OBJECTIVES: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition among women that severely impairs quality of life. Pelvic floor proprioceptive training (PFPT) has attracted increasing attention for its potential to enhance pelvic floor muscle function and alleviate SUI symptoms. This study aims to observe and compare the clinical efficacy of PFPT combined with electroacupuncture, electrical stimulation, and biofeedback therapy versus conventional therapy consisting of electroacupuncture, electrical stimulation, and biofeedback alone in women with SUI, and to explore the role of PFPT in improving symptom and functional outcomes. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 72 women with mild to moderate SUI were recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between December 2021 and October 2023. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=36) or a control group (n=36). Both groups received health education. The control group underwent electroacupuncture combined with electrical stimulation and biofeedback therapy, while the experimental group additionally received PFPT 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Secondary outcomes included pelvic floor muscle strength, bladder neck mobility, and balance ability. The ICIQ-SF was reassessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. RESULTS: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in all parameters after treatment (all P<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in most measures (all P>0.05). The experimental group demonstrated longer single-leg stance duration with eyes closed than the control group (left leg: P=0.026; right leg: P=0.006), with a significant increase from baseline (P<0.001). At 6 months post-treatment, the cure rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS Conventional therapy effectively improves SUI symptoms, but adding PFPT provides notable additional benefits, including enhanced balance ability and sustained mid-term cure rates. These findings suggest that PFPT is a valuable adjunct to standard SUI management strategies.
Humans ; Female ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/physiopathology* ; Pelvic Floor/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Adult ; Exercise Therapy/methods* ; Proprioception ; Electroacupuncture/methods* ; Quality of Life ; Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic mechanism of compound Centella asiatica formula (CCA) for alleviating Schistosoma japonicum (Sj)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS: The active components and targets of CCA were identified using the TCMSP database with cross-analysis of Sj-related liver fibrosis targets. A "drug-component-target-pathway-disease" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Functional enrichment analysis (GO/KEGG) was performed using DAVID. Molecular docking study was carried out to validate interactions between the core targets and the key compounds. For experimental validation of the results, 36 mice were divided into control group, Sj-infected model group, and CCA-treated groups. In the latter two groups, liver fibrosis was induced via abdominal infection with Sj cercariae for 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of daily treatment with CCA decoction or saline. Hepatic pathology of the mice was assessedwith HE and Masson staining, and hepatic expressions of collagen-I and collagen-III were detected using immunohistochemistry; serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were determined with ELISA. Hepatic expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins were analyzed with Western blotting. RESULTS: We identified a total of 107 bioactive CCA components and 791 targets, including 37 intersection targets linked to Sj-induced fibrosis. The core targets included TNF, TP53, JUN, MMP9, and CXCL8, involving the IL-17 signaling, lipid metabolism, TLR4/MyD88 axis, and cancer pathways. Molecular docking study confirmed strong binding affinity between quercetin (a primary CCA component) and TNF/TP53/JUN/MMP9. In Sj-infected mouse models, CCA treatment significantly attenuated hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration, reduced collagen-I and collagen-III deposition, improved tissue architecture, reduced serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and downregulated TLR4 and MyD88 expressions in the liver. CONCLUSIONS CCA mitigates Sj-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TNF, TP53, JUN, and MMP9 to modulate the TLR4/MyD88 pathway, thereby suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine release, inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, reducing collagen deposition, and preventing granuloma formation in the liver.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Mice ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Schistosoma japonicum ; Liver Cirrhosis/parasitology* ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; Signal Transduction ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Inflammation ; Centella/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

Objective To analyze the differences and connections between the current grading and classification methods for nuclear medicine workplaces, and to provide technical guidance for environmental impact assessments and technical reviews. Methods By comparing the objects, purposes, and computational approaches between the two methods, this article illustrates the usage of both methods through specific examples and analyzes the relationship between them. Results The two methods differed in objects, purposes, and computational approaches. The A, B, and C grading scheme was primarily used to establish the level of administrative supervision for an entire nuclear medicine workplace. In contrast, the I, II, and III classification system specifies the hardware facilities and engineering protection requirements of internal places or rooms. Conclusion These two methods are complementary and collectively provide a complete framework for the assessment of nuclear medicine workplaces.

Objective To analyze the application of serological test results in the diagnosis and treatment of anti-M-in-duced hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn(HDFN),and to explore HDFN prevention strategies.Methods The se-rological test results of 12 cases of HDFN caused by anti-M diagnosed in our laboratory from January 2017 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed,including blood group identification of mothers and children,serum total bilirubin/hemoglo-bin/antibody titer test,and three hemolysis tests in newborns.Clinical data of the children and mothers were collected,in-cluding pregnancy history,blood transfusion history,prenatal antibody testing,history of intrauterine blood transfusion and gestational week of delivery,and the prognosis of the children was followed up.Results All 12 cases of fetal neonatal he-molytic disease due to anti-M were RhD+MN phenotype newborn born to RhD+NN mother,with maternal-fetal incompati-blility in MN blood groups.In the ABO blood group system,ABO incompatibility between mother and child accounted for 41.7%(5/12).None of the mothers had a history of blood transfusion,and the median titer of the test at 4℃was 32,and the median titer at 37℃was 4.The mothers of 3 cases had a history of multiple intrauterine blood transfusions,with an inci-dence of 25%(3/12).One case had an abnormal first pregnancy,with an incidence of 8.3%(1/12),and seven cases had an abnormal pregnancy with a miscarriage,with an incidence of abnormal pregnancy and birth history of 58.3%(7/12).There were 6 cases of premature labor,with an incidence of 50%(6/12).The mothers in three cases underwent regular ob-stetric examination and the specificity of the antibodies was determined,accounting for 25%(3/12).Twelve children had free antibodies with a median titer of 6 at 4℃and 2 at 37℃.Two children had anti-M antibodies that were not reactive at 37℃,with a negative rate of 16.7%(2/12).The positive rate of DAT and elution test was respectively 8.3%(1/12)and 16.7%(2/12)in the children.The median minimum hemoglobin value was 75 g/L,and all 12 children received blood transfusions.The median peak total bilirubin value was 157.5 μmol/L,and none of them reached the threshold for blood ex-change.The rate of delayed anemia was16.7%(2/12),the postnatal mortality rate was8.3%(1/12),and 11 children was free of growth and neurodevelopmental delay in prognosis.Conclusion Anti-M can cause severe HDFN,which can also oc-cur in primigravida.The intensity of antibody titer does not correlate with the severity of the disease,and it is prone to cause delayed anemia,which should be monitored regularly according to the serological characteristics of anti-M and clinical symp-toms,and should be treated timely.

Objective To investigate the serological characteristics and gene mutation mechanism of RhD variant blood donors in Zhengzhou.Methods From January 2023 to December 2023,1 619 RhD-negative blood donors sent to our labora-tory were selected for the study,and RhD negative confirmation test and RhCE phenotype detection were applied by tube method and microcolumn gel indirect antiglobulin test method.RHD gene amplification and Sanger sequencing were used to detect RhD variant sample genotypes.Results A total of 69 cases of RhD variants were detected in the RhD negative con-firmation test,with a proportion of 4.26%(69/1 619).The RhCE phenotypes were ccEe,Ccee,CcEe and CCee.There were 17 genotypes and 15 phenotypes of the D variant.The RHD?weak partial 15 allele was the most frequent(33 cases),with a frequency of 47.83%(33/69),and the main phenotype was the ccEe.This was followed by the RHD?DVI.3 allele in 20 ca-ses with a frequency of 28.99%(20/69)and the predominant phenotype was Ccee.The RHD?weak partial 15/RHD?01EL.01 heterozygote was found in 3 cases with a frequency of 4.35%(3/69),all with the CcEe phenotype.Other rare genotypes were present in 13 cases with a frequency of 18.84%(13/69).Antibody screening was positive in 3 cases with a frequency of 4.35%(3/69).Two cases of female blood donors,both with history of pregnancy and childbirth,were identified as anti-D;one case of male donor was anti-M.Conclusion The RHD?weak partial 15 genotype was the most common among the RhD variants in blood donors in Zhengzhou,followed by the RHD?DVI.3 genotype.It plays an important role in guarantee-ing the safety of blood supply and guiding precision transfusion.

Objective:To investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the replication, amplification, and fibre formation of prions (PrP Sc). Methods:The CCK8 assay was used to detect the cell viability of the prion-infected cell model SMB-S15 after CAPE treatment for 3 days and 7 days and the maximum safe concentration of CAPE for SMB-S15 was obtained. The cells were treated with a concentration within a safe range, and the content of PrP Sc in the cells before and after CAPE treatment was analyzed by western blot. Protein misfolding cycle amplification (PMCA) and western blot were used to assess changes in PrP Sc level in amplification products following CAPE treatment. Real-time-quaking induced conversion assay (RT-QuIC) technology was employed to explore the changes in fibril formation before and after CAPE treatment. The binding affinity between CAPE and murine recombinant full-length prion protein was determined using a molecular interaction assay. Results:CCK8 cell viability assay results demonstrated that treatment with 1 μmol/L CAPE for 3 and 7 days did not exhibit statistically significant differences in cell viability compared to the control group (all P<0.05). However, when the concentration of CAPE exceeded 1 μmol/L, a significant reduction in cell viability was observed in cells treated with CAPE for 3 and 7 days, compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Thus, 1 μmol/L was determined as the maximum safe concentration of CAPE treatment for SMB-S15 cells. The western blot results revealed that treatment with CAPE for both 3 and 7 days led to a detectable reduction in the levels of PrP Sc in SMB-S15 cells (all P<0.05). The products of PMCA experiments were assessed using western blot. The findings revealed a significant decrease in the levels of PrP Sc (relative grey value) in the PMCA amplification products of adapted-strains SMB-S15, 139A, and ME7 following treatment with CAPE, as compared to the control group (all P<0.05). The RT-QuIC experimental results demonstrated a reduction in fibril formation (as indicated by ThT peak values) in CAPE-treated mouse-adapted strains 139A, ME7, and SMB-S15, as well as in SMB-S15 cells infected with prions. Furthermore, CAPE exhibited varying degrees of inhibition towards different seed fibrils formation, with statistically significant differences observed (all P<0.05). Notably, CAPE exhibited a more pronounced inhibitory effect on ME7 seed fibrils. Molecular interaction analyses demonstrated significant binding between CAPE and murine recombinant prion protein, and the association constant was (2.92±0.41)×10 -6 mol/L. Conclusions:CAPE inhibits PrP Sc replication, amplification, and fibril formation in vitro possibly due to specific interactions with the prion protein at the molecular level.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Objective:To investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the replication, amplification, and fibre formation of prions (PrP Sc). Methods:The CCK8 assay was used to detect the cell viability of the prion-infected cell model SMB-S15 after CAPE treatment for 3 days and 7 days and the maximum safe concentration of CAPE for SMB-S15 was obtained. The cells were treated with a concentration within a safe range, and the content of PrP Sc in the cells before and after CAPE treatment was analyzed by western blot. Protein misfolding cycle amplification (PMCA) and western blot were used to assess changes in PrP Sc level in amplification products following CAPE treatment. Real-time-quaking induced conversion assay (RT-QuIC) technology was employed to explore the changes in fibril formation before and after CAPE treatment. The binding affinity between CAPE and murine recombinant full-length prion protein was determined using a molecular interaction assay. Results:CCK8 cell viability assay results demonstrated that treatment with 1 μmol/L CAPE for 3 and 7 days did not exhibit statistically significant differences in cell viability compared to the control group (all P<0.05). However, when the concentration of CAPE exceeded 1 μmol/L, a significant reduction in cell viability was observed in cells treated with CAPE for 3 and 7 days, compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Thus, 1 μmol/L was determined as the maximum safe concentration of CAPE treatment for SMB-S15 cells. The western blot results revealed that treatment with CAPE for both 3 and 7 days led to a detectable reduction in the levels of PrP Sc in SMB-S15 cells (all P<0.05). The products of PMCA experiments were assessed using western blot. The findings revealed a significant decrease in the levels of PrP Sc (relative grey value) in the PMCA amplification products of adapted-strains SMB-S15, 139A, and ME7 following treatment with CAPE, as compared to the control group (all P<0.05). The RT-QuIC experimental results demonstrated a reduction in fibril formation (as indicated by ThT peak values) in CAPE-treated mouse-adapted strains 139A, ME7, and SMB-S15, as well as in SMB-S15 cells infected with prions. Furthermore, CAPE exhibited varying degrees of inhibition towards different seed fibrils formation, with statistically significant differences observed (all P<0.05). Notably, CAPE exhibited a more pronounced inhibitory effect on ME7 seed fibrils. Molecular interaction analyses demonstrated significant binding between CAPE and murine recombinant prion protein, and the association constant was (2.92±0.41)×10 -6 mol/L. Conclusions:CAPE inhibits PrP Sc replication, amplification, and fibril formation in vitro possibly due to specific interactions with the prion protein at the molecular level.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of Clostridioides difficile infection(CDI)in patients hospitalized for diarrhea and analyze the risk factors for CDI.Methods Stool samples were collected from 306 patients with diarrhea hospitalized in 3 university hospitals in a mid-south city of China from October to December,2020.C.difficile was isolated by anaerobic culture,and qRT-PCR was used to detect the expressions of toxin A(tcdA)and B(tcdB)genes and the binary toxin genes(cdtA and cdtB).Multilocus sequence typing(MLST)was performed for the isolated strains without contaminating strains as confirmed by 16S rDNA sequencing.Etest strips were used to determine the drug resistance profiles of the isolated strains,and the risk factors of CDI in the patients were analyzed.Results CDI was detected in 25(8.17%)out of the 306 patients.All the patients tested positive for tcdA and tcdB but negative for the binary toxin genes.Seven noncontaminated C.difficile strains with 5 ST types were isolated,including 3 ST54 strains and one strain of ST129,ST98,ST53,and ST631 types each,all belonging to clade 1 and sensitive to metronidazole and vancomycin.Hospitalization within the past 6 months(OR=3.675;95%CI:1.405-9.612),use of PPIs(OR=7.107;95%CI:2.575-19.613),antibiotics for≥1 week(OR=7.306;95%CI:2.274-23.472),non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(OR=4.754;95%CI:1.504-15.031)in the past month,and gastrointestinal disorders(OR=5.050;95%CI:1.826-13.968)were all risk factors for CDI in the patients hospitalized for diarrhea.Conclusion The CDI rate remains low in the hospitalized patients with diarrhea in the investigated hospitals,but early precaution measures are recommended when exposure to the risk factors is reported to reduce the risk of CDI in the hospitalized patients.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.