OBJECTIVES: To analyze bone mass distribution and the factors affecting bone mass in a general Chinese Han cohort undergoing physical examinations at our center. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the data of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements from 30 599 healthy Han Chinese adults (age≥20 years) who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans at our hospital from July, 2013 to July, 2023. Basic parameters including height, body weight, and gender were recorded, and descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed using R software. RESULTS: In this cohort, the male individuals had a mean peak BMD of 1.00±0.12 g/cm² in the lumbar vertebrae, 0.94±0.14 g/cm² in the femoral neck, and 0.99±0.13 g/cm² in the total hip, significantly higher than the values in the female individuals [0.99±0.12 g/cm² in the lumbar vertebrae (P=0.022), 0.79±0.11 g/cm² in the femoral neck (P<0.001), and 0.88±0.11 g/cm² in the total hip (P<0.001)]. In the overall cohort, the BMD values of the lumbar spine and femur decreased with age after reaching their peak levels. There was a positive correlation between BMD value and body mass index (BMI) in both male and female individuals. The 2013-2014 period recorded the lowest BMD values in the lumbar, hip, and femoral neck, which tended to increase steadily in the following years (2015-2023). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that the BMD values vary among different populations, and future multi-center studies using more accurate BMD detection technology are warranted to capture the variation patterns of BMD with demographic characteristics of specific populations.
Humans ; Bone Density ; Absorptiometry, Photon ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Osteoporosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; China/epidemiology* ; Femur Neck/diagnostic imaging* ; Aged ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Young Adult

Tu-Xian decoction (TXD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been frequently administered to manage diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI). Despite its widespread use, the mechanisms underlying TXD's protective effects on DCI have yet to be fully elucidated. As a significant regulator in neurodegenerative conditions, death-associated protein kinase-1 (DAPK-1) serves as a focus for understanding the action of TXD. This study was designed to whether TXD mediates its beneficial outcomes by inhibiting DAPK-1. To this end, a diabetic model was established using Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats through a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet regimen, followed by streptozotocin (STZ) injection. The experimental cohort was stratified into six groups: Control, Diabetic, TC-DAPK6, high-dose TXD, medium-dose TXD, and low-dose TXD groups. Following a 12-week treatment period, various assessments-including blood glucose levels, body weight measurements, Morris water maze (MWM) testing for cognitive function, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and histological analyses using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), and Nissl staining-were conducted. Protein expression in the hippocampus was quantified through Western blotting analysis. The results revealed that TXD significantly improved spatial learning and memory abilities, and preserved hippocampal structure in diabetic rats. Importantly, TXD administration led to a down-regulation of proteins indicative of neurological damage and suppressed DAPK-1 activity within the hippocampal region. These results underscore TXD's potential in mitigating DCIvia DAPK-1 inhibition, positioning it as a viable therapeutic candidate for addressing this condition. Further investigation into TXD's molecular mechanisms may elucidate new pathways for the treatment of DCI.
Animals ; Rats ; Brain/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism* ; Hippocampus ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Prosthodontics is an important undergraduate course in stomatology. It's an unprecedented challenge for teachers to give theoretical lectures completely by online teaching methods. After several months of online teaching practice, a complete closed-loop online teaching mode of "pre-class, in-class and after-class" has been formed by using online teaching tools such as Tencent meeting, Superstar learning platform and WeChat. A comprehensive feedback and assessment mechanism has also been established. On the premise of the teaching quality, online teaching has also promoted the exploration and reform of the information-based teaching of prosthodontics course.

Objective:To explore the effect of health education based on theory of planned behavior combined with stepped care model on negative emotion, psychological flexibility and quality of life in patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy.Methods:From October 2020 to December 2021, 108 chemotherapy patients who underwent lung cancer surgery in Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College and had anxiety or depression that scores was greater than 7 in any dimension of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were selected as the study subjects. The study subjects were divided into observation group ( n=46) and control group ( n=48) by random digits table method. Routine care was implemented in the control group. The observation group implemented health education based on the theory of planned behavior combined with stepped care model intervention. The HADS scale was used every 4 weeks to assess negative emotion in both groups. In observation, patients with negative emotion relief stop the next stage of nursing intervention, and patients without relief continue the next stage of higher intensity nursing intervention. Results:Before the intervention, there were no significant difference in the scores of negative emotion, psychological flexibility and quality of life between the two groups ( P>0.05). After intervention, the scores of all dimensions of negative emotion and the total score in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the differences had statistical significance ( t=4.86, 3.19 and 4.53, all P<0.05). After the intervention the scores of psychological flexibility and quality of life dimensions and the total score in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, the differences had statistical significance (t values were -6.01--2.89, all P<0.05). After the intervention, there was no significant difference in the remission rate of negative emotions between the clinical observation stage of the observation group and the concurrent control group ( P>0.05). The remission rates of guided self-help, problem-solving therapy, psychological or drug therapy and total negative emotions in the observation group were 38.46%(15/39), 33.33%(8/24), 6/16 and 78.26%(36/46), respectively, which were higher than those in the control group, and the differences had statistical significance ( χ2 values were 7.04 - 13.80, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Health education based on the theory of planned behavior combined with stepped care model can effectively alleviate the negative emotions of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and improve psychological flexibility and quality of life.

Objective:To explore awareness of self-body image and sexual experience of patients after breast cancer surgery in the Internet era, so as to provide reference for clinical nursing staff to implement targeted intervention.Methods:This research adopted phenomenological research methods in qualitative research. A total of 15 patients with breast cancer after surgery who were admitted to Department of Breast Surgery in a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital in Weifang of Shandong Province from March to August 2020 were selected as the research objects by the purposive sampling method. Face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with them, and Colaizzi's 7-step method was applied for data analysis.Results:A total of 4 themes were extracted, namely, self-image disorder, poor quality of sexual life and impaired mental health; poor health literacy and lack of disease-related knowledge; different effective coping strategies and desire for all-round support.Conclusions:Clinical nursing staff should pay close attention to the body image awareness and sexual experience of patients after breast cancer surgery and take targeted intervention measures to enable patients to treat their bodies correctly, help them to establish a correct sexual attitude and promote their physical and mental health. At the same time, with the Internet as the carrier and artificial intelligence as the realization tool, it will play the role of artificial intelligence in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of breast diseases, and provide patients with high-quality, convenient and efficient services.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) and endoscopic naso-biliary drainage (ENBD) on hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HACC).Methods The clinical data of 87 patients with HACC,who underwent ERBD and ENBD form January 2010 to January 2016,were retrospectively analyzed.The incidence of postoperative severe cholangitis,biliary obstruction again within 4 weeks,reduction of total bilirubin and survival time were studied.Results There were significant differences between ERBD group and ENBD group on the incidence of severe cholangitis[29.2％ (14/48) VS 10.3％ (4/39),x2 =4.689,P=0.030] and bile duct obstruction in 4 weeks after operation [47.9％ (23/48) VS 23.1％ (9/39),x2=5.710,P =0.017].The total bilirubin within 2 weeks and 4 weeks postoperatively was significantly reduced compared with that before operation (P＜0.05).There was no statistical difference in descend range of total bilirubin between the two groups.There was significant difference between ERBD group and ENBD group in the median survival time [14 weeks (range,0-60 weeks) VS 34 weeks (range,2-96 weeks),x2 =10.101,P=0.010].Conclusion Compared to ERBD,ENBD has certain advantages on palliative care for HACC.

OBJECTIVETo analyze horizontal transmission patterns of Streptococcus mutans among caries-active preschool children for early interventions of dental caries.

METHODSPlaque samples obtained from 20 caries-active preschool children between 4 and 5 years of age were cultured under anaerobic conditions for isolating S. mutans, which were identified by morphological and biochemical analyses and PCR using primers homologous to the surface protein glucosyltransferase B (gtfB). The genotypes of the isolated S. mutans strains were determined by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR).

RESULTSOf the 200 S. mutans isolates obtained, 19 were excluded by biochemical analysis, and the remaining 181 isolates were identified as S. mutans by PCR with primers of gtfB, showing 37 different genotypes as identified by AP-PCR. Six children were found to carry S. mutans of a single genotype, 11 carried 2 genotypes, 2 had 3 genotypes, and 1 had 4 genotypes; 2 children from different classes were found to carry S. mutans of the same single genotype.

CONCLUSIONWe identified 37 genotypes of S. mutans in these caries-active preschool children, among whom horizontal transmissions of the strains were not found.

Child, Preschool ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Dental Plaque ; Genotype ; Glucosyltransferases ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Streptococcal Infections ; transmission ; Streptococcus mutans ; classification

Objective To analyze horizontal transmission patterns of Streptococcus mutans among caries-active preschool children for early interventions of dental caries. Methods Plaque samples obtained from 20 caries-active preschool children between 4 and 5 years of age were cultured under anaerobic conditions for isolating S. mutans, which were identified by morphological and biochemical analyses and PCR using primers homologous to the surface protein glucosyltransferase B (gtfB). The genotypes of the isolated S. mutans strains were determined by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR). Results Of the 200 S. mutans isolates obtained, 19 were excluded by biochemical analysis, and the remaining 181 isolates were identified as S. mutans by PCR with primers of gtfB, showing 37 different genotypes as identified by AP-PCR. Six children were found to carry S. mutans of a single genotype, 11 carried 2 genotypes, 2 had 3 genotypes, and 1 had 4 genotypes;2 children from different classes were found to carry S. mutans of the same single genotype. Conclusion We identified 37 genotypes of S. mutans in these caries-active preschool children, among whom horizontal transmissions of the strains were not found.

Objective To analyze horizontal transmission patterns of Streptococcus mutans among caries-active preschool children for early interventions of dental caries. Methods Plaque samples obtained from 20 caries-active preschool children between 4 and 5 years of age were cultured under anaerobic conditions for isolating S. mutans, which were identified by morphological and biochemical analyses and PCR using primers homologous to the surface protein glucosyltransferase B (gtfB). The genotypes of the isolated S. mutans strains were determined by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR). Results Of the 200 S. mutans isolates obtained, 19 were excluded by biochemical analysis, and the remaining 181 isolates were identified as S. mutans by PCR with primers of gtfB, showing 37 different genotypes as identified by AP-PCR. Six children were found to carry S. mutans of a single genotype, 11 carried 2 genotypes, 2 had 3 genotypes, and 1 had 4 genotypes;2 children from different classes were found to carry S. mutans of the same single genotype. Conclusion We identified 37 genotypes of S. mutans in these caries-active preschool children, among whom horizontal transmissions of the strains were not found.