Objective To isolate pathogenic bacteria from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs, and perform bacterial identification, traceability analysis, and pathogenicity studies to provide a new approach for the diagnosis of pathogens in nude mice with squamous skin scurfs. MethodsSkin swab samples were collected from a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs for nucleic acid testing, bacterial isolation and culture, biochemical identification, 16S rDNA gene amplification and sequencing, and whole genome sequencing to construct a phylogenetic tree. Fifteen BALB/c nude mice were randomized into a saline-treated control group, a high-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁸ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension, and a low-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁷ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension. Pathogenicity was assessed by animal infection experiments and observation of histopathological changes in skin tissue using HE staining. Results The nucleic acid test for Corynebacterium bovis was negative, excluding infection by this organism. The pathogen isolated on mannitol salt agar and blood agar, combined with Gram staining, suggested a Gram-positive Staphylococcus species. The isolated strain was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and a fully automated microbial identification system as Staphylococcus xylosus. Phylogenetic tree analysis based on whole genome sequencing showed that the strain was most closely related to an isolate from leafy vegetables in South Korea (GenBank GCA_00207825.1). In the high-concentration group, squamous skin scurfs appeared on the head, neck, and back of nude mice on the 17th day post-infection, while in the low concentration group, similar symptoms appeared on the 20th day post-infection and gradually spread to other areas. The scaling symptoms were transient, lasting for 7 days in the high-concentration group and 3 days in the low-concentration group, after which the skin returned to normal. The infection rate was 33.33% in both the high- and low-concentration groups. No significant pathological changes were observed in the skin tissues of infected mice compared to the control group, indicating marked individual differences in the pathogenicity of the strain in nude mice. Conclusion A strain of Staphylococcus xylosus was isolated from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs. The strain is an opportunistic pathogen that causes transient squamous skin scurfs without significant histopathological changes, and there are individual differences in the sensitivity of nude mice to this strain. These findings can provide valuable data for pathogen identification in immunodeficient or gene knockout mice.

Objective To isolate pathogenic bacteria from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs, and perform bacterial identification, traceability analysis, and pathogenicity studies to provide a new approach for the diagnosis of pathogens in nude mice with squamous skin scurfs. MethodsSkin swab samples were collected from a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs for nucleic acid testing, bacterial isolation and culture, biochemical identification, 16S rDNA gene amplification and sequencing, and whole genome sequencing to construct a phylogenetic tree. Fifteen BALB/c nude mice were randomized into a saline-treated control group, a high-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁸ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension, and a low-concentration group treated with 1.8×10⁷ CFU/mL of the isolated bacterial suspension. Pathogenicity was assessed by animal infection experiments and observation of histopathological changes in skin tissue using HE staining. Results The nucleic acid test for Corynebacterium bovis was negative, excluding infection by this organism. The pathogen isolated on mannitol salt agar and blood agar, combined with Gram staining, suggested a Gram-positive Staphylococcus species. The isolated strain was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and a fully automated microbial identification system as Staphylococcus xylosus. Phylogenetic tree analysis based on whole genome sequencing showed that the strain was most closely related to an isolate from leafy vegetables in South Korea (GenBank GCA_00207825.1). In the high-concentration group, squamous skin scurfs appeared on the head, neck, and back of nude mice on the 17th day post-infection, while in the low concentration group, similar symptoms appeared on the 20th day post-infection and gradually spread to other areas. The scaling symptoms were transient, lasting for 7 days in the high-concentration group and 3 days in the low-concentration group, after which the skin returned to normal. The infection rate was 33.33% in both the high- and low-concentration groups. No significant pathological changes were observed in the skin tissues of infected mice compared to the control group, indicating marked individual differences in the pathogenicity of the strain in nude mice. Conclusion A strain of Staphylococcus xylosus was isolated from the skin of a nude mouse exhibiting squamous skin scurfs. The strain is an opportunistic pathogen that causes transient squamous skin scurfs without significant histopathological changes, and there are individual differences in the sensitivity of nude mice to this strain. These findings can provide valuable data for pathogen identification in immunodeficient or gene knockout mice.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the degree of myocardial cell injury and the changes in autophagy level in rats with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury induced by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and to explore the regulatory role of the long non-coding RNA-urothelial carcinoma antigen 1-microRNA-143-Notch1 axis (lncRNA-UCA1-miR-143-Notch1 axis) in myocardial I/R injury induced by CPB. METHODS: Healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the following groups using the random number method: Sham operation (Sham) group, myocardial I/R injury model group (model group), empty lentivirus group, lncRNA-UCA1 upregulation group, miR-143 downregulation group, and lncRNA-UCA1 upregulation+miR-143 upregulation group, with 9 rats in each group. The rat model of myocardial I/R injury induced by CPB was established by thoracotomy aortic ligation under cardiopulmonary bypass support; in the Sham group, only threading was performed without ligation, and other procedures were the same. Seventy-two hours before modeling, the lncRNA-UCA1 upregulated group was injected with 100 μL of myocardial tissue-specific adeno-associated virus (AAV) overexpression vector of lncRNA-UCA1 via tail vein, the miR-143 downregulated group was injected with 100 μL of AAV short hairpin RNA (shRNA) vector of miR-143 via tail vein, the lncRNA-UCA1 upregulation+miR-143 upregulation group was injected with 100 μL of myocardial tissue-AAV overexpression vector of lncRNA-UCA1 and 100 μL of AAV overexpression vector of miR-143 via tail vein, and the empty vector lentivirus group was injected with 100 μL of AAV empty vector (virus titers were 1×10⁹ TU/mL); the Sham group and the model group were injected with equal amounts of normal saline. The animals were euthanized 24 hours after intervention and cardiac tissue specimens were collected. After hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, the damage of myocardial cells and the changes of muscle fiber tissue were observed under a light microscope; after dual staining with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, the ultrastructural damage of heart tissue was observed under a transmission electron microscopy; the expression of lncRNA-UCA1, miR-143, and Notch1 mRNA in myocardial tissue was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); the expression of microtubule 1 light chain 3-II/I (LC3-II/I) and Notch1 protein in myocardial tissue was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the Sham group, the myocardial cells of rats in the model group were enlarged, the intercellular space increased, autophagosomes increased, the arrangement of myocardial fibers was disordered, mitochondrial proliferated and deformed. The expression levels of lncRNA-UCA1 and Notch1 mRNA, as well as the protein expression levels of LC3-II/I and Notch1 were significantly increased, while the expression level of miR-143 was significantly decreased. Compared with the model group, the degree of myocardial cell injury in the lncRNA-UCA1 upregulation group and miR-143 downregulation group was significantly alleviated, the expression levels of Notch1 mRNA, LC3-II/I, and Notch1 protein were significantly increased [Notch1 mRNA (2^-ΔΔCt): 2.66±0.24, 2.03±0.23 vs. 1.45±0.13, LC3-II/I: 2.10±0.21, 1.92±0.19 vs. 1.39±0.14, Notch1 protein (Notch1/GAPDH): 1.72±0.16, 1.57±0.16 vs. 1.34±0.13, all P < 0.05], and the expression level of miR-143 was significantly decreased (2^-ΔΔCt: 0.50±0.06, 0.52±0.06 vs.0.71±0.06, P < 0.05). The expression level of lncRNA-UCA1 in the lncRNA-UCA1 upregulated group was significantly higher than that in the model group (2^-ΔΔCt: 2.47±0.22 vs. 1.43±0.14, P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in the miR-143 downregulation group compared with the model group (2^-ΔΔCt: 1.50±0.16 vs. 1.43±0.14, P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the degree of myocardial cell injury in the empty load lentivirus group and the lncRNA-UCA1 upregulation+miR-143 upregulation group compared to the model group. There were no significant differences in the expression of miR-143, Notch1 mRNA, and the autophagy level in these two groups compared to the model group. The expression level of lncRNA-UCA1 in the lncRNA-UCA1 upregulation+miR-143 upregulation group was significantly higher than that in the model group (2^-ΔΔCt: 2.47±0.20 vs. 1.43±0.14, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Autophagy is involved in the pathological process of myocardial I/R injury induced by CPB. The lncRNA-UCA1-microRNA-143-Notch1 axis may regulate the autophagy level to participate in the I/R injury process.
Animals ; MicroRNAs ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/etiology* ; Rats ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass/adverse effects* ; Receptor, Notch1/metabolism* ; Autophagy

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and non-specific inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Huanglian Ganjiang decoction (HGD), derived from ancient book Beiji Qianjin Yao Fang, has demonstrated efficacy in treating UC patients traditionally. Previous research established that the compatibility of cold herb Coptidis Rhizoma + Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex (CP) and hot herb Angelicae Sinensis Radix + Zingiberis Rhizoma (AZ) in HGD synergistically improved colitis mice. This study investigated the compatibility mechanisms through which CP and AZ regulated inflammatory balance in colitis mice. The experimental colitis model was established by administering 3% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) to mice for 7 days, followed by CP, AZ and CPAZ treatment for an additional 7 days. M1/M2 macrophage polarization levels, glucose metabolites levels and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) expression were analyzed using flow cytometry, Western blot, immunofluorescence and targeted glucose metabolomics. The findings indicated that CP inhibited M1 macrophage polarization, decreased inflammatory metabolites associated with tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and suppressed PDK4 expression and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) (Ser-293) phosphorylation level. AZ enhanced M2 macrophage polarization, increased lactate axis metabolite lactate levels, and upregulated PDK4 expression and PDH (Ser-293) phosphorylation level. TCA cycle blocker AG-221 and adeno-associated virus (AAV)-PDK4 partially negated CP's inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization. Lactate axis antagonist oxamate and PDK4 inhibitor dichloroacetate (DCA) partially reduced AZ's activation of M2 macrophage polarization. In conclusion, the compatibility of CP and AZ synergistically alleviated colitis in mice through M1/M2 macrophage polarization balance via PDK4-mediated glucose metabolism reprogramming. Specifically, CP reduced M1 macrophage polarization by restoration of TCA cycle via PDK4 inhibition, while AZ increased M2 macrophage polarization through activation of PDK4/lactate axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mice ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase/genetics* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Colitis/drug therapy* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Colitis, Ulcerative/drug therapy* ; Metabolic Reprogramming

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to use machine learning algorithms to build a prediction model of the first permanent molar caries of 9-year-old children in Suzhou and screen out risk factors. METHODS: Random stratified whole group sampling was applied to randomly select 9-year-old students from 38 primary schools in 14 townships and streets in Wuzhong District for oral examination and questionnaire survey. Multifactor Logistics regression was used to analyze the risk factors of tooth decay. The data set was randomly divided into training sets and verification sets according to 8∶2, and R 4.3.1 was used to build five machine learning algorithms: random forest, decision tree, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), Logistics regression, and lightweight gradient enhancement (LightGBM). The predictive effect of these five models was evaluated using the area under the characteristic curve (AUC). The marginal contribution of quantitative characteristics to the caries prediction model was determined through Shapley additive explanations (SHAP). RESULTS: This study included 7 225 samples that met the standard. The caries rate of the first permanent molar was 54.96%. Multifactor Logistic regression analysis showed that sweet drinks, dessert and candy, snack frequency, and snacks before going to bed after brushing teeth were correlated with the occurrence of first permanent molar caries (P<0.05). The AUC values of decision tree, Logistic regression, LightGBM, random forest, and XGBoost were 75.5%, 83.9%, 88.6%, 88.9%, and 90.1%, respectively. Compared with the variables after single heat coding, the SHAP value of high-frequency sweets (such as dessert candy ≥2 times a day, mother's sugary diet ≥2 times a day) and bad oral hygiene habits (such as frequent snacks before going to bed after brushing teeth and irregular brushing teeth) exhibited the highest positive. CONCLUSIONS XGBoost algorithm has a good prediction effect for first permanent molar caries in 9-year-old children. High-frequency sweet factors and bad oral hygiene habits have a strong positive impact on the risk of first permanent molar caries and are key drivers that can be used in the formulation of targeted interventions.
Humans ; Dental Caries/epidemiology* ; Child ; Machine Learning ; China/epidemiology* ; Molar ; Risk Factors ; Female ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Decision Trees ; Algorithms

The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is related to the imbalance of viscera,qi,blood,and yin and yang. Some Parkinson's symptoms show opposite characteristics and abnormal constraints because of the influence of its complex pathogenesis. At the qi transformation level,static tremor and muscular rigidity exhibit two opposite states of yang qi:dispersion and contraction. At the spirit level,the sleep disorder of rapid eye movement is caused by the abnormal constraint of the soul on the corporeal soul. The liver is in charge of ascending,whereas the lung is in charge of descending. The liver prefers to disperse,whereas the lung prefers to converge;the lung restrains the liver,and metal (representing the lungs) overcomes wood (representing the liver). Therefore,the liver and lung also possess opposing and mutually restraining characteristics. This study explored the correlation between the liver and lung of patients with Parkinson's disease at the three levels of spirit,qi transformation,and viscera based on the theory of "restraining excessiveness to acquire harmony". It established the connection between motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease through the interaction of these three factors. The study elaborated on the generation of symptoms and treatment options for both motor and non-motor symptoms. Under physiological conditions,the liver and lung maintain a dynamic equilibrium of " restraining excessiveness from acquiring harmony" through restraint without suppression,promoting coexistence and harmony. However,under pathological conditions,the functions of the spirit,qi transformation,and viscera of the liver and lung may exhibit abnormalities,and they could mutually influence each other. This study investigated the "restraining excessiveness to achieve harmony" relationship between the liver and lung,focusing on spirit,qi transformation,and viscera levels. The aim of this study was to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and to offer novel insights into its clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) in the treatment of children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA).Methods:Data of children aged 2 to 18 years with the diagnosis of sJIA and treated with TCZ from June 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022 at our hospital were retrospectively collected. The clinical medication characteristics, incidence, severity and outcome of adverse drug reactions (ADR) were statistically analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of TCZ-induced ADR. Univariate comparison between groups were compared to the measured data followed by t test for normal distribution, and the counting data were paired with Chi-square test. Binary logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results:A total of 83 eligible children were enrolled. The age at TCZ initiation was (8.5±3.7) years old. Most of the children received oral glucocorticoid (86.8%) and/or methotrexate (72.3%) prior to TCZ treatment. The mean time of TCZ duration was (1.2±0.9) years, the total TCZ exposure was 92.70 patient years. Fifty-five (66.3%) children reported 123 ADR, with a rate of 132.69/100 patient years. Forty-two (50.6%) children reported 103 general ADR, with a rate of 111.11/100 patient years. Eighteen (21.7%) children reported 20 serious ADR, with a rate of 21.57/100 patient years. The results of univariate analysis showed that the dosage of glucocorticoid in ADR group was higher than that in non-ADR group [(0.76±0.50) mg·kg -1·d -1vs. (0.52±0.41) mg·kg -1·d -1, t=2.27, P=0.026], and the difference was statistically significant. However, there were no significant differences in gender [(male 23, female 32) cases vs. (male 9, female 19) cases, χ2=0.73, P=0.392], age at TCZ initiation [(8.5±3.8) years old vs. (9.0±3.1) years old, t=-0.65, P=0.516], duration of TCZ treatment [(1.24±1.00) years vs. (1.05±0.90) years, t=0.87, P=0.385], methotrexate doses weekly [(8.0±5.2) mg/m 2vs. (7.6±5.1) mg/m 2, t=0.39, P=0.696], and history of drug or food allergy (11 cases vs. 5 cases, χ2=0.06, P=0.815) between the two groups. The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that the combined use of oral glucocorticoids was an independent risk factor for TCZ-induced ADR [ OR (95% CI) =3.05 (1.11, 8.36), P=0.030]. The risk of ADR was 3.05 times higher in the combined daily dose of glucocorticoids ≥0.76 mg/kg prednisone equivalent than that of < 0.76 mg/kg. Common general ADR to TCZ include infections (38.83/100 patient years) and abnormalities in laboratory parameters (37.76/100 patient years) such as elevated glutamic-pyrupiane transaminase (18.34/100 patient years), dyslipidemia (12.94/100 patient years), and hemocytopenia (5.39/100 patient years). The serious ADR included serious infection (9.71/100 patient years) and serious infusion reaction(7.55/100 patient years). All ADR were improved after drug withdrawal or symptomatic treatment, and no deaths occurred. Conclusion:TCZ has a good safety profile in the treatment of sJIA. Serious infections and severe infusion reactions often lead to discontinuation of the drug. The combination of glucocorticoids≥0.76 mg/kg prednisone equivalent is an independent risk factor for TCZ-induced ADR. Monitoring should be strengthened during the application of TCZ, and ADR should be detected and treated as early as possible to reduce the risk of medication related adverse reactions.

The usage of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) sparked an outbreak of unidentified vaping-related lung disease in the US during late 2019. With e-cigarettes becoming more and more popular, smokers have more options other than conventional cigarettes. Under these circumstances, a comprehensive evaluation of the general safety of new tobacco and tobacco-related products, represented by e-cigarettes, to human health is necessary. In this review, we summarize the current research on potential negative impacts of e-cigarette exposure on human health. In particular, studies detailing the relationship between e-cigarettes and the digestive system are summarized, with mechanisms mainly including hepatic metabolic dysfunction, impaired gut barrier, and worsened outcomes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although believed to be safer than traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes exert adverse effects on systemic health and induce the development of multiple diseases including asthma, cardiovascular disease, and IBD. Moreover, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes have a negative impact on the childhood development and increase the risk of arterial stiffness compared to the non-nicotine e-cigarettes. However, non-nicotine e-cigarette components have detrimental effects including promoting liver damage and metabolic disorders.

Objective To analyze the value of systemic inflammatory indicators in diagnosing schizo-phrenia and their correlation with disease condition severity and cognitive dysfunction.Methods A total of 47 patients with schizophrenia visited and treated in this hospital from October 2021 to March 2023 were selected as the study subjects,and 47 healthy volunteers during the same period served as the control group.The morn-ing fasting venous blood was collected in all research subjects,and the blood routine and biochemical indicators were measured.The SII,SIRI,NHR and LHR were calculated.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of SII,SIRI,NHR and LHR in the patients with schizophrenia.The correlation adopted the Pearson correlation analysis.Results The levels of SII,SIRI,NHR and LHR in the schizophrenia group were significantly increased compared with the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve(AUC)of SII,SIRI,NHR and LHR detection alone in diagnosing schizophrenia were 0.683,0.686,0.774 and 0.766 respectively.AUC of their combination detection was 0.886.SII was positively correlated with the gen-eral symptoms and the positive and negative symptom scale(PANSS)total score,and negatively correlated with the spatial structure,linguistic function and delayed memory(P＜0.05);SIRI was positively correlated with the negative symptoms,general symptom and PANSS total score,and negatively correlated with the im-mediate memory,spatial structure,linguistic function,attention;NHR was positively correlated with the nega-tive symptoms,positive symptoms,general symptoms and PANSS total score,and negatively correlated with immediate memory,linguistic function,attention and delayed memory(P＜0.05).LHR was positively corre-lated with the positive symptoms,general symptoms and PANSS total score,and negatively correlated with the spatial structure,linguistic function,attention and delayed memory(P＜0.05).Conclusion SII,SIRI,NHR and LHR combined detection has higher diagnostic value for the patients with schizophrenia.Further-more,the SII,SIRI,NHR and LHR levels are closely correlated with the disease condition severity and cogni-tive function impairment degree.

Objective To compare the effect of quadratus lumborum block at supra-arcuate ligament(SA-QLB)and erector spinae plane block(ESPB)on postoperative analgesia and recovery quality in the pa-tients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery.Methods Sixty patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic surgery,aged 18-70 years old,ASA grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ,served as the study subjects and were randomly divided into the two groups by the random number table method:SA-QLB group(group Q,n=30)and ESPB(group E,n=30).Before induction of general anesthesia,the group Q conducted SA-QLB in the operation side under the ultra-sound guide and the group E conducted ESPB,the both were given 30 mL of 0.25％ropivacaine.All patients in both groups were given the patient-controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA)after surgery.The dosage of remifentanil during surgery,recovery time,Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score at rest and cough at 1,6,12,24,48 h after surgery,first pressing time of patient-controlled analgesia,times of effective pressing,dosage of sufentanil and number of cases of rescue analgesia at 24 h after surgery,forced vital capacity(FVC)and forced expiratory volume first second(FEV1)at 1 h before surgery and 24 h after surgery,scores of quality recovery at postoperative 24 h(QoR-15)and Barthel score,hospitalization duration after operation and the occurrence of adverse reactions were recorded.Results Compared with the group E,the intraoperative remifentanil dos-age in the group Q was decreased(P＜0.05);the VAS scores in rest and cough at postoperative 6,12,24 h were decreased(P＜0.05);the first pressing time of postoperative analgesia pump in the group Q was pro-longed,number of effective pressures of analgesia pump,dosage of sufentanil and cases number of remedy an-algesia were decreased(P＜0.05);FEV1 and FVC at postoperative 24 h in the group Q were significantly in-creased(P＜0.05);the scores of QoR-15 and Barthel at postoperative 24 h were increased(P＜0.05).The in-cidence rates of postoperative nausea and vomiting in the group Q were lower than those in the group E(P＜0.05),and no serious adverse events occurred in the two groups.Conclusion Compared with ESPB,SA-QLB could provide more perfect postoperative analgesia effect,which is conducive to postoperative early pulmonary function recovery,and the postoperative recovery quality is higher.