BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot is a complex condition with high incidence, recurrence, mortality, and disability rates. Current treatments for diabetic foot ulcers are often insufficient. This study was conducted to identify potential therapeutic targets for diabetic foot. METHODS: Datasets related to diabetic foot and diabetic skin were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using R software. Enrichment analysis was conducted to screen for critical gene functions and pathways. A protein interaction network was constructed to identify node genes corresponding to key proteins. The DEGs and node genes were overlapped to pinpoint target genes. Plasma and chronic ulcer samples from diabetic and non-diabetic individuals were collected. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to verify the S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9), inflammatory cytokine, and related pathway protein levels. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to measure epidermal layer thickness. RESULTS: In total, 283 common DEGs and 42 node genes in diabetic foot ulcers were identified. Forty-three genes were differentially expressed in the skin of diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. The overlapping of the most significant DEGs and node genes led to the identification of S100A9 as a target gene. The S100A9 level was significantly higher in diabetic than in non-diabetic plasma (178.40 ± 44.65 ng/mL vs. 40.84 ± 18.86 ng/mL) and in chronic ulcers, and the wound healing time correlated positively with the plasma S100A9 level. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-1, and IL-6) and related pathway proteins (phospho-extracellular signal regulated kinase [ERK], phospho-p38, phospho-p65, and p-protein kinase B [Akt]) were also elevated. The epidermal layer was notably thinner in chronic diabetic ulcers than in non-diabetic skin (24.17 ± 25.60 μm vs. 412.00 ± 181.60 μm). CONCLUSIONS S100A9 was significantly upregulated in diabetic foot and was associated with prolonged wound healing. S100A9 may impair diabetic wound healing by disrupting local inflammatory responses and skin re-epithelialization.
Calgranulin B/therapeutic use* ; Diabetic Foot/metabolism* ; Humans ; Datasets as Topic ; Computational Biology ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Animals ; Mice ; Protein Interaction Maps ; Immunohistochemistry

OBJECTIVES: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is often diagnosed at a late stage due to its concealed location and exhibits marked regional clustering, posing a significant public health challenge in China. This study aims to analyze the disease burden of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China using the latest 2021 Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) database, providing epidemiological evidence for precise prevention and control of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), mortality rate, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate were used as indicators of disease burden. Stratified analyses were conducted by age, sex, socio-demographic index (SDI), and relevant risk factors. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model were employed to project ASIR trends through 2050. RESULTS: In 2021, China's age-standardized incidence, mortality, and DALY rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were 3.4/100 000, 1.5/100 000, and 48.7/100 000, respectively, all higher than the global average. Across all age groups, Chinese males exhibited higher ASIR, mortality, and DALY rates than females. From 1990 to 2021, the disease burden of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China decreased gradually with rising SDI. The proportion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma burden attributed to alcohol consumption, smoking, and occupational formaldehyde exposure in China exceeded global levels, especially among males. Projections from both models indicate a rising trend in ASIR for males, females, and the general population in China and globally from 2022 to 2050. CONCLUSIONS Over the past 30 years, the disease burden of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China has decreased with the increasing SDI values but remains higher than the global average. Furthermore, ASIR is projected to increase over the next 30 years. It is imperative for China to enhance healthcare resource allocation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, particularly among high-risk male populations.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/mortality* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/mortality* ; Adult ; Incidence ; Global Burden of Disease ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Adolescent ; Databases, Factual ; Young Adult ; Cost of Illness ; Child ; Bayes Theorem

Ischemic stroke（IS） is a common cerebrovascular disease in clinics，with a high disability rate. In recent years，the incidence of IS has gradually increased，especially in young people，which seriously affects the physical and mental health and quality of life of patients. Western medicine has made some progress in the treatment of IS but still faces some limitations. Therefore， choosing a measure that can assist in the treatment of IS is particularly important. A large number of studies have confirmed that traditional Chinese medicine can treat IS based on the effective ingredients and extracts of traditional Chinese medicine monomers and formulas，utilizing advantages such as multiple targets，multiple bioactive ingredients，multiple systems，and fewer adverse reactions to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the treatment pathway. At present，the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine in treating IS can be achieved by intervening in various signaling pathways，mainly including secretory glycoprotein/β-catenin（Wnt/β-catenin） signaling pathway，phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B（PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway，nuclear factor kappa-B（NF-κB） signaling pathway，Toll-like receptor 4/NOD-like receptor protein 3（TLR4/NLRP3） signaling pathway，mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway，and neurogenic site-gap homologous protein（Notch） signaling pathway. This article summarized the relationship between IS and related signaling pathways in recent years，as well as the regulation of IS-related pathways and corresponding mechanisms by traditional Chinese medicine，so as to provide a reference for future clinical and experimental research on IS.

Gastric cancer is one of the major types of cancer threatening human health worldwide. Its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, and patients are often diagnosed at an advanced stage. The oral cavity is the second largest microbial pool after the intestine in the human body, and thus the relationship between oral bacteria and human health is attracting increasing interest. Oral bacteria are closely related to gastric cancer and potentially serve as noninvasive diagnostic screening biomarkers for the disease. Imbalance in and displacement of these bacteria can promote the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Hence, this article reviews the association between oral bacteria and gastric cancer, aiming to provide a basis for further elucidating the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and screening it early through noninvasive methods and serve as a reference for subsequent related research.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the qualitative study on the sexual health needs of patients with ostomy based on theoretical domains framework (TDF), providing reference for clinical care and practice.Methods:A comprehensive search was conducted for qualitative studies on the sexual experience of ostomy patients in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP database, China Biology Medicine, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Elton B. Stephens Company (EBSCO), Elsevier Scopus (SCOPUS), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases, with a timeframe of from the creation of the databases to April 15, 2024. The Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Based Healthcare Center Critical Appraisal Tool was used to evaluate the quality of eligible literature, and the theoretical domain framework was used to integrate the extracted results.Results:A total of 11 articles were included and 51 results were extracted. Based on the theoretical framework, map the sexual health needs of ostomy patients to six core areas: knowledge, skills, optimism, outcome beliefs, environment and resources, and emotions.Conclusions:Medical staff should pay attention to the sexual health needs of patients with intestinal stomas. Based on the six core areas of knowledge, skills, optimism, outcome beliefs, environment and resources, and emotions, they should deeply explore the factors that affect their sexual health, provide professional guidance and comprehensive care, and improve their sexual health level and quality of life.

Conventional transcatheter aortic valve replacement is normally recommended with transthoracic echocardiography, and contrast agent mediated fluoroscopy under anesthesia to guide a better implantation of the transcatheter valve. However, iodine-containing contrast agent possibly damages the patient’s kidney, and even induces the acute kidney injury. We reported a 75-year-old patient diagnosed with severe aortic valve stenosis, moderate regurgitation, and chronic renal failure. We performed the aortic valve replacement under the guidance of fluoroscopy and transesophageal ultrasound without contrast agent. Seven days after surgery, the patient recovered well and discharged with alleviated aortic stenosis and fixed transcatheter aortic valve.

Objective:To study the relationship between red blood cell distribution width(RDW)and short-term mortality in elderly patients with hip fragility fractures.Methods:The clinical data and blood routine test at admission of 205 elderly patients with brittle hip fractures who were admitted to our hospital from 2020 to 2021 and were followed up for one year were retrospectively analyzed.The comorbid conditions, RDW and cumulative mortality at 6 months and 1 year after fractures were counted, and the relationship between RDW and short-term mortality were analyzed.Results:The 6-month(6.7% and 20.8%, χ2=8.591, P=0.003)and 1-year(6.7% and 26.7%, χ2=14.818, P<0.001)mortality of patients with ≤1 comorbidity were significantly lower than those of patients with ≥2 comorbidities.Moreover, the 6-month and 1-year mortality in patients with RDW>13.5% were significantly higher than those of patients with RDW ≤ 13.5%.The proportion of RDW>13.5 % in patients with at least two comorbidities was significantly higher than that in patients with ≤1 comorbidity.Taking RDW=13.6% as the cut-off value of 6-month and 1-year mortality, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting 6-month mortality were 71.4 % and 59.9 %, respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity for predicting 1-year mortality were 64.7 % and 59.6 %, respectively. Conclusions:Red cell distribution width is associated with short-term mortality, and higher RDW is associated with a higher risk of mortality among elderly patients with brittle hip fractures.

Objective:To evaluate the influence of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection on anxiety and depression in patients with chronic gastritis. Methods:From December 1 2020 to June 30 2021, 387 patients with chronic gastritis who visited the outpatient Department of Gastroenterology, the First Hospital Affiliated to Air Force Medical University were continuously recruited. According to the status of current H. pylori infection, the patients were divided into H. pylori uninfected group and H. pylori infected group. The general demographic information of patients was collected. Hamilton anxiety scale, Hamilton depression rating scale-24, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) were filled in. The detection rates of anxiety and depression were compared between the H. pylori uninfected group and the H. pylori infected group according to demographic characteristics. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results:Finally, 360 patients with chronic gastritis were enrolled, including 200 patients in H. pylori uninfected group and 160 patients in H. pylori infected group. The detection rates of anxiety and depression of the H. pylori infected group were both higher than those of the H. pylori uninfected group (48.1%, 77/160 vs. 30.0%, 60/200; 25.0%, 40/160 vs. 12.5%, 25/200), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=12.39 and 9.39, P<0.001 and=0.002). The detection rate of anxiety of male patients in the H. pylori infected group was higher than that in the H. pylori uninfected group (45.1%, 32/71 vs. 24.5%, 27/110); the detection rate of depression of female patients in the H. pylori infected group was higher than that in the H. pylori uninfected group (30.3%, 27/89 vs. 11.1%, 10/90), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=8.27 and 10.09, P=0.004 and 0.001). The detection rates of anxiety and depression of patients less than 48 years old in the H. pylori infected group were both higher than those in the H. pylori uninfected group (46.2%, 37/80 vs. 21.9%, 21/96; 20.0%, 16/80 vs. 7.3%, 7/96), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=11.73 and 6.20, P=0.001 and 0.013). The detection rates of anxiety and depression of the patients with high school education and below in the H. pylori infected group were higher than those in the H. pylori uninfected group (56.5%, 48/85 vs. 31.7%, 38/120; 32.9%, 28/85 vs. 14.2%, 17/120), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=12.57 and 10.24, P<0.001 and =0.001). The results of multivariate analysis showed that H. pylori infection, history of hypertension, PSQI score ≥8, GSRS score ≥7, chronic superficial gastritis and chronic atrophic gastritis were independent risk factors of anxiety in patients with chronic gastritis( P<0.001, =0.013, =0.001, <0.001, =0.036, =0.021), and the risk of anxiety of patients with H. pylori infection was 2.509 times as much as that in uninfected patients (95% confidence interval 1.512 to 4.163). H. pylori infection, PSQI score ≥8, GSRS score≥7, and having overnight dish ≥3 times per week all were independent risk factors of depression in patients with chronic gastritis( P=0.004, =0.002, <0.001, =0.001). The risk of depression in patients with H. pylori infection was 2.563 times as much as that in uninfected patients (95% confidence interval 1.356 to 4.846). Conclusion:H. pylori infection is correlated to anxiety and depression in patients with chronic gastritis, and it is an independent risk factor of anxiety and depression in patients with chronic gastritis.

Background Prolonged awkward postures during occupational activities can lead to excessive musculoskeletal load on the wrist of workers and symptoms such as wrist pain or discomfort. Objective To survey the prevalence of wrist pain among workers in 10 key industries and analyze its correlation with wrist working postures. Methods By using stratified cluster sampling method, workers from 10 key industries, such as footwear manufacturing industry, shipbuilding manufacturing industry, and automobile manufacturing industry, were selected from seven regions in North China, East China, Central China, South China, Southwest China, Northwest China, and Northeast China. The demographic information, wrist working postures, pain in wrist of the workers were collected through a cross-sectional survey. Pearson χ² test was used to compare prevalence by selected factors, trend χ² test for between group comparison, and unconditional logistic regression models for the association of wrist working postures with wrist pain. Results There were 64052 workers enrolled in this survey, and 56286 provided valid questionnaires (the effective rate was 87.8%). According to the survey, the prevalence of wrist pain was 23.3% (13112/56286), and the industries with higher prevalences were footwear manufacturing (27.1%, 1927/7106), automobile manufacturing (24.9%, 5378/21560), and shipbuilding and related equipment manufacturing (24.4%, 850/3488) industries. Finger pinching (OR=2.09, 95%CI: 1.95-2.24), frequent wrist bending (OR=2.03, 95%CI: 1.92-2.15), fixed wrist bending (OR=1.77, 95%CI: 1.69-1.85), wrist on hard edge (OR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.28-1.40), and arms over shoulders (OR=1.11, 95%CI: 1.05-1.17) increased the risk of reporting wrist pain. Conclusion Awkward postures are related to wrist pain among workers in selected 10 key industries. The related factors are wrist on hard edge, frequent wrist bending, finger pinching, fixed wrist bending, and arms over shoulders.