Objective: o analyze the epidemic characteristics of five sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including syphilis, gonorrhea, condyloma acuminatum, genital herpes and genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2019 to 2023, so as to provide the reference for the prevention and control strategies of STDs. Methods: Data of the onset time and diagnostic types of STDs cases in Yangzhou City from 2019 to 2023 were collected from the Infectious Disease Surveillance System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, regional and population characteristics of five types of STDs was analyzed using the descriptive epidemiological method. Results: A total of 10 895 cases of STDs were reported in Yangzhou City from 2019 to 2023, with an average annual reported incidence rate of 47.83/105. The average annual reported incidence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, condyloma acuminatum, genital herpes and genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections were 41.11/105, 2.83/105, 2.59/105, 0.43/105 and 0.85/105, respectively. The reported incidence rate of STDs showed a decreasing trend from 2019 to 2023 (P<0.05), with an average annual growth rate of -3.44%. The reported incidence rates of syphilis and gonorrhea showed a decreasing trend (both P<0.05), with average annual growth rates of -4.26% and -6.47%, respectively. The reported incidence rate of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection showed an increasing trend (P<0.05), with an average annual growth rate of 22.32%. Baoying County, Guangling District and Hanjiang District had the top three reported incidence rates of STDs, at 56.61/105, 55.61/105 and 46.50/105, respectively. The average annual reported incidence rate of STDs among males was higher than that among females (53.19/105 vs. 42.54/105, P<0.05). The STD cases were primarily people aged 50 years and above, with 6 641 cases accounting for 60.95%. The occupations of STD cases were mainly farmers, housekeepers and unemployed, with 4 670 and 3 273 cases accounting for 42.86% and 30.04%, respectively. Conclusions The overall reported incidence of STDs in Yangzhou City from 2019 to 2023 showed a downward trend, while the reported incidence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection showed an upward trend. The individuals aged 50 years and above, farmers, housekeepers and the unemployed were identified as high-risk groups for STDs.

Objective: To investigate the awareness rate of non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for AIDS and its influencing factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Methods: From January to June 2024, MSM aged ≥16 years in Yangzhou City were recruited using the snowball sampling method. Basic information, sexual behavior characteristics, awareness and usage of nPEP, and awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for AIDS were collected through questionnaire surveys. Factors affecting awareness of nPEP among MSM were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 740 participants were enrolled, with a median age of 29 (interquartile range, 14) years. There were 497 participants with a college degree and above educational level, accounting for 67.16%. A total of 541 participants resided in urban areas, accounting for 73.11%. The awareness rate of nPEP was 57.30%. The primary channels for awareness were the internet and healthcare institution promotions, with 159 and 119 participants, accounting for 37.50% and 28.07%, respectively. A total of 57 participants had utilized nPEP, with a usage rate of 7.70%. The main reason for using nPEP was having unprotected sex, with 21 participants, accounting for 36.84%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that unmarried MSM (OR=2.369, 95%CI: 1.236-4.540) and those who were aware of PrEP (OR=28.067, 95%CI: 17.664-44.597) had a significantly higher likelihood of being aware of nPEP. Conclusions The awareness rate and usage rate of nPEP among MSM in Yangzhou City are both relatively low. Awareness of nPEP is mainly influenced by marital status and whether participants are aware of PrEP.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that affects the vision of elderly individuals worldwide. Although current therapeutics have shown effectiveness against AMD, some patients may remain unresponsive and continue to experience disease progression. Therefore, in-depth knowledge of the mechanism underlying AMD pathogenesis is urgently required to identify potential drug targets for AMD treatment. Recently, studies have suggested that dysfunction of mitochondria can lead to the aggregation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) innate immunity pathways, ultimately resulting in sterile inflammation and cell death in various cells, such as cardiomyocytes and macrophages. Therefore, combining strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory mediators may hold great potential in facilitating AMD management. Notably, emerging evidence indicates that natural products targeting mitochondrial quality control (MQC) and the cGAS/STING innate immunity pathways exhibit promise in treating AMD. Here, we summarize phytochemicals that could directly or indirectly influence the MQC and the cGAS/STING innate immunity pathways, as well as their interconnected mediators, which have the potential to mitigate oxidative stress and suppress excessive inflammatory responses, thereby hoping to offer new insights into therapeutic interventions for AMD treatment.

Sepsis is one of the common severe diseases caused by the dysregulated host response to infection， which seriously threatens the life and health of human beings all over the world. The incidence and mortality of the disease are extremely high， and it has always been an urgent problem to be solved in the field of acute and critical diseases. At present， anti-infection， fluid resuscitation， mechanical ventilation and other programs are most used in clinic to treat sepsis， but their poor prognosis and high cost and other issues remain to be resolved. Therefore， it is necessary to explore a new， efficient， safe and inexpensive drug and treatment model at this stage. The treatment of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is based on syndrome differentiation and holistic concept. It can effectively regulate the progression of sepsis， maintain the homeostasis of the body， and has fewer adverse reactions. It has achieved good clinical results. In recent years， a large number of studies have shown that TCM can reduce the inflammatory response by regulating the Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4） signaling pathway， thereby reducing the severity and mortality of sepsis patients. However， there is still a lack of systematic exposition of TCM regulating TLR4 signaling pathway in the treatment of sepsis. Therefore， this article summarizes the relationship between TLR4 signaling pathway and sepsis and the mechanism of TCM in the disease by searching and consulting relevant literature in recent years. It is found that some Chinese medicine monomers and active ingredients， Chinese medicine compounds and Chinese medicine preparations can effectively reduce systemic inflammatory response， repair organ damage and improve the prognosis of sepsis by inhibiting the activation of TLR4 signaling pathway. However， due to various limitations， some studies have directly focused on the differential expression and function of TLR4， ignoring the downstream molecular expression and phenotypic effects of TLR4. The alternative mechanism， relationship and specific molecular mechanism of the pathway are still unclear. There are problems such as unclear pharmacokinetics and unclear mechanism in the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance， which need to be further studied and explored in order to provide new ideas for the potential treatment and drug development for sepsis.

Although geriatric diseases are complicated due to the coexistence of many diseases,they often have a common pathological basis and are closely related to the pathogenesis of deficiency and excess in traditional Chinese medicine.Exploring the characteristics of the pathogenesis of deficiency and excess diseases in the elderly is helpful to keep simplicity and restrain complexity,grasp the law of occurrence and development of diseases in the elderly as a whole,and give full play to the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.Based on the fundamental characteristics of deficiency and excess in senile diseases,researcher Hu Jingqing further summarized that"essence deficiency,Yin deficiency,Yang deficiency,qi deficiency,blood deficiency"and"qi stagnation,phlegm dampness,blood stasis,fire and heat,and latent wind"are the most common pathogenesis in the occurrence and development of senile diseases.Among them,deficiency is the basic pathogenesis of senile diseases,especially deficiency of kidney essence.Excess disease is the key pathogenesis of the development and changes of senile diseases.Qi stagnation is often the initial step in the development of senile diseases.Phlegm dampness and blood stasis are the pathological products of"excess due to deficiency"and are also the main secondary pathogenesis of senile diseases.In clinical identification of senile diseases,attention should be paid to grasping the pathogenesis of deficiency and excess and its concurrent changes.

A 72-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency department of Qintang District People′s Hospital of Guigang City in August 2023 due to chills and fever, abdominal distension and pain, diarrhea, cough and shortness of breath for 1 day. She had a history of chronic obstructive and pulmonary heart disease, stage Ⅲ hypertension, and ceftazidime allergy. Clinical diagnosis of acute bacterial infection of chronic obstructive pneumonia was made and levofloxacin combined with piperacillin/tazobactam were given as symptomatic treatment. The blood culture reported Campylobacter fetus after four days, and the patient was cured and discharged after seven days with negative blood culture. The morphology and mass spectrometry identification of the strain were consistent with the definition of Campylobacter fetus. Whole genome sequencing predicted the multi-site sequence type as Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus( Cff) ST20, carrying the tetracycline resistance gene tet (O/M/O), 18 flagella genes (including rpoN gene from Campylobacter jejuni. these genes were not found in the other two Campylobacter fetus subspecies), and six virulence genes (including like-typhoidal toxin and typhoid toxin genes). The pathogen has the ecological characteristics of parasitic farmed animal colonization and the biological characteristics of high mobility and virulence. These attributes facilitated its entry into the bloodstream via the fecal-oral route, leading to invasive infections.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of syphilis in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2023, to understand the syphilis epidemic trends, and provide a scientific basis for formulating prevention and control strategies. Methods Syphilis case reports in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2023 were collected through the infectious disease surveillance module of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Information System. The annual average reported incidence rate and annual average growth rate were calculated. Descriptive epidemiological methods were employed to analyze the overview of syphilis and its temporal, geographical and demographic distribution characteristics. Linear trend chi-square tests were conducted to analyze the syphilis epidemic trends. Results A total of 19, 457 syphilis cases were reported in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2023, with an annual average reported incidence rate of 39.17/100, 000. The overall incidence of syphilis showed an upward trend, with the reported incidence rate increasing from 37.26/100, 000 in 2013 to 43.27/100, 000 in 2023 (χ²= 50.528, P < 0.001), representing an annual average growth rate of 1.51%. The majority of reported cases were latent syphilis, accounting for 64.99% (12, 646/19, 457). The number of reported cases of primary, secondary and congenital syphilis revealed an overall decreased trend, while the number of reported cases of tertiary and latent syphilis increased trend. There was no significant seasonality or periodicity in the reported incidence rate of syphilis in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2023. The top three districts with the highest annual average reported incidence rates were the Development District, Guangling District and Hanjiang District, with incidence rates of 50.93/100, 000, 50.89/100, 000 and 43.18/100, 000, respectively. There were 10, 290 male syphilis cases (52.89%) and 9, 167 female syphilis cases (47.11%). The top three occupations were farmers (8, 682 cases), homemakers and unemployed individuals (5, 379 cases) and retired personnel (2, 559 cases), accounting for 85.42% (16, 620/19, 457) of the reported cases. Conclusion The incidence of syphilis in Yangzhou City generally shows an upward trend, and the disease epidemic spectrum changes annually, with latent syphilis currently being the primary form. The prevention and control situation is severe. Therefore, syphilis prevention and control efforts should be further strengthened to block its transmission and prevalence.

T cell infiltration and proliferation in tumor tissues are the main factors that significantly affect the therapeutic outcomes of cancer immunotherapy. Emerging evidence has shown that interferon-gamma (IFNγ) could enhance CXCL9 secretion from macrophages to recruit T cells, but Siglec15 expressed on TAMs can attenuate T cell proliferation. Therefore, targeted regulation of macrophage function could be a promising strategy to enhance cancer immunotherapy via concurrently promoting the infiltration and proliferation of T cells in tumor tissues. We herein developed reduction-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) made with poly (disulfide amide) (PDSA) and lipid-poly (ethylene glycol) (lipid-PEG) for systemic delivery of Siglec15 siRNA (siSiglec15) and IFNγ for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. After intravenous administration, these cargo-loaded could highly accumulate in the tumor tissues and be efficiently internalized by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). With the highly concentrated glutathione (GSH) in the cytoplasm to destroy the nanostructure, the loaded IFNγ and siSiglec15 could be rapidly released, which could respectively repolarize macrophage phenotype to enhance CXCL9 secretion for T cell infiltration and silence Siglec15 expression to promote T cell proliferation, leading to significant inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth when combining with the immune checkpoint inhibitor. The strategy developed herein could be used as an effective tool to enhance cancer immunotherapy.

Objective: To investigate the awareness of HIV non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) among residents in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, so as to provide basis for further publicity and application of nPEP in genenral population. Methods: Community residents at ages of 18 years and older in Yangzhou City were sampled using the multi-stage random sampling method from January to June, 2022, and a cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect their demographic information, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitude and behaviors and awareness of nPEP. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors affecting awareness of nPEP. Results: Totally 1 488 questionnaires were allocated, and 1 447 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 97.24%. There were 644 males and 803 females, with mean age of (36.33±11.90) years. There were 585 residents (40.43%) employed by government agencies, enterprises and public institutions; 750 residents (51.83%) with awareness of AIDS; 413 (28.54%), 651 (44.99%) and 383 residents (26.47%) had low, medium and high levels of AIDS discrimination, respectively; 201 residents (13.89%) with HIV detection experience; and 792 residents (54.73%) with regular health checkup. The awareness rate of nPEP was 47.89%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified career (government agencies, enterprises and public institutions, OR=1.530, 95%CI: 1.170-1.999; students, OR=1.450, 95%CI: 1.027-2.047), awareness of AIDS (OR=3.201, 95%CI: 2.495-4.106), having HIV detection experience (OR=1.908, 95%CI: 1.339-2.719), regular health checkup (OR=2.308, 95%CI:1.807-2.949) and discrimination against AIDS (medium, OR=0.703, 95%CI: 0.532-0.928; high, OR=0.699, 95%CI: 0.502-0.974) as factors affecting awareness of nPEP. Conclusions The awareness of nPEP among residents in Yangzhou City needs to be improved. Employees in government agencies, enterprises and public institutions and students have higher awareness of nPEP.