ObjectiveTo analyze the infection status of main respiratory pathogens in influenza-like illness (ILI) cases in Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, and to provide a reference for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory infections. MethodsThroat swab samples were collected from 520 ILI cases in an influenza sentinel surveillance hospital in Anji County of Zhejiang Province from December 2023 to November 2024. Multiplex real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) was used to detect 18 pathogens and their subtypes, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A virus (Flu A), influenza A (H1N1) virus, influenza A (H3N2) virus, influenza B virus (Flu B), influenza B virus Victoria lineage (BV), influenza B virus Yamagata lineage (BY), coronavirus (CoV), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus (ADV), human bocavirus (HBoV), enterovirus (EV), rhinovirus (RV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP), and Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP). ResultsThe overall positivity rate of pathogens in 520 samples was 33.65%, among which the detection rates of Flu (9.14%), ADV (7.50%), SARS-CoV-2 (6.15%), and EV (3.65%) were relatively high. There were statistically significant differences in the overall positivity rate of pathogens by age and season (all P<0.05). The highest overall positivity rate was observed in the 5‒14 years old group (42.77%), and the overall positivity rate in winter (53.08%) was significantly higher than that in other seasons. ConclusionFrom 2023 to 2024, the main respiratory pathogens detected in ILI cases in Anji County were Flu, ADV, SARS-CoV-2, and EV. The epidemic characteristics showed age and seasonal specificity, so it is necessary to strengthen prevention and control for high-risk populations and epidemic seasons in a targeted manner.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the tonifying spleen and reinforcing Qi (TSRQ) therapy combined with thyroid hormone replacement therapy (THRT) for treating Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. Methods: From database foundation to January 14, 2025, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) were searched for relevant information. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of TSRQ therapy combined with THRT for Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism were eligible for inclusion. Following quality assessment, data were analyzed using Stata 15.1 to conduct a meta-analysis and systematic review. Subgroup analysis was used to identify the sources of heterogeneity. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was adopted to evaluate the certainty of the evidence. Results: This study included 30 RCTs, comprising 2 687 patients with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. Overall methodological quality was acceptable, with no studies exhibiting a high risk of bias. Meta-analysis demonstrated that TSRQ therapy combined with THRT significantly enhanced serum free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57 to 0.94, P < 0.001] and free thyroxine (fT4) levels (SMD = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.61 to 1.11, P < 0.001), while reducing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (SMD = – 0.99, 95% CI: – 1.20 to – 0.78, P < 0.001) compared with THRT alone. Furthermore, the combination therapy significantly decreased anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) levels (SMD = – 1.46, 95% CI: – 1.79 to – 1.13, P < 0.001) and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) levels (SMD = – 1.46, 95% CI: – 1.80 to – 1.11, P < 0.001). TSRQ therapy did not adversely impact the safety profile of THRT. However, while some sources of heterogeneity have been identified (e.g., specific detection methodologies, I² = 0.0%, P = 0.938), there remains a portion of unexplained heterogeneity (e.g., publication year, I² = 93.4%, P < 0.001), which has undermined confidence in these pooled estimates. The evidence ratings for fT3, fT4, and TSH were limited, and those for TPOAb and TgAb were even more limited. Conclusion TSRQ therapy combined with THRT may strengthen thyroid function and modulate immune dysregulation in patients with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism without increasing adverse event incidence.

To explore the effect and mechanism of sodium propionate and mixed short-chain fatty acids on colitis induced by Citrobacter rodentium (C.r.) in mice. Mice were induced by oral gavage of C.r. The C.r. growth monitoring, histopathological analysis, qPCR analysis, intestinal permeability test and flow cytometry was used to study the effects of sodium propionate and mixed short-chain fatty acids on intestinal infection. The results showed that sodium propionate could inhibit the growth of C.r. more effectively than mixed short-chain fatty acids. Results of animal experiments showed that sodium propionate significantly reduced the weight loss and intestinal bacterial output in mice. Meanwhile, compared with mixed short chain fatty acids, sodium propionate effectively alleviated the pathological manifestations of colonic inflammatory infiltration, destruction of epithelial cell structure and decrease of goblet cell caused by C.r. infection, also increased the levels of antimicrobial peptides like interleukin-17 (IL-17) and regenerated islet derived protein 3γ (Reg3γ). In addition, sodium propionate decreased intestinal permeability better than mixed short-chain fatty acids, and sodium propionate significantly induced T helper cells 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) differentiation. The results showed that sodium propionate significantly alleviated colitis induced by C.r. infection compared with mixed short-chain fatty acids, which may be related to its inhibition of C.r. growth and enhancement of intestinal anti-infective function. The expected results can provide a safer and effective treatment strategy and scientific basis for colitis.

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Dendritic cells (DCs) serve as the primary antigen-presenting cells in autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and exhibit distinct signaling profiles due to antigenic diversity. Type II collagen (CII) has been recognized as an RA-specific antigen; however, little is known about CII-stimulated DCs, limiting the development of RA-specific therapeutic interventions. In this study, we show that CII-stimulated DCs display a preferential gene expression profile associated with migration, offering a new perspective for targeting DC migration in RA treatment. Then, saikosaponin D (SSD) was identified as a compound capable of blocking CII-induced DC migration and effectively ameliorating arthritis. Optineurin (OPTN) is further revealed as a potential SSD target, with Optn deletion impairing CII-pulsed DC migration without affecting maturation. Function analyses uncover that OPTN prevents the proteasomal transport and ubiquitin-dependent degradation of C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), a pivotal chemokine receptor in DC migration. Optn-deficient DCs exhibit reduced CCR7 expression, leading to slower migration in CII-surrounded environment, thus alleviating arthritis progression. Our findings underscore the significance of antigen-specific DC activation in RA and suggest OPTN is a crucial regulator of CII-specific DC migration. OPTN emerges as a promising drug target for RA, potentially offering significant value for the therapeutic management of RA.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has recently been proposed as a key player in the representation of itch stimuli. However, to date, little is known about the contribution of specific ACC interneuron populations to itch processing. Using c-Fos immunolabeling and in vivo Ca²⁺ imaging, we reported that both histamine and chloroquine stimuli-induced acute itch caused a marked enhancement of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneuron activity in the ACC. Behavioral data indicated that optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of these neurons reduced scratching responses related to histaminergic and non-histaminergic acute itch. Similar neural activity and modulatory role of these neurons were seen in mice with chronic itch induced by contact dermatitis. Together, this study highlights the importance of ACC VIP⁺ neurons in modulating itch-related affect and behavior, which may help us to develop novel mechanism-based strategies to treat refractory chronic itch in the clinic.
Animals ; Pruritus/physiopathology* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism* ; Interneurons/metabolism* ; Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Histamine ; Chloroquine ; Optogenetics ; Mice, Transgenic

Objective To investigate dynamic changes in myocardial protein phosphorylation during the acute phase of myocardial infarction (MI) in mice. Methods Six 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to MI model (n＝3) or sham-operated control (n＝3) groups. Cardiac tissues were harvested 72 hours post-intervention for proteomic analysis. Phosphorylation modifications were systematically characterized using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Bioinformatics analyses included differential phosphorylation screening, functional enrichment, hierarchical clustering, and protein-protein interaction network. Results LC-MS identified 1 921 differentially phosphorylated sites (20 tyrosine and 1 901 serine/threonine sites) across 851 proteins. Compared with controls, MI hearts exhibited significant phosphorylation upregulation at 1 545 sites and downregulation at 376 sites (P＜0.05). Conclusions This study delineates MI-associated phosphorylation dynamics, providing mechanistic insights and potential therapeutic targets for acute MI intervention.

[Objective] To explore the effectiveness of applying the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle to enhance the compatibility rate of five Rh blood group antigen phenotypes between donors and recipients across multiple hospital campuses. [Methods] Clinical blood transfusion data from May to July 2022 were selected. Specific improvement measures were formulated based on the survey results, and the PDCA cycle management model was implemented from August 2022. The post-intervention phase spanned from August 2022 to October 2023. The Rh phenotype compatibility rate, the detection rate of Rh system antibodies, and the proportion of Rh system antibodies among unexpected antibodies were compared between the pre-intervention phase (May to July 2022) and the post-intervention phase. [Results] After the continuous improvement with the PDCA cycle, the compatibility rate for the five Rh blood group antigen phenotypes between donors and recipients from August to October 2023 reached 81.90%, significantly higher than the 70.54% recorded during the pre-intervention phase (May to July 2022, P<0.01), and displayed a quarterly upward trend (β=0.028, P<0.05). The detection rate of Rh blood group system antibodies (β=-9.839×10^-5, P<0.05) and its proportion among all detected antibodies (β=-0.022, P<0.05) showed a quarterly decreasing trend, both demonstrating a negative correlation with the enhanced compatibility rate (r values of -0.981 and -0.911, respectively; P<0.05). [Conclusion] The implementation of targeted measures through the PDCA cycle can effectively increase the compatibility rate of five Rh blood group antigen phenotypes between donors and recipients, reduce the occurrence of unexpected Rh blood group antibodies, thereby lowering the risk of transfusion and enhancing the quality and safety of medical care.

Objective:To assess the physical activity levels(PA)and patterns among older adults in rural areas, as well as to evaluate the association between PA levels and the conditions of sarcopenia and frailty.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 690 rural individuals aged 60 and above.Data on socio-demographic characteristics were collected, while Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index(ASMI)and grip strength were measured.The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly(PASE)was employed to evaluate PA levels.Based on their PASE scores, participants were categorized into three groups: low PA level, medium PA level, and high PA level.Sarcopenia was defined according to the 2019 criteria established by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia(AWGS), and frailty status was assessed using the Frail Scale.Results:Among the study sample, 38.0% exhibited a low level of physical activity, 46.2% had a medium level, and 15.8% engaged in high levels of activity.As age increased, the level of physical activity among older adults significantly declined.Most of the physical activity reported by participants was attributed to household chores and farming-related activities.Participation in structured exercise among older adults was notably low, with only 1.3% engaging in muscle-strengthening exercises on a weekly basis.The majority(53.9%)reported walking as their preferred form of weekly exercise.After adjusting for confounding factors, the prevalence of sarcopenia was found to be 0.40(95% CI: 0.26-0.62)times lower in the medium physical activity group, and 0.56(95% CI: 0.31-1.01)times lower in the high physical activity group, compared to those with a low physical activity level.Similarly, regarding frailty as a negative outcome, the prevalence was 0.66(95% CI: 0.51-0.84)times lower in the medium physical activity group and 0.46(95% CI: 0.30-0.73)times lower in the high physical activity group, relative to the low physical activity group.When using PASE scores as a continuous variable, the results remained consistent. Conclusions:The physical activity levels of rural older adults are inadequate, and participation in multicomponent exercise programs is notably low.A lower level of physical activity is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of sarcopenia and frailty.Our findings indicate that it is essential to implement physical activity education and interventions to enhance exercise health literacy and to prevent sarcopenia and frailty among rural older adults.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of perilla alcohol on pulmonary vascular remod-eling in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension(HPH)rats and to assess its regulatory effects on the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)-angiotensin(1-7)[Ang(1-7)]-mas proto-oncogene receptor(Mas)and ACE-angiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ)-angiotensin type 1 receptor(AT1R)axes.METHODS An HPH rat model was established by keeping them in a hypobaric chamber that simulated an altitude of 5 000 m for 28 d.Male SD rats were randomly divided into the control group,hypoxia group,hypoxia+sildenafil group(ig administration of 30 mg·kg-1),and hypoxia+perillyl alcohol groups(ig administration of 25,50 and 100 mg·kg-1 respectively).After 28 d,the levels of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT),glutamic-pyruvic transaminase(GPT),and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)in rat serum were measured to evaluate the toxic effects of perillyl alcohol on rat organs.Mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP)was measured via right ventricular catheterization.HE staining was used to observe the patho morphological changes of pulmonary vessels in HPH rats and measure the percentages of the vascularwall area[WA(%)],wall thickness[WT(%)],lumen area[LA(%)].The right ventricular hypertrophy level and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)expression level were detected by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of α-SMA,ACE,AT1R,AngⅡ,ACE2 and Mas in lung tissues of rats.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to mea-sure the content of Ang(1-7)in lung tissues.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the serum levels of GOT,GPT and BUN in the hypoxia group rats were significantly increased,but were signifi-cantly decreased by perillyl alcohol and sildenafil intervention.Compared with the control group,mPAP,WA(%),WT(%),right ventricular inner diameter(RVID),right ventricular free wall thickness(RVFWT)and fibrosis levels were significantly increased in the hypoxia group,while LA(%)was signifi-cantly decreased.Besides,the protein expression levels of α-SMA,ACE,AT1R and AngⅡ in lung tissues were significantly elevated while those of ACE2 and Mas,as well as Ang(1-7)content were signifi-cantly decreased in hypoxia group compared to the control group.Following intervention with perillyl alcohol and sildenafil,the protein expression levels of ACE and AngⅡin lung tissues of HPH rats were significantly decreased compared to the model group while those of ACE2 and Mas receptor,along with the content of Ang(1-7),were significantly increased.Perillyl alcohol significantly reduced the protein expression level of AT1R while sildenafil had no significant effect.CONCLUSION Perillyl alcohol can lower mPAP levels by improving pulmonary vascular remodeling and reducing pulmonary vascular fibrosis in HPH rats.The mechanism may be related to the regulatory effects on the ACE-AngⅡ-AT1R and ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axes.