Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2013 to 2022, so as to provide the evidence for the improvement of PTB prevention and control measures in this population. Methods: Data of PTB cases aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, population, and regional distribution characteristics of PTB cases were analyzed using the descriptive epidemiological method. Results: A total of 8 726 PTB cases aged 60 years and older were registered in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022, including 4 167 cases positive for pathogenic tests, with a positive rate of 47.75%. The registered incidence rates and the positive rates of pathogenic tests of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed downward trends from 2013 to 2022 (both P<0.05). The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB was 83.95/105, and the average annual registered incidence rate of PTB positive for pathogenic tests was 40.09/105. The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB in males was higher than that in females (138.57/105 vs. 31.76/105, P<0.05). The registered incidence rate of PTB showed an increasing trend with age (P<0.05), with the highest rate observed in the age group of 75-<80 years (110.37/105). The top three regions with the highest average annual registered incidence rates of PTB were Jiangdu District (94.34/105), Baoying County (91.61/105) and Hanjiang District (84.93/105). Conclusions The registered incidence of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed a downward trend from 2013 to 2022. Particular attention should be payed to males, residents aged 75- <80 years, and the elderly in Jiangdu District and Baoying County.

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active moiety of both mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), serves as a primary immunosuppressant for maintaining solid organ transplants. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) enhances treatment outcomes through tailored approaches. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based guideline for MPA TDM, facilitating its rational application in clinical settings. The guideline plan was drawn from the Institute of Medicine and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Using the Delphi method, clinical questions and outcome indicators were generated. Systematic reviews, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence quality evaluations, expert opinions, and patient values guided evidence-based suggestions for the guideline. External reviews further refined the recommendations. The guideline for the TDM of MPA (IPGRP-2020CN099) consists of four sections and 16 recommendations encompassing target populations, monitoring strategies, dosage regimens, and influencing factors. High-risk populations, timing of TDM, area under the curve (AUC) versus trough concentration (C₀), target concentration ranges, monitoring frequency, and analytical methods are addressed. Formulation-specific recommendations, initial dosage regimens, populations with unique considerations, pharmacokinetic-informed dosing, body weight factors, pharmacogenetics, and drug‍-‍drug interactions are covered. The evidence-based guideline offers a comprehensive recommendation for solid organ transplant recipients undergoing MPA therapy, promoting standardization of MPA TDM, and enhancing treatment efficacy and safety.
Mycophenolic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Drug Monitoring/methods* ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage* ; Delphi Technique

Obesity usually exacerbates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITME), hindering CD8⁺ T cell infiltration and function, which further represents a significant barrier to the efficacy of immunotherapy. Herein, a multifunctional liposomal system (CR-Lip) for encapsulating celastrol (CEL) was utilized to remodel obesity-related ITME and improve cancer immunotherapy, wherein Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) was detected interspersed in the phospholipid bilayer and its glycosyl exposed on the surface of the liposome. CR-Lip had a relatively uniform size (116.5 nm), facilitating favorable tumor tissue accumulation through the interaction between Rg3 and glucose transporter 1 overexpressed in obese tumor cells. Upon reaching the tumor region, CR-Lip was found to induce the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of HFD tumor cells. Notably, the level of PHD3 in HFD tumor cells was effectively boosted by CR-Lip to effectively block metabolic reprogramming and increase the availability of major free fatty acids fuel sources. In vivo, experiments studies revealed that the easy-obtained nano platform stimulated enhanced the production of various cytokines in tumor tissues, DC maturation, CD8⁺ T-cell infiltration, and synergistic anticancer therapeutic potency with aPD-1 (tumor inhibition rate = 82.1%) towards obesity-related melanoma. Consequently, this study presented an efficacious approach to tumor immunotherapy in obese mice by encompassing tumor eradication, inducing ICD, and reprogramming metabolism. Furthermore, it offered a unique insight into a valuable attempt at the immunotherapy of obesity-associated related tumors.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of serum HBV RNA in assessing antiviral therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B， as well as its potential as a biomarker in clinical therapy， and to provide a scientific basis for the clinical treatment of chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA total of 134 patients who were diagnosed with chronic HBV infection in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from April 2023 to May 2024 were enrolled as subjects， and related examinations were performed， including HBV DNA， serum HBV RNA， liver function， HBsAg， anti-HBs， HBeAg， anti-HBe， anti-HBc， and transient elastography of the liver. The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups； the chi-square test or the continuity-adjusted chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Pearson correlation analysis or Spearman correlation analysis was performed. ResultsThe 134 patients with chronic HBV infection were divided into HBeAg-positive group with 45 patients and HBeAg-negative group with 89 patients， and there were significant differences between the two groups in age， the positive rate and quantitative value of HBV DNA， the positive rate and quantitative value of serum HBV RNA， HBsAg， anti-HBe， and ALT （all P<0.05）. In the cohort study of the HBeAg negative group， there were significant differences in the levels of HBV DNA， HBsAg， and GGT between the serum HBV RNA-negative group with 14 patients and the serum HBV RNA-positive group with 75 patients （all P<0.05）. There were 28 patients in the HBeAg-positive group and 62 in the HBeAg-positive group who used antiviral drugs for ≥1 month， and the 28 HBeAg-positive patients had an HBV RNA positive rate of 100%， while for the 62 HBeAg-negative patients， there were significant differences in the positive rate and level of serum HBV RNA between the patients with different durations of medication （both P<0.05）. Among the 89 HBeAg-negative patients， there were 62 treatment-experienced patients and 27 treatment-naïve patients， and there was a significant difference between the two groups in HBV RNA level ［2.07 （1.52 — 2.82） log₁₀ copies/mL vs 2.69 （1.80 — 3.55） log₁₀ copies/mL， Z=2.034， P=0.042］. For HBeAg-negative patients， serum HBV RNA was positively correlated with HBV DNA and HBsAg （both P<0.05）， and for HBeAg-positive patients， serum HBV RNA was significantly positively correlated with HBV DNA， HBsAg， and HBeAg （all P<0.05）. ConclusionAntiviral therapy can reduce viral load， and for HBeAg-negative patients with high-sensitivity HBV DNA below the lower limit of detection， serum HBV RNA can fill the “gap” in the detection of viral replication.

Objective:To explore the application value of three-dimensional high-resolution anorectal manometry(3D-HRAM)model in the diagnosis and localization of anal sphincter injury after surgery for complex anal fistula.Methods:A prospective study was con-ducted on 92 patients who had undergone surgery for complex anal fistula in the Department of Coloproctology of The People's Hospi-tal Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2023 to January 2024.The study was conducted in two stages.In the first stage,92 patients underwent 3D-HRAM and endoanal ultrasonography(EAUS)to examine the sphincter,and the data were compared with intraoperative records to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and localization accuracy of 3D-HRAM and EAUS.In the second stage,92 patients who had been examined were grouped according to the presence or absence of symptoms of anal dysfunction to further verify the diagnostic and localization values of 3D-HRAM and EAUS for postoperative compensated/decompen-sated sphincter injury.Results:Among 92 patients,41 and 57 patients were diagnosed with sphincter injury through 3D-HRAM and EAUS,with a sensitivity of 61.19%and 85.07%,a specificity of 88%and 76%,an area under the curve of 0.739 and 0.813 calcu-lated by plotting the receiver operating characteristic curve,and a localization accuracy of 44.77%and 71.64%,respectively,showing significant differences between 3D-HRAM and EAUS(P=0.002),indicating that 3D-HRAM had lower diagnostic efficiency and local-ization accuracy than EAUS for anal sphincter injury after surgery for complex anal fistula.After grouping by symptoms,the diagnostic efficiency and localization accuracy of 3D-HRAM for symptomatic sphincter injury(decompensated)were significantly better than those for asymptomatic sphincter injury,and were similar to those of EAUS(P=0.763).Conclusion:The application advantage of 3D-HRAM lies in the diagnosis and localization of decompensated anal sphincter injury after surgery for complex anal fistula,which provides effective technical support for the study of anal defecation control mechanisms and injury compensation mechanisms.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of acupuncture at"Yanglingquan"(GB34)and"Zusanli"(ST36)on knee osteoarthritis(KOA)rats,focusing on the regulation of PTEN-induced kinase 1/Parkin(PINK1/Parkin)-mediated mitophagy in chondrocytes.Methods Ten out of 40 male SD rats were randomly selected as the normal group,and the remaining 30 rats were used to construct a KOA model.A total of 27 rats were successfully modeled.The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group,an acupuncture group(acupuncture at Yanglingquan and Zusanli),and an acupuncture+autophagy inhibitor(3-MA)group(acupuncture at Yanglingquan and Zusanli combined with intraperitoneal injection of 3-MA),with 9 rats in each group.After intervention,the morphology of cartilage tissue in each group was observed,and the Mankin's score of cartilage was assessed.The apoptosis rate of chondrocytes was calculated.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect inflammatory factors[cyclooxygenase 2(COX-2),interleukin 1β(IL-1β),and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)],oxidative damage indicators[nitric oxide(NO),superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)],and the levels of matrix metalloproteinase 3(MMP-3)and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1(TIMP-1).The DHE probe was used to measure reactive oxygen species(ROS)level.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of PTEN-induced kinase 1(PINK1),Parkin,and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-Ⅱ(LC3-Ⅱ)in cartilage tissue.Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of PINK1,Parkin,and LC3-Ⅱ in cartilage tissue.Results Compared with the normal group,the model group showed increased Mankin's score,apoptosis rate,COX-2 level,IL-1β and TNF-α levels,NO and MDA levels,MMP-3 and TIMP-1 levels,and ROS content,as well as decreased SOD and GSH-Px levels,and reduced mRNA and protein expressions of PINK1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the acupuncture group showed decreased Mankin's score,apoptosis rate,COX-2 level,IL-1β and TNF-α levels,NO and MDA levels,MMP-3 and TIMP-1 levels,and ROS content,as well as increased SOD and GSH-Px levels,and elevated mRNA and protein expressions of PINK1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Compared with the acupuncture group,the acupuncture+3-MA group showed increased Mankin's score,apoptosis rate,COX-2 level,IL-1β and TNF-α levels,NO and MDA levels,MMP-3 and TIMP-1 levels,and ROS content,as well as decreased SOD and GSH-Px levels,and mRNA and protein expressions of PINK1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at"Yanglingquan"and"Zusanli"can inhibit chondrocyte apoptosis by activating PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy,thus improving the condition of KOA rats.

This study summarizes Professor Qin Zhenhua's clinical experience in treating cutaneous pruritus using a modified self-prescribed formula,Yinqiao Xingzi Decoction.Following the viewpoints from the classical Chinese medical literature and after years of clinical practice,Professor Qin proposes that the onset of cutaneous pruritus is often associated with the attack of exogenous pathogens,disharmony of qi and blood,or debility due to prolonged illness.The disease primarily involves the skin,with the fundamental pathogenesis of pathogens stagnating in the muscular superficies.Clinically,the treatment is frequently conducted from the perspective of fire-heat syndrome,and the therapeutic methods of clearing heat and removing toxins,releasing muscles and dispersing pathogens from the superficies,and dispelling wind to relieve itching are utilized.The approaches aim to cool heat in the blood,expel pathogens from the muscular layer,eliminate heat for stopping itching,and extinguish wind for calming the skin.The basic prescription,Yinqiao Xingzi Decoction(composed of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos,Forsythiae Fructus,Armeniacae Semen Amarum,Arnebiae Radix,Tribuli Fructus,Dictamni Cortex,Kochiae Fructus,and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma),is used by modification depending on the predominance of pathogenic factors of wind,heat,dryness,or dampness-toxins,and according to the various syndromes like blood-heat,yin deficiency,or qi-blood deficiency.Yinqiao Xingzi Decoction is applicable to cutaneous pruritus with the most of clinical common syndrome types,but it is unsuitable for cases caused by yang deficiency or qi stagnation with blood stasis.

Epigenetic pathways play a critical role in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of cancer. Over the past few decades, significant progress has been made in the development of targeted epigenetic modulators (e.g., inhibitors). However, epigenetic inhibitors have faced multiple challenges, including limited clinical efficacy, toxicities, lack of subtype selectivity, and drug resistance. As a result, the design of new epigenetic modulators (e.g., degraders) such as PROTACs, molecular glue, and hydrophobic tagging (HyT) degraders has garnered significant attention from both academia and pharmaceutical industry, and numerous epigenetic degraders have been discovered in the past decade. In this review, we aim to provide an in-depth illustration of new degrading strategies (2017-2023) targeting epigenetic proteins for cancer therapy, focusing on the rational design, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, clinical status, and crystal structure information of these degraders. Importantly, we also provide deep insights into the potential challenges and corresponding remedies of this approach to drug design and development. Overall, we hope this review will offer a better mechanistic understanding and serve as a useful guide for the development of emerging epigenetic-targeting degraders.

Objective To investigate the effect of electromagnetic wave power density on the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)in the hippocampus of SD rats under 1800 MHz electromagnetic wave irradiation,and whether it exhibits a"window effect".Methods Ninety-eight 4-week-old SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into 14 groups,with 7 rats in each group.Seven groups were exposed groups(frequency:1800 MHz,power densities:0.1 mW/cm2,0.3 mW/cm2,0.5 mW/cm2,0.7 mW/cm2,0.9 mW/cm2,1.0 mW/cm2,1.2 mW/cm2)and corresponding 7 groups were control groups(power density:0 mW/cm2).Exposure was conducted for 12 hours daily for 3 weeks.After exposure,Western Blot was used to detect the expression level of GFAP in the hippocampal tissue,and immunohistochemistry staining was performed to determine the average optical density(MOD)value of GFAP-positive expression products in the DG,CA3,and CA1 regions of the hippocampal tissue,to determine the power density window of GFAP expression in the hippocampus of SD rats under 1800 MHz exposure.Results At power densities of 0.1 mW/cm2 and 0.3 mW/cm2,Western Blot results showed increased expression of GFAP in the rat hippocampus(P<0.05),and immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated increased MOD values of GFAP in the three regions(P<0.05).Conclusion Long-term exposure to 1800 MHz elect-romagnetic radiation has a"window effect"on the expression of GFAP in the DG,CA3,and CA1 regions of the hippocampus in SD rats,with power density windows of 0.1 mW/cm2 and 0.3 mW/cm2.

Objective:To observe the correlation between blood cell-related inflammatory markers and diabetic retinopathy (DR).Methods:A cross-sectional study. From June 2020 to February 2022, the phase Ⅰ data of Beichen Eye Study in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital were included in the study. The research contents included questionnaires, routine systemic and ocular examinations, and laboratory blood cell-related indicators including mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), neutrophils, and lymphocytes were performed. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated. The diagnosis and classification of DR referred to the international clinical classification standard of DR. Monocular or binocular DR was defined as DR patients. Participants were categorized into different groups based on whether they had diabetes and whether they had DR. The groups included the no-diabetes group, the diabetes without DR group, and the DR group. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for the comparison of quantitative data among multiple groups. Wilcoxon test was used for comparison between the two groups. The χ2 test was used to compare the categorical variables between groups. The variables was adjusted step by step, an unadjusted univariate model was built and the different parameters of the model Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ were adjusted. The correlation between MPV, PDW, NLR, PLR, and DR in different models was analyzed by logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of different NLR models for DR. Results:A total of 3 328 subjects were recruited. Among them, 1 121 (33.68 %, 1 121/3 328) were males and 2 207 (66.32 %, 2 207/3 328) were females. The median age of the included participants was 61.84 (6.05) years. The no-diabetes group, the diabetes without DR group, and the DR group were 2 679, 476, and 173, respectively. There was no significant difference in MPV and PLR among the three groups ( H=5.98, 1.94; P=0.051, 0.379). However, compared with no-diabetes group and the diabetes without DR group, PDW and NLR in the DR group showed an upward trend. In model Ⅲ with completely adjusted related factors, NLR was an independent risk factor for DR in no-diabetes group and DR group [odds ratio ( OR)=1.440, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.087-1.920, P=0.041], diabetes without DR group and DR group [ OR=1.990, 95% CI 1.440-2.749, P<0.001]. The results of ROC curve analysis showed that the diagnostic efficiency of NLR model Ⅲ was the highest, the area under the curve was 0.751 (95% CI 0.706-0.796, P<0.001), the optimal cutoff value was 0.390, and the sensitivity and specificity were 74.3% and 64.8%, respectively. Conclusions:The NLR of the DR group is significantly higher than that of the no-diabetes group and diabetes without DR group. NLR is an independent risk factor for DR.