Objective To analyze the economic cost of self-monitoring of gestational diabetes mellitus, and provide a basis for measuring the economic burden of gestational diabetes mellitus, and to provide a reference for the formulation of intervention development and the adjustment of resource allocation. Methods The individual economic cost of self-monitoring for gestational diabetes mellitus was measured based on a decision tree model, and the total economic cost of self-monitoring for gestational diabetes mellitus in Beijing was estimated. The uncertainty of the model parameters was analyzed using one-way sensitivity analysis. Results The average individual economic cost of gestational diabetes self-monitoring was 1184 RMB, and the individual cost incurred by choosing different types of blood glucose meters ranged from 403 to 18 000 RMB. The average individual economic cost of finger-stick blood glucose monitoring was 606 RMB and the average individual economic cost of continuous glucose monitoring was 2 374 RMB. The total economic cost of gestational diabetes self-monitoring in Beijing was 23.818 0 million RMB, and the total economic cost incurred by choosing different types of blood glucose meters ranged from 0.292 5 to 9.027 9 million RMB. The proportion of the finger-stick blood glucose monitoring had the greatest impact on the robustness of the results. Conclusion Finger-stick blood glucose monitoring is still the dominant self-monitoring method and is less costly than continuous glucose monitoring. Self-monitoring of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus incurs certain economic cost and causes an economic burden on society.

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture at Hegu(LI4)on neural activity in the visual cortex of healthy volunteers using functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS).Methods Each healthy volunteer underwent three sets of trials in a resting state:the LI4 group received acupuncture stimulation at the right Hegu(LI4)acupoint;the negative control was the sham acupoint group(SHAM group);and the positive control was the visual stimulation group(VISUAL group).fNIRS was used to simultaneously monitor changes in oxygenated hemoglobin(Oxy-Hb)levels in the vis-ual cortex during various stages of acupuncture or visual tasks,thereby reflecting the activation level of the visual cortex.The entire acupuncture procedure was performed with the subjects' eyes closed.fNIRS recorded the raw optical density values of hemodynamics in the region of interest(ROI)of the visual cortex during each task phase.The relative coefficientβ value for oxygenated hemoglobin was obtained via Matlab analysis,and the coefficient difference Δβ value between the task period and the baseline period was calculated,representing the degree of change in oxygenated hemoglobin content in-duced by the stimulus,which reflected the change in activation level of the visual cortex after acupuncture or visual stimu-lation.A larger Δβ value indicates a higher degree of visual cortex activation.Generalized estimating equations(GEE)were applied to analyze the differences in visual cortex activation levels among the LI4,SHAM,and VISUAL groups.Results In channels 15 and 17 of the striate area and channels 10 and 13 of the extrastriate area,the Δβ values of sub-jects in the LI4 group during the needle manipulation and withdrawal phases were significantly higher than those in the SHAM group(all P＜0.01).When comparing the Δβ values of the LI4 group during the needle manipulation and withdrawal phases with those of the VISUAL group,under the current sample size,the differences were not statistically significant(all P＞0.05).The Δβ values in both the striate and extrastriate areas of the LI4 group peaked during the needle manipulation phase.Conclusion Acupuncture at Hegu(LI4)can effectively activate the visual cortex in healthy volunteers,with the most significant increase in activation observed during the needle manipulation phase.

Objective To review the characteristics of Rhizopus microsporus infection for better awareness of the disease.Methods One case of pneumonia caused by R.microsporus was reported in a 66-year-old male patient.Similar reports on infections caused by R.microsporus were retrieved in PubMed and CNKI databases since 2013.The characteristics of patients with R.microsporus infection were reviewed.Results This case involves a 66-year-old male patient presenting with a 10-day history of cough,sputum production,and hemoptysis.The patient had a previous history of diabetes mellitus.Pulmonary CT scan revealed an irregular soft tissue density mass in the right lower lobe and pneumonia.The clinical presentation and laboratory findings were consistent with pulmonary mucormycosis caused by R.microsporus.R.microsporus was isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture.The patient was treated with intravenous liposomal amphotericin B followed by oral posaconazole for antifungal therapy,and achieved a favorable prognosis.A total of 24 cases(18 males,5 females,1 unknown)of R.microsporus infection were reviewed(including this one).The specific site of infection included pulmonary infection(n=10),ocular infection(n=1),skin tuberculosis(n=1),splenic abscess(n=1),oral mucositis(n=1),gouty arthritis(n=1),esophageal ulceration(n=1),abdominal infection(n=1),and others(n=7).The clinical symptoms varied with the organs involved.Majority of the patients(n=11)were cured by surgery combined with antimicrobial therapy.Overall,13 patients died.Conclusions Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of R.microsporus infection in case of pulmonary infection,especially those with diabetes mellitus.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, primarily involving the colon and rectum. Characterized by recurrent episodes and prolonged disease course, UC requires dynamic monitoring and evaluation. Current commonly used methods for disease monitoring and assessment include C-reactive protein (CRP), fecal calprotectin (FC), and colonoscopy. However, CRP lacks specificity, FC fails to effectively differentiate UC from Crohn's disease, while colonoscopy involves complex bowel preparation, is invasive, and suffers from poor patient compliance. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need to identify non-invasive biological markers with high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis and evaluation of UC. Recent studies have demonstrated that anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibodies hold significant value in the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and disease assessment of UC, potentially emerging as an important clinical biomarker. This article reviews the research progress of anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibodies in UC for reference.

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture at Hegu(LI4)on neural activity in the visual cortex of healthy volunteers using functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS).Methods Each healthy volunteer underwent three sets of trials in a resting state:the LI4 group received acupuncture stimulation at the right Hegu(LI4)acupoint;the negative control was the sham acupoint group(SHAM group);and the positive control was the visual stimulation group(VISUAL group).fNIRS was used to simultaneously monitor changes in oxygenated hemoglobin(Oxy-Hb)levels in the vis-ual cortex during various stages of acupuncture or visual tasks,thereby reflecting the activation level of the visual cortex.The entire acupuncture procedure was performed with the subjects' eyes closed.fNIRS recorded the raw optical density values of hemodynamics in the region of interest(ROI)of the visual cortex during each task phase.The relative coefficientβ value for oxygenated hemoglobin was obtained via Matlab analysis,and the coefficient difference Δβ value between the task period and the baseline period was calculated,representing the degree of change in oxygenated hemoglobin content in-duced by the stimulus,which reflected the change in activation level of the visual cortex after acupuncture or visual stimu-lation.A larger Δβ value indicates a higher degree of visual cortex activation.Generalized estimating equations(GEE)were applied to analyze the differences in visual cortex activation levels among the LI4,SHAM,and VISUAL groups.Results In channels 15 and 17 of the striate area and channels 10 and 13 of the extrastriate area,the Δβ values of sub-jects in the LI4 group during the needle manipulation and withdrawal phases were significantly higher than those in the SHAM group(all P＜0.01).When comparing the Δβ values of the LI4 group during the needle manipulation and withdrawal phases with those of the VISUAL group,under the current sample size,the differences were not statistically significant(all P＞0.05).The Δβ values in both the striate and extrastriate areas of the LI4 group peaked during the needle manipulation phase.Conclusion Acupuncture at Hegu(LI4)can effectively activate the visual cortex in healthy volunteers,with the most significant increase in activation observed during the needle manipulation phase.

Objective To review the characteristics of Rhizopus microsporus infection for better awareness of the disease.Methods One case of pneumonia caused by R.microsporus was reported in a 66-year-old male patient.Similar reports on infections caused by R.microsporus were retrieved in PubMed and CNKI databases since 2013.The characteristics of patients with R.microsporus infection were reviewed.Results This case involves a 66-year-old male patient presenting with a 10-day history of cough,sputum production,and hemoptysis.The patient had a previous history of diabetes mellitus.Pulmonary CT scan revealed an irregular soft tissue density mass in the right lower lobe and pneumonia.The clinical presentation and laboratory findings were consistent with pulmonary mucormycosis caused by R.microsporus.R.microsporus was isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture.The patient was treated with intravenous liposomal amphotericin B followed by oral posaconazole for antifungal therapy,and achieved a favorable prognosis.A total of 24 cases(18 males,5 females,1 unknown)of R.microsporus infection were reviewed(including this one).The specific site of infection included pulmonary infection(n=10),ocular infection(n=1),skin tuberculosis(n=1),splenic abscess(n=1),oral mucositis(n=1),gouty arthritis(n=1),esophageal ulceration(n=1),abdominal infection(n=1),and others(n=7).The clinical symptoms varied with the organs involved.Majority of the patients(n=11)were cured by surgery combined with antimicrobial therapy.Overall,13 patients died.Conclusions Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of R.microsporus infection in case of pulmonary infection,especially those with diabetes mellitus.

Objective:To evaluate the levels and source of cadmium exposure by dietary pathway among middle-aged and elderly people ≥40 in cadmium-contaminated areas of China.Methods:A total of 7 193 people aged 40-89 years from four typical cadmium-contaminated areas in China were selected as the study subjects. Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), Total Diet Study (TDS) and a 3-day-24-hour dietary recall survey were conducted. Dietary cadmium intake and food sources through dietary pathways were assessed based on cadmium content in foods, consumption amounts and intake frequencies.Results:The mean age of the participants was 63.39±12.21 years, with 50.05% being males. The average monthly dietary cadmium intake was 7.39 μg/(kg·BW). Staple foods and vegetables were the primary sources of dietary cadmium intake, accounting for 57.51% and 32.48%, respectively. The monthly dietary cadmium intake in all surveyed regions did not exceed the Provisional Tolerable Monthly Intake (PTMI) recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).Conclusion:The monthly dietary cadmium intake among middle-aged and elderly people in cadmium-contaminated areas of China is relatively low, with the risk remaining at an acceptable level. Staple foods and vegetables are the most significant contributors to dietary cadmium intake.

Objective To observe hierarchical differences in brain functional networks in unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy(mTLE)patients with different outcomes after surgery.Methods A total of 69 unilateral mTLE patients who underwent resection of epileptogenic lesion on the affected side were retrospectively enrolled.Based on Engel classification 1 year after surgery,the patients were divided into seizure free(SF)group and non-seizure free(NSF)group.Functional connectivity gradient analysis was employed to extract principal gradient explaining the highest variance on preoperative resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI),then the whole-brain gradient characteristics and principal gradient values within specific functional networks were compared between groups.Results Principal gradient connected default mode network(DMN)with sensorimotor network(SMN)along a continuous axis.Compared to SF group,NSF group showed a contracted gradient range at both ends(DMN and SMN)of the functional network and weakened hierarchical differentiation,and principal gradient value of DMN was higher,while that of SMN was lower than those in SF group(both P＜0.05).Conclusion Hierarchical differences in brain functional networks in unilateral mTLE patients with different outcomes after surgery mainly present as enhanced DMN and weakened SMN in NSF ones,and the latter two might serve as important neuroimaging markers for evaluating postoperative seizure recurrence.

Objective:To understand the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome in HIV-infected pregnant women and influencing factors in China and provide reference for the improvement of the health status of HIV-infected pregnant women and their newborns.Methods:Based on a mother-child cohort of HIV-infected pregnant women and children (PMTCT-MC-2005) established in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Yunnan Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, this study enrolled pregnant women with or without HIV infection as study subjects from January 2017 to June 2023, a total of 1 646 pregnant women (558 HIV-infected and 1 088 HIV-uninfected) were included, and 34 cases with missing data were excluded. The χ2 test was used to analyze the difference in the incidence adverse pregnancy outcome between two groups, and used logistic regression model to identify the influencing factors of adverse pregnancy outcome in HIV-infected pregnant women. Results:A total of 1 612 pregnant women were included in the study, in whom 541 were infected with HIV and 1 071 were not infected with HIV. The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome was 18.8% (303/1 612), the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome was 33.1% (179/541) in the HIV-infected pregnant women and 11.6% (124/1 071) in the pregnant women without HIV infection. The results of multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the influencing factors of adverse pregnancy outcome were age <35 years at delivery (a OR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.43-0.95) compared with the age ≥35 years and the duration of antiviral treatment over 10 years (a OR=0.43, 95% CI: 0.23-0.79) compared with less than one year. Conclusions:The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome in HIV-infected pregnant women was high in some regions of China during 2017-2023. It is necessary for HIV-infected women to get pregnancy at appropriate time based on antiretroviral treatment effect and strengthen self-care to reduce the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Objective:To understand the negative conversion of syphilis-specific antibody in follow-up in 0-18 months-old children born to pregnant women with syphilis in China in 2021 and analyze the related factors.Methods:The basic information of pregnant women with syphilis and follow-up information of their children in 2021 were extracted from the National Management Information System for the Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and Hepatitis B. The logistic regression model was used to analyze related factors of negative conversion of syphilis-specific antibody.Results:In 2021, a total of 34 201 children was delivered by syphilis-infected pregnant women, and 23 592 (68.98%) children were included in this study. Negative conversion of syphilis-specific antibody occurred in 21 076 (89.34%) children, but not in 2 516 (10.66%) children. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with a higher probability of the negative conversion of syphilis-specific antibody: prophylactic benzathine penicillin injection at birth (a OR=1.35,95% CI:1.10-1.65), mother's age 26-30 years (a OR=1.22,95% CI:1.01-1.46), 36-40 years (a OR=1.34, 95% CI:1.09-1.64), other ethnic groups (a OR=1.19,95% CI:1.04-1.36), non-syphilis-specific antibody titers less than 1∶8 during pregnancy (a OR=1.56,95% CI:1.37-1.78), penicillin treatment (a OR=1.56,95% CI:1.23-1.98) and standardized treatment (a OR=1.21,95% CI:1.11-1.32). Conclusions:In 2021,the level of syphilitic-specific antibody negative conversion in follow-up in children born to pregnant women with syphilis was high in China. According to the factors associated with syphilis-specific antibody negative conversion, it is necessary to develop the follow-up strategies for the children born to pregnant women.