Background Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most prevalent environmental endocrine disruptor among phthalate acid esters (PAEs) worldwide. Previous studies have indicated that exposure to DEHP may disrupt glucose metabolism. Objective To investigate the impact of DEHP on glucose homeostasis in rats, focusing on oxidative stress-induced impairment of autophagy in islet β cells. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly assigned to four groups, receiving DEHP doses of 0, 187, 375, and 750 mg·kg⁻¹ for 12 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) and insulin tolerance tests (ITT) were conducted 24 h after the final exposure. Pancreatic microstructural alterations were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Commercial ELISA kits were employed to quantify the levels of insulin, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in rat serum, as well as the protein expression level of activated caspase-3 in pancreatic tissue. Additionally, commercial microplate kits were utilized to measure the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) in serum, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) using water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by thiobarbituric acid method, and the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in pancreatic tissue by chemical fluorescence method. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure sequestosome1 (SQSTM1/p62), Beclin1, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-8 (Caspase-8) mRNA levels. Western blot analysis was applied to detect the protein relative expression levels of p62, Beclin-1, LC3-I, LC3 II, AMPK, p-AMPK, mTOR, p-mTOR, ULK1, and Caspase-8. Results Compared to the 0 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group, the 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group exhibited a significant increase in fasting blood glucose levels at 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks (P<0.05). The OGTT showed that, following high-glucose gavage, the 187 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group had elevated blood glucose at 30 min (P<0.05), the 375 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group showed increased glucose levels at 15, 30, and 180 min (P<0.05), and the 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group exhibited elevated levels at 15, 30, 60, and 180 min (P<0.05). The 375 and 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP groups demonstrated significantly increased OGTT area under the curve (AUC) values (P<0.05). In contrast, ITT results indicated no significant differences in blood glucose levels or AUC among the DEHP exposure groups at all time points (P>0.05). Compared to the 0 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group, the 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group exhibited significantly higher HOMA-IR levels and markedly lower HOMA-ISI values (P<0.05). HE and TEM showed that in each DEHP exposure group, the number of islet cells decreased, the islet area reduced, and chromatin condensation occurred. The endocrine granules in the cytoplasm of islet β cells decreased, and there were varying degrees of widening of the nuclear membrane gap, flattening and expansion of the Golgi complex, and expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum. Ribosome separation was observed, and autophagosomes were visible. In the 375 and 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP groups, the mitochondria were deformed to varying degrees, and some cristae structures disappeared, presenting vacuolization. Moreover, the chromatin condensation in the nuclei was more severe in the 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group. The serum SOD activity was significantly elevated in the 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group (P<0.05). Both the 375 mg·kg⁻¹ and 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP groups exhibited a significant increase in the relative ROS content in pancreatic tissue (P<0.05). In DEHP-treated groups, the MDA content increased (P<0.05), while the GSH content decreased (P<0.05). Additionally, in the 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP group, the AMP/ATP ratio in serum was significantly raised (P<0.05), and the expression of cleaved Caspase-3 protein in pancreatic tissue was also significantly increased (P<0.05). The relative mRNA levels of p62, Beclin-1, LC3, and Caspase-8 in the pancreatic tissue of rats exposed to DEHP were significantly elevated (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of p-AMPK/AMPK, p-ULK1/ULK1, and Beclin-1 proteins in the DEHP-treated groups were significantly increased (P<0.05). In the 375 mg·kg⁻¹ and 750 mg·kg⁻¹ DEHP treatment groups, the relative expression levels of p62, LC3 II/LC1, and Caspase-8 proteins were significantly increased (P<0.05), while the relative expression level of p-mTOR/mTOR was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion DEHP can disrupt glucose homeostasis by inducing oxidative stress, which subsequently activates autophagy via the ROS/AMPK/ULK1 pathway, impairing autophagic flux and promoting apoptosis of islet β cells, ultimately decreasing their function and number.

Objective To analyze the nonlinear relationship between hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) parameters and delayed graft function (DGF) and optimize the construction of a predictive model for DGF. Methods The data of 923 recipients who underwent kidney transplantation from deceased donors were retrospectively analyzed. According to the occurrence of DGF, the recipients were divided into DGF group (n=823) and non-DGF group (n=100). Donor data, HMP parameters and recipient data were analyzed for both groups. The nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the occurrence of DGF was explored based on restricted cubic splines (RCS). Over-sampling, under-sampling and balanced sampling were used to address the imbalance in the proportion of DGF to construct logistic regression predictive models. The area under the curve (AUC) of each model was compared in the validation set, and a nomogram model was constructed. Results Donor BMI, cold ischemia time of the donor kidney, and HMP parameters (initial and final pressures, resistance, and perfusion time) were significantly different between the DGF and non-DGF groups (all P<0.05). The RCS analysis revealed a threshold-like nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the risk of DGF. Among the models constructed using different sampling methods, the balanced sampling model had the highest AUC. Using this model, a nomogram was constructed to stratify recipients based on risk scores. Recipients in the high-risk group had higher serum creatinine levels at 1, 6, and 12 months after kidney transplantation compared to those in the low-risk group (all P<0.05). Conclusions There is a nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the risk of DGF, and the threshold is helpful for organ quality assessment and monitoring of graft function after transplantation. The predictive model for DGF constructed on the base of balanced sampling algorithms helps perioperative decision-making and postoperative graft function monitoring of kidney transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Urinary calculi are characterized by a high recurrence rate, and patients' adherence to self-management after discharge directly affects health outcomes. Traditional offline follow-up models often face problems such as poor compliance and uneven allocation of medical resources, making it difficult to meet individualized health management needs. Remote follow-up provides a novel solution to optimize long-term management, improve health literacy, and enhance clinical outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the effect of remote follow-up under an intelligent medical collaborative model on quality of life and health-promoting lifestyle in patients with urinary calculi, and to assess its short-term impact on clinical outcomes. METHODS: A total of 118 patients with urinary calculi admitted to a tertiary hospital in Hunan Province between August and November 2024 were recruited and randomly assigned to a control group (n=59) or an intervention group (n=59). The control group received routine departmental follow-up, while the intervention group underwent remote follow-up based on an intelligent medical collaborative model for one month. Assessments were conducted before discharge (T0), 15 days after discharge (T1), and one month after discharge (T2), using the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. At T2, the incidence of forgotten ureteral stents (FUS), ureteral stent-related complications, unplanned readmissions, and patient satisfaction were evaluated. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between groups at T0 in baseline characteristics or outcome measures (all P>0.05). At T1 and T2, the intervention group had significantly higher health-related quality of life scores than the control group (P<0.05). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis showed significant between-group effects (Wald's χ²=22.961, P<0.001), time effects (Wald's χ²=23.065, P<0.001), and interaction effects (Wald's χ²=6.930, P<0.05). Similarly, at T1 and T2, the intervention group scored significantly higher on health-promoting lifestyle than the control group (P<0.05), with significant between-group effects (Wald's χ²=22.936, P<0.001), time effects (Wald's χ²=10.694, P<0.001), and interaction effects (Wald's χ²=18.921, P<0.05). No significant differences were found between groups in the incidence of FUS, ureteral stent-related complications, or unplanned readmissions (all P>0.05). Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the intervention group (t=4.089, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Remote follow-up under an intelligent medical collaborative model helps improve quality of life, promote health-oriented lifestyles, and enhance patient satisfaction among individuals with urinary calculi.
Humans ; Quality of Life ; Male ; Female ; Urinary Calculi/therapy* ; Health Promotion/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To explore the effects of participatory interactive teaching in the clinical internship course of pediatric infectious diseases.Methods:217 undergraduate students of grade 2018 majoring in pediatrics were selected as the experimental group, and 208 undergraduate students of grade 2017 majoring in pediatrics were selected as the control group. The experimental group used the teaching method of BOPPPS combined with case-based learning and team-based learning, while the control group adopted the traditional teaching method. Evaluate the learning effectiveness by comparing the formative evaluation and theoretical exam scores of the two groups , and a questionnaire survey was conducted for the students in the experimental group to investigate teaching feedback. SPSS 19.0 was used to perform the t test for data analysis. Results:The experimental group had significantly better scores than the control group in final theoretical examination [(75.04±9.12) vs. (71.03±9.51), P<0.05] and formative evaluation [(81.03±6.13) vs. (70.02±10.32), P<0.05]. According to the results of the questionnaire survey on teaching satisfaction, the students were satisfied with the interactive participatory teaching method in the four aspects of improving learning interest, improving learning ability, classroom satisfaction level, and course acceptance level. Conclusions:The pragmatic teaching reform in the internship of pediatric infectious diseases is highly accepted by students and beneficial to improving students' clinical thinking ability and comprehensive quality, which is worth further application and promotion.

AIM:To investigate the effect of conditioned medium from hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R)-treated rat cardiac fibroblasts(CFs)on gap junction between cardiomyocytes and determine whether its mechanism is related to matrix metalloproteinase 2(MMP2)activity.METHODS:(1)H9c2 cells were randomly divided into five groups:con-trol group,normal group,ARP-100 group,H/R group,and H/R+ARP-100 group.Scrape loading/dye transfer assay was used to assess the gap junction function.Western blot was used to detect the expression and phosphorylation levels of Cx43.Gelatin zymography assay was performed to measure MMP2 activity.(2)SD rats were randomly divided into control group,ARP-100 group,ischemia-reperfusion(I/R)group,and I/R+ARP-100 group,with 8 rats in each group.Micro-electrode array technology was used to record the type and duration of arrhythmia.Immunohistochemistry experiment was performed to assess expression levels and distribution of Cx43 in myocardial tissues.RESULTS:Compared with the con-trol group,the H/R group showed decreased protein expression of Cx43(P＜0.01),narrowed distance of lucifer yellow dif-fusion(P＜0.01),and increased MMP2 activity(P＜0.01).ARP-100 attenuated H/R-induced gap junction dysfunction(P＜0.05).The arrhythmia score was also reduced after perfusion with ARP-100(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:H/R-treated rat CFs can inhibit gap junction between cardiomyocytes,and its mechanism may involve increased MMP2 activity.

The stimulator of interferon genes(STING),an integral adaptor protein in the DNA-sensing pathway,plays a pivotal role in the innate immune response against infections.Additionally,it presents a valuable therapeutic target for infectious diseases and cancer.We observed that fangchinoline(Fan),a bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloid(BBA),effectively impedes the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus(VSV),encephalomyocarditis virus(EMCV),influenza A virus(H1 N1),and herpes simplex virus-1(HSV-1)in vitro.Fan treatment significantly reduced the viral load,attenuated tissue inflammation,and improved survival in a viral sepsis mouse model.Mechanistically,Fan activates the antiviral response in a STING-dependent manner,leading to increased expression of interferon(1FN)and interferon-stimulated genes(ISGs)for potent antiviral effects in vivo and in vitro.Notably,Fan interacts with STING,preventing its degradation and thereby extending the activation of IFN-based antiviral responses.Collectively,our findings highlight the potential of Fan,which elicits antiviral immunity by suppressing STING degra-dation,as a promising candidate for antiviral therapy.

Objective To explore the predictive value of heart rate variability(HRV)for long-term prognosis in elderly patients with stable coronary heart disease(CHD)based on dynamic electro-cardiogram(ECG).Methods A retrospective trial was conducted on 402 elderly patients with sta-ble CHD admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018,and all of them were fol-lowed up for 5 years.According to occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)or not,they were divided into a MACE group(n=102)and a control group(n=300).The main clin-ical characteristics and differences in HRV were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis and ROC curve analysis were used.Results Advanced age,larger ratio of diabetes,more severe coronary artery stenosis,and higher low-frequency power and ratio of low-frequency power/high-frequency power,but lower left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and high-frequency power were observed in the MACE group than the control group(P＜0.01).There was also statistical difference in use of hypoglycemic drugs between the two groups during the follow-up period(P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes,age ≥80 years,LVEF＜50％,coronary artery stenosis ≥70％and ratio of low-frequency power/high-frequency power＞1.16 were independent influencing factors for MACE in elderly patients with stable CHD within 5 years(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis indicated that the AUC value for low-frequency power and ratio of low-frequency power/high-frequency power in predic-ting MACE occurrence within 5 years was 0.801(95％CI:0.749-0.854,P=0.000)and 0.798(95％CI:0.752-0.844,P=0.000),respectively,and the value of high-frequency power in predic-ting the absence of MACE was 0.629(95％CI:0.566-0.692,P=0.000).Conclusion HRV is an independent influencing factor for MACE occurrence within 5 years in elderly patients with stable CHD,and it shows certain predictive value for MACE occurrence within 5 years in these patients.

Objective:To investigate age-related characteristics of gait parameters in the elderly.Methods:From February 2023 to August 2023, a convenient sampling method was used to investigate the elderly over 60 years old in communities in Beijing.General characteristics and anthropometric data were collected.Gait parameters of the subjects during normal speed walking were measured using a wearable gait analyzer.Comparisons were made of the basic characteristics, physical status and gait parameters in different age groups.Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the changes of physical status and gait parameters with age, with the 60-69-year-old group as the baseline standard.Results:A total of 670 elderly people were included, including 324(48.4%)aged 60-69 years, 285(42.5%)aged 70-79 years, and 61(9.1%)aged ≥80 years.Linear regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, with increasing age, skeletal muscle mass index(SMI)( β=-0.018, 95% CI: -0.029--0.007), calf circumference( β=-0.096, 95% CI: -0.142--0.051), upper limb flexibility( β=-0.200, 95%, 95% CI: -0.355--0.046), lower limb flexibility( β=-0.244, 95% CI: -0.377--0.111), grip strength( β=-0.397, 95% CI: -0.491--0.303), the Short Physical Performance Battery(SPPB)( β=-0.080, 95% CI: -0.100--0.060)decreased( P<0.05), and the gait parameter such as speed( β=-0.010, 95% CI: -0.014--0.007), cadence( β=-0.398, 95% CI: -0.634--0.162), step length/height( β=-0.002, 95% CI: -0.003--0.002), stride length( β=-0.009, 95% CI: -0.011--0.007), swing power( β=-0.009, 95% CI: -0.012--0.006), ground impact( β=-0.020, 95% CI: -0.026--0.014), foot fall( β=-0.050, 95% CI: -0.064--0.036), pre-swing angle( β=-0.545, 95% CI: -0.714--0.377)all decreased( P<0.05), while stride time( β=0.005, 95% CI: 0.001-0.009), single limb support time( β=1.566, 95% CI: 0.499-2.633), terminal double limb support time( β=0.609, 95% CI: 0.084-1.134), swing duration( β=1.288, 95% CI: 0.024-2.552), single step time( β=2.417, 95% CI: 0.462-4.372)and support phase time( β=1.935, 95% CI: 0.421-3.449)all increased( P<0.05). Conclusions:The walking ability tends to decline with age in older people in the community who walk at a normal walking speed.

Objective:To investigate the current situation of medical social worker supervision in Shanghai, for reference to promote the high-quality development of medical social work.Methods:From June to July 2022, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the in-service medical social workers in all medical institutions with medical social work departments or posts in Shanghai. The questionnaire mainly included demographic information, current status of supervision implementation, and effectiveness of supervision. The data were analyzed descriptively with t test for comparison between groups and the Pearson test was for correlation analysis. Results:A total of 99 medical social workers were included in this study, 65 had received supervision, and medical institutions where 58 people located had established the supervision system. The average scores of actual and expected supervisory support received by medical social workers were 3.71 and 4.20 respectively, and the mean burnout level score was 32.91. The effect of establishing a supervision institutions on burnout was statistically significant ( P<0.05) and actual access to supervision support was negatively associated with burnout ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The overall situation of medical social work supervision in Shanghai was positive, but the demand for supervision was not fully satisfied; Supervision had a positive impact on reducing the burnout level. It is suggested that medical social work should further strengthen the cultivation of supervisory talents, promote the construction of supervisory systems, and improve the quality of supervision.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for organoid culture failure in colorectal cancer.Methods:This was a retrospective observational study. Tumor specimens were obtained from 1130 patients with colorectal cancer who had undergone surgery or biopsy and had no other concurrent malignancies at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University from December 2021 to November 2022. Organoid culture was performed on 1231 tumor tissue samples. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the factors that might have influenced the rate of successful organoid culture of colorectal cancer tissue samples.Results:The median (range) duration of organoid culture was 7 (3–12) days. The overall rate of successful culture was 76.3% (939/1231). The rate of successful organoid cultures varied according to the sampling site, malignant ascites having the highest success rate (96.4%, 27/28), followed by liver metastases (83.1%, 54/65), lung metastases (8/10), primary tumors (76.0%, 816/1074), omental metastases (10/14), peritoneal metastases (61.5%, 16/26), ovarian metastases (3/5), and lymph node metastases (5/9). The difference in rates of successful organoid culture between primary tumors and malignant ascites was statistically significant ( P=0.012), whereas none of the other rates of successful organoid culture success differed significantly (all P>0.05). The rate of successful organoid culture was 96.4% (27/28) for malignant ascites obtained by abdominal puncture, 76.5% (864/1130) for surgical specimens, and 65.8% (48/73) for endoscopic biopsies; these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=10.773, P=0.005). The rate of successful organoid culture was 62.5% (40/64) in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy group, which is significantly lower than in the non-adjuvant (76.9%, 787/1023) and chemotherapy groups (77.8%, 112/144) (χ 2=7.134, P=0.028). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that endoscopic biopsy (OR=0.557, 95%CI: 0.335–0.924, P=0.024) and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (OR=0.483, 95%CI: 0.285–0.820, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for failure of organoid culture of colorectal cancer samples. Malignant ascites (OR=8.537, 95%CI:1.154–63.131, P=0.036) and abdominal puncture (OR=8.294, 95% CI: 1.112–61.882, P=0.039) were identified as independent protective factors. Conclusions:The rate of successful organoid culture was influenced by the sampling site, sampling method, and chemoradiotherapy. The rate of successful organoid culture was lower for endoscopic biopsies and in patients receiving preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, and higher for malignant ascites. We consider that culture of malignant ascites is preferable when peritoneal metastases are suspected.