Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among college students in Yangzhou from 2020 to 2024, so as to provide a scientific basis for developing prevention and control strategies. Methods: An epidemiological investigation was conducted among 162 college students with PTB, and 7 134 of their contacts were screened. Data were obtained from the tuberculosis information management system and on campus screening records. Using descriptive epidemiological methods, trends in incidence, seasonal distribution, and bacteriological characteristics were analyzed. Results: From 2020 to 2024, the annual average incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among college students in Yangzhou was 29.42 per 100 000, showing an overall fluctuating downward trend ( χ 2=12.36, P <0.01). Cases were mainly concentrated in summer and autumn, with the highest proportion in autumn (41.36%, 67/162), followed by summer (23.46%, 38/162). The proportion of etiologically positive cases increased from 37.21% in 2020 to 71.43% in 2024; among positive cases, the proportion of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) decreased from 66.67% (10/15) to 26.67% (4/15). The etiological positive rate was higher in females than in males ( χ 2= 11.76 , P <0.01). Comparison of screening methods showed that among index cases, the LTBI detection rate of the recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein skin test (C-TST) was higher than that of the tuberculin skin test (TST), but the difference was not statistically significant ( χ 2=0.65, P =0.42); among close contacts, the detection rate of TST was higher than that of C-TST (15.1%,10.1%; χ 2=5.23, P <0.05). Conclusion From 2020 to 2024, the annual average incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among college students in Yangzhou showed an overall fluctuating downward trend, with differences in TB infection screening methods and gender.

Wilson disease （WD） is one of the few treatable neurogenetic disorders. Currently， Western medicine remains the main treatment method for WD， while since the 1990s， multiple studies conducted by Professor Yang Renmin and his team have shown that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） also has a favorable therapeutic effect. Based on the principle of low-copper diet for WD， this article systematically elaborates on the advantages， limitations， and key considerations of current Western medicine therapies （pharmacotherapy， liver transplantation， and splenectomy） and reviews the research findings of TCM in China， especially the wide application of Gandou Decoction in clinical practice. Studies have shown that Gandou Decoction can effectively improve neurological symptoms， protect hepatic and renal function， and avoid the adverse drug reactions associated with metal chelating agents， and therefore， it can be used an effective long-term adjuvant therapy for WD. It should be noted that symptoms and signs should be considered in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy for WD， and high-copper TCM drugs should be avoided to prevent deterioration.

The ethical review exemption system was introduced to meet the needs of modernized ethical governance， implement hierarchical management for ethical review projects involving human subjects， and explore an ethical management model that reduces procedural supervision for specific types of research involving no greater than minimal risk. Through a comparative study， this paper seeks to elaborate on the differences between China and the United States （US） in the ethical review exemption system from multiple aspects， such as ethical regulations， risk definition， preconditions， applicable scenarios， and operational procedures. The aim is to provide references for ethical review committees to better implement the ethical review exemption system， enhance policy research， and ensure the fairness and objectivity of ethical review. Through the comparative study of the ethics review exemption system in China and the US， the following recommendations are proposed for institutions implementing the ethical review exemption system for reference. First， the system should clearly define the meaning of ethical review exemption to prevent researchers or even committee members from misunderstanding it as falling outside the scope of ethical review， thereby exposing research participants’ rights and interests to unnecessary risks. Second， the system should specifically explain the preconditions， including the requirements for research types and research risks. Among them， risks should be considered from multiple dimensions such as physiology， psychology， society， and economy. Clear explanations should be provided for involving commercial interests and sensitive personal information. Finally， the system should establish basic principles and judgment criteria for applicable scenarios， including specifying exactly what the public data refers to and legal requirements that need to be met， providing a concept of anonymization to distinguish it from deidentified information data， and clarifying the relevant regulations and ethical principles to be followed， as well as the clear requirements for informed consent.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.

Background Existing studies have confirmed that fine particulate matter (PM_2.5)is one of the important factors inducing pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is the terminal stage of a major category of lung diseases characterized by the destruction of tissue structure, and eventually leading lung ventilation and ventilation dysfunction. No effective pulmonary fibrosis treatment is available yet. Objective To investigate the protective effect of salidroside on pulmonary fibrosis induced by the exposure of PM_2.5 and its molecular mechanism. Methods Seventy 7-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control group (intratracheal instillation of normal saline + saline by gavage, n=25), Sal group (intratracheal instillation of normal saline + Sal 60 mg·kg⁻¹ by gavage, n=10), PM_2.5 group (intratracheal instillation of PM_2.5 5 mg·kg⁻¹ + saline by gavage, n=10), and Sal + PM_2.5 group (intratracheal instillation of PM_2.5 5 mg·kg⁻¹ +Sal 60 mg·kg⁻¹ by gavage, n=10). The mice were administered by gavage once daily, intratracheal instillation once every 3 d, and every 3 d constituted an experimental cycle. At the end of the 26-30th cycles, 3 mice in the control group and 3 mice in the PM_2.5 group were randomly sacrificed, and the lung tissues were collected for Masson staining to verify whether the pulmonary fibrosis model was successfully established. After 30 cycles, the model was successfully constructed. After 1 week of continuous observation, the mice were sacrificed, and the blood and lung tissues of the mice were collected to make lung tissue sections. Assay kits were correspondingly employed to detect oxidative stress indicators such as serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Western blotting was used to detect the expression of fibrosis-related proteins (Collagen-III, α-SMA), mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins (MFN1, Drp1), and mitophagy-related proteins (PINK1, Parkin, and LC3). Results Compared with the control group, the weight gain rate of the PM_2.5 group was slowed down (P<0.05), which was alleviated by the Sal intervention (P<0.05). The lung coefficient increased after the PM_2.5 exposure (P<0.05), which was alleviated by Sal intervention. Compared with the control group, the PM_2.5 group showed severe alveolar structure damage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and blue collagen deposition, and significantly increased the lung injury score, collagen volume fraction (CVF), Szapiel score, and Ashcroft score (P<0.05), as well as serum oxidative stress levels (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of Collagen-III, α-SMA, Drp1, PINK1, Parkin, and LC3 II/I were increased (P<0.05), and the expression of MFN1 was decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the PM_2.5 group, the Sal intervention alleviated lung injury, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition, showing decreased lung injury score, CVF, Szapiel score, and Ashcroft score (P<0.05), and decreased serum oxidative stress levels (P<0.05); the protein expression levels of Collagen-III, α-SMA, PINK1, Parkin, and LC3 II/I were decreased (P<0.05), the expression level of Drp1 was decreased, and the expression level of MFN1 was increased. Conclusion In the process of pulmonary fibrosis induced by PM_2.5 exposure in mice, Sal may affect mitochondrial autophagy through PINK1/Parkin pathway and play a protective role. The specific mechanism needs to be further verified.

Objective:To analyze the scientific research projects of health management disciplines in medical institutions in Beijing.Methods:This study was an observational study, and data was retrieved through computer between 2014 and 2023 from the scientific research data filling system of health management disciplines in medical institutions in Beijing region, which recorded the project name, project category, scientific research funding, institution, discipline, field, etc.. Excel 2016 was used to analyze the scientific research projects of health management disciplines in medical institutions in the Beijing region.Results:From 2014 to 2023, a total of 1 848 scientific research projects of health management disciplines in medical institutions in the Beijing region were initiated, with research funding of 1 204.775 million yuan. In terms of institutional categorization, they were mainly concentrated on central and municipal medical institutions, and in terms of research fields, there were 1 577 projects in Western medicine, with research funding of 1 133.240 million yuan, and 271 projects in Chinese medicine/combination of Chinese and Western medicine, with research funding of 71.535 million yuan. Cardiovascular diseases ranked first in the sub-discipline of Western medicine, and Chinese internal medicine ranked first in the sub-discipline of Chinese medicine.Conclusions:The scientific research projects of health management disciplines in medical institutions in Beijing are characterized by an imbalance in the distribution of institutions and the classification of funded sub-disciplines. The research innovation of health management in medical institutions needs to strengthen multidisciplinary cooperation and talent cultivation.

Objective:To investigate the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the onset and progression of type 2 diabetic retinopathy (DR).Methods:Observational studies on the relationship between eGFR and the progression of DR were searched in the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Foreign Medical Literature Retrieval Service (FMRS), China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang data. The search period was from the inception of the databases to January 20, 2024. Meta-analysis of the association between eGFR and the onset and progression of DR with the research data was conducted by using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.0, the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Sensitivity analysis and Egger′s test were performed to assess the result stability and publication bias.Results:A total of 30 studies involving 119 142 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in the analysis. The eGFR in the DR group was significantly lower than that in the non-DR group (WMD=8.11, 95% CI: 5.97-10.25, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis by DR type revealed that patients with diabetic macular edema (WMD=7.61, 95% CI: 3.82-11.40) and proliferative DR (WMD=17.40, 95% CI: 10.13-24.66) had significantly lower eGFR when compared to that in non-DR group (both P<0.001). The subgroup analysis results according to different DR diagnostic criteria showed that both the 2003 International DR Grading Standard Group (WMD=8.55, 95% CI: 5.29-11.81) and the 2002 International Clinical DR Severity Grading Standard Group (WMD=10.70, 95% CI: 7.99-13.41) indicated the statistically significant differences in eGFR in relation to the occurrence and progression of DR. Conclusion:The decrease of eGFR is closely related to the occurrence and progression of DR.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of transnasal high-flow humidified oxygen therapy in preventing hypoxemia in pediatric patients undergoing gastroscopy.Methods:In this prospective randomized controlled study, 226 pediatric patients, aged 6-12 yr, with a body mass index of 18-25 kg/m 2, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ, undergoing painless gastroscopy at Women and Children′s Hospital of Qingdao University from February 2022 to August 2023, were selected and divided into 2 groups ( n=113 each) using the simple randomization method: normal nasal cannula oxygen therapy group (group N) and transnasal high-flow humidified oxygen therapy group (group H). Anesthesia was induced with intravenous nalbuphine hydrochloride 0.1 mg/kg and propofol 2 mg/kg, and gastroscopy was performed when the Modified Observer′s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation score reached 1. During the operation, group N inhaled oxygen 5 L/min through the nasal catheter; group H inhaled a mixture of air and oxygen through a transnasal high-flow humidified oxygen therapy system at 2 L·kg -1·min -1 (not exceeding 40 L/min), with FiO 2 of 40%. Primary outcomes were the occurrence of hypoxemia and the lowest SpO 2. Secondary outcomes included the requirement for airway interventions (jaw thrust, mask ventilation, endotracheal intubation) and incidence of adverse events (nasal dryness, laryngospasm, apnea, upper airway obstruction, abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting) and endoscopist′s satisfaction with the procedure. Results:A total of 214 patients finally completed the trial, with 106 in group N and 108 in group H. Compared with group N, the incidence of hypoxemia was significantly decreased (17.9% [19/106] versus 2.8% [3/108]), the lowest SpO 2 was increased, the requirement for jaw lifting interventions was reduced, the incidence of nasal dryness was decreased, and the degree of endoscopist′s satisfaction with the procedure was increased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the other outcomes in group H ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Transnasal high-flow humidified oxygen therapy can effectively prevent hypoxemia and raise the safety of pediatric patients during the gastroscopy.

Objective:To investigate the impact of lesions in different nuclei of the subcortical basal ganglia on speech processing functions in patients with post-stroke dysarthria.Methods:From July 2022 to September 2023, a total of 20 patients with post-stroke dysarthria (patient group) and 22 healthy individuals (control group) were recruited. Brain imaging data, including structural magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), as well as behavioral data of speech fluency task and picture association task were collected. Structural MRI data was analyzed using SPM12 software to perform voxel-based morphometry (VBM), measuring cortical thickness and gray matter volume (VGM) in specific nuclei of the basal ganglia. Behavioral metrics, such as reaction time (RT) and the number of valid responses were extracted for each task. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0 and R 4.0 softwares. Spearman correlation analysis was applied to examine relationships between neuroimaging parameters and behavioral performance indicators.Results:The patient group exhibited significantly smaller gray matter volumes in both left and right caudate nuclei((2.69±0.92)mm 3, (3.17±0.91)mm 3 ) and putamen (3.31±1.08)mm 3, (3.66±0.91)mm 3) compared to the control group (caudate nuclei (3.19±0.36)mm 3, (3.49±0.52)mm 3 putamen (4.52±0.54)mm 3, (4.72±0.64)mm 3), with statistically significant differences ( t=-2.83, 1.68; t=-3.59, 3.52, both P<0.05). Behavioral experiments revealed that the patient group exhibited significantly prolonged reaction time during picture association and naming tasks (1 910.50(1 214.25, 3 806.75) ms, 1 362.00(978.00, 2 297.00) ms) compared to the control group (1 618.00(1 162.75, 2 401.75) ms, 1 224.00(984.25, 1 661.50) ms; Z=-5.20, -4.61, both P<0.05). Gray matter volumes in the left caudate nucleus and left putamen exhibited negative correlations with reaction times during the picture naming task ( r=-0.52, -0.54, both P<0.05). Additionally, the gray matter volume of the left putamen demonstrated a positive correlation with the number of valid responses in speech fluency task-T2 ( r=0.46, P<0.05), whereas the left globus pallidus volume showed a negative correlation with speech fluency task-T1 ( r=-0.51, P<0.05) with the same measure. Conclusion:Lesions in the left subnuclei of the basal ganglia directly impair early-stage speech functions, including conceptual preparation and lexical selection, whereas right-side lesions exert less pronounced effects on linguistic performance compared to their left counterparts. Furthermore, the basal ganglia's involvement in higher-order linguistic processing may represent an indirect consequence of cognitive decline.