Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a Gram-negative bacterium with a significant role in the adsorption and reduction of uranium in wastewater and a quorum-sensing effect, can be used to remove uranium from wastewater. Exogenous signaling molecules (acyl-homoserine lactones, AHLs) can be added to induce the quorum sensing behavior for rapid biofilm formation, thereby improving the removal efficiency of this bacterium for uranium. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), as the significant components of biofilm, play a key role in biofilm formation. To investigate the quorum sensing behavior induced by AHLs, we systematically investigated the effects of AHLs on the EPS secretion and biofilm properties of S. oneidensis MR-1 by regulating parameters such as AHL species, concentration, addition time point, and contact time. The results showed that the addition of 10 μmol/L N-butyryl-l-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL) after 6 h of culture and continued incubation to reach the time point of 72 h significantly promoted the secretion of EPSs, in which the content of extracellular proteins and extracellular polysaccharides was increased by 15.2% and 28.2%, respectively, compared with that of the control group. The biofilm electrodes induced by signaling molecules showed superior properties, which were evidenced by an increase of exceeding 20 μm in biofilm thickness, an increase of 33.9% in the proportion of living cells, enhanced electroactivity, and an increase of 10.7% in the uranium removal rate. The biofilm electrode was confirmed to immobilize uranium in wastewater mainly by electrosorption, physicochemical adsorption, and electro-reduction through characterization means such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This study provides a new technical idea for the efficient recovery of uranium in wastewater and enriches the theoretical system of quorum sensing regulation of electroactive biofilms.
Biofilms/drug effects* ; Acyl-Butyrolactones/pharmacology* ; Quorum Sensing/drug effects* ; Uranium/metabolism* ; Shewanella/metabolism* ; Adsorption ; Uranium Compounds/metabolism* ; Wastewater/chemistry* ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix/metabolism*

Severe open tibiofibular fractures account for approximately 28.1% of all open fractures. Among them, Gustilo-Anderson type IIIB/C fractures present significant clinical challenges due to associated bone and soft tissue defects, high infection rates, and risk of amputation. Inadequate preoperative assessment may lead to suboptimal emergency surgical planning or intraoperative complications. Historically, external fixation was often preferred, but this approach has been associated with limitations such as restricted joint mobility, delayed bone union, joint stiffness, and disuse osteoporosis, resulting in poor functional recovery. With advancements of debridement techniques, standardization of antibiotic use, and popularization of early soft tissue coverage, early internal fixation has gained broader acceptance. Nevertheless, controversies persist regarding the choice of fixation method, timing of definitive fixation, use of reamed versus unreamed intramedullary nailing, and necessity of fibular fixation. To standardize the diagnosis and early management of severe open tibiofibular fractures, reduce complication rates, and improve functional recovery, the Society of Microsurgery of the Chinese Medical Association organized a panel of domestic experts to develop the Evidence-based guideline for the diagnosis and early fixation of severe open tibiofibular fractures ( version 2025), using evidence-based methodology. The guidelines provided 12 recommendations covering diagnostic and early fixation strategies of severe open tibiofibular fractures, aiming to provide clinicians with scientifically grounded and standardized guidance.

BACKGROUND:Dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension are commonly used methods for modeling sarcopenia in animal experiments due to their short modeling time,ease of operation,and low cost.OBJECTIVE:To compare the differences in muscle mass,strength and functional phenotypes and molecular mechanisms between two mouse sarcopenia models induced by dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension.METHODS:Thirty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups(n=10 per group).The normal control group received no intervention.The dexamethasone group received daily intraperitoneal injections of 1 mg/kg/d dexamethasone sodium phosphate solution for 6 continuous days to establish sarcopenia models in mice,while mice in the hindlimb suspension group were suspended by tail harness for 16 hours,once per day,to establish sarcopenia models.Within 6 weeks after modeling,changes in body mass were monitored.After 6 weeks of modeling,mice were tested for limb grip strength,mobility(swimming test),skeletal muscle wet mass,and skeletal muscle pathological morphology.Expressions of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and catabolism indexes as well as the AMPK/FoXO3α signaling pathway were detected by RT-PCR and western blot.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Two weeks after modeling,both dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension groups showed a significant decrease in body mass compared with the normal control group(P<0.001).After 6 weeks of modeling,grip strength of mice in both dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension groups was lower than that in the normal control group(P<0.001).The wet mass of gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus muscles and the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the dexamethasone group were lower than those in the normal control group(P<0.05).Compared with the hindlimb suspension group,the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius muscle was significantly smaller in the dexamethasone group(P<0.05),while the cross-sectional area of soleus muscle was larger in the dexamethasone group(P<0.05).Mice in the dexamethasone group had reduced mobility when compared with those in the normal control group and the hindlimb suspension group(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the normal control group,PI3K,mTOR,AMPK,and PGC-1α mRNA expression and P-AMPK/AMPK protein were decreased in the two modeling groups(P<0.05),and FoXO3α mRNA expression and PGC-1α and FoXO3 protein expression were elevated(P<0.05);in the dexamethasone group,Akt1 mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05),while Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA expression was elevated(P<0.05);in the hindlimb suspension group,Akt1 mRNA expression was elevated(P<0.05).(4)Compared with the dexamethasone group,mTOR,Akt1,and FoXO3α mRNA expression was elevated in the hindlimb suspension group(P<0.05),while Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,both modeling methods could decrease the levels of mitochondrial energy metabolism in skeletal muscle,with the dexamethasone group mediating atrophy of skeletal muscle through the dual action of ubiquitin proteasome and energy metabolism pathways,and the hindlimb suspension group inducing atrophy of skeletal muscle by mediating the energy metabolism pathway through the AMPK/FoXO3α signaling pathway,subsequently causing a reduction in mass,strength,and function of skeletal muscle.

Objective To investigate the effects of auricular point seed-pressing and earpoint scraping on sleep quality,sleep structure index and neurotransmitter in patients with sleep disorders in neurology department.Methods A total of 110 patients with sleep disorders treated in the Department of Neurology at Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from June 2022 to June 2024 were selected as the study subjects.The patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a random number table,with 55 cases in each group.The control group was treated with Estazolam Tablets,while the observation group received auricular point seed-pressing therapy combined with ear scraping therapy.The treatment course lasted for 4 weeks.After treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.Changes in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)scores were observed before and after treatment,as well as sleep structure indicators,including total sleep time(TST),sleep latency(SL),arousal index(AI),non-rapid eye movement sleep time(NREM)[light sleep stage(S1),light to moderate sleep stage(S2),moderate sleep stage(S3),deep sleep stage(S4)],actual sleep time(AST),sleep efficiency(SE),and rapid eye movement sleep time(REM).The serum levels of norepinephrine(NE),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)were compared before and after treatment,as well as changes in the Quality of Life Scale(SF-36)scores.The safety and incidence of adverse reactions in the two groups were also evaluated.Results(1)The total effective rate in the observation group was 96.61%(53/55),while it was 81.82%(45/55)in the control group.The efficacy of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the PSQI scores of both groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group showed significantly better improvement in PSQI scores compared to the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the sleep structure indicators in the observation group,including TST,SL,AI,S1,S2,S3,S4,AST,SE,and REM,were significantly improved,and the differences were statistically significant compared to the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the serum levels of NE,5-HT,and GABA in both groups were significantly improved,and the observation group showed significantly better improvement in these levels compared to the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,the SF-36 scores of both groups were significantly improved,and the observation group showed significantly better improvement in SF-36 scores compared to the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(6)The total incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 0.00%(0/55),while it was 10.91%(6/55)in the control group.The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).Conclusion Auricular point seed-pressing therapy combined with ear scraping therapy for the treatment of sleep disorders at the Department of Neurology can significantly improve patients'sleep quality,enhance sleep structure-related indicators,regulate neurotransmitter levels,thereby improving patients'quality of life with high safety and efficacy.

Objective:To analyze the epidemic characteristics of human brucellosis in Tangshan City, Hebei Province from 2016 to 2024, and to establish a prediction model for forecasting incidence of human brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2025 to 2028, so that to provide evidence for prevention and control strategies.Methods:The incidence data of human brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2016 to 2024 were collected. Brucella strains isolated from blood cultures of patients with acute brucellosis were identified.The onset time and demographic distributions of brucellosis were analyzed using descriptive epidemiological methods. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Python software was used to establish a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model (SARIMA model) and predict the incidence of brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2025 to 2028. Results:From 2016 to 2024, a total of 2 446 cases of human brucellosis in Tangshan City were reported, with the highest incidence in 2016 (378 cases) and the lowest in 2022 (277 cases).Seasonal variation was observed, with 54.87%(1 342/2 446) occurring in spring and summer (March to July). The incidence rate of male was 5.28/100 000, which was significantly higher than that of female (1.94/100 000) ( χ2=554.96, P<0.001). The cases spanned all age groups, with the highest incidence among those aged 50 to 59 (30.25%(740/2 446)). Farmers engaged in cattle/sheep breeding accounting for 85.73% (2 097/2 446) of cases. A total of 236 blood samples were collected from patients with acute brucellosis, and 12 Brucella strains were isolated and identified as sheep type Ⅲ Brucella. The optimal model constructed was SARIMA (1, 0, 0) (1, 0, 1) 12, which was used to predict the incidence of human brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2025 to 2028. The results showed that the overall incidence was relatively stable, retaining the characteristic single annual peak. Conclusions:Human brucellosis in Tangshan City peaks in spring/summer and predominantly affects cattle/sheep farmers. The SARIMA (1, 0, 0) (1, 0, 1) 12 model effectively fits the epidemiological data of human brucellosis in Tangshan City well and enables reliable future trend predictions, supporting scientific and effective prevention and control work.

Severe open tibiofibular fractures account for approximately 28.1% of all open fractures. Among them, Gustilo-Anderson type IIIB/C fractures present significant clinical challenges due to associated bone and soft tissue defects, high infection rates, and risk of amputation. Inadequate preoperative assessment may lead to suboptimal emergency surgical planning or intraoperative complications. Historically, external fixation was often preferred, but this approach has been associated with limitations such as restricted joint mobility, delayed bone union, joint stiffness, and disuse osteoporosis, resulting in poor functional recovery. With advancements of debridement techniques, standardization of antibiotic use, and popularization of early soft tissue coverage, early internal fixation has gained broader acceptance. Nevertheless, controversies persist regarding the choice of fixation method, timing of definitive fixation, use of reamed versus unreamed intramedullary nailing, and necessity of fibular fixation. To standardize the diagnosis and early management of severe open tibiofibular fractures, reduce complication rates, and improve functional recovery, the Society of Microsurgery of the Chinese Medical Association organized a panel of domestic experts to develop the Evidence-based guideline for the diagnosis and early fixation of severe open tibiofibular fractures ( version 2025), using evidence-based methodology. The guidelines provided 12 recommendations covering diagnostic and early fixation strategies of severe open tibiofibular fractures, aiming to provide clinicians with scientifically grounded and standardized guidance.

BACKGROUND:Dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension are commonly used methods for modeling sarcopenia in animal experiments due to their short modeling time,ease of operation,and low cost.OBJECTIVE:To compare the differences in muscle mass,strength and functional phenotypes and molecular mechanisms between two mouse sarcopenia models induced by dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension.METHODS:Thirty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups(n=10 per group).The normal control group received no intervention.The dexamethasone group received daily intraperitoneal injections of 1 mg/kg/d dexamethasone sodium phosphate solution for 6 continuous days to establish sarcopenia models in mice,while mice in the hindlimb suspension group were suspended by tail harness for 16 hours,once per day,to establish sarcopenia models.Within 6 weeks after modeling,changes in body mass were monitored.After 6 weeks of modeling,mice were tested for limb grip strength,mobility(swimming test),skeletal muscle wet mass,and skeletal muscle pathological morphology.Expressions of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and catabolism indexes as well as the AMPK/FoXO3α signaling pathway were detected by RT-PCR and western blot.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Two weeks after modeling,both dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension groups showed a significant decrease in body mass compared with the normal control group(P<0.001).After 6 weeks of modeling,grip strength of mice in both dexamethasone and hindlimb suspension groups was lower than that in the normal control group(P<0.001).The wet mass of gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus muscles and the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the dexamethasone group were lower than those in the normal control group(P<0.05).Compared with the hindlimb suspension group,the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius muscle was significantly smaller in the dexamethasone group(P<0.05),while the cross-sectional area of soleus muscle was larger in the dexamethasone group(P<0.05).Mice in the dexamethasone group had reduced mobility when compared with those in the normal control group and the hindlimb suspension group(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the normal control group,PI3K,mTOR,AMPK,and PGC-1α mRNA expression and P-AMPK/AMPK protein were decreased in the two modeling groups(P<0.05),and FoXO3α mRNA expression and PGC-1α and FoXO3 protein expression were elevated(P<0.05);in the dexamethasone group,Akt1 mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05),while Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA expression was elevated(P<0.05);in the hindlimb suspension group,Akt1 mRNA expression was elevated(P<0.05).(4)Compared with the dexamethasone group,mTOR,Akt1,and FoXO3α mRNA expression was elevated in the hindlimb suspension group(P<0.05),while Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,both modeling methods could decrease the levels of mitochondrial energy metabolism in skeletal muscle,with the dexamethasone group mediating atrophy of skeletal muscle through the dual action of ubiquitin proteasome and energy metabolism pathways,and the hindlimb suspension group inducing atrophy of skeletal muscle by mediating the energy metabolism pathway through the AMPK/FoXO3α signaling pathway,subsequently causing a reduction in mass,strength,and function of skeletal muscle.

Objective:To analyze the epidemic characteristics of human brucellosis in Tangshan City, Hebei Province from 2016 to 2024, and to establish a prediction model for forecasting incidence of human brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2025 to 2028, so that to provide evidence for prevention and control strategies.Methods:The incidence data of human brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2016 to 2024 were collected. Brucella strains isolated from blood cultures of patients with acute brucellosis were identified.The onset time and demographic distributions of brucellosis were analyzed using descriptive epidemiological methods. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Python software was used to establish a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model (SARIMA model) and predict the incidence of brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2025 to 2028. Results:From 2016 to 2024, a total of 2 446 cases of human brucellosis in Tangshan City were reported, with the highest incidence in 2016 (378 cases) and the lowest in 2022 (277 cases).Seasonal variation was observed, with 54.87%(1 342/2 446) occurring in spring and summer (March to July). The incidence rate of male was 5.28/100 000, which was significantly higher than that of female (1.94/100 000) ( χ2=554.96, P<0.001). The cases spanned all age groups, with the highest incidence among those aged 50 to 59 (30.25%(740/2 446)). Farmers engaged in cattle/sheep breeding accounting for 85.73% (2 097/2 446) of cases. A total of 236 blood samples were collected from patients with acute brucellosis, and 12 Brucella strains were isolated and identified as sheep type Ⅲ Brucella. The optimal model constructed was SARIMA (1, 0, 0) (1, 0, 1) 12, which was used to predict the incidence of human brucellosis in Tangshan City from 2025 to 2028. The results showed that the overall incidence was relatively stable, retaining the characteristic single annual peak. Conclusions:Human brucellosis in Tangshan City peaks in spring/summer and predominantly affects cattle/sheep farmers. The SARIMA (1, 0, 0) (1, 0, 1) 12 model effectively fits the epidemiological data of human brucellosis in Tangshan City well and enables reliable future trend predictions, supporting scientific and effective prevention and control work.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role and mechanism of podoplanin （PDPN） in hepatic stellate cell （HSC） activation and liver fibrosis. MethodsLiver biopsy samples were collected from 75 patients with chronic hepatitis B who attended Department of Infectious Diseases， Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine， for the first time from September 2019 to June 2022， and RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to measure the expression of PDPN in liver tissue of patients in different stages of liver fibrosis. A total of 12 male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into control group and model group. The mice in the model group were given intraperitoneal injection of 10% CCl₄， and those in the control group were injected with an equal volume of olive oil， for 6 weeks. HE staining and Sirius Red staining were used to observe liver histopathological changes； primary mouse liver cells were separated to measure the mRNA expression of PDPN in various types of cells； primary mouse HSCs were treated with PDPN protein， followed by treatment with the NF-‍κB inhibitor BAY11-708， to measure the expression of inflammatory factors in HSCs induced by PDPN. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups； a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. The Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate data correlation. ResultsAs for the liver biopsy samples， there was a relatively low mRNA expression level of PDPN in normal liver， and there was a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of PDPN in liver tissue of stage S3 or S4 fibrosis （all P<0.001）. Immunohistochemical staining showed that PDPN was mainly expressed in the fibrous septum and the hepatic sinusoid， and the PDPN-positive area in S4 liver tissue was significantly higher than that in S0 liver tissue （t=8.892， P=0.001）. In normal mice， PDPN was mainly expressed in the hepatic sinusoid， and there was a significant increase in the expression of PDPN in CCl₄ model mice （t=0.95， P<0.001）， mainly in the fibrous septum. RT-PCR showed a significant increase in the mRNA expression of PDPN in the CCl₄ model mice （t=11.25， P=0.002）. Compared with hepatocytes， HSCs， Kupffer cells， and bile duct endothelial cells， hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells showed a significantly high expression level of PDPN （F=20.56， P<0.001）. Compared with the control group， the primary mouse HSCs treated by PDPN protein for 15 minutes showed significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of the inflammation-related factors TNFα， CCL3， CXCL1， and CXCR1 （all P<0.05）， and there were significant reductions in the levels of these indicators after treatment with BAY11-7082 （all P<0.05）. ConclusionThere is an increase in the expression of PDPN mainly in hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells during liver fibrosis， and PDPN regulates HSC activation and promotes the progression of liver fibrosis via the NF-κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical characteristics and treatment analysis of 3 cases of congenital ulnar collateral flexor contracture of the forearm and take a reference for clinic. METHODS: A total of 3 patients with congenital ulnar collateral flexor contracture of the forearm were admitted between February 2019 and August 2021. Two patients were male and 1 was female, and their ages were 16, 20, and 16 years, respectively. The disease durations were 8, 20, and 15 years, respectively. They all presented with flexion deformity of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints of the middle, ring, and little fingers in the neutral or extended wrist position, and the deformity worsened in the extended wrist position. The total action motion (TAM) scores of 3 patients were 1 and the gradings were poor. The Carroll's hand function evaluation scores were 48, 55, and 57, and the grip strength indexes were 72.8, 78.4, and 30.5. Preoperative CT of case 2 showed a bony protrusion of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon at the proximal end of the ulna; and MRI of case 3 showed that the ulnar flexor digitorum profundus presented as a uniform cord. After diagnosis, all patients were treated with operation to release the denatured tendon, and functional exercise was started early after operation. RESULTS: The incisions of 3 patients healed by first intention. Three patients were followed up for 12, 35, and 12 months, respectively. The hand function and the movement range of the joints significantly improved, but the grip strength did not significantly improve. At last follow-up, TAM scores were 3, 4, and 4, respectively, among which 2 cases were excellent and 1 case was good. Carroll's hand function evaluation scores were 95, 90, and 94, and the grip strength indexes were 73.5, 81.3, and 34.2, respectively. CONCLUSION Congenital ulnar collateral flexor contracture is a rare clinical disease that should be distinguished from ischemic muscle contracture. The location of the contracture should be identified and appropriate surgical timing should be selected for surgical release. Active postoperative rehabilitation and functional exercise can achieve good hand function.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Forearm/surgery* ; Contracture/surgery* ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Tendons/surgery* ; Ulna/surgery* ; Range of Motion, Articular