ObjectiveTo determine whether Jinshui Huanxian component formula Ⅱ （ECC-JHF Ⅱ） and matrix hardness interfere with the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） during pulmonary fibrosis by regulating integrin β₁ （ITG β₁）， and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. MethodsA pulmonary fibrosis mouse model was established by a single intratracheal instillation of bleomycin （BLM）. To observe the disease progression at various time points， the mice were sacrificed before modeling and on days 7， 14， 21， 28 and 42 after modeling for assessment of relevant indicators. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of drug intervention， the mice were given ECC-JHF Ⅱ and pirfenidone （PFD） by gavage starting on day 29 after modeling for 14 days of treatment， after which the mice were sacrificed. Pulmonary function， pathological changes， collagen deposition， lung tissue hardness and EMT markers were detected. Polyethylene glycol （PEG） composite hydrogels with different hardness were prepared in vitro using biomaterials such as eight-arm polyethylene glycol thiol （PEG-SH） and eight-arm polyethylene glycol maleimide （PEG-MAL）. Human type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells cultured in hard matrix culture dishes were treated with low， medium， and high doses of ECC-JHF Ⅱ （15.31， 30.63， 61.25 mg·L^-1） to observe the intervention effect of ECC-JHF Ⅱ on EMT induced by transforming growth factor beta 1 （TGF-β₁）. Human type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells cultured on soft （3.8 kPa） and hard （culture dishes， ~ GPa） matrices were treated with ECC-JHF Ⅱ， respectively. The mRNA and fluorescence expression levels of the epithelial marker E-cadherin （CDH1）， the mesenchymal marker N-cadherin （CDH2） and vimentin （VIM）， as well as ITG β₁， were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and immunofluorescence. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of CDH1， CDH2 and ITG β₁， and the biomechanical mechanism of ECC-JHF Ⅱ on EMT and pulmonary fibrosis was further verified by knocking down and specific activation of ITG β₁. ResultsECC-JHF Ⅱ treatment improved BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice， as evidenced by significantly increased minute ventilation （MV） and 50% expiratory flow at tidal volume （EF₅₀） （P<0.05）， and significantly increased tidal volume （TV） after treatment （P<0.01） compared with the model group. Immunohistopathological analysis revealed attenuated inflammation and alveolar injury， reduced deposition of type Ⅰ collagen （Col-Ⅰ）， and significantly decreased lung tissue stiffness （P<0.01）， thereby alleviating disease progression. The real-time PCR results showed that， compared with the model group， the ECC-JHF Ⅱ group showed increased CDH1 expression and decreased CDH2 and VIM expression in mouse lung tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that ECC-JHF Ⅱ inhibited the EMT process to ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis. In vitro experimental results showed that both ECC-JHF Ⅱ and matrix softening reversed the EMT phenotype switch. Specifically， compared with the hard matrix group， the cells cultured on the soft matrix exhibited significantly upregulated expression of the epithelial marker CDH1 （P<0.01） and significantly downregulated expression of the mesenchymal markers CDH2 and VIM （P<0.05）. Furthermore， ECC-JHF Ⅱ inhibited the expression of ITG β₁ both in vitro and in vivo. Knockdown and specific activation of ITG β₁ further confirmed that ITG β₁ is involved in the regulatory process by which ECC-JHF Ⅱ inhibits EMT and ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis. ConclusionECC-JHF Ⅱ and matrix softening can block the EMT process and ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis， and the underlying mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of ITG β₁-mediated mechanotransduction. This study reveals a novel mechanism of ECC-JHF Ⅱ intervention in pulmonary fibrosis from a biomechanical perspective.

Objective:To analyze the distribution of causes of death among residents in Chuzhou City of Anhui Province from 2019 to 2022,in order to provide evidence for formulating disease prevention and control strategies.Methods:The death data of residents in Chuzhou City from 2019 to 2022 were obtained from the cause of death surveillance system of Chuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Anhui Province.The crude death rate,composition ratio of cause of death and the rank of cause of death were analyzed.The annual percent change(APC)of mortality was calculated by using the Joinpoint regression model to describe the average annual change of mortality.Results:From 2019 to 2022,the average annual crude mortality of permanent residents in Chuzhou City was 668.80/100 000,and the crude mortality rate(/100 000)was 640.58,652.10,659.32,and 723.46,respectively(APC=3.10%,P=0.356).The annual crude mortality of males(735.93/100 000)was higher than that of females(598.52/100 000)(χ2=1 148.724,P＜0.01).The top three causes of death were malignant tumor,cerebrovascular disease,and cardiovascular disease.The mortality of malignant tumors showed a decreasing trend(APC=-1.51%,P＜0.01),and the top three causes of death of malignant tumors were lung cancer,gastric cancer and liver cancer.Among the age groups,congenital malformations and deformations,chromosomal abnormalities,and certain conditions originating in the perinatal period were the leading causes of death among residents aged 0 to 4 years old.Accidental injuries were the first cause of death among residents aged 5 to 14 years old.The leading cause of death among residents in the 15-44 and 45-64 age groups was malignant tumor.Cerebrovascular disease was the leading cause of death in≥65 years old.The mortality of accidental injuries showed an increasing trend(APC=1.64%,P＜0.01),and the specific types of death causes of accidental injuries were different among different age groups.Conclusion:Chronic non-communicable diseases,especially cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases,are the main health threats to the residents of Chuzhou City of Anhui Province,and feasible prevention and control measures should be formulated.

Objective To identify serum metabolic markers served in the clinical diagnosis of ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods Ser-um samples from 29 UC patients,31 Crohn's disease(CD)patients,and 21 matched healthy controls(HC)admitted to Department of Gastroenterology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital during September 2022 and March 2024 were collected.The ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q Exactive HF-X)technology was used to detect and analyze serum metabolites.A partial least squares discrimination analysis(PLS-DA)model was constructed,and the metabolites significantly up-regulated in UC were screened based on the variable importance in projection(VIP)score＞1,P value＜0.05,and fold change(FC)＞1.2.The pathway enrichment analysis was performed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)database to reveal the biological pathways involved in the metabolites.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUCROC)was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic potential of the differential metabolites.Results A total of 1 522 metabo-lites were identified from the three sample groups.Among them,4 metabolites,namely leucodopachrome(VIP=1.964,P＜0.05,FC=1.916),tetrahydrodipicolinate(VIP=1.74,P＜0.05,FC=2.65),N-ethylmaleimide(VIP=1.519,P＜0.05,FC=1.597),and 5,6-dihydroxyindole(VIP=3.018,P＜0.05,FC=1.575),were significantly up-regulated in UC.Their AUCROC values for distinguishing UC from CD were 0.788(95%CI:0.655-0.921),0.773(95%CI:0.639-0.907),0.834(95%CI:0.720-0.949),and 0.899(95%CI:0.821-0.977),respectively,while those for distinguishing UC from HC were 0.966(95%CI:0.924-1.000),0.926(95%CI:0.857-0.995),0.969(95%CI:0.928-1.000),and 0.910(95%CI:0.830-0.990),respectively.KEGG pathway analysis showed that the up-regulated metabolites in UC were primarily enriched in biological pathways such as tyrosine metabolism,glycerophospholipid me-tabolism,and arachidonic acid metabolism.Conclusion The serum metabolic profile of UC patients is significantly changed,and the four differential metabolites mentioned above may serve as effective biomarkers for the differential diagnosis of UC,CD,and HC.

Objective:To develop a Recurrence Fear Scale for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Catheter Ablation and conduct psychometric testing for its reliability and validity.Methods:Based on the common-sense model of self-regulation, the scale was developed through a literature review and semi-structured interviews to construct an item pool. The scale draft was formed through expert consultation and a pre-survey. Using convenience sampling, 361 patients with atrial fibrillation who had undergone catheter ablation and were either hospitalized or attending outpatient follow-up at the Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, between January and March 2024, were selected for questionnaire survey. Item analysis and reliability and validity tests were performed on the scale.Results:Exploratory factor analysis identified five common factors, with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 74.375%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit. The final scale included five dimensions and 24 items: trigger factors, recurrence risk perception, disease uncertainty, psychological burden, and coping strategies. The content validity index at the scale level was 0.864, and the item-level content validity index ranged from 0.684 to 0.947. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was 0.919, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.834, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.872.Conclusions:The development of the Recurrence Fear Scale for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Catheter Ablation is scientific and standardized, and the scale has good reliability and validity. It can effectively assess the level of recurrence fear in these patients.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of against-lateral correction Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)in treating atlanto-axial joint disorder(AAJD)and imaging changes.Methods:A total of 142 patients with AAJD were recruited.They were randomly allocated to a trial group and a control group using the random number table method,with 71 participants in each group.The trial group was treated with against-lateral correction Tuina 3 times weekly.The control group was offered conventional physical traction therapy once daily.The interventions lasted 2 weeks in both groups.The two groups of participants were observed before and after treatment for their changes in the global pain scale(GPS)score,visual analog scale(VAS)score for dizziness assessment,cervical range of motion(ROM)in rotation,and the extent of atlanto-dental displacement.Results:The GPS and VAS scores dropped after treatment in both groups(P<0.05)and were lower in the trial group than in the control group after treatment and at the follow-up(P<0.05).Participants in the trial group achieved a significant increase in the cervical ROM in rotation after treatment and at the follow-up compared to the pre-treatment value(P<0.05)and surpassed the control group(P<0.05);the control group only showed an increase in the left-side rotation(P<0.05).After the intervention,neither the intra-group nor the between-group comparison revealed significant differences in the extent of atlanto-dental displacement(P>0.05),though the trial group presented an improving tendency.Conclusion:Compared to physical traction,the against-lateral correction Tuina method works more significantly in improving pain,dizziness,and ROM in AAJD patients.

Objective:To investigate the current status of intellectual property (IP) knowledge, awareness, and perceived barriers among healthcare workers in community health centers.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2022. A self-designed questionnaire assessing IP knowledge, awareness, difficulties in patent applications, and willingness to participate in IP-related activities was administered to 366 healthcare workers across all 13 community health centers in Shanghai Minhang District.Results:Among the 366 respondents, 42.6% (156/366) self-reported awareness of basic IP concepts, while 23.8% (87/366) self-reported awareness of the patent application process. Only 4.1% (15/366) had patent application experience. Significant differences in self-reported awareness of basic IP concepts were found across educational levels and years of work experience ( P<0.05). Similarly, significant differences in awareness of the patent application process were observed across educational levels, years of work experience, age groups, and patent application experience ( P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher educational attainment was positively associated with awareness of both basic IP concepts and the patent application process. Longer work experience was negatively associated with awareness of basic IP concepts. Having patent application experience was positively associated with awareness of the patent application process. A majority (86.6%, 317/366) expressed strong willingness to engage in IP-related activities. However, 82.8% (303/366) perceived patent applications as challenging, with the primary reported obstacle being unfamiliarity with the application procedures (85.8%, 314/366). Conclusion:A gap exists between self-evaluation and actual knowledge of IP among community health workers in Shanghai Minhang District. Nonetheless, their willingness to participate in IP activities is high, with the primary obstacle identified as a lack of understanding of the patent application process.

Objective:To analyze the distribution of causes of death among residents in Chuzhou City of Anhui Province from 2019 to 2022,in order to provide evidence for formulating disease prevention and control strategies.Methods:The death data of residents in Chuzhou City from 2019 to 2022 were obtained from the cause of death surveillance system of Chuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Anhui Province.The crude death rate,composition ratio of cause of death and the rank of cause of death were analyzed.The annual percent change(APC)of mortality was calculated by using the Joinpoint regression model to describe the average annual change of mortality.Results:From 2019 to 2022,the average annual crude mortality of permanent residents in Chuzhou City was 668.80/100 000,and the crude mortality rate(/100 000)was 640.58,652.10,659.32,and 723.46,respectively(APC=3.10%,P=0.356).The annual crude mortality of males(735.93/100 000)was higher than that of females(598.52/100 000)(χ2=1 148.724,P＜0.01).The top three causes of death were malignant tumor,cerebrovascular disease,and cardiovascular disease.The mortality of malignant tumors showed a decreasing trend(APC=-1.51%,P＜0.01),and the top three causes of death of malignant tumors were lung cancer,gastric cancer and liver cancer.Among the age groups,congenital malformations and deformations,chromosomal abnormalities,and certain conditions originating in the perinatal period were the leading causes of death among residents aged 0 to 4 years old.Accidental injuries were the first cause of death among residents aged 5 to 14 years old.The leading cause of death among residents in the 15-44 and 45-64 age groups was malignant tumor.Cerebrovascular disease was the leading cause of death in≥65 years old.The mortality of accidental injuries showed an increasing trend(APC=1.64%,P＜0.01),and the specific types of death causes of accidental injuries were different among different age groups.Conclusion:Chronic non-communicable diseases,especially cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases,are the main health threats to the residents of Chuzhou City of Anhui Province,and feasible prevention and control measures should be formulated.

Objective To identify serum metabolic markers served in the clinical diagnosis of ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods Ser-um samples from 29 UC patients,31 Crohn's disease(CD)patients,and 21 matched healthy controls(HC)admitted to Department of Gastroenterology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital during September 2022 and March 2024 were collected.The ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q Exactive HF-X)technology was used to detect and analyze serum metabolites.A partial least squares discrimination analysis(PLS-DA)model was constructed,and the metabolites significantly up-regulated in UC were screened based on the variable importance in projection(VIP)score＞1,P value＜0.05,and fold change(FC)＞1.2.The pathway enrichment analysis was performed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)database to reveal the biological pathways involved in the metabolites.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUCROC)was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic potential of the differential metabolites.Results A total of 1 522 metabo-lites were identified from the three sample groups.Among them,4 metabolites,namely leucodopachrome(VIP=1.964,P＜0.05,FC=1.916),tetrahydrodipicolinate(VIP=1.74,P＜0.05,FC=2.65),N-ethylmaleimide(VIP=1.519,P＜0.05,FC=1.597),and 5,6-dihydroxyindole(VIP=3.018,P＜0.05,FC=1.575),were significantly up-regulated in UC.Their AUCROC values for distinguishing UC from CD were 0.788(95%CI:0.655-0.921),0.773(95%CI:0.639-0.907),0.834(95%CI:0.720-0.949),and 0.899(95%CI:0.821-0.977),respectively,while those for distinguishing UC from HC were 0.966(95%CI:0.924-1.000),0.926(95%CI:0.857-0.995),0.969(95%CI:0.928-1.000),and 0.910(95%CI:0.830-0.990),respectively.KEGG pathway analysis showed that the up-regulated metabolites in UC were primarily enriched in biological pathways such as tyrosine metabolism,glycerophospholipid me-tabolism,and arachidonic acid metabolism.Conclusion The serum metabolic profile of UC patients is significantly changed,and the four differential metabolites mentioned above may serve as effective biomarkers for the differential diagnosis of UC,CD,and HC.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of against-lateral correction Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)in treating atlanto-axial joint disorder(AAJD)and imaging changes.Methods:A total of 142 patients with AAJD were recruited.They were randomly allocated to a trial group and a control group using the random number table method,with 71 participants in each group.The trial group was treated with against-lateral correction Tuina 3 times weekly.The control group was offered conventional physical traction therapy once daily.The interventions lasted 2 weeks in both groups.The two groups of participants were observed before and after treatment for their changes in the global pain scale(GPS)score,visual analog scale(VAS)score for dizziness assessment,cervical range of motion(ROM)in rotation,and the extent of atlanto-dental displacement.Results:The GPS and VAS scores dropped after treatment in both groups(P<0.05)and were lower in the trial group than in the control group after treatment and at the follow-up(P<0.05).Participants in the trial group achieved a significant increase in the cervical ROM in rotation after treatment and at the follow-up compared to the pre-treatment value(P<0.05)and surpassed the control group(P<0.05);the control group only showed an increase in the left-side rotation(P<0.05).After the intervention,neither the intra-group nor the between-group comparison revealed significant differences in the extent of atlanto-dental displacement(P>0.05),though the trial group presented an improving tendency.Conclusion:Compared to physical traction,the against-lateral correction Tuina method works more significantly in improving pain,dizziness,and ROM in AAJD patients.

Objective:To develop a Recurrence Fear Scale for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Catheter Ablation and conduct psychometric testing for its reliability and validity.Methods:Based on the common-sense model of self-regulation, the scale was developed through a literature review and semi-structured interviews to construct an item pool. The scale draft was formed through expert consultation and a pre-survey. Using convenience sampling, 361 patients with atrial fibrillation who had undergone catheter ablation and were either hospitalized or attending outpatient follow-up at the Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, between January and March 2024, were selected for questionnaire survey. Item analysis and reliability and validity tests were performed on the scale.Results:Exploratory factor analysis identified five common factors, with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 74.375%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit. The final scale included five dimensions and 24 items: trigger factors, recurrence risk perception, disease uncertainty, psychological burden, and coping strategies. The content validity index at the scale level was 0.864, and the item-level content validity index ranged from 0.684 to 0.947. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was 0.919, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.834, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.872.Conclusions:The development of the Recurrence Fear Scale for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Catheter Ablation is scientific and standardized, and the scale has good reliability and validity. It can effectively assess the level of recurrence fear in these patients.