Background The positive rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among coal mine workers remains high, which seriously affects the quality of life of the workers. Objective To estimate the prevalence of WMSDs among coal miners in Shanxi Province and analyze their influencing factors. Methods From May to December 2023, 2315 coal miners from a coal mine enterprise inShanxi Province were selected by convenience sampling, and the self-administered Basic Situation Survey Scale, Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale were used to evaluate general demographic characteristics, work organization characteristics, living habits, sleep quality, occupational stress, and occurrence of WMSDs symptoms and the corresponding absences (sickness absence) in past 1 year. The positive rate and absenteeism rate of WMSDs were caculated, and Pearson's chi-square test was used for identify influencing factors of WMSDs, and finally a binary logistic regression method was used to further studying the factors. Results A total of 2577 questionnaires were distributed in this survey, and 2315 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 89.9%. The positive rate of WMSDs symptoms was 48.7% (1127/2315), the absenteeism rate due to WMSDs was 22.6% (523/2315), and the waist (17.5%), neck (11.7%), and knee (9.0%) were the most common areas presenting WMSDs symptoms. The results of logistic regression showed that compared with ≤10 years of service, the risk of WMSDs was higher for those with > 20 years of service (OR=2.167, 95%CI: 1.419, 3.311). Compared with the daily working time of ≤8 h, the risk of WMSDs was higher for those >8 h daily working time (OR=1.463, 95%CI: 1.211, 1.767). A higher risk of WMSDs was reported in workers with moderate labor intensity (OR=1.247, 95%CI: 1.009, 1.542) or heavy labor intensity (OR=1.570, 95%CI: 1.215, 2.027) than those with light labor intensity. The higher the education level (OR _{high school and technical secondary school}=1.866, 95%CI: 1.435, 2.425; OR _{junior college/bachelor degree or above}=1.953, 95%CI: 1.445, 2.639), the higher the risk of WMSDs. The risk of WMSDs was higher in workers reporting smoking (OR=1.225, 95%CI: 1.021, 1.470) or alcohol consumption (OR=1.345, 95%CI: 1.122, 1.612). The risk of WMSDs in coal miners with high occupational stress (OR=1.229, 95%CI:1.030, 1.466) or those with sleep disorders (OR=3.616, 95%CI:2.824, 4.629) was higher than that in workers with low occupational stress or no sleep disorders respectively. Conclusion The positive rate of WMSDs among coal mine personnel in Shanxi Province is high, and education level, length of service, daily working hours, smoking, alcohol consumption, labor intensity, sleep disorders, and occupational stress are influencing factors for WMSDs.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is one of the most common complications of liver cirrhosis. The formation of PVT can increase the mortality rate of cirrhotic patients and adversely affect the successful implementation and prognosis of liver transplantation. A hypercoagulable state is a unique mechanism underlying PVT formation in cirrhotic patients. In recent years, the pathogenesis of PVT has gradually been elucidated, with specific mechanisms including the following aspects: systemic and local inflammatory responses lead to vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, thereby promoting the activation of the coagulation system; abnormal activation of the monocyte-macrophage system exacerbates local inflammation, enhancing platelet adhesion and aggregation, and facilitating thrombus formation; an imbalance between the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems results in a sustained hypercoagulable state; and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis induces inflammation and metabolic disturbances, thereby increasing the risk of PVT. This article summarizes the latest research progress on these key mechanisms and their interactions, providing new insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of PVT. It also offers directions for the early diagnosis of PVT and the exploration of novel intervention strategies in the future.

ObjectiveThis study leverages structural data from antigen-antibody complexes of the influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) protein to investigate the spatial recognition relationship between the antigenic epitopes and antibody paratopes. MethodsStructural data on NA protein antigen-antibody complexes were comprehensively collected from the SAbDab database, and processed to obtain the amino acid sequences and spatial distribution information on antigenic epitopes and corresponding antibody paratopes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the antibody sequences, frequency of use of genes, amino acid preferences, and the lengths of complementarity determining regions (CDR). Epitope hotspots for antibody binding were analyzed, and the spatial structural similarity of antibody paratopes was calculated and subjected to clustering, which allowed for a comprehensively exploration of the spatial recognition relationship between antigenic epitopes and antibodies. The specificity of antibodies targeting different antigenic epitope clusters was further validated through bio-layer interferometry (BLI) experiments. ResultsThe collected data revealed that the antigen-antibody complex structure data of influenza A virus NA protein in SAbDab database were mainly from H3N2, H7N9 and H1N1 subtypes. The hotspot regions of antigen epitopes were primarily located around the catalytic active site. The antibodies used for structural analysis were primarily derived from human and murine sources. Among murine antibodies, the most frequently used V-J gene combination was IGHV1-12*01/IGHJ2*01, while for human antibodies, the most common combination was IGHV1-69*01/IGHJ6*01. There were significant differences in the lengths and usage preferences of heavy chain CDR amino acids between antibodies that bind within the catalytic active site and those that bind to regions outside the catalytic active site. The results revealed that structurally similar antibodies could recognize the same epitopes, indicating a specific spatial recognition between antibody and antigen epitopes. Structural overlap in the binding regions was observed for antibodies with similar paratope structures, and the competitive binding of these antibodies to the epitope was confirmed through BLI experiments. ConclusionThe antigen epitopes of NA protein mainly ditributed around the catalytic active site and its surrounding loops. Spatial complementarity and electrostatic interactions play crucial roles in the recognition and binding of antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the catalytic region. There existed a spatial recognition relationship between antigens and antibodies that was independent of the uniqueness of antibody sequences, which means that antibodies with different sequences could potentially form similar local spatial structures and recognize the same epitopes.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of nystagmus during the Dix-Hallpike and Roll tests in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) using three-dimensional videonystagmography (3D-VNG), in order to to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of BPPV. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 patients with posterior semicircular canal (PSC)-BPPV and 26 patients with horizontal semicircular canal (HSC)-BPPV. Nystagmus data obtained from 3D-VNG were reviewed for all patients, with a focus on the eye movement components during the Dix-Hallpike test in PSC-BPPV patients and the Roll test in HSC-BPPV patients. The direction and reversal rates of the vertical, horizontal, and torsional components were recorded and analyzed. Results All PSC-BPPV patients exhibited highly consistent three-dimensional nystagmus characteristics during the Dix-Hallpike test: vertical nystagmus was uniformly upward, torsional nystagmus was predominantly clockwise in left-side BPPV patients (17/23) and counterclockwise in right-side BPPV patients (44/45), while the horizontal component was mostly directed contralaterally (50/68); upon transitioning from the head-hanging to the sit-up position, vertical nystagmus components in all patients reversed, and torsional and horizontal nystagmus components reversed in approximately 50.0% or more patients. Among HSC-BPPV patients, right-side BPPV patients all showed right-beating (geotropic) horizontal nystagmus with predominantly upward vertical component (16/19), while most left-side BPPV patients showed left-beating horizontal nystagmus (6/7) with predominantly downward vertical component (6/7). During head rotation toward the healthy side, most (25/26) HSC-BPPV patients exhibited a reversal in the horizontal nystagmus direction, reduced intensity compared to the affected side, with a reversal in vertical components in 3 patients, and atypical torsional components. Conclusions 3D-VNG could precisely quantitative analyze three-dimensional features of nystagmus in BPPV patients, improve diagnostic accuracy in canal and side localization, particularly in PSC-BPPV patients.

Objective: To retrospectively assess whether a lower hematocrit level (between 18% and 20%) had any impact on the safety of patients undergoing therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), and to further determine the threshold for red blood cell supplementation prior to TPE. Methods: Clinical data from 181 adult patients who underwent TPE treatment at the Department of Blood Transfusion of our hospital from March 2023 to July 2024 were collected. The patients were divided into a study group of 44 patients (Hct ≥18% and <20%) and a control group of 137 patients (Hct≥20%). In two groups, blood volume-related safety indicators including respiration rate, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and blood oxygen saturation levels before and after TPE were compared using t-test. Between-group differences in the grading of adverse reactions such as allergies and hypotension were analyzed using chi-square test. Results: A total of 659 TPE treatments were performed on 181 patients, with 169 TPE treatments on 44 patients in the study group (Hct≥18% and <20%) and 490 TPE treatments on 137 patients in the control group (Hct≥20%). There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, BMI category, and the presence of cardiac insufficiency between the two groups. In the study group, there were no statistically significant differences in safety indicators such as respiration rate, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and blood oxygen saturation level before and after TPE. In the control group, there were no statistically significant differences in heart rate and systolic blood pressure before and after TPE, but there were statistically significant differences in respiration rate and blood oxygen saturation level (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the grading of adverse reactions such as allergic reactions and hypotension between the two groups. Conclusion: For adult patients with stable conditions, maintaining a lower hematocrit level (Hct ≥18% and <20%) during TPE is relatively safe. It is feasible to lower the TPE red blood cell supplementation threshold to 18%≤Hct<20%，which may save blood resources while potentially benefit patients by avoiding unnecessary red blood cell transfusion.

Background/Aims: Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used exogenous therapeutic glucocorticoid in clinical settings. Its long-term use leads to many side effects. However, its effect on metabolic disorders in individuals on a high-fat diet (HFD) remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, HFD-fed mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX 2.5 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation, and inflammation were assayed using typical approaches. Results: DEX increased the epididymal fat index and epididymal adipocyte size in HFD-fed mice. The number of epididymal adipocytes with diameters > 70 μm accounted for 0.5% of the cells in the control group, 30% of the cells in the DEX group, 19% of the cells in the HFD group, and 38% of all the cells in the D+H group. Adipocyte proliferation in the D+H group was inhibited by DEX treatment. Adipocyte enlargement in the D+H group was associated with increased the lipid accumulation but not the adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and their metabolism were downregulated by the same treatment, indicating the therapeutic potential of DEX for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions DEX synergizes with HFD to promote lipid deposition in adipose tissues. A high risk of obesity development in patients receiving HFD and DEX treatment is suggested.

Metabolites produced as intermediaries or end-products of microbial metabolism provide crucial signals for health and diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). These metabolites include products of the bacterial metabolism of dietary substrates, modification of host molecules (such as bile acids [BAs], trimethylamine-N-oxide, and short-chain fatty acids), or products directly derived from bacteria. Recent studies have provided new insights into the association between MASLD and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, alterations in microbiota composition and metabolite profiles, notably altered BAs, have been described in studies investigating the association between MASLD and the risk of CKD. This narrative review discusses alterations of specific classes of metabolites, BAs, fructose, vitamin D, and microbiota composition that may be implicated in the link between MASLD and CKD.

Metabolites produced as intermediaries or end-products of microbial metabolism provide crucial signals for health and diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). These metabolites include products of the bacterial metabolism of dietary substrates, modification of host molecules (such as bile acids [BAs], trimethylamine-N-oxide, and short-chain fatty acids), or products directly derived from bacteria. Recent studies have provided new insights into the association between MASLD and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, alterations in microbiota composition and metabolite profiles, notably altered BAs, have been described in studies investigating the association between MASLD and the risk of CKD. This narrative review discusses alterations of specific classes of metabolites, BAs, fructose, vitamin D, and microbiota composition that may be implicated in the link between MASLD and CKD.

Background/Aims: Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used exogenous therapeutic glucocorticoid in clinical settings. Its long-term use leads to many side effects. However, its effect on metabolic disorders in individuals on a high-fat diet (HFD) remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, HFD-fed mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX 2.5 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation, and inflammation were assayed using typical approaches. Results: DEX increased the epididymal fat index and epididymal adipocyte size in HFD-fed mice. The number of epididymal adipocytes with diameters > 70 μm accounted for 0.5% of the cells in the control group, 30% of the cells in the DEX group, 19% of the cells in the HFD group, and 38% of all the cells in the D+H group. Adipocyte proliferation in the D+H group was inhibited by DEX treatment. Adipocyte enlargement in the D+H group was associated with increased the lipid accumulation but not the adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and their metabolism were downregulated by the same treatment, indicating the therapeutic potential of DEX for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions DEX synergizes with HFD to promote lipid deposition in adipose tissues. A high risk of obesity development in patients receiving HFD and DEX treatment is suggested.

Background/Aims: Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used exogenous therapeutic glucocorticoid in clinical settings. Its long-term use leads to many side effects. However, its effect on metabolic disorders in individuals on a high-fat diet (HFD) remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, HFD-fed mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX 2.5 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation, and inflammation were assayed using typical approaches. Results: DEX increased the epididymal fat index and epididymal adipocyte size in HFD-fed mice. The number of epididymal adipocytes with diameters > 70 μm accounted for 0.5% of the cells in the control group, 30% of the cells in the DEX group, 19% of the cells in the HFD group, and 38% of all the cells in the D+H group. Adipocyte proliferation in the D+H group was inhibited by DEX treatment. Adipocyte enlargement in the D+H group was associated with increased the lipid accumulation but not the adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and their metabolism were downregulated by the same treatment, indicating the therapeutic potential of DEX for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions DEX synergizes with HFD to promote lipid deposition in adipose tissues. A high risk of obesity development in patients receiving HFD and DEX treatment is suggested.