Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen for both human bloodstream infections and mastitis in cows. However, little attention has been paid to the cross-host transmission of MRSA from cows to high-risk groups in China. Objective To determine the MRSA colonization rates among dairy cows and dairy farm workers in Xinjiang, identify the antibiotic resistance profiles and molecular characteristics of the isolates, and provide scientific evidence for the formulation of targeted infection control strategies. Method A cross-sectional survey combined with laboratory pathogen analysis was conducted. From June to August 2024, large-scale dairy farms in Xinjiang region were selected as study sites. Nasal swabs (n=96) and skin swabs (n=39) were collected from workers, and bovine nasal swab samples (n=109) were collected simultaneously. All samples were subjected to MRSA isolation, cultivation, and identification, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing to characterize resistance phenotypes. Staphylococcus aureus protein A (Spa) typing was performed to determine strain genotypes and elucidate MRSA colonization rates and molecular epidemiological patterns. Results A total of 35 MRSA strains was successfully isolated from 244 samples. The MRSA colonization rates among dairy farm workers and dairy cows were 20.83% (20/96) and 12.84% (14/109), respectively, with an overall isolation rate of 14.34% (35/244). Among the workers, the nasal colonization rate was 16.67% (16/96), and the skin colonization rate was 12.82% (5/39). One worker exhibited MRSA colonization at multiple body sites. All MRSA strains were resistant to cefoxitin (100%, 35/35). The resistance rates to erythromycin and clindamycin were 42.86% (15/35) and 34.29% (12/35), respectively. Thirteen strains showed a multidrug-resistant phenotype, whereas all strains were susceptible to vancomycin. The MRSA isolates exhibited high genetic diversity, with 13 Spa types identified, among which t441 was the most prevalent (8 strains). Both t441 and t034 types were detected in samples from both the dairy cows and their handlers. These two Spa types also carried and stably inherited specific resistance combinations, including erythromycin–clindamycin–cefoxitin and ciprofloxacin–erythromycin–clindamycin–gentamicin–cefoxitin–tetracycline, and a statistically significant association was also observed between the two resistance profiles and the bacterial types (P < 0.001). In addition, one novel Spa type strain was identified. Conclusion MRSA colonization rates among dairy cows and dairy farm workers in Xinjiang are relatively high, with evidence of multi-site colonization. The isolates exhibit high levels of multidrug resistance and genetic diversity, indicating a potential risk of cross-host transmission.

Background Animal farming may affect the structure and diversity of gut microbiota of farm workers, but it needs more studies to provide solid evidence. Objective To analyze the diversity characteristics of gut microbiota in dairy farm workers, dairy cows, and the control population (non-animal contact occupational group), and to assess the impact of dairy farming on the gut microbiota of workers. Methods The 16S rRNA full-length amplicon sequencing technology was used to sequence 60 fecal samples from dairy farm workers, 89 from dairy cows, and 50 from the general population. The gut microbiota structure characteristics, including operational taxonomic units (OTUs), alpha diversity, beta diversity, and the composition of species at the phylum, family, and genus levels were analyzed. The differences in gut microbiota among the three groups of samples were compared to explore the impact of occupational exposure on the gut microbiota structure of dairy farm workers. Results A total of 50478 OTUs were identified in the gut microbiota of farm workers, dairy cows, and the general population, with 23613, 42723, and 16592 OTUs, respectively. The number of shared OTUs between the dairy cows and the general population was 12674 (27.17%), between the general population and the farm workers was 10099 (33.54%), and between the dairy cows and the farm workers was 17690 (36.36%). Compared with the general population, the farm workers and dairy cows showed more shared gut microbiota (P<0.01). The abundance of Firmicutes in the gut of the farm workers was higher than that of the general population (P<0.01), while Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria were the opposite (P<0.01). The alpha diversity of gut microbiota in the farm workers was different from that of the general population. The ACE index of the farm workers was slightly lower than that of the general population and much lower than that of dairy cows (P<0.05), while their Shannon index was higher than that of the general population but lower than that of dairy cows (P<0.01). The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LefSe) showed that the abundances of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in the gut microbiota of the farm workers were significantly higher than those of the general population, while Streptococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae were lower than those of the general population. Conclusion The dairy farm workers shares a certain proportion of common bacterial communities with dairy cows. Dairy farming operations can affect the structure and diversity of the gut microbiota of workers by increasing the abundances of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae, while decreasing the abundances of Streptococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae. The study results provide reference data for further exploring the cross-host transmission of pathogens related to occupational exposure in dairy farming.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin and empagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetic kidney disease from the perspective of healthcare system in China. METHODS Based on the data from the two multicenter clinical trials， DECLARE-TIMI 58 and EMPA-REG OUTCOME， a Markov model was constructed according to the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio （UACR） of the patients with type 2 diabetic kidney disease with a cycle of 1 year， simulating until 99% of patients died. The model outputs were total costs and quality-adjusted life year （QALY）. The cost-effectiveness of the two treatment regimens was assessed by comparing their incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） and the willingness-to-pay threshold （WTP，set at three times China’s 2023 per capita gross domestic product， i.e.， 268 074 yuan/QALY）. Additionally， oneway sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the base analysis results. RESULTS Compared with dapagliflozin， the ICER for empagliflozin regimen was 44 334.82 yuan/QALY， which was below the WTP ， indicating its cost-effectiveness. The results of the oneway sensitivity analysis indicated that the incidence of non-fatal myocardial infarction in both groups and the utility values associated with the microalbuminuria state had the most significant impact on the outcomes， but did not change the base-case conclusion. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that the results of the base-case analysis were robust. CONCLUSIONS With a WTP of three times China’s per capita gross domestic product in 2023， empagliflozin is more cost-effective than dapagliflozin in treating type 2 diabetic kidney disease.

Objective:To investigate the potential characteristic manifestations and application value of the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test（DVAT） in vestibular migraine（VM）. Methods:A total of 50 VM patients（case group） and 50 healthy subjects（control group） diagnosed at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between November 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, were enrolled. The case group underwent DVAT, video head impulse test（vHIT）, caloric test, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory（DHI） assessment, whereas the control group only received DVAT. Group-based analyses were conducted to examine the effect of age on Dynamic Visual Acuity Loss（DVALoss）, as well as the correlations of DVALoss with vestibular function tests and DHI scores. Results:DVALoss in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group（P<0.001）. In both groups, age was significantly and positively correlated with DVALoss（P<0.001）. Within the case group, DVALoss was strongly and positively correlated with DHI scores（r=0.807, P<0.001）; it was negatively correlated with the vestibulo-ocular reflex（VOR） gain in vHIT, though without clinical significance, and showed no significant association with the caloric test. Age and DVALoss collectively accounted for 71.3% of the variance in DHI scores（R²=0.713）, with age exerting a relatively minor actual impact. Conclusion:DVAT can sensitively identify the core functional impairments of VM. DVALoss, as a direct functional reflection of the pathological mechanism of VM, is strongly correlated with DHI scores. Incorporating DVALoss into standardized assessments may provide an objective basis for the diagnosis and management of VM.
Humans ; Migraine Disorders/diagnosis* ; Visual Acuity ; Case-Control Studies ; Head Impulse Test ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Vestibular Diseases/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Caloric Tests

Objective To discuss the method of constructing TCM word network and the subsequent optimization method;To solve the problems of natural language processing in the TCM-clinical decision support system using TCM terminology.Methods This study was based on several national standards and terminology dictionaries of TCM,such as Zhong Yi Lin Chuang Zhen Liao Shu Yu Ji Bing Part and Zhong Yi Yao Xue Zhu Ti Ci Biao,supplemented with related corpus on the Internet,and the framework of TCM word network was constructed with ontology as the guide.Word2Vec was used to load pre-trained models for similarity calculation,statistical and rule-based new word discovery,bibliometric analysis,and other methods to add or delete concept words and synonyms such as symptom terms and prescription terms.Results The TCM word network contained 55 semantic types and 13 semantic relationships,more than 110 000 concept words,and more than 300 000 synonyms.In addition to classifying concept words by semantic types,more detailed semantic classification was carried out in the upper and lower tree structures,in which more than 30 000 concept words had superordinate words,and nearly 2 600 concept words had subordinate words.At the same time,a process-based terminology supplementation mechanism,update review mechanism and cleaning mechanism were created.Conclusion TCM word network can not only be applied to the natural language processing process of TCM-clinical decision support system,but also can be applied to the normalization of data and the automatic construction of knowledge graph.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between vitamin D levels and thyroid hormone sensitivity in euthyroid individuals.Methods:This cross-sectional study included 5 894 euthyroid individuals who underwent health examinations at the Department of Health Management, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, from December 2023 to February 2024. Thyroid feedback quantile-based index (TFQI), TSH index (TSHI), thyrotroph thyroxine resistance index (TT4RI), and the ratio of free triiodothyronine (FT3)/free thyroxine (FT4) were calculated to assess thyroid hormone sensitivity. Participants were categorized into vitamin D deficiency and non-deficiency groups based on serum 25(OH)D levels. The differences in thyroid hormone sensitivity indices and other clinical characteristics between the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between vitamin D levels and thyroid hormone sensitivity, and stratified analysis was conducted to explore the association in different genders.Results:Among the study participants, 4 731 (80.3%) had vitamin D deficiency. Compared with the non-deficient group, the deficient group had a lower TFQI (-0.03(-0.31, 0.23) and -0.01(-0.28, 0.27)) ( Z=-2.130, P=0.033) and a higher FT3/FT4 ratio ((0.36±0.04) and (0.35±0.04)) ( t=-4.592, P<0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors including gender and age, the risk of impaired central and peripheral thyroid hormone sensitivity significantly increased in the non-deficient group (TFQI ( OR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.34); FT3/FT4 ( OR=1.23, 95% CI: 1.05-1.45)) (all, P<0.05). Conclusion:In euthyroid individuals, people with higher vitamin D levels have a higher risk of impaired thyroid hormone sensitivity.

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced "Presentation-Assimilation-Discussion (PAD) class" model in electrocardiogram (ECG) internship teaching in the department of cardiovascular medicine and to improve the ECG interpretation and clinical competency of interns.Methods:A total of 200 clinical undergraduate interns enrolled from September 2022 to August 2024 were divided into a control group (traditional teaching, n=100) and an experimental group (enhanced "PAD class" model, n=100). The enhanced "PAD class" model adopted a "focused lecture, structured internalization, and case-driven discussion" approach, incorporating artificial intelligence-assisted real-time feedback and targeted task design. Post-internship evaluations compared the scores of foundational skills (ECG interpretation accuracy and standardized ECG operation), clinical competencies (clinical decision-making, critical value recognition, and diagnostic reasoning), comprehensive evaluation, and assessment of teaching effectiveness. SPSS 26.0 was used for the chi-square test and t-test. Results:The experimental group demonstrated significantly superior performance in foundational skills [e.g., ECG interpretation accuracy: (97.63±1.35) vs. (90.54±4.08)], clinical competencies [e.g., clinical decision-making: (93.45±3.18) vs. (82.17±5.62)], and comprehensive evaluation [(97.96±1.06) vs. (90.94±3.49)] (all P<0.05). In teaching effectiveness evaluation, satisfaction was significantly higher in the experimental group across all seven metrics such as stimulated learning interest and clinical thinking ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The enhanced "PAD class "model, through artificial intelligence empowerment and case-driven discussions, can significantly improve ECG teaching outcomes and clinical decision-making skills, demonstrating its potential for broader application in internship teaching in the department of cardiovascular medicine.

OBJECTIVE To explore the indexes affecting the prognosis of the ICU patients with sepsis,establish the nomogram model for prediction of 28-day mortality rate,and validate it.METHODS On the basis of criteria for diagnosis of sepsis(3.0 version),the related data of the sepsis patients were extracted from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Ⅳ(MIMIC-Ⅳ)database for retrospective study and were randomly divided into the train-ing set and the validation set in a 7∶3 ratio.Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analysis were performed for the screening of influencing factors for prediction of 28-day mortality of the sepsis pa-tients.The nomogram prediction model was established based on the screened factors and was validated by the val-idation set,and the effect was evaluated.RESULTS A total of 7 955 sepsis patients were included.Seven variables were selected to establish the nomogram model for prediction of the 28-day mortality rate.The nomogram showed favorable performance in identification between the two cohorts,the area under receiver operating characteristic curves(AUROCs)were 0.748 and 0.721,respectively.Calibration curves and Hosmer-Lemeshow test(x2=8.689,10.614;P=0.369,0.225)indicated that the model had remarkable effect on correction.With the per-formance of decision curve analysis(DCA)and clinical impact curve(CIC),the model was considered to have high clinical application value.CONCLUSIONS The nomogram model shows favorable performance in prediction of the 28-day mortality rate and calibration capability.It is worthy to be further promoted and applied.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene. Methods:The clinical data and whole exome sequencing results of 2 patients who were diagnosed as developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene in the Children′s Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics in June 2016 and August 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Relevant literatures were retrieved using " EEF1A2" and "epileptic encephalopathy" or "epilepsy" as key words in Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, PubMed, CNKI and Wanfang databases (literatures searching from establishment of these databases to June 2024). The clinical and genetic characteristics of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene were summarized based on literature reports and the data of these 2 patients. Results:Patient 1 was a 9 months old male infant. He presented with global developmental delay. He developed myoclonic seizures at 4 months old. Valproic acid, clonazepam, topiramate and vagus nerve stimulation were all ineffective. Both of his hands had transverse palmar crease. The de novo c.364G>A variant in the EEF1A2 gene (NM_001958.3) was identified and he was diagnosed with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene. Patient 2 was a 2 years and 2 months old boy. He presented with global developmental delay. Myoclonic seizures occurred when he was 2 years and 3 months old, and various anti-epileptic drugs were ineffective. He had left eye esotropia and low muscle tone in the extremities. He died at the age of 4. The de novo c.208G>A variant in the EEF1A2 gene (NM_001958.3) was identified and he was diagnosed with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene. Eight literatures on developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene (all in English) were retrieved, reporting 28 cases (totally 30 patients, including 2 cases in this study). The main clinical manifestations were psychomotor developmental delay (30/30, 100.0%), facial dysmorphism (15/30, 50.0%), refractory epilepsy (14/26, 53.8%), myoclonic seizures (19/26, 73.1%), and movement disorders (8/16). A total of 15 mutation sites in the EEF1A2 gene were reported, all of which were missense mutations. Conclusions:Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy related to the EEF1A2 gene is primarily characterized by delayed psychomotor development, distinctive facial features, drug-resistant epilepsy, myoclonic seizures, and movement disorders. Variants in the EEF1A2 gene are predominantly missense mutations, and identifying these variants plays a crucial role in accurate diagnosis of the disease.

Objective:To investigate the effect of circulating plasma cell(CPC)on the prognosis of multiple myeloma(MM),and to es-tablish and validate a modified CPC-RISS staging system based on CPC and RISS.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 639 treatment-na?ve patients with MM who were treated in Department of Hematology,Xijing Hospital,from January 2006 to June 2023.Peripheral blood smear was used to calculate the percentage of CPC in patients,and the impact of CPC and other related factors on the prognosis of MM patients was analyzed.A CPC-RISS staging system was established based on RISS stage and the percentage of CPC,and the differences in survival and prognosis were analyzed between patients with different stages.Results:Compared with the patients without CPC,detectable CPC was significantly associated with various high-risk factors for MM,and the MM patients with CPC had a lower complete remission rate and shorter overall survival time and progression-free survival time.The modified CPC-RISS staging system was used to classify the patients with MM into four stages,and there were significant differences in median survival time and progression-free survival time between the patients with different stages of MM.Conclusion:The MM pa-tients with the presence of CPC exhibit more aggressive features,worse response to treatment,and a reduction in long-term survival rate.The modified CPC-RISS staging system can effectively predict the prognosis of treatment-na?ve MM patients.