indexes of defecation function were not significantly different(all P>0.05). The proportion of patients needing laxatives in high ligation group was higher than that in low ligation group during postoperative 1-year follow-up [11.3%(6/53) vs. 1.7%(1/58), P=0.038], whereas other indexes of defecation function were not significantly different as well (all P>0.05). Three cases and 2 cases showed recurrence in high ligation group and low ligation group respectively during postoperative 1-year follow-up without significant difference(P=0.623).

CONCLUSIONLow ligation of IMA in low anterior resection for rectal cancer is beneficial to the protection against defecation function.

OBJECTIVE: To early differentiate between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and adult mycoplasma pneumonia with chest CT scan. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with COVID-19 and 21 patients with adult mycoplasma pneumonia confirmed with RT-PCR test were enrolled from Zibo First Hospital and Lanshan People's Hospital during December 1st 2019 and March 14th 2020. The early chest CT manifestations were analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The interstitial changes with ground glass density shadow (GGO) were similar in two groups during first chest CT examination (>0.05). There were more lung lobes involved on the first chest CT in COVID-19 patients, which were mostly distributed in the dorsal outer zone (23/26, 88.5%), and nearly half of them (12/26, 46.2%) were accompanied by crazy-paving sign; while the lesions in adult mycoplasma pneumonia patients were mostly distributed along the bronchi, and the bronchial wall was thickened (19/21, 90.5%), accompanied with tree buds / fog signs (19/21, 90.5%). The above CT signs were significantly different between the two kinds of pneumonia (all <0.01). COVID-19 had a longer course compared with mycoplasma pneumonia, the disease peaks of COVID-19 patients was on day (10.5±3.8), while the disease on CT was almost absorbed on day (7.9±2.2) in adult mycoplasma pneumonia. The length of hospital stay in COVID-19 patients was significantly longer than that of mycoplasma pneumonia patients [(19.5±4.3) d vs (7.9±2.2) d, <0.01]. CONCLUSIONS The lesions of adult mycoplasma pneumonia are mostly distributed along the bronchi with tree buds/fog signs, while the lesions of COVID-19 are mainly distributed in the dorsal outer zone accompanied by crazy-paving sign, which can early distinguish two diseases.
Adult ; Betacoronavirus ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; standards ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; diagnostic imaging ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To observe the effect of surface electromyographic biofeedback (sEMG BFB) combined with routine swallow training in treating dysphagia among those with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiation therapy.Methods Fifty dysphagic patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiation therapy were randomly divided into a biofeedback training group and a routine treatment group,each of 25.Both groups were given routine training including orofacial function training,sensory irritation,behavioral swallowing training,and electrical stimulation.The biofeedback group was additionally given behavioral swallowing training based on sEMG BFB.Before and 4 weeks after the treatment,a videofluoroscopic swallowing study was performed to observe the opening of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES).The penetration aspiration scale (PAS) and the functional oral intake scale (FOIS) were used to evaluate the subjects' swallowing function.Results Before the treatment there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of UES opening,average PAS score or average FOIS score.Everyone improved significantly after the treatment,but compared with the routine treatment group,UES opening was significantly better after the treatment,the average PAS score was lower and the average FOIS score was higher in the biofeedback training group.Conclusion sEMG BFB combined with routine swallowing training can improve the UES opening and swallowing ability of dysphagic patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiation therapy.

Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is an unmet clinical challenge due to the rapid increased occurrence but lacking approved drugs. Autophagy-related protein 16-like 1 (ATG16L1) plays an important role in the process of autophagy, which is indispensable for proper biogenesis of the autophagosome, but its role in modulating macrophage-related inflammation and metabolism during MASH has not been documented. Here, we aimed to elucidate the role of ATG16L1 in the progression of MASH. Methods: Expression analysis was performed with liver samples from human and mice. MASH models were induced in myeloid-specific Atg16l1-deficient and myeloid-specific Atg16l1-overexpressed mice by high-fat and high-cholesterol diet or methionine- and choline-deficient diet to explore the function and mechanism of macrophage ATG16L1 in MASH. Results: Macrophage-specific Atg16l1 knockout exacerbated MASH and inhibited energy expenditure, whereas macrophage-specific Atg16l1 transgenic overexpression attenuated MASH and promotes energy expenditure. Mechanistically, Atg16l1 knockout inhibited macrophage lipophagy, thereby suppressing macrophage β-oxidation and decreasing the production of 4-hydroxynonenal, which further inhibited stimulator of interferon genes(STING) carbonylation. STING palmitoylation was enhanced, STING trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi was promoted, and downstream STING signaling was activated, promoting proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines secretion, resulting in hepatic steatosis and hepatic stellate cells activation. Moreover, Atg16l1-deficiency enhanced macrophage phagosome ability but inhibited lysosome formation, engulfing mtDNA released by pyroptotic hepatocytes. Increased mtDNA promoted cGAS/STING signaling activation. Moreover, pharmacological promotion of ATG16L1 substantially blocked MASH progression. Conclusions ATG16L1 suppresses MASH progression by maintaining macrophage lipophagy, restraining liver inflammation, and may be a promising therapeutic target for MASH management.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of flow diversion combined with coil embolization in treatment of intracranial aneurysms.Methods:The clinical data of 110 patients with intracranial aneurysms treated by flow diversion in our hospital from April 2015 to September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. In these patients, 48 were treated by flow diversion combined with coil embolization and 62 were treated by flow diversion alone; the efficacy and safety of patients from the two groups were compared.Results:Blood flow diversion was successfully implanted into all 110 patients, with technical success rate of 100%. Immediate complete occlusion rate in the flow diversion combined with coil embolization group (16.7%) was significantly higher than that in the flow diversion group (1.6%, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of perioperative complications between flow diversion combined with coil embolization group and flow diversion group (4.17% vs. 4.84%, P>0.05). During the mean follow-up of 6.72±3.80 months, modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores of patients in the flow diversion combined with coil embolization group were all 0; one patient had mRS score of 1, one patients had mRS scores of 2, and 60 patients had mRS score of 0 in patients from the flow diversion group; no significant difference was noted between the two groups ( P>0.05). Patients in the flow diversion combined with coil embolization group had significantly higher rate of complete aneurysm occlusion than those in the flow diversion group (88.3% vs. 66.1%, P<0.05). Conclusions:Flow diversion is an effective and safe strategy in treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Flow diversion combined with coil embolization can effectively promote early healing of aneurysms in selective patients.

This study aims to observe the effects of diosgenin on the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c(SREBP-1c), heat shock protein 60(HSP60), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase(MCAD), and short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase(SCAD) in the liver tissue of the rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) and explore the mechanism of diosgenin in alleviating NAFLD. Forty male SD rats were randomized into five groups: a control group, a model group, low-(150 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) and high-dose(300 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) diosgenin groups, and a simvastatin(4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) group. The rats in the control group were fed with a normal diet, while those in the other four groups were fed with a high-fat diet. After feeding for 8 weeks, the body weight of rats in the high-fat diet groups increased significantly. After that, the rats were administrated with the corresponding dose of diosgenin or simvastatin by gavage every day for 8 weeks. The levels of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), alanine transaminase(ALT), and aspartate transaminase(AST) in the serum were determined by the biochemical method. The levels of TG and TC in the liver were measured by the enzyme method. Oil-red O staining was employed to detect the lipid accumulation, and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining to detect the pathological changes in the liver tissue. The mRNA and protein levels of mTOR, SREBP-1c, HSP60, MCAD, and SCAD in the liver tissue of rats were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) and Western blot, respectively. Compared with the control group, the model group showed increased body weight, food uptake, liver index, TG, TC, ALT, and AST levels in the serum, TG and TC levels in the liver, lipid deposition in the liver, obvious hepatic steatosis, up-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of mTOR and SREBP-1c, and down-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of HSP60, MCAD, and SCAD. Compared with the model group, the rats in each treatment group showed obviously decreased body weight, food uptake, liver index, TG, TC, ALT, and AST levels in the serum, TG and TC levels in the liver, lessened lipid deposition in the liver, ameliorated hepatic steatosis, down-regulated mRNA and protein le-vels of mTOR and SREBP-1c, and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of HSP60, MCAD, and SCAD. The high-dose diosgenin outperformed the low-dose diosgenin and simvastatin. Diosgenin may prevent and treat NAFLD by inhibiting the expression of mTOR and SREBP-1c and promoting the expression of HSP60, MCAD, and SCAD to reduce lipid synthesis, improving mitochondrial function, and promoting fatty acid β oxidation in the liver.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics* ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1/metabolism* ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Diosgenin/metabolism* ; Chaperonin 60/therapeutic use* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Liver ; Signal Transduction ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Triglycerides ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Simvastatin/therapeutic use* ; Body Weight ; Lipid Metabolism ; Mammals/metabolism*

Objective:To study the prevalence and distribution of adult thyroid diseases in urban and rural areas of Hebei Province.Methods:A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used to select Renqiu City and Licun Town, Luquan City of Hebei Province as the urban and rural survey sites, respectively. Questionnaire survey, physical examination and thyroid B ultrasound examination were conducted on local permanent residents (≥ 5 years of residencies) over 18 years old. The fasting venous blood sample was collected to determine the serum thyroid function indicaters.Results:A total of 2 650 adults were surveyed, including 1 393 urban residents and 1 257 rural residents (1 357 males and 1 293 females). A total of 435 patients with thyroid diseases were diagnosed, the detection rate was 16.42%. There were seven thyroid diseases, including subclinical hypothyroidism (60.92%, 265/435), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (34.02%, 148/435), hypothyroidism (4.83%, 21/435), simple goiter (3.22%, 14/435), hyperthyroidism (2.53%, 11/435), subclinical hyperthyroidism (2.53%, 11/435), and thyroid cancer (1.84%, 8/435). The detection rates of thyroid diseases in urban and rural areas were 21.18% (295/1 393) and 11.14% (140/1 257), respectively. The detection rates of thyroid diseases in males and females were 11.42% (155/1 357) and 21.66% (280/1 293), respectively. The detection rates of thyroid diseases in 18-< 30, 30-< 40, 40-< 50, 50-< 60 and ≥60 years old were 13.46% (91/676), 14.81% (81/547), 15.42% (89/577), 20.94% (85/406) and 20.05% (89/444), respectively. There were statistically significant differences between different areas, gender and age groups (χ 2 = 48.54, 50.53, 14.68, P < 0.05). Conclusions:The detection rate of subclinical hypothyroidism in adults in urban and rural areas of Hebei Province is relatively high, followed by Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Attention should be paid to the screening, evaluation, and intervention of thyroid function among urban female populations.

Objective: To detect norovirus (NoV) GⅠ.1- and GⅡ.4-specific IgG, IgA and histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)-blocking antibodies in healthy populations of all age groups in China for better understanding the epidemiological features of norovirus in China from a serological point of view and providing basic data for vaccine development and clinical trial design. Methods: Indirect ELISA and HBGA-blocking assay were used to detect NoV-specific IgG, IgA and HBGA-blocking antibodies in serum samples collected from healthy natural populations (n=839, aged from six months to 88 years old) in Guangzhou, Fuyang and Yantai. The results were statistically analyzed. Results: The total positive rates of NoV GⅠ.1- and GⅡ.4-specific IgG antibodies were 91.9% and 93.0%. The positive rates of GⅠ.1- and GⅡ.4-specific IgA antibodies were 48.6% and 75.6%, and the titers of HBGA-blocking antibodies to GⅠ.1 and GⅡ.4 norovirus were 5.04 (95%CI: 4.63-5.49) and 18.15 (95%CI: 16.11-20.44). The positive rates of IgG and IgA antibodies generally showed an increasing trend with age. The positive rates of GⅠ.1- and GⅡ.4-specific IgG antibodies ranged from 79.2% to 100.0% and 76.7% to 100.0% in different age groups. They were 81.7% and 85.0% in the age group of 0.5-<1 year, 79.2% and 76.7% in the age group of 1-<2 years, and 98.1% and 96.3% in the age group of 12-<18 years, and maintained at 96% and 98% in the older age groups. The positive rates of GⅠ.1-specific IgA antibody ranged from 11.7% to 93.8% in different age groups and rapidly increased with age. It was 11.7% in the age group of 0.5-<1 year, and reached 93.3% in people aged 45-<60 years and 93.8% in people aged ≥60 years. The positive rates of GⅡ.4-specific IgA antibody ranged from 50.8% to 88.8% in different age groups with 50.8% in people aged 0.5-<1 year, and 86.7%-90.7% in people aged 12-<18 years and older. The titer of GⅠ.1 HBGA-blocking antibody generally increased with age. The antibody titer in populations aged 0.5-<12 years old was lower than that in those aged 18 years and above (GMT: 2.98-4.07 vs 8.21-11.62, P<0.001), and the titer in people of 12-<18 years old was lower than that in those of 45 years old and above (GMT: 5.21 vs 11.03-11.62, P<0.05). No obvious change with age was observed in the titer of GⅡ.4 HBGA-blocking antibody excepting the significant difference between populations of 2-<5 and 22-<45 years old (GMT: 26.73 vs 11.87, P<0.01). Conclusions This study revealed the characteristics of serum NoV GⅠ.1- and GⅡ.4-specific IgG, IgA and HBGA blocking antibodies in populations of different age groups in central and eastern China through analyzing their positive rates and titers and provided preliminary seroepidemiological data for the development of NoV vaccines in China.