Objective To analyze the structural and phylogenetic characteristics of the mitochondrial genome from Bulinus globosus, so as to provide a theoretical basis for classification and identification of species within the Bulinus genus, and to provide insights into understanding of Bulinus-schistosomes interactions and the mechanisms of parasite transmission. Methods B. globosus samples were collected from the Ruya River basin in Zimbabwe. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted from B. globosus samples and the corresponding libraries were constructed for high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. After raw sequencing data were subjected to quality control using the fastp software, genome assembly was performed using the A5-miseq and SPAdes tools, and genome annotation was conducted using the MITOS online server. Circular maps and sequence plots of the mitochondrial genome were generated using the CGView and OGDRAW software, and the protein conservation motifs and structures were analyzed using the TBtools software. Base composition and codon usage bias were analyzed and visualized using the software MEGA X and the ggplot2 package in the R software. In addition, a phylogenetic tree was created in the software MEGA X after sequence alignment with the software MAFFT 7, and visualized using the software iTOL. Results The mitochondrial genome of B. globosus was a 13 730 bp double-stranded circular molecule, containing 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 13 protein-coding genes, with a marked AT preference. The mitochondrial genome composition of B. globosus was similar to that of other species within the Bulinus genus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of B. globosus was clustered with B. truncatus, B. nasutus, and B. ugandae into the same evolutionary clade, and gene superfamily analysis showed that the metabolism-related proteins of B. globosus were highly conserved, notably the cytochrome c oxidase family, which showed a significant consistency. Conclusions This is the first whole mitochondrial genome sequencing to decode the compositional features of the mitochondrial genome of B. globosus from Zimbabwe and its evolutionary relationship within the Bulinus genus, which provides important insights for further understanding of the phylogeny and mitochondrial genome characteristics of the Bulinus genus.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of mini external fixators combined with bone cement spacers in the treatment of gouty hallux rigidus with bone defects. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 21 male patients diagnosed with gouty hallux rigidus and bone defects, treated with mini external fixators combined with bone cement spacers between January 2017 and December 2024. The age ranged from 35 to 72 years, with an average age of 61.1 years. The disease duration was 12-35 years, with an average of 18.2 years. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) gout score ranged from 16 to 23, with an average of 18.6. All 21 cases of hallux rigidus were classified as grade 3 according to the Coughlin classification. Clinical efficacy was evaluated preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively using the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain, the dorsiflexion angle of first metatarsophalangeal joint in a weight-bearing state, and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score. Radiological evaluation was performed by measuring the hallux valgus angle (HVA) using weight-bearing X-ray films and the tophi volume using dual-energy CT. RESULTS: The operation time ranged from 30 to 56 minutes, with an average of 42.05 minutes. The intraoperative blood loss varied between 10 and 30 mL, averaging 20 mL. All 21 patients were followed up 6-15 months, averaging 9.3 months. One patient experienced delayed wound healing due to the liquefaction of residual tophus; no other patients exhibited complications such as wound or pin tract infections, skin necrosis, fractures, or metastatic metatarsalgia. Six patients experienced acute gout attacks 4-7 days postoperatively, which were effectively alleviated through symptomatic treatment. At 6 months after operation, patients showed significant improvements in HVA, tophus volume, VAS scores, AOFAS scores, and the dorsiflexion angle of first metatarsophalangeal joint compared to preoperative values, with significant differences ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION Mini external fixator combined with a cement spacer is an effective treatment for gouty hallux rigidus with bone defects.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; External Fixators ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Hallux Rigidus/diagnostic imaging* ; Bone Cements/therapeutic use* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Metatarsophalangeal Joint/surgery*

As the intricate interplay between microbiota and the host garners increasing research attention, a significant parallel surge has emerged in the investigation of intestinal bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs). Most intestinal bacteria secrete BEVs, which harbor specific cargo molecules and exhibit diverse functions, encompassing interactions among bacteria themselves and between bacteria and the host. These interactions can either bolster host health or contribute to various pathologies. By integrating the characteristics of BEVs, we summarized the current research landscape, delving into the intricate interplay between BEVs and different diseases. Furthermore, we offer a succinct overview of the challenges faced in BEVs-based research, encompassing separation, detection, engineering for drug purposes, clinical diagnostics, safety, and future study. In essence, these summaries may serve as invaluable guides for BEVs as communication tools between the gut microbiome and host, ultimately propelling the discovery of novel studies and drug discovery.

Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Dental Enamel/pathology* ; Tooth Demineralization/etiology* ; Tooth Remineralization

Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a common extrapulmonary comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is associated with decreased quality-of-life and survival in patients. The autophagy lysosome pathway is one of the proteolytic systems that significantly affect skeletal muscle structure and function. Intriguingly, both promoting and inhibiting autophagy have been observed to improve COPD skeletal muscle dysfunction, yet the mechanism is unclear. This paper first reviewed the effects of macroautophagy and mitophagy on the structure and function of skeletal muscle in COPD, and then explored the mechanism of autophagy mediating the dysfunction of skeletal muscle in COPD. The results showed that macroautophagy- and mitophagy-related proteins were significantly increased in COPD skeletal muscle. Promoting macroautophagy in COPD improves myogenesis and replication capacity of muscle satellite cells, while inhibiting macroautophagy in COPD myotubes increases their diameters. Mitophagy helps to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis by removing impaired mitochondria in COPD. Autophagy is a promising target for improving COPD skeletal muscle dysfunction, and further research should be conducted to elucidate the specific mechanisms by which autophagy mediates COPD skeletal muscle dysfunction, with the aim of enhancing our understanding in this field.
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology* ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal/pathology* ; Mitophagy ; Animals ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Lysosomes

This article reports a diagnostically and therapeutically challenging case of small intestinal marginal zone lymphoma. The patient presented with recurrent abdominal pain as the chief complaint, and imaging revealed multifocal small bowel wall thickening with high uptake, multisegmental luminal stenosis, and proximal dilation. Initial diagnostic workup, including gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and enteroscopy with biopsy, failed to establish a definitive diagnosis. Empirical anti-tuberculosis therapy was ineffective. A repeat enteroscopic biopsy performed over eight months after symptom onset eventually confirmed the diagnosis of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) extranodal marginal zone lymphoma. Despite three different chemotherapy regimens, the patient's intestinal obstruction symptoms persisted, with imaging still showing multifocal bowel wall thickening and hypermetabolic activity. A critical diagnostic dilemma arose regarding whether the PET/CT-positive lesions represented residual lymphoma or fibrotic scarring, whether further chemotherapy adjustments were warranted, and whether surgical resection was necessary. Multidisciplinary discussion concluded that imaging had limited discriminatory value in this scenario and that surgical intervention should be pursued if feasible. The patient successfully underwent partial small bowel resection, with postoperative pathology confirming no residual lymphoma but significant fibrotic changes. The patient has since resumed a normal diet, with body weight nearly restored to pre-illness levels. This case highlights that fibrotic transformation is a common sequela of treated marginal zone lymphoma and that PET/CT may misleadingly suggest residual disease, potentially leading to unnecessary chemotherapy. Timely surgical intervention is crucial in such scenarios.

Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a common extra-pulmonary complication in patients with chronic ob-structive pulmonary disease(COPD),significantly impacting exercise capacity and quality of life,leading to a poorer prognosis and increased mortality.Oxidative stress closely associates with the development and progression of skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD.Exercise,a core component of pulmonary rehabilitation,stands as the primary non-pharma-cological treatment for skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD patients and exerts a positive modulating effect on oxidative stress.This paper reviews the effects of oxidative stress on skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD and discusses the mecha-nisms by which exercise improves skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD from an anti-oxidative stress perspective.It has been found that oxidative stress affects the structure and function of muscles in COPD patients by upregulating the protein hydrolysis system,disrupting mitochondrial function,and impairing calcium homeostasis.Mechanisms by which exercise modulates oxidative stress to improve skeletal muscle dysfunction include the activation of antioxidant genes such as silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor to enhance the body's antioxi-dant capacity,inhibiting muscle atrophy.Exercise also regulates mitochondrial reactive oxygen species metabolism,im-proving mitochondrial function,and reduces oxidase activity to protect sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium regulation.In con-clusion,the regulation of skeletal muscle oxidative stress by exercise is a crucial target for improving skeletal muscle dys-function in COPD.

There is significant inter-individual variation of pharmacokinetics and pharmacody-namics in patients receiving tacrolimus(TAC)for an-ti-rejection therapy,which cause the rejection or toxic action.Based on results of therapeutic drug monitoring and pathophysiological index of trans-plant patients,the individualized dosing regimen can be designed and adjusted by using model in-formed precision dosing(MIPD).The patients'clini-cal outcome can be improved.In the consensus,the different methods of MIPD used for patients re-ceived TAC for anti-rejection therapy were intro-duced,which can be used for the designing and ad-justing doing regimen,predicting adverse drug reac-tion,improving medication adherence and econom-ics during therapy.

To investigate the clinical value of cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) technology in the assessment of the right ventricle function in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs)-related myocarditis.

Supratentorial cerebral hemorrhage complicated by brain herniation has high disability and mortality rates,and surgical treatment can improve cerebral perfusion,brain tissue metabolism,and hematoma clearance and promote neurological function recov-ery,with the main surgical procedures of craniotomy,endoscopic surgery,and stereotactic surgery.Different treatment methods have a certain value in the treatment of patients with supratentorial cerebral hemorrhage and brain herniation,and in recent years,an increas-ing number of studies have focused on the comparison of the impact of different treatment methods on prognosis.This article reviews re-lated research advances and compares thedifferent treatment methods for patients with supratentorial cerebral hemorrhage and brain herniation,in order to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.