ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Weicanqing Formula （微残清方， WF） combined with chemotherapy in treating acute myeloid leukemia （AML） based on malic enzyme 2 （ME2）-mediated bone marrow immune-metabolic homeostasis and . MethodsSixty-five male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into control group， model group， WF group， chemotherapy group， and the combination group （WF plus chemotherapy）， with 13 mice per group. Except for the control group， mice were injected with C1498 cells （appro-ximately 1×10⁶ cells per mouse） via the tail vein on day 1 to establish an AML model. Starting from day 8， mice in the chemotherapy group and the combination group were administered with cytarabine at 30 mg/（kg·d） via subcutaneous injection， once daily for 3 consecutive days； WF group and the combination group received WF at 7.54 g/（kg·d） by gavage， once daily for 21 consecutive days. On days 1， 7， 14， 21 and 28， hemoglobin （Hb） and white blood cell （WBC） levels were determined in each group. On day 28， Giemsa staining was used to observe morphological changes in bone marrow cells. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the expression levels of bone marrow T lympthocyte subsets， including CD8⁺， CD4⁺， and regulatory T lymphocytes （Treg）. The contents of glutamine （Gln）， nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADP⁺）， and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH） in bone marrow were determined using visible spectrophotometry. Adenosine triphosphate （ATP） concentration in bone marrow was measured by chemiluminescence assay. The mRNA expression of malic enzyme 2 （ME2） in bone marrow was detected by RT-qPCR， and the protein expression level of ME2 was determined by Western blotting. ResultsCompared to the control group， the model group showed decreased Hb levels on day 14， 21， and 28， and increased WBC levels on day 7， 14， 21， and 28 （P＜0.05）. On day 28， bone marrow CD8⁺ and CD8⁺/CD4⁺ levels decreased， while Treg cells， ATP， Gln， NADP⁺， NADPH， ME2 mRNA， and their corresponding protein levels increased （P＜0.05）. Compared to the model group， the chemotherapy group and the combination group both exhibited reduced Hb level on day 14， 21 and 28， as well as the increased WBC level； the combination group showed increased CD8⁺ level， decreased Treg， ATP， Gln， and NADPH content， as well as reduced ME2 mRNA expression and protein levels （P＜0.05）. Compared to the chemotherapy group， the combination group showed significantly increased Hb level on days 21 and 28， and increased WBC level on day 28 （P＜0.05）. Bone marrow smear pathology revealed that， in the model group， myeloid blast cells exhibited cytoplasmic vacuoles indicative of abnormal metabolic activity. In contrast， both the chemotherapy group and the combination group showed large numbers of metamyelocytes and band neutrophils， with only a few immature granulocytic blast cells observed. ConclusionWF may improve the prognosis of AML when used as an adjunct to chemotherapy by modulating ME2 expression， inhibiting metabolic energy competition within the bone marrow microenvironment， and reshaping the distribution of T lymphocyte subsets in the bone marrow.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the status of targeted monitoring of the health care-associated infections in in-tensive care unit(ICU)of a three-A hospital of northwest China in recent 7 years so as to provide bases for formu-lating effective prevention and control measures for the health care-associated infections.METHODS The related data were successively collected from the ICU hospitalized patients of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University who were under the targeted monitoring by nosocomial infection real-time monitoring system from Jan.2017 to Dec.2023.The data included the incidence of infections,infection sites,use of catheters,inci-dence of catheter-related infections,and distribution and prevalence trend of pathogens.RESULTS A total of 49,137 hospitalized patients from five ICU wards of respiratory medicine department,neurosurgery department,neurology department,thoracic surgery department and critical care medicine department were under the monito-ring,1446(1681 case-times)of whom had health care-associated infections,with the infection rate 2.94％,the case-time infection rate 3.42％.The respiratory system was the major infection site of the patients with the health care-associated infections.Among the patients with instrument-associated infections,20.70％had ventilator-asso-ciated pneumonia(VAP),5.71％had urinary catheter-associated urinary tract infection(CAUTI),and 1.96％had catheter-related bloodstream infection(CRBSI).Totally 405 strains of non-repetitive pathogens were isolated from 477 patients with instruments-associated infections,78.77％of which were gram-negative bacteria.The iso-lation rate of multidrug-resistant organisms(MDROs)was 44.12％,and Acinetobacter baumannii was the pre-dominant species of pathogen isolated from the patients with VAP.CONCLUSIONS The targeted monitoring of health care-associated infections may facilitate the awareness of dynamic changes of the infections in a accurate and timely manner so as to provide bases for developing effective prevention and control measures for the health care-associated infection.It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of the infections in critical care medi-cine department,neurosurgery department as well as the lower respiratory tract infections and prevent the MDROs infection in the meantime.

Objective:To explore the association between adverse outcomes of preterm infants and obstetric factors such as infection,maternal disease and treatment measures in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes(PPROM),so as to provide more accurate and effective prediction and intervention methods for im-proving maternal and infant prognosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 534 PPROM patients who gave births in the obstetrics department of The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical Uni-versity from January 1,2018,to August 31,2023.Based on the presence of severe preterm birth complications in premature infants(including bronchopulmonary dysplasia,necrotizing enterocolitis,retinopathy of prematurity,neonatal infectious pneumonia,neonatal respiratory distress syndrome,neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopa-thy,and neonatal sepsis)or death,the patients were divided into two groups:the adverse outcome group(n=121)and the non-adverse outcome group(n=413).The study compared differences between the two groups in general conditions,pregnancy complications and comorbidities,treatment and management,amniotic fluid and pla-cental infections.Logistics regression analysis was used to identify obstetric factors associated with adverse out-comes in preterm infants.Results:Univariate analysis revealed that patients in the adverse outcome group had smaller gestational weeks at delivery,longer intervals between membrane rupture and delivery,and a lower rate of vaginal delivery compared to those in the non-adverse outcome group.They also had a higher proportion of con-current cervical insufficiency,antepartum hemorrhage,hypertensive disorders of pregnancy,and anemia of preg-nancy.The use of prenatal magnesium sulfate and glucocorticoids for fetal lung maturity promotion before delivery was higher,and the effective coverage rates of prophylactic antibiotics was lower.The positive rates of amniotic fluid bacterial culture,the proportion of clinical chorioamnionitis,and histological chorioamnionitis were higher.All of the above differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that positive amniotic fluid bacterial culture(OR 4.602,95％CI 2.303-9.196,P＜0.05),anemia of pregnancy(OR 4.192,95％CI 2.064-8.510,P＜0.05),and cervical insufficiency(OR 9.435,95％CI 1.138-78.261,P＜0.05)were independ-ent risk factors for adverse outcomes in preterm infants among PPROM patients,while gestational weeks at deliv-ery(OR0.466,95％CI 0.370-0.586,P＜0.05),effective coverage of prophylactic antibiotics before delivery(OR 0.286,95％CI 0.121-0.673,P＜0.05),and treatment for lung maturity promotion(OR 0.225,95％CI 0.107-0.474,P＜0.05)were protective factors for adverse outcomes in premature infants in PPROM patients.Conclu-sions:The adverse outcomes of preterm infants in PPROM patients are closely related to obstetric factors such as infection,maternal diseases,and treatment measures.Among these,positive amniotic fluid bacterial culture,a-nemia during pregnancy,and cervical insufficiency are independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in premature infants in PPROM patients.On the other hand,gestational age at deli very,effective coverage of prenatal antibiot-ics,and pulmonary maturity promotion therapy are protective factors.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the status of targeted monitoring of the health care-associated infections in in-tensive care unit(ICU)of a three-A hospital of northwest China in recent 7 years so as to provide bases for formu-lating effective prevention and control measures for the health care-associated infections.METHODS The related data were successively collected from the ICU hospitalized patients of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University who were under the targeted monitoring by nosocomial infection real-time monitoring system from Jan.2017 to Dec.2023.The data included the incidence of infections,infection sites,use of catheters,inci-dence of catheter-related infections,and distribution and prevalence trend of pathogens.RESULTS A total of 49,137 hospitalized patients from five ICU wards of respiratory medicine department,neurosurgery department,neurology department,thoracic surgery department and critical care medicine department were under the monito-ring,1446(1681 case-times)of whom had health care-associated infections,with the infection rate 2.94％,the case-time infection rate 3.42％.The respiratory system was the major infection site of the patients with the health care-associated infections.Among the patients with instrument-associated infections,20.70％had ventilator-asso-ciated pneumonia(VAP),5.71％had urinary catheter-associated urinary tract infection(CAUTI),and 1.96％had catheter-related bloodstream infection(CRBSI).Totally 405 strains of non-repetitive pathogens were isolated from 477 patients with instruments-associated infections,78.77％of which were gram-negative bacteria.The iso-lation rate of multidrug-resistant organisms(MDROs)was 44.12％,and Acinetobacter baumannii was the pre-dominant species of pathogen isolated from the patients with VAP.CONCLUSIONS The targeted monitoring of health care-associated infections may facilitate the awareness of dynamic changes of the infections in a accurate and timely manner so as to provide bases for developing effective prevention and control measures for the health care-associated infection.It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of the infections in critical care medi-cine department,neurosurgery department as well as the lower respiratory tract infections and prevent the MDROs infection in the meantime.

Objective:To explore the association between adverse outcomes of preterm infants and obstetric factors such as infection,maternal disease and treatment measures in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes(PPROM),so as to provide more accurate and effective prediction and intervention methods for im-proving maternal and infant prognosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 534 PPROM patients who gave births in the obstetrics department of The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical Uni-versity from January 1,2018,to August 31,2023.Based on the presence of severe preterm birth complications in premature infants(including bronchopulmonary dysplasia,necrotizing enterocolitis,retinopathy of prematurity,neonatal infectious pneumonia,neonatal respiratory distress syndrome,neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopa-thy,and neonatal sepsis)or death,the patients were divided into two groups:the adverse outcome group(n=121)and the non-adverse outcome group(n=413).The study compared differences between the two groups in general conditions,pregnancy complications and comorbidities,treatment and management,amniotic fluid and pla-cental infections.Logistics regression analysis was used to identify obstetric factors associated with adverse out-comes in preterm infants.Results:Univariate analysis revealed that patients in the adverse outcome group had smaller gestational weeks at delivery,longer intervals between membrane rupture and delivery,and a lower rate of vaginal delivery compared to those in the non-adverse outcome group.They also had a higher proportion of con-current cervical insufficiency,antepartum hemorrhage,hypertensive disorders of pregnancy,and anemia of preg-nancy.The use of prenatal magnesium sulfate and glucocorticoids for fetal lung maturity promotion before delivery was higher,and the effective coverage rates of prophylactic antibiotics was lower.The positive rates of amniotic fluid bacterial culture,the proportion of clinical chorioamnionitis,and histological chorioamnionitis were higher.All of the above differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that positive amniotic fluid bacterial culture(OR 4.602,95％CI 2.303-9.196,P＜0.05),anemia of pregnancy(OR 4.192,95％CI 2.064-8.510,P＜0.05),and cervical insufficiency(OR 9.435,95％CI 1.138-78.261,P＜0.05)were independ-ent risk factors for adverse outcomes in preterm infants among PPROM patients,while gestational weeks at deliv-ery(OR0.466,95％CI 0.370-0.586,P＜0.05),effective coverage of prophylactic antibiotics before delivery(OR 0.286,95％CI 0.121-0.673,P＜0.05),and treatment for lung maturity promotion(OR 0.225,95％CI 0.107-0.474,P＜0.05)were protective factors for adverse outcomes in premature infants in PPROM patients.Conclu-sions:The adverse outcomes of preterm infants in PPROM patients are closely related to obstetric factors such as infection,maternal diseases,and treatment measures.Among these,positive amniotic fluid bacterial culture,a-nemia during pregnancy,and cervical insufficiency are independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in premature infants in PPROM patients.On the other hand,gestational age at deli very,effective coverage of prenatal antibiot-ics,and pulmonary maturity promotion therapy are protective factors.

Microbial communities such as those residing in the human gut are highly diverse and complex, and many with important implications for health and diseases. The effects and functions of these microbial communities are determined not only by their species compositions and diversities but also by the dynamic intra- and inter-cellular states at the transcriptional level. Powerful and scalable technologies capable of acquiring single-microbe-resolution RNA sequencing information in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of complex microbial communities together with their hosts are therefore utterly needed. Here we report the development and utilization of a droplet-based smRNA-seq (single-microbe RNA sequencing) method capable of identifying large species varieties in human samples, which we name smRandom-seq2. Together with a triple-module computational pipeline designed for the bacteria and bacteriophage sequencing data by smRandom-seq2 in four human gut samples, we established a single-cell level bacterial transcriptional landscape of human gut microbiome, which included 29,742 single microbes and 329 unique species. Distinct adaptive response states among species in Prevotella and Roseburia genera and intrinsic adaptive strategy heterogeneity in Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens were uncovered. Additionally, we identified hundreds of novel host-phage transcriptional activity associations in the human gut microbiome. Our results indicated that smRandom-seq2 is a high-throughput and high-resolution smRNA-seq technique that is highly adaptable to complex microbial communities in real-world situations and promises new perspectives in the understanding of human microbiomes.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; Bacteriophages/physiology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods* ; Bacteria/virology*

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light (IPL) for facial early linear scars.Methods:The patients who underwent facial plastic surgery and cosmetic suturing at the Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from June to December 2023 were included. A randomized self-controlled study was conducted. Each post-operative wound was divided into the treatment and control sides by random number. The treatment side received 3 sessions of IPL treatment at 2-3 d after wound suturing, 6-7 d after suture removal and 6 weeks after surgery, respectively. The control side did not receive IPL treatment. After 3 months follow-up, the Vancouver scar scale (VSS), patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) were used to evaluate the scars on both sides. Adverse reactions were recorded. VSS evaluated scar severity through four items: vascularity (0-3 points), pigmentation (0-3 points), thickness (0-4 points), and pliability (0-5 points), with a total score of 0-15 points. The higher the score, the more serious the scar was. POSAS consisted of observer scar assessment scale (OSAS) and patient scar assessment scale (PSAS), OSAS included vascularity, pigmentation, thickness, surface relief, pliability, surface area and overall opinion. While PSAS included pain, itching, color, thickness, stiffness, irregularity, and overall opinion. Each component was assessed on a scale ranging from 1 to 10, while maximum scores indicated the worst outcome. Statistical analysis was performed using the Graphpad Prism 8.0 software. Normal distributed measurement data were expressed as Mean±SD, and non-normally distributed measurement data were expressed as M( Q1, Q3). Comparisons of VSS, OSAS, PSAS scores between the treatment and control sides were performed using paired sample t-test or paired sample Wilcoxon rank sum test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 23 facial trauma patients with 27 scars formed after debridement and aesthetic suture were enrolled in this study, including 17 males and 6 females, aged (28.2±6.1) years old. The length of the scars were (5.9±1.8) cm. After three sessions of treatment and 3 months follow-up, with regard to VSS, the treatment sides scored vascularity [0(0, 1) vs. 1(1, 1)], thickness [0(0, 0) vs. 0(0, 1)], and total scores [0.5(0, 1) vs. 1(1, 2.75)], which were statistically lower than the control sides (all P<0.05). With regard to OSAS, the treatment sides scored vascularity(2.1±0.9 vs. 3.0±1.0), pigmentation(2.2±0.8 vs. 2.3±0.8), thickness(1.4±0.7 vs. 1.9±0.9), surface relief(1.7±0.6 vs. 2.2±1.1), pliability(1.8±0.8 vs. 2.1±1.1), overall opinion(1.9±0.8 vs. 2.8±1.1) and total scores(12.6±4.4 vs. 16.2±6.2), which were statistically lower than the control sides(all P<0.05).With regard to PSAS, the treatment sides scored scar color(2.9±1.3 vs. 3.9±1.7), thickness(1.8±1.4 vs. 2.4±1.5), overall opinion(2.2±1.0 vs. 3.1±1.3) and total scores(14.3±6.7 vs. 17.7±7.7), which were statistically lower than the control sides(all P<0.05). No adverse reactions such as wound infection, delayed wound healing and blister formation were observed in all patients. Conclusion:IPL is effective in the treatment of early facial scars, which can significantly improve the vascularity, thickness, pigmentation, surface relief and pliability of scars, and improve the scars appearance. This treatment method is safe with few adverse reactions.

Objective To compare the clinical and functional differences between transoral and submandibular approach in mandibu-lar segmental resection and reconstruction with free fibula flaps(FFFs).Methods Patients who underwent mandibular segmental re-section and FFFs reconstruction in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.All cases were divided into transoral approach and submandibular approach groups.Clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded including age,gender,follow-up time,pathologi-cal diagnosis,body mass index(BMI),American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)classification,James Brown classification of mandibular defect and number of fibular segments.The perioperative indexes,such as average operation time,average bleeding vol-ume,average blood transfusion volume,average drainage volume,average hospitalization time and postoperative complications such as malocclusion,fistula,infection,flap failure,and restriction of mouth opening were compared between the two groups.The University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to investigate the appearance,function of swallow and speech more than 6-month postoperatively.Results The average intraoperative bleeding and postoperative drainage were significantly lower in the transoral ap-proach group than in the submandibular approach group(P=0.013 9,P=0.001 9).The appearance score was significantly higher in the transoral approach group than in the submandibular approach group(83.52±12.37)vs.(67.19±13.64)(P＜0.000 1).The differ-ences between the two groups in other variables were not statistically significant.Conclusion Cases of transoral approach had signifi-cantly better aesthetic outcomes compared with those of submandibular approach.

Objective To compare the clinical and functional differences between transoral and submandibular approach in mandibu-lar segmental resection and reconstruction with free fibula flaps(FFFs).Methods Patients who underwent mandibular segmental re-section and FFFs reconstruction in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.All cases were divided into transoral approach and submandibular approach groups.Clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded including age,gender,follow-up time,pathologi-cal diagnosis,body mass index(BMI),American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)classification,James Brown classification of mandibular defect and number of fibular segments.The perioperative indexes,such as average operation time,average bleeding vol-ume,average blood transfusion volume,average drainage volume,average hospitalization time and postoperative complications such as malocclusion,fistula,infection,flap failure,and restriction of mouth opening were compared between the two groups.The University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to investigate the appearance,function of swallow and speech more than 6-month postoperatively.Results The average intraoperative bleeding and postoperative drainage were significantly lower in the transoral ap-proach group than in the submandibular approach group(P=0.013 9,P=0.001 9).The appearance score was significantly higher in the transoral approach group than in the submandibular approach group(83.52±12.37)vs.(67.19±13.64)(P＜0.000 1).The differ-ences between the two groups in other variables were not statistically significant.Conclusion Cases of transoral approach had signifi-cantly better aesthetic outcomes compared with those of submandibular approach.