OBJECTIVES: To investigate the ethnic origin of Chuanqing people, one of the largest unidentified ethnic groups in Guizhou, China, and analyze its genetic relationships with surrounding populations. METHODS: Based on a self-developed microhaplotype system, we conducted genotyping and analyzed the genetic distribution of microhaplotype loci and their forensic applicability in Chuanqing population in Guizhou Province. Using the microhaplotype data from different intercontinental populations and previously reported data from Han population living in Guizhou Province, we systematically investigated the genetic background of Chuanqing people through population genetic approaches, including genetic distance estimation, principal component analysis, and phylogenetic tree construction. RESULTS: Among the studied population, the number of haplotype per microhaplotype ranged from 6 to 25. The average expected heterozygosity (He), observed heterozygosity (Ho), power of discrimination (PD), and probability of exclusion (PE) were 0.8291, 0.8301, 0.9387, and 0.6593, respectively. The cumulative power of discrimination (CPD) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) for these 33 loci were 1-2.62×10^-41 and 1-7.64×10^-17, respectively. Population genetic analyses revealed that the Chuanqing population had close genetic relationships with the East Asian populations, especially the local Guizhou Han population, Beijing Han population and the Han populations living in southern China. CONCLUSIONS The 33 microhaplotypes exhibit high levels of genetic diversity in the Guizhou Chuanqing population, highlighting their potentials for both forensic identification and parentage testing. The Han populations might have contributed a significant amount of genetic material to the Chuanqing population during the formation and development of the latter.
Humans ; China/ethnology* ; Ethnicity/genetics* ; Forensic Genetics/methods* ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Phylogeny ; East Asian People/genetics*

[Objective] To determine the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) inspection of spirit classification and the severity grade of depression based on facial features, offering insights for intelligent intergrated TCM and western medicine diagnosis of depression. [Methods] Using the Audio-Visual Emotion Challenge and Workshop (AVEC 2014) public dataset on depression, which conclude 150 interview videos, the samples were classified according to the TCM inspection of spirit classification: Deshen (得神, presence of spirit), Shaoshen (少神, insufficiency of spirit), and Shenluan (神乱, confusion of spirit). Meanwhile, based on Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score for the severity grade of depression, the samples were divided into minimal (0 – 13, Q1), mild (14 – 19, Q2), moderate (20 – 28, Q3), and severe (29 – 63, Q4). Sixty-eight landmarks were extracted with a ResNet-50 network, and the feature extracion mode was stadardized. Random forest and support vectior machine (SVM) classifiers were used to predict TCM inspection of spirit classification and the severity grade of depression, respectively. A Chi-square test and Apriori association rule mining were then applied to quantify and explore the relationships. [Results] The analysis revealed a statistically significant and moderately strong association between TCM spirit classification and the severity grade of depression, as confirmed by a Chi-square test (χ2 = 14.04, P = 0.029) with a Cramer’s V effect size of 0.243. Further exploration using association rule mining identified the most compelling rule: “moderate depression (Q3) → Shenluan”. This rule demonstrated a support level of 5%, indicating this specific co-occurrence was present in 5% of the cohort. Crucially, it achieved a high Confidence of 86%, meaning that among patients diagnosed with Q3, 86% exhibited the Shenluan pattern according to TCM assessment. The substantial Lift of 2.37 signifies that the observed likelihood of Shenluan manifesting in Q3 patients is 2.37 times higher than would be expected by chance if these states were independent—compelling evidence of a highly non-random association. Consequently, Shenluan emerges as a distinct and core TCM diagnostic manifestation strongly linked to Q3, forming a clinically significant phenotype within this patient subgroup. [Conclusion] Automated facial analysis can serve as a common lens for TCM and western psychological assessments align in the diagnosis of depression. The inspection of spirit decline trajectory parallels worsening depression, supporting early screening and stratified intervention, and providing a reference for the intelligent assistance of integrated TCM and western medicine in the diagnosis of depression.

Objective:To investigate the perioperative safety, short-term and long-term efficacy, and surgical strategy of laparoscopic partial gastrectomy for gastrointestinal stromal tumors at the esophagogastric junction.Methods:Seventy-eight patients with mesenchymal tumors in the esophagogastric junction were retrospectively enrolled from September 2018 to August 2023 in which the upper edge of the tumor is less than 2 cm from the Z-line or has invaded the Z-line <1/2 circumference. There were 31 males (39.7%) and 47 females (60.3%), with an average age of (57.2±11.8) years and an average body mass index of (24.5±3.5) kg/m 2. All cases were divided into the wedge resection (WR) group ( n=51) and the resection by opening all of the layers of the stomach wall (RASW) group ( n=27) according to the surgical methods. Surgical outcomes, complications, recover and postoperative gastroesophageal reflux of both groups were compared. The measurement data with a normal distribution were represented by mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and values were compared using the independent sample t-test. The measurement data with a skewed distribution were represented by median (interquartile range) [ M( Q1, Q3)], and values were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were expressed as examples (percentages) [ n(%)], and the χ2 test was used to compare countable data. A non-parametric test was used to compare the grade data. Results:The WR group had shorter operation time [(97.1±32.6) min vs (149.9±54.9) min, t=-5.33, P<0.001], less intraoperative blood loss [15(10, 20) mL vs 20(10, 50) mL, z=-2.47, P=0.014], shorter postoperative exhaust time [2(1, 3) d vs 3(2, 3) d, z=-2.49, P=0.013], shorter postoperative oral intake time [2(2, 3) d vs 4(2, 5) d, t=-3.70, P<0.001], shorter postoperative semi-liquid diet time[5(4, 6) d vs 7(5, 8) d, z=-3.57, P<0.001], and shorter postoperative hospital stay [5(4, 6) d vs 7(6, 8) d, z=-4.16, P<0.001] than the RASW group, with statistically significant differences. There was no significant difference in short-term (≤30 days) complications between the two groups (2.0% vs 3.7%, z=-0.46, P=0.648). No cases of cardia stenosis occurred in either group. In the WR group, 3 patients developed gastroesophageal reflux at 6 months postoperatively, with 2 patients relieved after taking acid-suppressing drugs and 1 patient not completely relieved. In the RASW group, 1 patient developed gastroesophageal reflux at 6 months postoperatively and was not completely relieved after taking acid-suppressing drugs. No other patients had gastroesophageal reflux. No other patients have gastroesophageal reflux. Conclusions:WR and RASW are safe and feasible for mesenchymal tumors at the esophagogastric junction in which the upper edge of the tumor is less than 2 cm from the Z-line or has invaded the Z-line <1/2 circumference, and has achieved an excellent short-term effect. The choice of surgical approach can be determined based on varions factors such as the location of the tumor, the relationship of the position between the tumor and the cardia, and whether the tumor is exophytic growth.

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and its receptor family members are involved in a variety of pathophysiological processes.Studies have shown that the IL-17 family may be closely related to the occurrence and development of interstitial cystitis/ bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).This paper explores the relationship between the IL-17 family and IC/BPS, introduces the members and structures of the IL-17 family, their value in inflammatory diseases, and discusses in depth the IL-17 pathways in IC/BPS and the latest research progress.Research has found that the IL-17 family is upregulated in IC/BPS, related to the exacerbation of pathological inflammatory reactions, and responsible for maintaining the chronic inflammatory state of IC/BPS patients.In addition, IL-17 is also associated with neuroinflammation, pain, and other biological effects in IC/BPS.This review aims to deepen the understanding of the mechanisms underlying IC/BPS and to provide references for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Objective To explore the value of blood inflammatory load in predicting overall survival of elderly patients with epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC).Methods Elderly patients with EOC were selected,and their clinical data and peripheral blood parameters were collected.We constructed an inflammation-related blood scoring system using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis.The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis.We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to identify the independent prognostic factors.A nomogram model was constructed based on independent prognostic factors,and the receiver operating characteristic curve,C-index,and calibration curve were used to evaluate the model.Results Patients with high blood inflammatory load had worse prognosis(P=0.002).Compared with the low inflammatory load group,patients with high inflammatory load had later clinical stages and larger ascites volume(P<0.05).Cox regression analysis showed that ACCI,CA125,residual lesions,and blood score were independent factors affecting overall survival(P<0.05).Conclusion The blood inflammatory load is the biomarker for the prognosis of elderly patients with EOC.Scoring the inflammatory load in the blood can assist in efficacy monitoring and treatment intervention of ovarian cancer patients.

Objective To explore the value of Fast Dixon in improving the quality of thyroid turbo spin echo(TSE)T2WI images via comparing the quality of thyroid MR T2WI images based on Fast Dixon,Dixon,and BLADE sequences.Methods The prospective study included 11 healthy volunteers,who underwent neck MR scanning.The evaluation of image quality was performed via a combination of objective measures and subjective ratings.Objective measures included signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)of bilateral thyroid and muscles,and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR).Subjective measures included overall image quality,uniformity of fat suppression,sharpness of thyroid margins and muscles surrounding the thyroid,image noise in the neck region,image background noise,and image quality of the nasopharynx.Two diagnostic physicians with over 10 years of thyroid diagnostic experience independently evaluated the images via a 5-point scale.Inter-observer agreement was analyzed via Spearman correlation coefficient.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 software,including normality and homogeneity of variance tests for continuous data.Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis of subjective measures,followed by post hoc pairwise comparisons.A significance level of P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results Eleven healthy volunteers,the SNR of bilateral thyroid and muscles was significantly higher in Fast Dixon sequence than that in Dixon and BLADE sequences.For bilateral CNR,Fast Dixon sequence was also significantly higher than that of Dixon and BLADE sequences.Fast Dixon sequence also had significant advantages in seven subjective ratings indicators(P<0.001).Conclusion The Fast Dixon sequence shows the highest image quality and important application value in the display and evaluation of thyroid lesions.

BACKGROUND:As a common complication of diabetes mellitus,male reproductive disorders have received increasing attention in recent years.Ganoderma spore have hypoglycemic,antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects,but the regulatory mechanism for diabetic testicular tissue has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of ganoderma spore on the PTEN-induced kinase 1/E3 ubiquitin ligase pathway and cell apoptosis in testicular tissue of diabetic rats. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group,high fat and high sugar group,diabetic group and ganoderma spore group,with 10 rats in each group.The latter three groups were given high fat/high sugar diet until the end of the experiment.After 1 month of high fat/high sugar diet,the diabetic and ganoderma spore groups were given intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(30 mg/kg per day)to establish type 2 diabetic rat models.After successful modeling,the ganoderma spore group was intragastrically given ganoderma spore(300 mg/kg per day),and the other groups were given the same amount of normal saline for continuous 12 weeks.The sperm number and morphology were detected.The histopathological changes of the testicle were observed.Serum testosterone and oxidative stress levels in testicular tissue were measured.The levels of PTEN-induced kinase 1,E3 ubiquitin ligase,and anti-nucleoporin p62 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and the expression of PTEN-induced kinase 1,E3 ubiquitin ligase,anti-nucleoporin p62,programmed cell death-1,microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ,caspase 3,cleaved-caspase 3 were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the normal group and the high fat and high sugar group,the diabetic group had decreased sperm number(P＜0.01),increased sperm malformation rate(P＜0.01),and decreased serum testosterone level(P＜0.01).Compared with the diabetic group,ganoderma spore intervention could increase the sperm number(P＜0.05),decrease the malformation rate(P＜0.01),and increase the serum testosterone level(P＜0.01).Compared with the normal group and the high fat and high sugar group,the malondialdehyde level in testis tissue was increased in the diabetic group(P＜0.01),while the levels of glutathione deoxidase and superoxide dismutase decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with the diabetic group,the malondialdehyde level in testis tissue was decreased in the ganoderma spore group(P＜0.01),and the levels of glutathione deoxidase and superoxide dismutase increased(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemical staining showed that compared with the normal group and the high fat and high sugar group,the positive expressions of PTEN-induced kinase 1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase in testicular tissue were decreased in the diabetic group,while the positive expressions of anti-nucleoporin p62 were increased.Compared with the diabetic group,the positive expressions of PTEN-induced kinase 1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase in testicular tissue e were increased in the ganoderma spore group,while the positive expression of anti-nucleoporin p62 was decreased.Western blot assay results indicated that compared to the normal group and the high fat and high sugar group,the expression of PTEN-induced kinase 1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase,programmed cell death-1 and the ratio of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein were decreased in the diabetic group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),while the expressions of anti-nucleoporin p62,caspase3 and cleaved-caspase3 were increased(P＜0.01).Compared with the diabetic group,ganoderma spore intervention could elevate the expression of PTEN-induced kinase 1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase,programmed cell death-1 and the ratio of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01)as well as reduce the expressions of anti-nucleoporin p62,caspase3 and cleaved-caspase3(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Overall,ganoderma spores may activate the PTEN-induced kinase 1/E3 ubiquitin ligase pathway to enhance autophagy in testicular tissue and reduce apoptosis in tissue cells,so as to protect testicular tissue.

Objective To explore the pulmonary ultrasound manifestations of pediatric infectious pneumonia and its combined diagnostic value with serum amyloid protein A(SAA)/hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and procalcitonin(PCT).Methods A tatol of 107 children with infectious pneumonia admitted to the 903rd Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the People's Liberation Army of China from January 2019 to June 2023 were selected as the research group,and 50 healthy children who underwent physical examinations during the same period were selected as the control group.Both groups of children underwent lung ultrasound examination to analyze the ultrasound manifestations of children with infectious pneumonia,compare SAA/hs-CRP and PCT,and analyze the diagnostic value of lung ultrasound combined with SAA/hs-CRP and PCT detection for pediatric infectious pneumonia.Results Among 107 children with infectious pneumonia,104 were diagnosed positive by lung ultrasound,with a positive rate of 97.20％.The lung ultrasound score,SAA/hs-CRP,and PCT of the study group were higher than those of the control group(P＜0.05).The lung ultrasound score,SAA/hs-CRP,and PCT in children with severe infectious pneumonia were higher than those in mild cases(P＜0.05).The diagnostic efficacy of lung ultrasound combined with SAA/hs-CRP and PCT detection for pediatric infectious pneumonia is superior to that of individual detection,with a curve area of 0.923,sensitivity and specificity of 92.30％and 87.98％,respectively.The lung ultrasound score is positively correlated with SAA/hs-CRP and PCT(P＜0.05).Conclusion Pulmonary ultrasound can display the characteristics of pulmonary lesions in children with infectious pneumonia.The ultrasound manifestations of children are mostly abnormal pleural lines,increased B-lines,and pulmonary consolidation.Combined detection with SAA/hs-CRP and PCT can further improve the diagnostic efficiency of pediatric infectious pneumonia.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block (SNB) and paraverteral nerve block (PVB) in treating postherpetic neuralgia.Methods:A total of 52 patients with postherpetic neuralgia who visited the Pain Clinic of the Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from February 2020 to December 2022 were selected and randomly divided into an ultrasound-guided SNB group and a PVB group using a random number table method, with 26 patients in each group. Patients in the SNB group received ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block therapy; The PVB group received ultrasound-guided paraverteral nerve block treatment. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) scores, and total effective rate were observed in two groups of patients before treatment, 2 weeks after treatment, 1 month after treatment, 3 months after treatment, and 6 months after treatment. Complications during treatment were also observed.Results:The total effective rates of SNB group patients at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were significantly higher than those of PVB group (all P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores of both groups of patients at each time point were significantly reduced compared to before treatment (all P<0.05); The VAS scores of patients in the SNB group were lower than those in the PVB group at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant (all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores between SNB and PVB groups before nerve block treatment (all P>0.05). The MCS and PCS scores of the two groups of patients were significantly higher than before treatment at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment (all P<0.05). The MCS scores of the SNB group were significantly higher than those of the PVB group at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment (all P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in PCS scores between the two groups (all P>0.05). Both groups of patients did not experience any serious complications related to the treatment in this study during the follow-up period. Conclusions:Both ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block and paraverteral nerve block can safely and effectively treat postherpetic neuralgia. The clinical effect of ultrasound-guided spinal nerve block in treating postherpetic neuralgia is better than that of paraverteral nerve block.

Sepsis,characterized by inadequate host responses to infection,leads to life-threatening organ dysfunction and is a major cause of mortality among critically ill patients.Among them,immunosuppression plays a crucial role in the development of sepsis.This review elaborates on the pathogenesis and immunological features of sepsis-induced immunosuppression.Then,we analyzed the current situation of immunotherapy for sepsis from the angles of restoring immune stimulation,eliminating inflammatory mediators,and improving immunity.We emphasized the need for a comprehensive analysis of the traits and immunological types of patients with sepsis,generating new approaches to improve the prognosis of sepsis based on immune targets.