OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and its prognosis in patients with severe craniocerebral injury. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted. Patients with severe craniocerebral injury admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xingtai Medical College from January 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled as the study subjects. Patients were divided into VAP group and non-VAP group based on the occurrence of VAP. VAP patients were further stratified into low-risk group [sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score 0-5], moderate-risk group (SOFA score 6-8), and high-risk group (SOFA score ≥ 9). General data, serological indicators [interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)], and 28-day prognosis (with mortality as the endpoint event) were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for VAP and 28-day mortality. Linear regression was applied to analyze the correlations between risk factors and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 140 patients with severe craniocerebral injury were enrolled, including 49 in the VAP group and 91 in the non-VAP group. The primary cause of injury was traffic accidents, followed by falls and heavy object impacts. Among VAP patients, 38 survived and 11 died within 28 days; 112 were classified as low-risk, 25 as moderate-risk, and 12 as high-risk. Significant differences were observed in age, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, length of hospital stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, serum albumin levels, and frequency of sputum suction among different subgroups. Serologically, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and STAT3 mRNA expression levels in the VAP group were significantly higher than those in the non-VAP group. Deceased VAP patients exhibited higher IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and STAT3 mRNA levels compared to survivors. These biomarkers progressively increased from low-risk to high-risk subgroups. Multivariate Logistic regression identified age [odds ratio (OR) were 0.328 and 0.318], BMI (OR were 0.340 and 0.268), hypertension (OR were 0.275 and 0.245), diabetes (OR were 0.319 and 0.307), hyperlipidemia (OR were 0.228 and 0.235), smoking history (OR were 0.255 and 0.240), length of hospital stay (OR were 0.306 and 0.230), duration of mechanical ventilation (OR were 0.247 and 0.219), frequency of sputum suction (OR were 0.325 and 0.228), IL-1β (OR were 0.231 and 0.259), TNF-α (OR were 0.308 and 0.235), IL-6 (OR were 0.298 and 0.277), and STAT3 (OR were 0.259 and 0.265) as independent risk factors for both VAP occurrence and 28-day mortality (all P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that serum albumin levels were negatively correlated with VAP occurrence and mortality (all P < 0.01), while other factors showed positive correlations (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Age, BMI, length of hospital stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, frequency of sputum suction, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking history, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway activation are significantly associated with VAP development and poor prognosis in patients with severe craniocerebral injury, providing a scientific basis for targeted clinical interventions.
Humans ; Risk Factors ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Craniocerebral Trauma/complications* ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Male ; Female ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/blood* ; Interleukin-1beta/blood* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Logistic Models

To analyze potential adverse drug events(ADEs) associated with ustekinumab and upadacitinib in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) based on an international authoritative database, thereby providing evidence for clinical medication safety.

Since the global outbreak in 2022, the mpox epidemic has evolved from an African endemic to a public health emergency of international concern. The 2024 mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo caused by the Clade Ⅰb lineage is yet another wake-up call, with markedly higher prevalence and fatality rates observed among children under 15 years of age, thereby presenting new challenges for the children. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen prevention and control, block mother-to-child transmission routes, and establish innovative models with active community participation to reduce the risk of mpox transmission. In the future, it is urgent to analyze molecular mechanisms underlying the mother-to-child transmission of the virus, develop targeted antiviral drugs, establish a pediatric critical disease scoring system, and incorporate mpox vaccines into the World Health Organization′s expanded programme on immunization.

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of postoperative hypoxemia after whole lung lavage (WLL) in patients with pneumoconiosis and to evaluate the predictive value of lung ultrasound scores. Methods A total of 757 patients with pneumoconiosis who underwent unilateral large-volume WLL were selected as the research subjects by continuous sampling method. The patients with hypoxemia after large-volume WLL were assigned to the observation group (82 cases), and those without hypoxemia were assigned to the control group (675 cases). Patients′ basic information and clinical data of the two groups were collected using a retrospective investigation method. The binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of hypoxemia after large-volume WLL in patients with pneumoconiosis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to assess the predictive value of ultrasound indicators. Results The combined rate of postoperative hypoxemia in the patients was 10.8% (82/757). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of hypoxemia in patients aged ≥65 years was higher than that in patients aged <65 years (P<0.05). The risk of hypoxemia was higher in patients with increased pre-extubation lung ultrasound score than those with lower pre-extubation lung ultrasound score (P<0.01). Patients with a higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO₂) had a higher risk of concurrent hypoxemia than those with a lower pressure (P<0.01), while patients with lower arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) had a higher risk of concurrent hypoxemia than those with higher PaO₂ (P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that lung ultrasound scores were negatively correlated with PaO₂ and positively correlated with PaCO₂ (both P<0.01). The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was 0.855, the 95% confidence interval was 0.828 to 0.879, the diagnostic sensitivity was 84.2%, and the specificity was 75.1%. Conclusion Age, pre-extubation lung ultrasound score, and PaCO₂ are risk factors for hypoxemia after WLL in patients with pneumoconiosis, while PaO₂ is a protective factor. Pre-extubation lung ultrasound scoring demonstrates good accuracy in predicting postoperative hypoxemia among pneumoconiosis patients after WLL.

Loss of protein homeostasis is a hallmark of cellular senescence, and ribosome pausing plays a crucial role in the collapse of proteostasis. However, our understanding of ribosome pausing in senescent cells remains limited. In this study, we utilized ribosome profiling and G-quadruplex RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing techniques to explore the impact of RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) on the translation efficiency in senescent cells. Our results revealed a reduction in the translation efficiency of rG4-rich genes in senescent cells and demonstrated that rG4 structures within coding sequence can impede translation both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we observed a significant increase in the abundance of rG4 structures in senescent cells, and the stabilization of the rG4 structures further exacerbated cellular senescence. Mechanistically, the RNA helicase DHX9 functions as a key regulator of rG4 abundance, and its reduced expression in senescent cells contributing to increased ribosome pausing. Additionally, we also observed an increased abundance of rG4, an imbalance in protein homeostasis, and reduced DHX9 expression in aged mice. In summary, our findings reveal a novel biological role for rG4 and DHX9 in the regulation of translation and proteostasis, which may have implications for delaying cellular senescence and the aging process.
G-Quadruplexes ; Cellular Senescence ; Ribosomes/genetics* ; Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics* ; Protein Biosynthesis ; RNA/chemistry* ; Neoplasm Proteins

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the pathogens distribution in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and their association with anti-β-glucan receptor-1 (Dectin-1)/spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) signaling pathway, and to provide scientific basis for formulating more effective treatment strategies and preventive measures. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted. 160 patients with VAP admitted to the department of critical care medicine of Xingtai People's Hospital from January 2021 to March 2023 were enrolled. The respiratory secretions of patients were collected for Candida colonization analysis, and then the bacteria in the respiratory secretions were identified by automatic microbial identification instrument. The expression levels of Dectin-1 and Syk in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were detected by fluorescent immunopolymerase chain reaction. Clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) was performed based on imaging, clinical and microbiological criteria. The basic data, pathogen distribution, Dectin-1 and Syk expression levels and CPIS score of the two groups were compared. Spearman test was used to analyze the correlation between the expression levels of Dectin-1 and Syk and respiratory Candida colonization and CPIS score. RESULTS: 160 VAP patients, 97 were Candida colonized (colonized group) and 63 were not (non-colonized group). There were significantly differences in gender (males: 57.73% vs. 41.27%, P = 0.042) and age (years: 57.98±12.46 vs. 62.09±10.61, P = 0.029) between the colonized group and the non-colonized group, while there were no significantly differences in the data of duration of mechanical ventilation, underlying diseases and primary diseases. The distribution of pathogenic bacteria showed that the infection rate of Staphylococcus aureus in the colonized group was significantly higher than that in the non-colonized group (24.74% vs. 7.94%, P < 0.05), and there was no significantly difference in the infection rate of other G-positive and G-negative bacteria between the two groups. The CPIS score in the colonized group was significantly higher than that in the non-colonized group (8.73±0.43 vs. 7.31±0.39, P < 0.01), and the expression levels of Dectin-1 and Syk in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were significantly higher than those in the non-colonized group (Dectin-1/U6: 0.86±0.22 vs. 0.47±0.16, Syk/U6: 0.77±0.18 vs. 0.42±0.11, both P < 0.01). The expression levels of Dectin-1 and Syk in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of VAP patients were significantly positively correlated with the colonization of respiratory Candida (r values were 0.754 and 0.631, respectively, both P < 0.05), and were significantly positively correlated with CPIS score (r values were 0.594 and 0.618, respectively, both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The proportion of Staphylococcus aureus in VAP patients with respiratory Candida colonization is higher, and Dectin-1/Syk signaling pathway is significantly positively correlated with respiratory Candida colonization and CPIS score.
Humans ; Syk Kinase ; Lectins, C-Type/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated/metabolism* ; Prospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Candida ; Aged

Dampness-heat syndrome of the spleen and stomach refers to the evil dampness-heat invading the spleen and stomach,the abnormal rise and fall of the middle jiaoqi machinery,dampness-heat depression and steaming,the physiological dysfunction of the spleen and stomach,with abdominal distention and distention,nausea and lethargy of the limbs,poor loose stool,red tongue and yellow greasy fur,and slippery pulse as the main symptoms of the syndrome,most common in digestive system diseases,among which chronic gastritis is the first.This paper summarized the research results in the past decade and related fields.In the mode of combination of disease and syndrome,based on the principle of corresponding prescription and syndrome,combined with the etiology and pathogenesis evolution of spleen and stomach damp-heat syndrome,the biological connotation of spleen and stomach damp-heat syndrome was explained from various aspects such as inflammation and immune disorders,gastrointestinal motivity disorders,water and humidity loss,endoplasmic reticulum function,and micro-ecological disorders.Enrich the research of the essence of syndrome.

Objective To systematically sort out the current situation of animal model construction and evaluation of damp-heat syndrome of spleen and stomach under the pattern of combining disease and evidence,references for optimizing the standardized research of this syndrome were provided.Methods The references in the past 20 years from CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,PubMed and other databases were searched to summarize and analyze the modeling ideas,evaluation systems and problems of the animal models of spleen-stomach damp-heat syndrome.Results Most of the existing models used high-fat and high-sugar feeds combined with hot and humid environment exposure,compound pathogenic microbial infection or chemical stimulation to construct the combined disease and evidence model.The model validity was evaluated by macroscopic signs,gastrointestinal function indexes,inflammatory factors,and intestinal bacterial flora,etc.However,there were still problems of insufficient stability of the model,and inconsistencies in the criteria for evaluation of the evidence.Conclusion The combination of disease and evidence model can better simulate the clinical characteristics of spleen and stomach damp-heat syndrome,but it is necessary to strengthen the construction of multimodal evaluation system and molecular mechanism research.The standardization of animal models can be promoted through the integration of multidisciplinary technology,which can provide a more accurate method for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine research.

Purpose To explore the diagnostic efficacy of texture analysis in grading multiple ligament injuries of the knee Joint.Materials and Methods MRI images of 203 patients with knee injuries in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University School of Medicine from June 2018 to September 2020 were retrospectively collected,and then graded the injuries of multiple ligaments.Extraction of texture features and discriminant analysis were accomplished by MaZda software.Spearman correlation analysis and LASSO penalized Logistic regression analysis were used to further explore the differential diagnostic efficacy of each texture parameter for grading knee ligament injuries.Results(1)MaZda software was found to have the highest diagnostic efficacy for patellar ligament injury grading by using different texture feature screening methods in combination with discriminant analysis.Non-linear discriminant analysis had the lowest misclassification rate of 4.43%.(2)The texture parameters that were ultimately included in the analysis of the subjects'work characteristic curves appeared more frequently in the gray level co-occurrence matrix and the run length matrix.(3)The area under the curve of the texture parameters finally included in the analysis were 0.870-0.975,0.772-0.912,0.836-0.929 and 0.766-0.920,respectively in patellar ligament,anterior cruciate ligament,posterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament for the diagnosis of knee ligament injury grading.The diagnostic efficacy for patellar ligament injury grading was the highest,which was consistent with the lowest misclassification rate for patellar ligament in the discriminant analysis of texture features.And the texture parameters ultimately included in patellar ligament were all highly correlated with its injury grading.Conclusion The texture analysis technique has high diagnostic efficacy for grading knee ligament injuries,and can provide a more accurate diagnostic imaging basis for the clinic.

Objective To investigate the impacts of percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy(PEID)on pain level and lumbar function in patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH).Methods From January 2022 to August 2023,84 patients were diagnosed with L4/5 LDH based on clinical data and imaging information were selected as the study subjects.And they were assigned into 42 cases in experimental group and 42 cases in traditional groups complying with treatment methods.The traditional group underwent traditional open approach treatment,while the experimental group underwent PEID.The surgical indicators(including hospitalization time,surgical time,bed rest time,and intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency),the levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were compared between the two groups,the visual analogue scale(VAS)score and Oswestry disability index(ODI)were used to quantify the pain level of waist and lower limbs and lumbar function,and the excellent and good rate of clinical satisfaction and the incidence of complications were compared.Results The hospitalization time and bed rest time of the experimental group were obviously shorter than those of the traditional group,while the fluoroscopy frequency was less than that of the traditional group,and surgical time was longer than that of the traditional group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).After treatment,the pain VAS score and ODI of waist and lower limbs,the IL-6,and TNF-α in the two groups were lower than those before treatment,the experimental group was lower than the traditional group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The excellent and good rate of the experimental group and the traditional group were 88.10％and 83.33％,respectively,with no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of complications between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion PEID surgery can effectively alleviate nerve compression,alleviate pain of waist and lower limbs,promote the recovering of lumbar function,and facilitate postoperative recovery in LDH patients.