OBJECTIVE To compare the antihypertensive efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan versus benazepril in patients with perimenopausal hypertension， as well as their impacts on ventricular remodeling and inflammatory fibrosis. METHODS A total of 206 perimenopausal hypertensive patients in our hospital from January 1， 2023 to December 30， 2024 were retrospectively included.These patients were enrolled and divided into benazepril group （105 cases） and sacubitril/valsartan group （101 cases）. Benazepril group received Benazepril hydrochloride tablet， and sacubitril/valsartan group received Sacubitril valsartan sodium tablet. All patients were treated for 6 months. The blood pressure（systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure） and blood pressure control status before and after treatment， echocardiographic indicators （left ventricular ejection fraction， left ventricular mass index， relative wall thickness， and early-diastolic peak transmitral flow velocity/early-diastolic peak velocity of the mitral annulus）， inflammatory fibrosis related indicators（high-sensitivity C-reactive protein，ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes，and ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes）， as well as the occurrence of adverse reactions（hypotension，hyperkalemia，and angioedema） were observed in both groups before and after treatment. RESULTS The blood pressure control rate was significantly higher in the sacubitril/valsartan group than in benazepril group （ P ＜0.05）. After treatment， the blood pressure， echocardiographic indicators（except for left ventricular ejection fraction） ，and inflammatory fibrosis related indicators were significantly lower than those before treatment within the same group， and the sacubitril/valsartan group were significantly lower than the benazepril group （ P ＜0.05）. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of hypotension， hyperkalemia， angioedema， and overall adverse drug reactions between the two groups （ P ＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Compared with benazepril， sacubitril/valsartan provides superior blood-pressure control， reverses ventricular remodeling， attenuates inflammatory fibrosis in perimenopausal hypertensive patients， while maintaining a similar safety profile.

Objective: To explore the relationship between socio ecological risk factors (SERF), physical activity (PA) developmental trajectories, and depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students in Tianjin, in order to provide theoretical support for comprehensive interventions for adolescent depression. Methods: A longitudinal follow up design was adopted. In September 2022, a baseline survey was conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method in two junior high schools and two senior high schools in Tianjin, collecting data on students basic information, SERF, PA, and depressive symptoms. Two follow up surveys were conducted in September 2023 and 2024, yielding 588 valid participants. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was used to identify PA developmental trajectory categories among junior and senior high school students. Logistic regression was applied to examine the associations between depressive symptoms and SERF as well as PA trajectories. Results: The detection rates of depressive symptoms among Tianjin junior and senior high school students over the three years were 26.53%, 20.24%, and 21.26 %, respectively. Depressive symptoms were positively correlated with SERF ( OR=1.04, 95%CI=1.03-1.05, P <0.05). The highest risks were observed in the individual dimension and family dimension ( OR =1.28, 1.21, both P <0.05). LCGA identified three PA trajectory groups:persistently low level (80.65%), persistently high level (4.58%), and slowly increasing group ( 14.77 %). Multivariate regression analysis showed that compared with the persistently low level PA, the slowly increasing PA significantly reduced the risk of depressive symptoms ( OR=0.44, 95%CI =0.20-0.88), while SERF still increased the risk of depressive symptoms ( OR=1.04, 95%CI =1.03-1.05) (both P <0.05). Conclusion SERF are risk factors for depression symptoms among junior and senior high school students, whereas slowly increasing PA development trajectory demonstrates a protective effect.

Objective To investigate the clinical safety and efficacy of predictive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support during liver transplantation in high-risk recipients. Methods A single-center retrospective study was conducted. A total of 35 liver transplant recipients who underwent predictive ECMO assistance during surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2021 to April 2025 were included. Baseline characteristics, ECMO application, ECMO operating parameters and hemodynamic conditions during ECMO operation were analyzed. The cumulative survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and survival curves were plotted. Results Veno-arterial ECMO in 35 recipients was established after induction of general anesthesia. The median ECMO operation time was 8.5 h, and the success rate of weaning from ECMO was 97%. The cardiac index (CI) during the non-liver period and the new liver period was higher than that before cannulation, and CI increased during the non-liver period and before weaning (all P<0.001). The mean invasive arterial pressure and central venous pressure remained stable. No ECMO-related complications occurred in the recipients. The average survival time was (25 ± 3) months. The main causes of death were severe pulmonary infection and multiple organ failure. Conclusions For liver transplant recipients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction, hemodynamic disorders, or multiple organ failure risk factors, implementing predictive ECMO support during liver transplantation through active risk prediction is a safe and effective circulatory guarantee strategy.

ObjectiveTo investigate the status and influencing factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among close contacts of patients with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in Jing’an District, Shanghai, and to provide scientific evidence for the development of tuberculosis infection testing and preventive intervention strategies for close contacts of bacteriologically positive patients. MethodsFrom October 2022 to October 2023, patients with bacteriological confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis registered in Jing’an District, Shanghai, and their close contacts were enrolled as the research subjects. The close contacts were screened for tuberculosis infection using the interferon-γ release assay (IGRA). The chi-square test and binary logistic regression model were used to analyze factors influencing LTBI. ResultsA total of 112 close contacts were included, of whom 30 (26.79%) were male and 82 (73.21%) were female. The age ranged from 1 to 86 years, with a median (25th, 75th percentiles) of 47.50 (32.25, 61.00) years. The infection rate of LTBI was 21.43% (24/112), and the incidence of active pulmonary tuberculosis was 2.68% (3/112). Univariate analyses showed that a positive sputum smear of the index case, being a direct relative of the index case, co-living, and not wearing a mask were significantly associated with LTBI (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the risk of latent infection in close contacts of the index case with a positive sputum smear was 6.50 times higher than in those with a negative sputum smear (95%CI: 1.82‒23.25, P=0.004). ConclusionThe infection rate of LTBI in close contacts of patients with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in Jing’an District, Shanghai, is relatively high, and close contacts of sputum smear-positive patients face an even higher risk of infection. Therefore, tuberculosis infection screening and follow-up management should be strengthened for this population.

Incretin-based drugs have demonstrated significant clinical value in weight management and the treatment of metabolic diseases by mimicking or enhancing endogenous incretin signaling. These agents primarily target multiple receptors including glucagon-like peptide-1， glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide， and glucagon， exerting weight-reducing effects through multiple mechanisms such as central appetite regulation， gastrointestinal function modulation， and peripheral metabolic improvement， while further ameliorating blood glucose， blood lipids， fatty liver， and cardiorenal metabolic risks. This review focuses on incretin-based drugs， systematically summarizing the key clinical application points and relevant research progress of domestically marketed and investigational candidate drugs in the field of weight reduction. Available evidence indicates that semaglutide and tirzepatide demonstrate substantial weight reduction with multiple metabolic benefits； domestic innovative drugs represented by mazdutide and ecnoglutide also exhibit favorable weight-reducing effects and safety profiles. Regarding safety， these agents are generally well-tolerated， with the most common adverse reactions being mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal events， while potential risks including gallbladder events， pancreatitis， and mood changes require attention. In special populations， individualized assessment is warranted for use in children， elderly people， and pregnant women. Future research should focus on the screening of predictive biomarkers for efficacy， the development of long-acting oral formulations， and the accumulation of long-term safety follow-up data.

Objective To prepare virus-like particles (VLPs) for yellow fever virus (YFV) using the pACYCDuet-1 single-plasmid dual expression system. Methods Gene fragments including NS1, NS5, and 5' untranslated region (UTR) and 3' UTR fragment of YFV were cloned into the expression plasmid pACYCDuet-1-MS2-TMpac (carrying MS2 coat protein gene) and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) for expression. VLPs were observed by TEM. After DNase I/RNase A digestion, RNA was extracted and transcribed into cDNA, which was subjected to fluorescence quantitative PCR detection. Results According to SN/T 3560-2013, double digestion and colony PCR of pACYCDuet-1-MS2-TMpac-YFV both produced expected bands. SDS-PAGE showed a target band at 25-35 kDa. RT-PCR amplified VLPs after enzyme digestion, and TEM revealed VLPs with clear edges and translucent interiors. Thus, the plasmid was successfully constructed, and the phage coat protein packaged YFV genes with nuclease resistance. Conclusion VLPs containing specific gene fragments of yellow fever virus have been successfully prepared. These nuclease-resistant VLPs can serve as safe and stable quality control materials to ensure the reliability of laboratory detection for YFV.

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Tongluo Baoshen prescription （TLBS）-containing serum on the rat podocyte injury induced by lipopolysaccharide （LPS） and explore the potential mechanisms. MethodsSD rats were used to prepare the blank serum， losartan potassium-containing serum， and low-， medium-， and high-dose TLBS-containing sera. Rat podocytes were cultured in vitro， and the effects of drug-containing sera on podocyte viability were detected by the cell counting kit-8 （CKK-8） method. The optimal intervention volume fraction of drug-containing sera and the optimal concentration of LPS for inducing the podocyte injury were determined. Rat podocytes were grouped as follows： normal control （NC， 10% blank serum）， model control （MC， 20.00 mg·L^-1 LPS+10% black serum）， losartan potassium （LP， 20.00 mg·L^-1 LPS+10% losartan potassium-containing serum）， low-dose TLBS （TLBS-L， 20.00 mg·L^-1 LPS+10% low-dose TLBS-containing serum）， medium-dose TLBS （TLBS-M， 20.00 mg·L^-1 LPS+10% medium-dose TLBS-containing serum）， and high-dose TLBS （TLBS-H， 20.00 mg·L^-1 LPS+10% high-dose TLBS-containing serum）， and the interventions lasted for 48 h. The ultrastructure of podocytes was observed under a transmission electron microscope. The podocyte apoptosis was detected by the terminal deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） kit. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of gasdermin D N-terminal fragment （GSDMD-NT） in podocytes. The mRNA and protein levels of G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 member B （GPRC5B）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） p50， NF-κB p52， NF-κB p65， Rel B， c-Rel， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-1 （Caspase-1）， GSDMD-NT， interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-18， nephrin， integrin α₃， and integrin β₁ in podocytes were determined by real-time quaritiative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. ResultsCompared with the NC group， the MC group showed reduced podocyte protrusions and organelles， segmental missing of cell membranes， increased and swollen mitochondria， irregular nuclear membranes， light chromatin， increased TUNEL fluorescence-positive nuclei （P<0.01）， obviously enhanced fluorescence intensity of GSDMD-NT， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of GPRC5B， NF-κB p50， NF-κB p52， NF-κB p65， Rel B， c-Rel， NLRP3， caspase-1， GSDMD-NT， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.01）， and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of nephrin， integrin α₃， and integrin β₁ （P<0.01） in podocytes. Compared with the MC group， the LP， TLBS-M， and TLBS-H groups showed improved ultrastructure of podocytes with increased protrusions， intact cell membranes， reduced organelles， and alleviated mitochondrial swelling， decreased TUNEL fluorescence-positive nuclei （P<0.01）， weakened fluorescence intensity of GSDMD-NT， down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of GPRC5B， NF-κB p50， NF-κB p52， NF-κB p65， Rel B， c-Rel， NLRP3， caspase-1， GSDMD-NT， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.01）， and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of nephrin， integrin α₃， and integrin β₁ （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the changes above were the most obvious in the TLBS-H group. ConclusionThe TLBS-containing serum can regulate the GPRC5B/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway to inhibit pyroptosis， thereby ameliorating the podocyte injury induced by LPS.

At present, there is no effective drug treatment for obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). It is usually treated by mechanical ventilation through a ventilator. In this paper, a non-invasive bi-level breathing therapy system suitable for home scenarios is developed. The system supports single-level and bi-level positive airway pressure therapies, and introduces the function of inspiratory synchronous trigger based on flow monitoring to enhance the synchrony of patient-ventilator synchronization. The test results show that the performance indicators of the system meet expectations. Each ventilation mode can operate normally and can meet the requirements for the use of home non-invasive ventilators.
Humans ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/therapy* ; Equipment Design ; Noninvasive Ventilation/instrumentation* ; Respiration, Artificial

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families, and society. This study analyzed the incidence and mortality trends of RA in China from 1990 to 2023 to provide epidemiological evidence for precise prevention and control. METHODS: Data on RA incidence, age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), deaths, and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) in China by sex and age group from 1900 to 2021 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze trends in ASIR and ASMR. An age-period-cohort model was constructed using R4.3.1 to evaluate longitudinal age trends and estimate relative risk (RR) values for period and cohort effects. RESULTS: In 2021, the number of RA cases, ASIR, deaths, and ASMR in China were 247 300, 13.70 per 100 000, 10 300, and 0.54 per 100 000, respectively. From 1990 to 2021, the ASIR of RA increased annually among both females and males, with average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) of 0.44% and 0.72%, respectively. Over the same period, ASMR declined in the total population and among females, with AAPCs of -0.78% and -1.19%, while the change in males was not statistically significant. Age-period-cohort analysis showed that the peak incidence occurred in women aged 60-64 years and men aged 75-79 years, and mortality increased with age. The period effect for incidence rose in both sexes, reaching 1.10 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94 to 1.27] for females and 1.14 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.27) for males during 2017 to 2021, compared with 2002 to 2006. The mortality period effect RR exhibited a downward-upward-downward pattern, decreasing to 0.56 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.61) in females and 0.75 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.82) in males in 2017 to 2021. Cohort analysis indicated that the highest incidence risk occurred in individuals born during 2012 to 2016, while the cohort effect RR for female RA mortality showed a continuous decline beginning with the 1922 to 1926 birth cohort. CONCLUSIONS The incidence and mortality risks of RA in China have continued to decline. However, with the aging of the population, the incidence and mortality risks among the elderly have increased. Middle-aged women and elderly men should receive focused attention. Health authorities should strengthen education, prevention, and screening among middle-aged women and enhance disease monitoring in elderly populations to reduce the national burden of RA.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; Mortality/trends* ; Age Distribution ; Age Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Adolescent

Objective To investigate the effect of total paeony glycoside(TPG)on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CI/RI)of rats.Methods The rats were randomly divided into sham surgery(sham)group,CI/RI model group(simple CI/RI group),positive control group(nimodipine group,5 mg/kg),low-dose TPG group(TPG-L group,27 mg/kg),a high-dose TPG group(TPG-H group,54 mg/kg)and a high-dose TPG+NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3)activator diethyl dithiocarbamate(DDC)group(TPG-H+DDC group,54 mg/kg TPG and 30 mg/kg DDC),with 18 rats in each,administered once a day for 7 consecutive days.After the administration,the neurological deficit score of the rats was evaluated.Nissl staining microscopy was applied to observe neuronal activity in brain tissue.2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining microscopy was applied to detect the area of cerebral infarction in rats.The level of interleukin-1β and IL-18 in brain tissue was measured by ELISA method.Western blot was applied to detect the expression of purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7(P2X7R)/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins and pyroptosis related proteins such as apoptosis associated speck like protein containing a CARD(ASC)and cysteine protease 1(caspase-1)proteins in brain tissue.Results Compared with the sham group,the neurological deficit score,infarct area,level of IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissue and protein expression of P2X7R,NLRP3,ASC,and caspase-1 in brain tissue of rats in the simple CI/RI group were significantly increased(P<0.05),while the proportion of Nissl body positive cells in brain tissue was significantly reduced(P<0.05).The change in corresponding indicators of rats in the nimodipine group,TPG-L group,and TPG-H group was opposite to those in the simple CI/RI group(P<0.05).NLRP3 acti-vator DDC antagonized the inhibitory effect of TPG on cell pyroptosis in CI/RI rats.Conclusions TPG may inhibit brain injury in CI/RI rats by down-regulating the P2X7R/NLRP3 pathway.