ObjectiveTo find out whether there is any difference in the monitoring results of mosq-ovitraps placed in different orientations in multi-storey residential areas, so as to provide a scientific basis for routine and emergency monitoring of Aedes albopictus with mosq-ovitraps in residential areas. MethodsFrom July 6th to October 26th 2023, one mosquito ovitrap was set up in each of the 4 orientations of east, south, west and north around the buildings in a multi-storey residential area in Jinhui Town, Fengxian District, Shanghai. Data was collected and recorded 72 hours after placement. The chi-square test was used to compare the mosquito ovitrap indices (MOIs) of two independent samples, and the Kruskal⁃Wallis H test was used to compare the MOIs of multiple independent samples. ResultsAfter 16 weeks of surveillance, 997 mosquito ovitraps were recovered, of which 211 were positive, with the mosquito ovitrap index (MOI) of 21.16% and the Aedes albopictus density index of 1.03 mosquitoes·ovitrap^-1. The MOIs were higher in September (24.22%) and October (23.96%), and the MOIs in the west, south and north within the two months were all above 20.00%. From July to October, the MOIs in the east, west, south and north were 20.70%, 22.20%, 25.50% and 16.20%, respectively, and the difference in MOIs among the 4 orientations was not statistically significant (χ²=6.647, P=0.084). Stratified analysis by month showed that in August, the south side of the multi-storey residential areas had the highest MOI (31.30%), the north side had the lowest MOI (1.30%), and there was a statistically significant difference in MOI in the east, west, south and north (χ²=25.986, P<0.001). In October, the MOI in the west was the highest (33.30%) and the MOI in the east was the lowest (6.30%), the difference in MOIs of the 4 orientations was statistically significant (χ²=12.007, P=0.007). The MOIs in the south side of the building in the outskirts of the residential area from the 1st week in July to the 4th week in October was lower (19.20%) than that in the south side of the inner building (31.70%), and the difference in MOI was statistically significant (χ²=5.118, P=0.024). ConclusionThe study of MOI in different orientations in a multi-storey residential area is a preliminary exploration based on field work, and the results show that there is a difference in MOIs in different orientations during the peak breeding period of mosquitoes. Further indicators such as temperature, humidity and wind speed in different orientations can be collected to explore the influencing factors of MOIs.

ObjectiveTo study the regulatory effect of the partial sequence within the 3’ untranslated region （3’UTR） of slit guidance ligand 1 （Slit1） （Slit1-3’UTR） on the fibrotic phenotypes of cardiac fibroblasts （CFs） and its potential mechanism. MethodsThe adenovirus vector was used to overexpress the 1526nt sequence of Slit1-3’UTR in ICR neonatal mouse CFs （mCFs）. The expression of fibrosis-related genes in mCFs， such as collagen type 1 alpha1（COL1A1）， collagen type 3 alpha3 （COL3A1） and alpha smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） were detected by Western blot assay. The effect of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the proliferation and migration of mCFs was assessed by EdU staining and Trans-well assays. Angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ） was used to treat mCFs， and the impact of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the fibrotic phenotypes of Ang Ⅱ-induced mCFs was evaluated. After overexpression of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt， miR-34a-5p mimic was transfected into mCFs， followed by actinomycin D treatment to detect the mRNA stability of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt， and the levels of miR-34a-5p and its target gene SIRT1（si-SIRT1） in mCFs were determined. The effects of miR-34a-5p and small interfering RNA targeting SIRT1 on the Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt-mediated regulation of fibrotic phenotypes were also determined. ResultsAdenovirus-mediated overexpression of Slit 1-3’UTR 1526nt was achieved in mCFs. Overexpression of Slit 1-3’UTR 1526nt markedly inhibited the expression of the fibrosis-related genes， proliferation and migration of mCFs and fibrotic phenotypes of Ang Ⅱ. The results of actinomycin D assay showed that miR-34a-5p inhibited the stability of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt in mCFs， while the level of miR-34a-5p was reduced in mCFs with overexpression of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt. Transfection of miR-34a-5p promoted the fibrotic phenotypes， and reversed the inhibitory effect of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the fibrotic phenotypes of mCFs. Overexpression of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt significantly increased the level of miR-34a-5p target gene SIRT1 in mCFs. Transfection of miR-34a-5p and si-SIRT1 consistently reversed the inhibitory effects of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the fibrotic phenotypes of mCFs. ConclusionSlit1-3’UTR1526nt inhibits the fibrotic phenotypes of mCFs by binding to miR-34a-5p and increasing the expression of its target gene of SIRT1.

Elevated glucose metabolism is a prominent characteristic of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the efficacy of inhibiting a single target of glucose metabolism in FLS using small molecular inhibitors is limited for RA treatment. Herein, the synergistic inhibition of FLS' survival, proliferation, and activation by combining two glucose metabolism inhibitors, diclofenac (DC) and lonidamine (LND) was first verified. Subsequently, DC and LND were individually conjugated to cystamine-modified hyaluronic acid (HA) to prepare two polymer-prodrug conjugates. A HAP-1 peptide-modified dual polymer-prodrug conjugates-assembled nanoparticles system (^HAP-1NP_DC+LND) was further tailored in the optimal synergistic ratio for targeted and synergistic metabolic modulation of FLS to alleviate RA symptoms. Upon targeted uptake by FLS in inflamed joints, ^HAP-1NP_DC+LND released DC and LND within the intracellular reductive microenvironment, where DC hinders glucose uptake and LND suppresses glycolytic enzymes to eliminate FLS synergistically. Additionally, the secretion of lactic acid and pro-inflammatory factors from FLS were reduced, thereby disrupting the crosstalk between FLS and pro-inflammatory macrophages. Finally, ^HAP-1NP_DC+LND demonstrated promising efficacy in a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Overall, this research provides valuable insights into novel therapeutic strategies for the safe and effective of treatment RA through targeted and synergistic metabolic modulation of FLS.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP), whose etiology is influenced by genetic and clinical risk factors, considerably impacts women's quality of life. However, the genetic underpinnings in non-European populations and comprehensive risk models integrating genetic and clinical factors remain underexplored. This study constructed the first polygenic risk score (PRS) for POP in the Chinese population by utilizing 20 disease-associated variants from the largest existing genome-wide association study. We analyzed a discovery cohort of 576 cases and 623 controls and a validation cohort of 264 cases and 200 controls. Results showed that the case group exhibited a significantly higher PRS than the control group. Moreover, the odds ratio of the top 10% risk group was 2.6 times higher than that of the bottom 10%. A high PRS was significantly correlated with POP occurrence in women older than 50 years old and in those with one or no childbirths. As far as we know, the integrated prediction model, which combined PRS and clinical risk factors, demonstrated better predictive accuracy than other existing PRS models. This combined risk assessment model serves as a robust tool for POP risk prediction and stratification, thereby offering insights into individualized preventive measures and treatment strategies in future clinical practice.
Humans ; Female ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; China/epidemiology* ; Multifactorial Inheritance ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Case-Control Studies ; Adult ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Genetic Risk Score ; East Asian People

Objective To elucidate the influence of two procedures aortic root remodeling using a straight tubular artificial vessel while preserving the aortic valve and the Florida sleeve procedure on the biomechanics of the aortic root.Methods Five finite element models of the aortic root were reconstructed using computed tomography angiography images,including two cases of aortic root remodeling(A1 and A2),two cases of the Florida sleeve procedure(B1 and B2),and one control group without aortic root pathology(C).Numerical simulations were performed to obtain the blood flow and pressure distribution result to assess the differences in the hemodynamics of the aortic root.Results There were no significant differences in the peak systolic velocity between the two procedures and the control.However,the flow velocity after aortic root remodeling was smoother,similar to the model of the control group,with a more stable average aortic pressure and wall shear stress.In the Florida sleeve procedure,high-speed blood flow affected the vessel wall,leading to various degrees of wall shear stress and pressure concentrations along the aortic wall.Conclusions After aortic root replacement with valve preservation,blood flow patterns in the reconstructed aortic root depended on postoperative changes in sinus geometry.Both surgical procedures showed favorable blood flow patterns;however,the flow pattern after aortic root remodeling was more stable than that after the Florida sleeve procedure.

Objective:To evaluate the item properties and applicability of the eHealth Literacy Scale in Web 3.0 context (eHLS-Web 3.0) among diabetic patients by applying classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) to provide a new effective tool for assessing the level of eHealth literacy among diabetic patients.Methods:A cross-sectional study design was adopted and 230 diabetic patients from the inpatient endocrinology department of the Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University were selected by convenience sampling from November 2022 to May 2023 and were surveyed by using the self-general information questionnaire and eHLS-Web 3.0. The correlation coefficient method, Cronbach α coefficient, Guttman split-half reliability coefficient, and structural validity in CCT were used, and discriminant validity, convergent validity, and Samejima Graded Response model in IRT were used to evaluate the scale items. Results:The CTT results showed that Cronbach α coefficient for the eHLS-Web 3.0 was 0.973, the Guttman split-half reliability coefficient was 0.894, and the correlation coefficient between the items and the total score of the scale ranged from 0.708 to 0.845 (all P<0.01). Exploratory factor analysis extracted three common factors with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 76.75%, and the confirmatory factor analysis model had a good fit. The reliability of each dimension combination was >0.60, and the average variance extracted was >0.50. The square root of the average variance extracted from each dimension (0.817, 0.875, 0.845) was greater than the correlation coefficient between this dimension and other dimensions (0.742, 0.763, 0.715). The IRT results showed that the discrimination parameter of all the items ranged from 2.174 to 4.054, the difficulty coefficients increased with the increase of the level (- 2.471 - 2.187), and the average information content of all the items ranged from 1.217 to 2.609. Conclusions:The eHLS-Web 3.0 has good characteristics among diabetic patients as tested by CTT and IRT, and can be used as an effective tool to assess the eHealth literacy level of diabetic patients in China.

Objective:To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine combined with chloroprocaine on epidural anesthesia for cesarean section.Methods:A total of 133 women who underwent epidural anesthesia for cesarean section at the Department of Anesthesiology, Jinhua People's Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022 were included in this prospective case-control study. These women were divided into a ropivacaine group ( n = 66) and a chloroprocaine group ( n = 67) using a random number table method. The ropivacaine group received epidural anesthesia with dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine, while the chloroprocaine group received epidural anesthesia with dexmedetomidine combined with chloroprocaine. The anesthesia effect (anesthesia onset time, anesthesia duration, peak effect time), changes in blood pressure (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure), adverse reactions (shivering, nausea and vomiting, urinary retention, skin itching, numbness of lower limbs), and satisfaction with muscle relaxation were observed in the two groups. Results:The anesthesia onset time, anesthesia duration, and peak effect time in the chloroprocaine group were (6.91 ± 1.54) minutes, (61.54 ± 5.31) minutes, and (11.79 ± 4.12) minutes, respectively, which were significantly shorter than those in the ropivacaine group [(9.65 ± 1.92) minutes, (83.57 ± 6.69) minutes, (18.32 ± 4.81) minutes, t = 9.08, 21.05, 8.41, all P < 0.001). The systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased in both groups after 10 minutes of anesthesia and at the end of the procedure; however, the increments observed in the chloroprocaine group were relatively smaller. There were significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, measured at 10 minutes of anesthesia and at the end of the procedure, between the two groups ( F = 7.36, P < 0.001; F = 5.12, P = 0.001). There were significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between different time points ( F = 10.03, P < 0.001; F = 6.72, P < 0.001). The group-by-time interaction effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressure was also highly significant ( F = 9.83, P < 0.001; F = 8.01, P < 0.001). The chloroprocaine group exhibited a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions compared with the ropivacaine group [4.48% (3/67) vs. 15.15% (10/66), χ2 = 4.29, P < 0.05). Additionally, the chloroprocaine group had a significantly higher satisfaction rate with muscle relaxation compared with the ropivacaine group [94.03% (63/66) vs. 81.82% (54/66), Z = 5.73, P < 0.05]. Conclusion:The combination of dexmedetomidine and chloroprocaine offers remarkable benefits in epidural anesthesia for cesarean sections. This combined approach not only enhances epidural anesthesia but also stabilizes the blood pressure of puerperants, reduces adverse reactions, and provides exceptional muscle relaxation. It deserves consideration for clinical application.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of action and main active components of Xiaoyaosan in the treatment of diabetic mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction （DMED）. MethodStreptozotocin （STZ） was used to induce a diabetic rat model. The therapeutic efficacy of Xiaoyaosan was evaluated by measuring intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure （ICP/MAP） and using Masson's trichrome staining. The main active components， key targets， and potential signaling pathways of Xiaoyaosan for the treatment of DMED were predicted by network pharmacology and molecular docking. The predicted results were then validated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. ResultThe ICP/MAP measurements and Masson's staining results showed that compared with the results in the control group， the erectile function of rats in the model group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the ratio of smooth muscle/collagen fibers was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. After treatment with Xiaoyaosan， compared with the results in the model group， the ICP/MAP value of the diabetic rats was significantly elevated （P<0.01）， and the ratio of smooth muscle/collagen fibers was significantly higher （P<0.01）. The results of network pharmacology showed that Xiaoyaosan acted on key targets such as albumin （ALB）， protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor （TNF） through its main active components， including quercetin， kaempferol， β-sitosterol， and stigmasterol. These components were involved in the regulation of the advanced glycation end-products/receptor for advanced glycation end-products （AGE/RAGE） signaling pathway and the phosphoinositide 3-kinases（PI3K）/Akt signaling pathway in diabetic complications. The results of molecular docking showed that the key components of Xiaoyaosan had good binding capabilities with core targets， with β-sitosterol showing the strongest binding affinity with ALB. In vivo experiments demonstrated that Xiaoyaosan could significantly increase the protein and mRNA expression of ALB and Akt1 in serum， and inhibit the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α. It also significantly upregulated the expression of protein and mRNA of phosphorylation（p）-PI3K and p-Akt， and inhibited the RAGE expression. The results of cellular thermal shift assay （CETSA） showed that β-sitosterol could significantly inhibit the degradation of ALB protein. ConclusionXiaoyaosan may restore erectile function in diabetic rats by modulating targets such as ALB， Akt1， IL-6， and TNF， and through the RAGE/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， and its main active component is likely β-sitosterol.

Sheep pox is widespread worldwide and is the most severe animal pox virus infection. This study aimed to identify the key microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed in the exosomes of sheep poxvirus-infected cells and their target genes and related pathways and provide a theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms of sheep poxvirus-infected cells. In this study, the differentially expressed miRNAs were verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and the target genes of miRNAs were predicted and analyzed by bioinformatics. The qPCR results showed that the expression trends of oar-miR-21, oar-miR-10b, oar-let-7f, oar-let-7b, and oar-miR-221 were consistent with the sequencing results. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes results showed that differentially expressed miRNAs were mainly involved in the immune system processes of the Arf6 downstream pathway. The target genes Reactome pathways were mainly enriched in the RAC1 GTPase cycle, CDC42 GTPase cycle, RHO GTPase cycle, RHOV GTPase cycle, and post-transcriptional silencing of small RNAs. The transcription factors SP4, NKX6-1, MEF2A, SP1, EGR1, and POU2F1 that may be connected to sheep pox virus (SPPV)-infected cells were discovered by transcription factor annotation screening. In conclusion, this study screened for differentially expressed miRNAs in SPPV-infected cells and performed a series of bioinformatic analyses of their target genes to provide a theoretical basis for the molecular mechanism of sheep pox virus infections of cells. The data can be used as basic information in future studies on the defense mechanisms against poxvirus infections.