Objective: To develop a facial image generation method based on a facial color-preserving generative adversarial network (FCP-GAN) that effectively decouples identity features from diagnostic facial complexion characteristics in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) inspection, thereby addressing the critical challenge of privacy preservation in medical image analysis. Methods: A facial image dataset was constructed from participants at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine between April 23 and June 10, 2023, using a TCM full-body inspection data acquisition equipment under controlled illumination. The proposed FCP-GAN model was designed to achieve the dual objectives of removing identity features and preserving colors through three key components: (i) a multi-space combination module that comprehensively extracts color attributes from red, green, blue (RGB), hue, saturation, value (HSV), and Lab spaces; (ii) a generator incorporating efficient channel attention (ECA) mechanism to enhance the representation of diagnostically critical color channels; and (iii) a dual-loss function that combines adversarial loss for de-identification with a dedicated color preservation loss. The model was trained and evaluated using a stratified 5-fold cross-validation strategy and evaluated against four baseline generative models: conditional GAN (CGAN), deep convolutional GAN (DCGAN), dual discriminator CGAN (DDCGAN), and medical GAN (MedGAN). Performance was assessed in terms of image quality [peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM)], distribution similarity [Fréchet inception distance (FID)], privacy protection (face recognition accuracy), and diagnostic consistency [mean squared error (MSE) and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC)]. Results: The final analysis included facial images from 216 participants. Compared with baseline models, FCP-GAN achieved superior performance, with PSNR = 31.02 dB and SSIM = 0.908, representing an improvement of 1.21 dB and 0.034 in SSIM over the strongest baseline (MedGAN). The FID value (23.45) was also the lowest among all models, indicating superior distributional similarity to real images. The multi-space feature fusion and the ECA mechanism contributed significantly to these performance gains, as evidenced by ablation studies. The stratified 5-fold cross-validation confirmed the model’s robustness, with results reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD) across all folds. The model effectively protected privacy by reducing face recognition accuracy from 95.2% (original images) to 60.1% (generated images). Critically, it maintained high diagnostic fidelity, as evidenced by a low MSE (< 0.051) and a high PCC (> 0.98) for key TCM facial features between original and generated images. Conclusion The FCP-GAN model provides an effective technical solution for ensuring privacy in TCM diagnostic imaging, successfully having removed identity features while preserving clinically vital facial color features. This study offers significant value for developing intelligent and secure TCM telemedicine systems.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected with Delta variant, so as to provide further references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A real-world study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of 166 COVID-19 patients infected with Delta variant at Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University.Results:The study enrolled 5 asymptomatic cases, 123 non-severe cases (mild and moderate type), and 38 severe cases (severe and critical type). Among these patients, 69 (41.6%) were male and 97 (58.4%) were female, with a mean age of 47.0±23.5 years. Thirty-nine cases (23.5%) had received 1 or 2 doses of inactivated vaccine. The incidence of severe COVID-19 cases was 7.7% in 2-doses vaccinated patients, which was lower than that of 11.5% in 1-dose and 26.8% in unvaccinated patients. The proportion of severe cases in 2 dose-vaccinated patients was 7.7%, which was lower than that of 11.5% in 1-dose vaccinated patients and 26.8% in unvaccinated patients, but the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). The most common clinical symptom was fever (134 cases, 83.2%), and 39.1% of cases presented with high-grade fever (≥39 °C); other symptoms were cough, sputum, fatigue, and xerostomia. The proportion of fever in severe cases was significantly higher than that of non-severe cases (97.4% vs. 76.4%, P<0.01). Similarly, the proportion of severe cases with high peak temperature (≥39 ℃) () was also higher than that of non-severe cases (65.8% vs. 30.9%, P<0.01). The median minimal Cycle threshold (Ct) values of viral nucleic acid N gene and ORFlab gene were 20.3 and 21.5, respectively, and the minimum Ct values were 11.9 and 13.5, respectively. Within 48 h of admission, 9.0% of cases presented with decreased white blood cell counts, and 52.4% with decreased lymphocyte counts. The proportions of increased C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, interleukin 6, and interleukin 10 were 32.5%, 57.4%, 65.3%, and 35.7%, respectively. The proportions of elevated C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A and interleukin-6 in severe cases were significantly higher than those in non-severe cases ( P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that older age and higher peak temperature were associated with a higher likelihood of severe cases ( OR>3, 95% CI: 2-7, P<0.01). In terms of treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was used in 97.6% of non-severe cases and 100% in severe cases. Other treatments included respiratory and nutritional support, immunotherapy (such as neutralizing antibodies and plasma of recovered patients). The median times from admission to progression to severe cases, of fever clearance, and of nucleic acid conversion were 5 days, 6 days and 19 days, respectively. No deaths were reported within 28 days. Conclusions:The symptoms of Delta variant infection in Guangzhou are characterized by a high proportion of fever, high peak temperature, long duration of fever, high viral load, a long time to nucleic acid conversion, and a high incidence of severe cases. The severe cases exhibit a higher percentage of elderly patients, a longer duration of fever and have a higher fever rate and a higher hyperthermia rate than non-severe cases. Age and hyperthermia are independent risk factors for progression to severe disease. The combination of TCM and Western medicine can control the progression of the disease effectively.

BACKGROUND:Lots of in vitro experiments have explored the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles, but its toxicity in vivo is little reported. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles in mouse organs. METHODS:After tracheotomy, 36 Balb/c mice were randomly divided into three groups, fol owed by instil ed with 28 mg/kg upconversion nanoparticle (experimental group), the same volume of normal saline (control group), and nothing (sham operation group), respectively. The functional changes of the lung, liver and kidney were detected at 1 day, 1 and 2 weeks postoperatively, and meanwhile, the morphological changes of the lung, liver, kidney, and heart were observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 1 day postoperatively, the pH values in the experimental group were lower than those in the control and sham operation groups (P<0.05), while the glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level was higher than that in the control and sham operation groups (P<0.05). The oxygen partial pressure in the sham operation group was higher than that in the other two groups at 1 day postoperatively (P<0.05). The oxygen partial pressure and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level did not significantly differ among groups at 1 and 2 weeks postoperatively. The carbon dioxide differential pressure and kidney function showed no significant differences among groups at different time points after surgery. At postoperative 1 day, in the experimental group, hyperplasia and inflammation were most obvious, distorted alveolar cavity and congestion of blood vessels were visible. In the control group, obvious hyperplasia and inflammation were found, the alveolar cavity was crimped and the gap between alveoli was broadened. The sham operation group had normal alveoli with no inflammations. Lung lesions in the experimental and control groups became mild with time at postoperative 1 and 2 weeks. One day postoperatively, hepatocyte swel ing and vacuolar degeneration were severer in the experimental group. Moderate hepatocyte swel ing and vacuolar degeneration occurred in the control group. The sham operation group showed mild hepatocyte swel ing and vacuolar degeneration. The morphology of the liver in each group returned to normal at 2 weeks postoperatively. Fortunately, the heart and kidney structure showed no overt changes in each group. These findings suggest that upconversion nanoparticles cause transient damage to the mouse lung and liver.

Aim To construct and express the eukary-otic expression vector of double-stranded RNA-depend-ent protein kinase (PKR)fusion green fluorescent and analyse its antiviral activity of HBV in vitro.Methods The PKR gene was cloned into an empty expression vector pEGFP-N1 using molecular clone technology. After being confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing methods,the recombinant plasmid was named as pEGFP-PKR that was subsequently transfect-ed into HepG2.2.15 cells using LipofectamineTM2000. The expression level of PKR in HepG2.2.15 cells was confirmed by using fluorescent microscopy. Mean-while,HBV DNA and HBsAg/HBeAg were detected by real-time PCR and electrochemiluminescence meth-od,respectively.Results Both restriction enyme di-gestion and sequencing assays showed that the recombi-nant vector pEGFP-PKR was successfully constructed in our study.Fluorescent microscopy observation indi-cated that the fusion protein pEGFP-PKR expressed ef-ficiently in HepG2.2.15 cells.Moreover,compared with the empty vector group,the expression of HBV antigen in supernatants was significantly decreased (P<0.05 ).However,the extracellular HBV DNA ex-pression was not inhibited significantly.Conclusion In vitro,PKR proteion has certain antiviral activity of HBV.

Objective To investigate the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated silencing of △Np73 on 5-FU chemotherapy sensitivity in SW620 colocancer cells and provide new treatment approach for the colon cancer.Methods siRNAs were transfected into SW620 colon cancer cells.The expression of △Np73 was observed.Cell viability of colon cancer cells were measured by MTr assay and cell apoptosis was assessed with flow cytometry after treatment of control siRNA or △Np73 siRNA or combined with 5-FU,respectively.The tumorigenesis was assessed by injecting △Np73 siRNA or control siRNA transfeeted SW620 colon cancer cells into nude mice,followed by treatment with 5-FU in the tumors.Results △Np73 siRNA was able to strongly inhibit △Np73 expression,however,it did not inhibit the growth of cells.Combination treatment with △Np73 siRNA and 5-FU produced significant higher apoptotic cell(42.9%) as compared with those with 5-FU treatment(18.9%) alone or those with △Np73 siRNA(8.8%) alone.The treatment with 5-FU in the xenngrafts derived from △Np73 siRNA transfected SW620 cells in nude mice can inhibitor tumor growth significantly (t=15.32,P<0.05).Conclusion △Np73siRNAs can specifically repress the expression of △Np73.Thus it sensitizess the cells to 5-FU chemotherapy in colon cancer.

Objective To study the system of streptococcal C5a peptidase (ScpB) and the specif-ic antibody levels in serum, lung, vagina and recta after subcutaneous and intranasal immunization with dif-ferent doses of C5a peptide. Methods Recombinant protein C5a peptide was expressed in E. coli strain BL21 and purified by affinity chromatography. The expressed product was identified by SDS-PAGE and pep-tide mass fingerprinting (PMF). BALB/c mice were subcutaneously and intranasally injected with different doses of ScpB. Antibody titer was tested by ELISA. Opsonophagocytosis assay was used to test the function of antibody. Results ScpB protein was successfully expressed and purified. The probability based mouse score of ScpB was 175 by PMF analysis. ELISA data showed that both subcutaneous and intranasal immtmi-zation could elicit significantly higher levels of IgG in immunized mice serum than that of control group (P ＜0.01), 30 μg group waa better than 5 μg and 10 μg group. Intranasal immunization could elicit higher lev-els of IgA in lung, vagina and rectum (P ＜0.001) while system immunization could not. Opsenophagocyto-sis tests indicated that anti-serum of ScpB had opsenophagocytic activity than that of control (P ＜ 0. 05).Conclusion The results demonstrated that intranasal immunization with ScpB could induce significantly higher levels of lgG and IgA, and its anti-serum had better opsenic activity.