Objective To explore the correlation between serum ferritin and the risk of metabolic syndrome, and to provide evidence for the prevention and control of metabolic syndrome. Methods Data was from the Jiang'an District survey data of the Chinese Resident Nutrition and Health Monitoring Project in 2022. A total of 399 adult residents were selected as the study subjects and the investigation was performed by questionnaire, physical examination and biochemical testing. Statistical analysis was conducted by SAS 9.4 software, and the association between serum ferritin and metabolic syndrome was analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression. Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the study population was 43.61%, and 39.04% after standrdization. With the increase of serum ferritin levels, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome gradually increased (P<0.05). Serum ferritin was positively correlated with WC, DBP, TG, FPG, hsCRP, and HbA1c, while negatively correlated with HDL-C (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, female serum ferritin was positively correlated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (OR=3.59，95% CI：1.72-7.46); however, male serum ferritin level was not correlated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (OR=2.02，95% CI：0.76-3.40). Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among residents in Jiang'an District is relatively high. Serum ferritin is associated with various components of metabolic syndrome, and the high serum ferritin level in women is associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome.

Membrane proteins are integral components of cellular membranes, accounting for approximately 30% of the mammalian proteome and serving as targets for 60% of FDA-approved drugs. They are critical to both physiological functions and disease mechanisms. Their functional protein-protein interactions form the basis for many physiological processes, such as signal transduction, material transport, and cell communication. Membrane protein interactions are characterized by membrane environment dependence, spatial asymmetry, weak interaction strength, high dynamics, and a variety of interaction sites. Therefore, in situ analysis is essential for revealing the structural basis and kinetics of these proteins. This paper introduces currently available in situ analytical techniques for studying membrane protein interactions and evaluates the characteristics of each. These techniques are divided into two categories: label-based techniques (e.g., co-immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assay, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, resonance energy transfer, and proximity labeling) and label-free techniques (e.g., cryo-electron tomography, in situ cross-linking mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance, and structure prediction tools). Each technique is critically assessed in terms of its historical development, strengths, and limitations. Based on the authors’ relevant research, the paper further discusses the key issues and trends in the application of these techniques, providing valuable references for the field of membrane protein research. Label-based techniques rely on molecular tags or antibodies to detect proximity or interactions, offering high specificity and adaptability for dynamic studies. For instance, proximity ligation assay combines the specificity of antibodies with the sensitivity of PCR amplification, while proximity labeling enables spatial mapping of interactomes. Conversely, label-free techniques, such as cryo-electron tomography, provide near-native structural insights, and Raman spectroscopy directly probes molecular interactions without perturbing the membrane environment. Despite advancements, these methods face several universal challenges: (1) indirect detection, relying on proximity or tagged proxies rather than direct interaction measurement; (2) limited capacity for continuous dynamic monitoring in live cells; and (3) potential artificial influences introduced by labeling or sample preparation, which may alter native conformations. Emerging trends emphasize the multimodal integration of complementary techniques to overcome individual limitations. For example, combining in situ cross-linking mass spectrometry with proximity labeling enhances both spatial resolution and interaction coverage, enabling high-throughput subcellular interactome mapping. Similarly, coupling fluorescence resonance energy transfer with nuclear magnetic resonance and artificial intelligence (AI) simulations integrates dynamic structural data, atomic-level details, and predictive modeling for holistic insights. Advances in AI, exemplified by AlphaFold’s ability to predict interaction interfaces, further augment experimental data, accelerating structure-function analyses. Future developments in cryo-electron microscopy, super-resolution imaging, and machine learning are poised to refine spatiotemporal resolution and scalability. In conclusion, in situ analysis of membrane protein interactions remains indispensable for deciphering their roles in health and disease. While current technologies have significantly advanced our understanding, persistent gaps highlight the need for innovative, integrative approaches. By synergizing experimental and computational tools, researchers can achieve multiscale, real-time, and perturbation-free analyses, ultimately unraveling the dynamic complexity of membrane protein networks and driving therapeutic discovery.

Purpose: This research observed the efficacy and safety of soft tissue expansion combined with recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) in repairing second-degree scald scars. Methods: This study conducted a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four patients with deep second-degree scald scars were evenly divided into the control and observation groups. The control group was treated with soft tissue expansion, and the observation group was additionally treated with rhEGF. The skin expansion and wound healing times were compared. The changes in wound exudate and inflammation around the wound were observed after first-stage surgery. The hydroxyproline (OHP) and collagen I/III ratios were compared during the second stage of surgery.The complications and repair effects during treatment were evaluated. Results: The observation group exhibited lower expansion time, immediate retraction rate, and wound healing time, higher skin expansion rate, higher wound exudate score and inflammation score, higher OHP, lower collagen I/III, lower complication rate, and higher total effective rate than the control group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Skin soft tissue expansion combined with rhEGF is more effective in repairing second-degree scald scars, which can effectively increase skin expansion area and reduce wound infection and complications.

Purpose: This research observed the efficacy and safety of soft tissue expansion combined with recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) in repairing second-degree scald scars. Methods: This study conducted a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four patients with deep second-degree scald scars were evenly divided into the control and observation groups. The control group was treated with soft tissue expansion, and the observation group was additionally treated with rhEGF. The skin expansion and wound healing times were compared. The changes in wound exudate and inflammation around the wound were observed after first-stage surgery. The hydroxyproline (OHP) and collagen I/III ratios were compared during the second stage of surgery.The complications and repair effects during treatment were evaluated. Results: The observation group exhibited lower expansion time, immediate retraction rate, and wound healing time, higher skin expansion rate, higher wound exudate score and inflammation score, higher OHP, lower collagen I/III, lower complication rate, and higher total effective rate than the control group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Skin soft tissue expansion combined with rhEGF is more effective in repairing second-degree scald scars, which can effectively increase skin expansion area and reduce wound infection and complications.

Purpose: This research observed the efficacy and safety of soft tissue expansion combined with recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) in repairing second-degree scald scars. Methods: This study conducted a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four patients with deep second-degree scald scars were evenly divided into the control and observation groups. The control group was treated with soft tissue expansion, and the observation group was additionally treated with rhEGF. The skin expansion and wound healing times were compared. The changes in wound exudate and inflammation around the wound were observed after first-stage surgery. The hydroxyproline (OHP) and collagen I/III ratios were compared during the second stage of surgery.The complications and repair effects during treatment were evaluated. Results: The observation group exhibited lower expansion time, immediate retraction rate, and wound healing time, higher skin expansion rate, higher wound exudate score and inflammation score, higher OHP, lower collagen I/III, lower complication rate, and higher total effective rate than the control group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Skin soft tissue expansion combined with rhEGF is more effective in repairing second-degree scald scars, which can effectively increase skin expansion area and reduce wound infection and complications.

Humans ; Vascular Stiffness ; Coal Mining ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Coal ; Miners

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and diagnosis of imported Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale malaria cases in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Henan Province from 2014 to 2021, so as to provide insights into malaria control in these five provinces. Methods All data pertaining to malaria cases reported in five provinces of China were captured from Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System from 2014 to 2021, and the epidemiological characteristics of imported P. malariae and P. ovale malaria cases were analysed using a descriptive epidemiological method. The duration from onset of malaria to initial diagnosis, duration from initial diagnosis to definitive diagnosis, institutions of initial and definitive diagnoses, and proportion of correct malaria diagnosis at initial diagnosis were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 1 223 imported P. malariae and P. ovale malaria cases were reported in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province, Henan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2021, there were 158 P. malariae malaria cases (12.92%) and 1 065 P. ovale malaria cases (87.08%). Totally 98.53% (1 205/1 223) of the imported malaria cases were from Africa, with Angola (18.99%, 30/158), Nigeria (11.39%,18/158), Cameroon (10.76%, 17/158), Ghana (10.13%, 16/158) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (10.13%,16/158) as predominant countries where P. malariae malaria cases were from, and Ghana (23.19%, 247/1 065), Cameroon (14.74%, 157/1 065), Nigeria (9.39%, 100/1 065) and Angola (6.95%, 74/1 065) as predominant countries where P. ovale malaria cases were from. There were significant differences in the duration from onset of malaria to initial diagnosis (χ² = 27.673, P = 0.000) and duration from initial diagnosis to definitive diagnosis of P. malariae and P. ovale malaria cases (χ² = 29.808, P = 0.000), and the proportions of correct initial diagnosis of P. malariae and P. ovale malaria cases were 38.61% (61/158) and 56.53% (602/1 065). There were 74.69% (118/158) of P. malariae malaria cases with definitive diagnosis in county-, city-, and province-level medical institutions, and 79.25% (844/1 065) of P. ovale malaria cases with definitive diagnosis in county- and city-level medical institutions and county-level centers for disease control and prevention. Conclusions The imported P. malariae and P. ovale malaria cases in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province, Henan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2021 were mainly returned from Africa and the proportion of correct diagnosis of P. malariae and P. ovale malaria was low at initial diagnosis. Persistent improvements in the diagnostic capability of malaria are required in medical institutions.

italic>Artemisia argyi is a traditional Chinese medicine in China, which is used as medicine with its leaves. The leaves of A. argyi mainly contain flavonoids, phenolic acids, volatile oils and other compounds, and have a variety of pharmacological activities. AP2/ERF transcription factors are abundant in plants and are mainly involved in plant growth and development, abiotic stress response and secondary metabolite biosynthesis regulation. However, there are few reports on the AP2/ERF gene family and its functions in A. argyi. In this study, we systematically identified the AP2/ERF gene family in A. argyi genome, and analyzed its phylogenetic tree, protein physicochemical properties, subcellular localization, conserved motifs, promoter elements, and expression patterns. The results showed that a total of 204 AP2/ERF transcription factors were identified in A. argyi genome, encoding proteins consisting of 88-483 amino acids with a relative molecular mass of 10-52.94 kDa and a theoretical isoelectric point of 4.62-9.88. Subcellular prediction showed that the majority of AP2/ERFs were located in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and the minority of them is located in the membrane and chloroplasts. According to the Arabidopsis AP2/ERF family classification, A. argyi AP2/ERF proteins were divided into four subfamilies: Soloist, AP2, ERF (B3, B4, B5, B6), and DREB (A1, A2, A4, A5, A6), among which DREB family accounted for the largest proportion, and the same subfamily had similar conserved motifs. cis-Acting element analysis showed that AP2/ERF promoters have a large number of elements responding to light and abiotic stress. Expression pattern analysis showed that most of the genes of the AP2/ERF family were dominantly expressed mainly in roots and stems, of which 19 were dominantly expressed in leaves, 77 would be induced to be expressed by methyl jasmonate, of which 16 genes were both dominantly expressed in leaves and induced to be expressed by methyl jasmonate, and these AP2/ERF genes may be the key regulatory genes for the synthesis of active ingredients in A. argyi leaves.This study lays the foundation for the functional study of AP2/ERF family genes and their regulating roles in the active components biosynthesis in A. argyi leaves.

Eleven compounds were isolated and purified from the ethyl acetate part of 80% ethanol extract of Ferula feruloides root by a combination of normal-phase silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 dextran gel column chromatography and semi-preparative liquid chromatography and then modern wave spectrometry methods (NMR, MS, UV, IR) were used to identify the structures of the compounds, which were identified as baigene D (1), baigene E (2), baigene F (3), β-kirialovin (4), α-kirialovin (5), falcarindiol (6), ammoresinol (7), dshamirone (8), 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2S*,3R*-dimethyl-3-[4-methyl-5-(4-methy1-2-furyl)-3(E)-pentenyl]-furo[3,2-c]coumarin (9), 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2S*,3R*-dimethyl-2-[4,8-dimethyl-3(E),7-nonadi-enyl]-furo[3,2-c]coumarin (10), and baigene C (11). Compounds 1-3 are new coumarin analogues, and compounds 4-6 are firstly isolated from F. feruloides. The anti-proliferative activity of compounds 5, 7-11 against human gastric cancer (MKN-45) cells was evaluated using MTT assay, which showed that compounds 7-11 exhibited strong inhibitory activity, and compound 5 exhibited weak inhibitory activity.

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Hubei province, and to provide scientific basis for prevention and control. Methods The data of Chlamydia trachomatis infection cases reported through the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention from 2008 to 2022 were collected for epidemiological statistical analysis. Results The incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Hubei Province showed an increasing trend from 2008 to 2022, with an average annual reported incidence of 2.26/100 000. The top three reported incidence areas were Shiyan (6.04/100 000), Yichang (5.62/100 000) and Shennongjia (3.47/ 100 000). The reported incidence in southeast area was significantly higher than that in other areas (χ²=2869.603 , P < 0.001). The high incidence age group was 20-39 years old, accounting for more than 70%. The reported incidence in females was higher than that in males (χ²=1429.27 , P < 0.001). Housework and unemployment were the most common professions (43.54%). The case reporting institutions were mainly comprehensive hospitals (87.29%). Conclusion To effectively control the infection and transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis, it is necessary to strengthen the health popularization of STD knowledge, intervention and early active screening of high-risk groups.