Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among college students in Yangzhou from 2020 to 2024, so as to provide a scientific basis for developing prevention and control strategies. Methods: An epidemiological investigation was conducted among 162 college students with PTB, and 7 134 of their contacts were screened. Data were obtained from the tuberculosis information management system and on campus screening records. Using descriptive epidemiological methods, trends in incidence, seasonal distribution, and bacteriological characteristics were analyzed. Results: From 2020 to 2024, the annual average incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among college students in Yangzhou was 29.42 per 100 000, showing an overall fluctuating downward trend ( χ 2=12.36, P <0.01). Cases were mainly concentrated in summer and autumn, with the highest proportion in autumn (41.36%, 67/162), followed by summer (23.46%, 38/162). The proportion of etiologically positive cases increased from 37.21% in 2020 to 71.43% in 2024; among positive cases, the proportion of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) decreased from 66.67% (10/15) to 26.67% (4/15). The etiological positive rate was higher in females than in males ( χ 2= 11.76 , P <0.01). Comparison of screening methods showed that among index cases, the LTBI detection rate of the recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein skin test (C-TST) was higher than that of the tuberculin skin test (TST), but the difference was not statistically significant ( χ 2=0.65, P =0.42); among close contacts, the detection rate of TST was higher than that of C-TST (15.1%,10.1%; χ 2=5.23, P <0.05). Conclusion From 2020 to 2024, the annual average incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among college students in Yangzhou showed an overall fluctuating downward trend, with differences in TB infection screening methods and gender.

High myopia(HM)is one of the leading causes of irreversible visual impairment, characterized by pathological changes such as axial elongation and multidimensional abnormalities in fundus biometric parameters. This review systematically summarizes the dynamic characteristics of fundus biometric parameters(including those of the retina, optic disc, macula, and choroid)in HM patients, as visualized via multimodal imaging techniques [e.g., optical coherence tomography(OCT)and optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)], and their association with HM progression and related complications. The article further highlights the strategies and advantages of multimodal imaging integration and discusses recent advances and challenges in combining artificial intelligence(AI)with these imaging modalities to automate fundus parameter analysis, lesion detection, risk stratification, and clinical decision-making for HM. This review aims to provide an evidence-based foundation for the early warning, precise intervention, and personalized management of HM, thereby facilitating a clinical paradigm shift from “reactive treatment” to “active health management”.

Objective: To develop a depression recognition model by integrating the spirit-expression diagnostic framework of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with machine learning algorithms. The proposed model seeks to establish a TCM-informed tool for early depression screening, thereby bridging traditional diagnostic principles with modern computational approaches. Methods: The study included patients with depression who visited the Shanghai Pudong New Area Mental Health Center from October 1, 2022 to October 1, 2023, as well as students and teachers from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine during the same period as the healthy control group. Videos of 3 – 10 s were captured using a Xiaomi Pad 5, and the TCM spirit and expressions were determined by TCM experts (at least 3 out of 5 experts agreed to determine the category of TCM spirit and expressions). Basic information, facial images, and interview information were collected through a portable TCM intelligent analysis and diagnosis device, and facial diagnosis features were extracted using the Open CV computer vision library technology. Statistical analysis methods such as parametric and non-parametric tests were used to analyze the baseline data, TCM spirit and expression features, and facial diagnosis feature parameters of the two groups, to compare the differences in TCM spirit and expression and facial features. Five machine learning algorithms, including extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), decision tree (DT), Bernoulli naive Bayes (BernoulliNB), support vector machine (SVM), and k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classification, were used to construct a depression recognition model based on the fusion of TCM spirit and expression features. The performance of the model was evaluated using metrics such as accuracy, precision, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The model results were explained using the Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Results: A total of 93 depression patients and 87 healthy individuals were ultimately included in this study. There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline characteristics between the two groups (P > 0.05). The differences in the characteristics of the spirit and expressions in TCM and facial features between the two groups were shown as follows. (i) Quantispirit facial analysis revealed that depression patients exhibited significantly reduced facial spirit and luminance compared with healthy controls (P < 0.05), with characteristic features such as sad expressions, facial erythema, and changes in the lip color ranging from erythematous to cyanotic. (ii) Depressed patients exhibited significantly lower values in facial complexion L, lip L, and a values, and gloss index, but higher values in facial complexion a and b, lip b, low gloss index, and matte index (all P < 0.05). (iii) The results of multiple models show that the XGBoost-based depression recognition model, integrating the TCM “spirit-expression” diagnostic framework, achieved an accuracy of 98.61% and significantly outperformed four benchmark algorithms—DT, BernoulliNB, SVM, and KNN (P < 0.01). (iv) The SHAP visualization results show that in the recognition model constructed by the XGBoost algorithm, the complexion b value, categories of facial spirit, high gloss index, low gloss index, categories of facial expression and texture features have significant contribution to the model. Conclusion This study demonstrates that integrating TCM spirit-expression diagnostic features with machine learning enables the construction of a high-precision depression detection model, offering a novel paradigm for objective depression diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the association between physical activity levels and blood lipids among college freshmen, and to provide scientific evidence for the health management of college freshmen. Methods An electronic questionnaire survey on physical activity was conducted on freshmen of a university, and fasting blood biochemical indicators were detected. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form was used to evaluate the physical activity levels of the participants. Dyslipidemia was defined as an abnormality in any one of the following serum lipid parameters: total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Binary logistic regression and stratified analyses were employed to explore the relationship between physical activity and blood lipids. Results A total of 3 401 participants were included, with an average age of 18.45 ± 0.92 years, and 60.5% were female. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 17.7%, with a higher rate among males (22.1%) than females (14.8%). After adjusting for confounding factors related to blood lipids, high-intensity physical activity was negatively associated with the risk of elevated LDL-C among males (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.13–0.99, P = 0.049). Conclusion Among freshmen at a medical college in Hubei Province, high-intensity physical activity is negatively associated with the risk of elevated LDL-C in males, but this association needs to be further confirmed by larger prospective cohort studies.

ObjectiveTo investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of different doses of Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injected under ultrasound guidance combined with modified catheter-balloon localization for post-stroke cricopharyngeal dysfunction (CPD), and to explore a relatively appropriate dose. MethodsA total of 136 patients with post-stroke CPD admitted to Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province from December, 2023 to February, 2026 were randomly assigned into control group, 50 U group, 70 U group and 100 U group, with 34 patients in each group. The control group received conventional rehabilitation, whereas the three BTX-A groups received conventional rehabilitation plus the corresponding dose of BTX-A injected under ultrasound guidance combined with modified catheter-balloon localization. Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) scores, Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores, Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (YPR-SRS) grades, Murray Secretion Severity Scale (MSS) grades and ultrasonographic parameters were compared before and two weeks after intervention. ResultsAfter intervention, FOIS scores improved significantly in all groups (|Z| > 2.843, P < 0.01), and YPR-SRS and MSS grades also showed significant improvements in all BTX-A groups (|Z| > 4.147, P < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons revealed that the order of improvement from best to worst for FOIS, YPR-SRS and MSS grades was the 100 U group, followed by 70 U group, and then 50 U group (P < 0.05). For VFSS scores, the effect of time, group and interaction were all significant (F > 9.68, P < 0.001); pairwise comparisons showed that 100 U group achieved the best outcomes (P < 0.001). Regarding the activity and velocity of the geniohyoid muscle, the effects of time, group and interaction were also significant (F > 7.34, P < 0.001); pairwise comparisons indicated that 100 U group outperformed the other groups in both activity and velocity (P < 0.001). For hyoid bone displacement distance and shortening rate, the effects of time and interaction were significant (F > 3.07, P < 0.05), and the main effects of time on duration and velocity were significant (P < 0.01); pairwise comparisons showed that the 100 U group had superior displacement distance and shortening rate compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). During the treatment and follow-up periods, no serious adverse event occurred in any group. ConclusionUltrasound-guided BTX-A injection assisted by modified catheter-balloon localization may further improve short-term swallowing function in patients with post-stroke CPD， with a dosage of 100 U.

Objective:To investigate the molecular mechanism of miR-886-5p targeting BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX) to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells.Methods:mRNA expression data of HCC patients were obtained from the Starbase database, including 370 liver cancer samples and 50 normal liver tissue samples adjacent to the cancer. Analyze the expression of miR-886-5p in the previously obtained data and investigate the relationship between miR-886-5p and BAX in liver cancer samples. After transfection of the corresponding plasmids into Huh7 and HepG2 cells, the following groups were established. Analyze the interaction between miR-886-5p and BAX in vitro, detect the protein expression by Western blotting, and verify the targeting relationship between the two by dual luciferase reporter gene assay.Results:Starbase database analysis found that the standardized expression level of miR-886-5p in 370 liver cancer samples was lower than that in normal liver tissue samples (0.12±0.07 vs. 0.73±0.27, t=-15.71, P<0.001), and the expression level of miR-886-5p was positively correlated with the expression level of BAX ( r=0.152, P=0.003). qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression level of miR-886-5p in HL-7702 cells was higher than that in Huh7 (4.57±0.06 vs. 1.61±0.40, t=32.48) and HepG2 (4.57±0.06 vs. 1.03±0.13, t=143.9), and the expression level of BAX in HL-7702 cells was higher than that in Huh7 (4.01±0.12 vs. 1.28±0.09, t=82.20) and HepG2 (4.01±0.12 vs. 1.30±0.11, t=80.76), the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). The proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of Huh7 and HepG2 cells decreased after transfection with miR-886-5p mimics, while the expression levels of BAX at the mRNA and protein levels increased. However, after inhibiting the expression of miR-886-5p, the above indicators of cells were the opposite, and the dif-ferences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The viability, EdU positivity rate, cell migration rate, and number of transmembrane cells in the miR-886-5p+ BAX group were lower than those in the BAX group, and the relative expression levels of miR-886-5p, BAX mRNA, and BAX protein were higher than those in the BAX group. However, the above indicators in the Sponge+ BAX group showed opposite trends, and all differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There was a targeted binding site between miR-886-5p and BAX. Conclusion:Both miR-886-5p and BAX are downregulated in liver cancer, and miR-886-5p inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells by targeting BAX.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of self-help inflatable balloon in the treatment of refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture.Methods From November 2022 to February 2024,10 patients with refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture underwent self-help inflatable balloon were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative treatment,intraoperative and postoperative complications,dysphagia score before and after surgery,wearing time of external self-help inflatable balloon,and the clinical efficacy were evaluated.Results All the 10 patients received self-help inflatable balloon treatment.No complications such as bleeding and perforation occurred in all patients during the wearing of the balloon.The placement time of the balloon was 60～180 d,and the average wearing time was 104.9 d.Before surgery,nine cases had a stricture segment length less than 2 cm,and one case had a stricture segment length of 6 cm.The dysphagia score before surgery was(3.60±0.52),and the dysphagia score after removal of the self-help inflatable balloon was(0.60±0.52),and there was statistical significance in preoperative and postoperative comparison(P＜0.05).The dysphagia score 3 months after removal of the external self-help inflatable balloon was(0.70±0.48),there was no significant difference in dysphagia score between the day after surgery and 3 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The diameter of the stricture before and after operation was(5.09±2.02)mm and(10.35±0.73)mm respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Sore throat,wing of nose pain and balloon displacement were the most common adverse events,with 30.0％(3/10),50.0％(5/10)and 70.0％(7/10),respectively.Conclusion It is safe,effective and feasible to treat refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture with self-help inflatable balloon in vitro.It is worthy for clinical application.

Objective:To explore differences in the clinical and pathological features and postoperative survival after radical resection of biliary tract cancer in different locations such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,perihilar cholangiocarcinoma,distal cholangiocarcinoma,and gallbladder cancer.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. The clinical and pathological data of 4 852 patients with biliary tract cancer admitted to the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi ′an Jiaotong University from January 2013 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 2 110(43.49%%) patients were male and 2 742(56.51%) patients were female,aged from 26 to 88 years with age of (61.3±10.8) years. Observation indicators: (1) The distribution,diagnosis and treatment of patients with biliary tract cancer; (2) Comparison of clinical and pathological features of patients with biliary tract cancer after curative-intent resection; (3) Survival analysis of patients with biliary tract cancer after curative-intent resection; (4) Analysis of effect on adjuvant therapy for patients with biliary tract cancer after curative-intent resection. One-way analysis of variance,Kruskal-Wallis H test and χ 2 test were used for among-group comparisons,respectively. Survival univariate analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test. Results:Among the 4 852 patients with biliary tract cancer,there were 2 303 cases (47.46%) of gallbladder cancer,952 cases (19.62%) of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,892 cases (18.38%) of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma,and 705 cases(14.53%) of distal cholangiocarcinoma. From the perspective of the year of diagnosis and treatment,the overall number of patients diagnosed and treated for biliary tract cancer has shown an upward trend. From the perspective of diagnosis and treatment,the curative-intent resection rate was 33.37%(1 619/4 852),and the curative-intent resection rate of distal cholangiocarcinoma was higher than that of other biliary tract cancer ( χ2=23.897, P<0.01). Univariate analysis showed that there were statistical differences in gender,age,bile duct stones,total bilirubin at admission,carcinoembryonic antigen,CA19-9,CA125,the degree of pathological differentiation,vascular invasion,microvascular invasion,perineural invasion,surgical margins,pT staging,and pN staging among patients for biliary tract cancer in different locations (all P<0.05). Survival comparison analysis showed that recurrence-free survival and overall survival of patients with gallbladder cancer after curative-intent resection were significantly better than those of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,perihilar cholangiocarcinoma,and distal cholangiocarcinoma ( χ 2=87.780,83.717,both P<0.01). Comparing the postoperative prognosis of patients with biliary tract cancer between the two periods of 2013 to 2017 and 2018 to 2022, the results showed that recurrence-free survival and overall survival of patients with biliary tract cancer from 2018 to 2022 were significantly better than those from 2013 to 2017 ( χ 2=31.202,25.615, both P<0.01),and the proportion of early recurrence and short-term death after curative-intent resection was significantly reduced ( χ 2=21.588,9.623, both P<0.01),with gallbladder cancer being the most significant ( P<0.01). Postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with biliary tract cancer can effectively prolong recurrence-free survival and overall survival ( χ 2=5.033,11.273,both P<0.05). Conclusions:Gallbladder cancer remains the most common biliary tract cancer with a relatively favorable prognosis after radical resection. There are significant differences in the clinical and pathological features of biliary tract cancer in different locations,and patients with adjuvant therapy effectively improving prognosis.

Objective:To explore the optimal cut-off value of aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) for primary aldosteronism screening in hypertensive populations stratified by sex and age.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Patients who were diagnosed with hypertension from November 2016 to December 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were included. Upright direct renin concentration (DRC) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were measured using chemiluminescence, and the ARR was calculated as PAC/DRC. Patients were divided into primary aldosteronism and primary hypertension groups based on the results of comprehensive screening tests and confirmatory tests (saline infusion test and/or captopril challenge test). Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between ARR and age. Patients were stratified by age (≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years) and sex. The efficacy of ARR for primary aldosteronism screening was assessed by drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve and calculating the area under curve ( AUC), and to explore the optimal cut-off values for different ages and sexes. Results:A total of 1 282 hypertensive patients were enrolled, aged 46.0 (37.0, 56.0) years with 746 males. ARR showed a positive correlation with age in both primary aldosteronism ( r=0.168, P=0.007) and primary hypertension patients ( r=0.327, P<0.001). In the general population, male patients, and female patients, the AUC values of ARR screening for primary aldosteronism were 0.975 (95% CI 0.967-0.982), 0.989 (95% CI 0.983-0.995), 0.957 (95% CI 0.942-0.972), respectively. In the four groups of patients ≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years, the AUC values of ARR screening for primary aldosteronism were 0.990 (95% CI 0.983-0.997), 0.973 (95% CI 0.958-0.988), 0.965 (95% CI 0.947-0.982), 0.958 (95% CI 0.933-0.984), respectively. In the four groups of patients aged ≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years, the optimal ARR cut-off values for primary aldosteronism screening were 2.31, 2.67, 2.94, and 3.68 (ng·dl -1)/(mU·L -1)(1 ng/dl=27.7 pmol/L), respectively. The optimal ARR cut-off values for primary aldosteronism screening were 2.37 and 2.94 (ng·dl -1)/(mU·L -1) in male and female patients, respectively. Conclusion:The optimal cut-off value of ARR in the screening of primary aldosteronism increases with age, and the optimal cut-off value of ARR in female patients is higher than that in male patients. The ARR cut-off value should be selected individually based on the patient′s characteristics in clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of lung transplantation and post-transplantation changes in patients with pneumoconiosis.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical and pathological data of 28 patients with pulmonary silicosis who underwent lung transplantation and were managed at the Department of Internal Medicine, Henan Provincial People′s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China from January 2015 to December 2024. Among them, 8 patients underwent lung biopsy 6-20 months after transplantation to evaluate the histopathological changes of the recipient and the donor lungs post-transplantation. The expression of relevant indicators was examined using immunohistochemical EnVision staining, while presence of microorganisms was assessed using histochemical special staining. The patients were all followed up.Results:Among the 28 patients with pneumoconiosis who underwent lung transplantation, 26 were male and 2 were female, with a male-to-female ratio of 13∶1. Their ages ranged from 23 to 68 years, median 50.0 (46.0, 53.5) years. They were diagnosed with pneumoconiosis at local occupational disease prevention and control centers for 3 to 15 years (mean, 9.65 years), including 13 left single lung transplants and 15 right single lung transplants. Gross examination showed fleshy nodules with irregular cystic cavities at the periphery. The cut surfaces exhibited gray-brown color and firm texture. Microscopically, most alveolar structures of the lung were obliterated, with nodular or diffuse proliferation of collagen fibers accompanied by hyaline degeneration. Focal massive carbon dust deposition and massive silicotic fibrosis were observed, surrounded by lung parenchyma with emphysematous changes and localized bullae formation. Seven patients underwent re-biopsy after transplantation that showed extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells. In 4 cases, microscopy revealed complete coagulative necrosis, with negative acid-fast staining and TB-DNA results. Of the 4 cases, 3 cases exhibited Aspergillus infection confirmed by Grocott′s methenamine silver and PAS stains, while 2 cases showed chronic bronchitis with squamous metaplasia. Follow-up revealed that 8 patients died of acute respiratory failure due to severe infection, while the remaining 20 demonstrated significant postoperative improvement in lung function.Conclusions:For patients with advanced pulmonary dust deposition disease who undergo lung transplantation, it is necessary to conduct standardized sampling and pathological assessment of the recipient lungs. In the early post-transplant period, the complications of re-biopsy tissues are mainly fungal infections. The combination of morphological manifestations and immunohistochemical detection is helpful to distinguish infection from rejection reactions. At the same time, it is essential to integrate clinical information and laboratory results to provide post-transplantation pathological assessment for individualized treatment.