BACKGROUND:Fibromyalgia syndrome,as a common rheumatic disease,is related to central sensitization and immune abnormalities.However,the specific mechanism has not been elucidated,and there is a lack of specific diagnostic markers.Exploring the possible pathogenesis of this disease has important clinical significance. OBJECTIVE:To screen the potential diagnostic marker genes of fibromyalgia syndrome and analyze the possible immune infiltration characteristics based on bioinformatics methods,such as weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),and machine learning. METHODS:Gene expression profiles in peripheral serum of fibromyalgia syndrome patients and healthy controls were obtained from the gene expression omnibus(GEO)database.The differentially co-expressed genes were screened in the expression profile by differential analysis and WGCNA analysis.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination(SVM-RFE)machine learning algorithm were further used to identify hub biomarkers,and draw receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosing fibromyalgia syndrome.Finally,single sample gene set enrichment analysis(ssGSEA)and gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)were used to evaluate the immune cell infiltration and pathway enrichment in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Eight down-regulated differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were obtained after differential analysis of the GSE67311 dataset according to the conditions of log2|(FC)|>0 and P<0.05.After WGCNA analysis,497 genes were included in the module(MEdarkviolet)with the highest positive correlation(r=0.22,P=0.04),and 19 genes were included in the module(MEsalmon2)with the highest negative correlation(r=-0.41,P=6×10-5).After intersecting DEGs and the module genes of WGCNA,seven genes were obtained.Four genes were screened out by LASSO regression algorithm and five genes were screened out by SVM-RFE machine learning algorithm.After the intersection of the two,three core genes were identified,which were germinal center associated signaling and motility like,integrin beta-8,and carboxypeptidase A3.The areas under the ROC curve of the three core genes were 0.744,0.739,and 0.734,respectively,indicating that they have good diagnostic value and can be used as biomarkers for fibromyalgia syndrome.The results of immune infiltration analysis showed that memory B cells,CD56 bright NK cells,and mast cells were significantly down-regulated in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome compared with the control group(P<0.05),and were significantly positively correlated with the above three biomarkers(P<0.05).The enrichment analysis suggested that there were nine fibromyalgia syndrome enrichment pathways,mainly related to olfactory transduction pathway,neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,and infection pathway.The above results showed that the occurrence and development of fibromyalgia syndrome are related to the involvement of multiple genes,abnormal immune regulation,and multiple pathways imbalance.However,the interactions between these genes and immune cells,as well as their relationships with various pathways need to be further investigated.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the fastest growing cancers in the world, ranking fourth among the causes of cancer-induced death in the world. At present, the field of HCC treatment is developing rapidly, and immunotherapy has been recognized as a promising treatment method, in which T cells play a key role in HCC immunotherapy. However, in the case of virus infection or in tumor microenvironment (TME), T cells will be continuously stimulated by antigens and then fall into the state of T cell exhaustion (Tex). This state will not only reduce the immunity of patients but also lead to poor efficacy of immunotherapy. Therefore, to deeply analyze the mechanism of Tex and to explore effective strategies to reverse Tex is the key point in the immunotherapy for HCC. This review aims to summarize the mechanism of Tex in HCC patients, and the current situation and shortcomings of drug research and development to reverse Tex at this stage, in order to provide theoretical basis for the optimization of immunotherapy regimen for HCC patients.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy* ; Liver Neoplasms/therapy* ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; Tumor Microenvironment/immunology* ; Animals ; T-Cell Exhaustion

Objective:This study aims to investigate the perception of Mandarin aspirated and unaspirated consonants by children with cochlear implants （CIs） under quiet and noisy conditions. It also examines factors that may affect their acquisition, such as auditory conditions, place of articulation, manner of articulation, chronological age, age at implantation, and non-verbal intelligence. Methods:Twenty-eight CI children aged 3 to 5 years who received implantation from 2018 to 2023 were recruited. Additionally, 88 peers with normal hearing （NH） were recruited as controls. Both groups participated in a perception test for aspirated/unaspirated consonants under quiet and noisy conditions, along with tests for speech recognition, speech production, and non-verbal intelligence. The study analyzed the effects of group （CI vs. NH）, auditory condition, and consonant characteristics on children's perception of aspirated/unaspirated consonants in Mandarin, as well as the factors contributing to CI children's acquisition of these consonants. Results:①CI children's ability to perceive aspirated/unaspirated consonants was significantly poorer than that of their NH peers （χ²= 14.16, P<0.01）, and their perception accuracy was influenced by the acoustic features of consonants （P<0.01）; ②CI children's consonant perception abilities were adversely affected by noise （P<0.01）, with accuracy in noisy conditions particularly influenced by the manner of articulation （P<0.05）; ③The age at implantation significantly affected CI children's ability to perceive aspirated/unaspirated consonants （β= -0.223, P=0.012）, with earlier implantation associated with better performance. Conclusion:It takes time for CI children to acquire Mandarin aspirated/unaspirated consonants, and early implantation shows many advantages, especially for the perception ability of fine speech features.
Humans ; Cochlear Implants ; Child, Preschool ; Speech Perception ; Cochlear Implantation ; Male ; Female ; Language

Objective To explore the association between different levels of fluoride exposure and dyslipidemia in elderly people, and to analyze the influencing factors and their interactions. Methods A total of 1 143 elderly people over 60 years old were randomly selected from historical high water fluorosis areas and control areas in Tianjin. Logistic regression model and classification tree model were used to analyze the influencing factors of dyslipidemia, and to analyze the interaction between high fluoride exposure and relevant influencing factors on dyslipidemia. Results The prevalence of elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was 5.69% (65/1 143). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of high LDL-C in different fluoride-exposed areas (2 = 0.092，P = 0.762). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that high fluoride exposure (OR=2.306，95%CI：1.185-4.491) and abdominal obesity (OR=2.274，95%CI：1.299-3.978) were risk factors for high LDL-C, while type B personality (OR=0.529，95%CI：0.308-0.908) was a protective factor for high LDL-C. The results of classification tree model showed that abdominal obesity contributed the most to the prevalence of high LDL-C in the elderly, followed by high fluoride exposure and hyperglycemia. There was a significant multiplicative interaction between high fluoride exposure and abdominal obesity on dyslipidemia (OR=5.191,95%CI：1.609-16.745，P=0.006). Conclusion High fluoride exposure may increase the risk of high LDL-C, and there is a multiplicative interaction between high fluoride exposure and abdominal obesity on dyslipidemia.

Biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have attracted much attention because of their unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. The microbial reduction of selenium salts to SeNPs has great potential, while there is a lack of elite strains. In this study, we explored the reduction of Na₂SeO₃ by Streptomyces avermitilis into SeNPs. The colonies and hyphae of the strain and the synthesized SeNPs were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). At the same time, the inhibitory activity of SeNPs on Fusarium oxysporum, the main pathogen causing root rot of Lycium barbarum, was studied. The results showed that S. avermitilis converted Na₂SeO₃ into SeNPs and tolerated 300 mmol/L Na₂SeO₃, demonstrating strong tolerance. S. avermitilis synthesized spherical SeNPs in the cytoplasm, and most of SeNPs had a diameter of about 100 nm and were released by hyphal fracture. The SeNPs synthesized by S. avermitilis were amorphous, and their surfaces were dominated by C and Se, with the existence of O, N and other elements. SeNPs had functional groups such as -OH, C=O, C-N, and C-H, which were closely related to the stability and biological activity of SeNPs. The SeNPs synthesized by S. avermitilis showcased significant inhibitory activity on F. oxysporum, and 25.0 μmol/mL SeNPs showcased the inhibition rate of 77.61% and EC₅₀ of 0.556 μmol/mL. In conclusion, S. avermitilis can tolerate high Na₂SeO₃ stress and mediate the synthesis of SeNPs. The synthesized SeNPs have good stability and strong inhibitory activity, demonstrating the potential application value in the preparation of SeNPs and the control of L. barbarum root rot.
Streptomyces/metabolism* ; Fusarium/drug effects* ; Lycium/microbiology* ; Selenium/metabolism* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Plant Diseases/microbiology* ; Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Antifungal Agents/pharmacology*

Objective: To understand the dose response relationship between urinary fluoride and dental fluorosis among children from drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas in Tianjin, so as to provide a scientific basis for assessing fluoride exposure risk among children from endemic areas and establishing reference values for urinary fluoride. Methods: From January to December 2024, 83 endemic villages were selected in Tianjin. A total of 2 382 children aged 8-12 years from these villages underwent dental fluorosis examination, along with water fluoride and urinary fluoride testing. Additionally, data from areas where the drinking water fluorosis control target was achieved for more than 12 years (10 villages, 50 people per village) were included as controls. A restricted cubic spline model was used to analyze the relationship between urinary fluoride levels and dental fluorosis prevalence, and benchmark dose (BMD) and benchmark dose lower bound (BMDL), as well as reference dose (RfD), were calculated using the benchmark dose method. Results: The prevalence rates of dental fluorosis among children in drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas and areas of normal fluoride content in water in Tianjin were 10.58%, 7.60%, with a geometric mean urinary fluoride level of 0.72 and 0.60 mg/L,respectively. There were statistically significant differences in both dental fluorosis prevalence and geometric mean urinary fluoride levels between the drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas group and the areas of normal fluoride content in water ( χ 2/Z = 4.05 , -7.31, both P <0.05). Across different periods of water source improvement, there were statistically significant differences in overall population, male, and female dental fluorosis prevalence rates and geometric mean urinary fluoride levels ( χ 2/H =44.95, 23.96, 21.05; 168.39, 63.93, 107.50, all P <0.01). Significant differences were also observed across age groups among children from drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas in terms of dental fluorosis prevalence and geometric mean urinary fluoride levels ( χ 2/H =32.14, 79.73, both P <0.01). The results of the restricted cubic spline model showed that the risk of dental fluorosis in different sex, age and overall children in the drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas increased significantly with rising urinary fluoride concentration(all P-general trend <0.05). The BMD value for the drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas was 1.72 mg/L, the BMDL was 1.31 mg/L, and the RfD was 1.31 mg/L. Conclusions The prevalence of dental fluorosis among children in the drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas in Tianjin has been effectively controlled, but it is still higher than that in the areas of normal fluoride content in water. Moreover, urinary fluoride levels and dental fluorosis prevalence among children from drinking water borne endemic fluorosis areas show a clear dose response relationship.

Objective To investigate the relationships of serum levels of G protein-coupled es-trogen receptor-1(GPER1)and interleukin-38(IL-38)with pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).Methods A total of 120 patients with GDM(GDM group)and 103 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance(control group)were enrolled between Janu-ary 2022 and June 2024.Serum GPER1,IL-38,and glycometabolic and lipometric indicators were measured at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation.Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correla-tions of GPER1 and IL-38 with glucolipid indicators.Pregnancy outcomes of GDM patients were re-corded.Factors influencing adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients and the predictive value of GPER1 and IL-38 for adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed.Results The serum levels of GPER1 and IL-38 in the GDM group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Moreover,GPER1 and IL-38 were negatively correlated with glucolipid indicators(P＜0.05).High HOMA-IR and excessive gestational weight gain were identified as risk factors for ad-verse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients,while high GPER1 and high IL-38 were protective factors(P＜0.05).The areas under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves for predicting ad-verse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients were 0.780 for GPER1 and 0.789 for IL-38,respectively.The area under the ROC curve for the combined prediction of GPER1 and IL-38 was 0.887.The predictive value of the combined GPER1 and IL-38 was higher than that of GPER1 or IL-38 alone(P＜0.05).Conclusion Reduced serum levels of GPER1 and IL-38 in GDM patients are associated with glycometabolic and lipometric disorders,insulin resistance,and adverse pregnancy outcomes.GPER1 combined with IL-38 exhibits high value in predicting pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients.

Dissipative structure refers to a self-organized and orderly structure that exists far from equilibrium.The human body,considered a classical example,generates negative entropy through the exchange of matter,energy,and information with the environment to counteract the increase in entropy.In this paper,we organized theories and related research on dissipative structure and entropy,discussing their significance in regulating various aspects such as the human body,cancer,aging,and more.By selecting the special population of pregnant women,focusing on the information dimension,developing the corresponding information exchange scale(Cronbach's α>0.9),and proposing the information exchange index,we preliminarily explored the influence of the dissipative structure's information dimension on pregnancy health.The results showed a negative correlation between the information exchange index and anxiety scores during pregnancy(r =-0.35,P<0.001),with an OR value of 0.26(95%CI:0.08～0.80),preliminarily confirming the feasibility of conducting empirical research based on dissipative structure theory.If further relevant empirical studies are conducted,it is expected that new disease prevention strategies will be developed and new theories and methods will be provided for the field of public health.

Purpose To explore the pathological features of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma(AITL)with bone marrow involvement and to improve awareness of bone marrow infiltration in AITL.Methods The tissue morphology of 32 cases of AITL with bone marrow involvement was retrospectively analyzed.Im-munohistochemistry using the EnVision method and ten-color flow cytometry were conducted to detect AITL-related immune markers.T cell clonality was analyzed through T cell receptor(TCR)gene rearrangement.Results The predominant pat-terns of tumor cell infiltration were nodular(20/32,62.5％)and interstitial or small clusters(10/32,31.3％).The nodules showed a mixture of cellular components.In some cases,the fo-ci contained a mixture of cells with characteristic"granuloma-toid"changes.The tumor cells were mainly small to medium-sized lymphocytes with inconspicuous atypia.Some cases showed plasma cell proliferation.19 cases were subject to immunohisto-chemical staining,which revealed a low count of CD4-positive T cells,with an average of 8.4％.The positive rates of T follic-ular helper cells(TFH)markers were as follows:CD10(7/14,50.0％),BCL6(6/19,31.6％),PD-1(13/19,68.4％),and CXCL13(13/19,68.4％).In most cases,tumor cells showed co-expression of PD-1 and CXCL13,but the number of positive cells was less than 1％.Flow cytometry analysis was performed in 24 cases,among which 22 cases all consistently expressed cytoplasmic CD3(cCD3),CD5,CD4,and CD2,with varying degrees of CD10 expression.In some cases,there was a lack of expression of surface CD3(sCD3)(12/22,54.5％),while there was a lack of expression of CD7(8/22,36.4％).and no abnormal T cells were found in 2 cases.TCR gene rearrangement analysis was performed in 7 cases,with 3 cases showing TCR clonality.Conclusion AITL with bone marrow involvement exhibits a lower proportion of tumor cells and less atypia,making it prone to misdiagnosis.The presence of lymphocytic foci with mixed cellular components in the bone marrow can indicate bone marrow involvement in AITL.Flow cy-tometry detection of abnormal T cells(double positive for CD4 and CD10)strongly suggests bone marrow infiltration in AITL.A comprehensive diagnosis of bone marrow involvement in AITL re-quires consideration of bone marrow biopsy,flow cytometry,and TCR gene rearrangement analysis.

Objective:To investigate the knowledge and practice of the Sixth Chinese national consensus report on the management of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection (treament excluded) (referred to as sixth national consensus)and 2022 Chinese national clinical practice guideline on H. pylori eradication treatment (referred to as guideline) among gastroenterologists in China, so as to provide out relevant training in the future. Methods:A questionnaire was designed according to sixth national consensus and guideline, including knowledge and practice of sixth national consensus and guideline, and the detection, indications of eradication, the relationship between infection and gastrointestinal microbiota, and eradication of H. pylori. From November 1 to 30 in 2023, the questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 1 506 gastroenterologists from secondary and tertiary hospitals of 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China with convenience sampling method using the "Questionnaire Star" online questionnaire platform and the questionnaire link was sent by WeChat. Descriptive methods were used for statistical analysis. Results:A total of 1 442 valid questionnaires were collected. The awareness rate of sixth national consensus and guideline of gastroenterologists was 83.7% (1 207/1 442), and 47.2% (680/1 442) had read the relevant content in detail. Urea breath test (97.4%, 1 404/1 442) was the most commonly used method for diagnosing current H. pylori infection, however, more than half of the physicians chose serological test (53.3%, 769/1 442) for the diagnosis of current infection. The common indications of H. pylori eradication could be identified by 84.3%(1 215/1 442) of gastroenterologists. The most well-known eradication regimen was bismuth quadruple regimen (98.5%, 1 421/1 442), while some physicians still believed that the standard triple regimen (31.8%, 459/1 442) and sequential regimen (21.9%, 316/1 442) were recommended by the guideline. A further 20.2% (291/1 442) frequently prescribed a triple regimen combined with gastric mucosal protectants and the awareness rate of high-dose dual regimen was 59.1% (852/1 442). Amoxicillin + clarithromycin (65.4%, 943/1 442) and amoxicillin+ furazolidone (20.1%, 290/1 442) were commonly used antibiotic combinations in bismuth quadruple therapy. Potassium-competitive acid blockers and double-dose proton pump inhibitors were commonly used in bismuth quadruple therapy by 45.4% (655/1 442) and 46.0% (664/1 442) of physicians, respectively. For patients with multiple failed eradications, furazolidone was the most commonly used antibiotic for re-eradication(71.7%, 1 034/1 442). Conclusion:The knowledge and practice of gastroenterologists on H. pylori infection in China deviates from the new consensus and guideline, and more publicity and training should be carried out in future to improve the ability of gastroenterologists to standardise the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection.