Objective:To observe the efficacy of probiotics in the adjuvant treatment of bronchial asthma and to explore the relationship between their action and intestinal flora.Methods:A total of 76 newly diagnosed patients with mild-to-moderate bronchial asthma treated at Baotou Central Hospital between November 2023 and January 2025 were randomly divided into two groups:the conventional treatment group(n=38)and the combined probiotic treatment group(n=38).Post-treatment comparisons were made between the two groups regarding symptom resolution time,Asthma Control Test(ACT)scores,lung function,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO)levels,serum inflammatory cytokines,complement levels,and other indicators.Faecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing of gut microbiota.Results:Baseline characteristics showed no significant differences between the two groups(P＞0.05).Compared to the conventional treatment group,the combined probiotic group exhibited significantly shorter resolution times for asthma symptoms and lung rales(P＜0.001),significantly higher ACT scores,FEV1,and PEF(P＜0.001),and significantly lower FeNO levels(P＜0.001).Additionally,serum interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and complement C3 levels were significantly reduced(P＜0.001),while serum interleukin-6(IL-10)levels were significantly increased(P＜0.001).16S rDNA sequencing revealed no significant changes in gut microbiota richness or diversity in the conventional treatment group before and after treatment(P＞0.05),whereas intestinal flora richness and diversity were significantly increased in the combined probiotic treatment group compared to the pre-treatment group(P＜0.05).Correlation analysis between gut microbiota and inflammatory markers demonstrated that Faecalibacterium and Bifidobacterium abundance were negatively correlated with TNF-α levels(P＜0.05),while Escherichia-Shigella,and Streptococcus abundance were positively correlated with TNF-α levels(P＜0.05).Streptococcus and Klebsiella abundance were positively correlated with IL-6 levels(P＜0.05).Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus abundance were negatively correlated with IL-10 levels and positively correlated with complement C3 levels(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Probiotics may assist in improving bronchial asthma symptoms by influencing the gut flora to reduce the inflammatory response.

Objective:To observe the efficacy of probiotics in the adjuvant treatment of bronchial asthma and to explore the relationship between their action and intestinal flora.Methods:A total of 76 newly diagnosed patients with mild-to-moderate bronchial asthma treated at Baotou Central Hospital between November 2023 and January 2025 were randomly divided into two groups:the conventional treatment group(n=38)and the combined probiotic treatment group(n=38).Post-treatment comparisons were made between the two groups regarding symptom resolution time,Asthma Control Test(ACT)scores,lung function,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO)levels,serum inflammatory cytokines,complement levels,and other indicators.Faecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing of gut microbiota.Results:Baseline characteristics showed no significant differences between the two groups(P＞0.05).Compared to the conventional treatment group,the combined probiotic group exhibited significantly shorter resolution times for asthma symptoms and lung rales(P＜0.001),significantly higher ACT scores,FEV1,and PEF(P＜0.001),and significantly lower FeNO levels(P＜0.001).Additionally,serum interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and complement C3 levels were significantly reduced(P＜0.001),while serum interleukin-6(IL-10)levels were significantly increased(P＜0.001).16S rDNA sequencing revealed no significant changes in gut microbiota richness or diversity in the conventional treatment group before and after treatment(P＞0.05),whereas intestinal flora richness and diversity were significantly increased in the combined probiotic treatment group compared to the pre-treatment group(P＜0.05).Correlation analysis between gut microbiota and inflammatory markers demonstrated that Faecalibacterium and Bifidobacterium abundance were negatively correlated with TNF-α levels(P＜0.05),while Escherichia-Shigella,and Streptococcus abundance were positively correlated with TNF-α levels(P＜0.05).Streptococcus and Klebsiella abundance were positively correlated with IL-6 levels(P＜0.05).Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus abundance were negatively correlated with IL-10 levels and positively correlated with complement C3 levels(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Probiotics may assist in improving bronchial asthma symptoms by influencing the gut flora to reduce the inflammatory response.

Objective To explore clinical effect of accessory scaphoid bone fusion in treating type Ⅱ painful accessory scaphoid bone.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 26 patients with type Ⅱ painful accessory navicular bone treated by accessory navicular bone fusion from January 2012 to June 2022,including 1 male and 25 females,aged from 18 to 70 years old with an average of(44.61±16.32)years old;10 patients with type Ⅱ A and 16 patients with type Ⅱ B;20 patients with simple fusion and 6 patients with fusion plus calcaneal translocation osteotomy.Changes of Meary angle,Pitch angle,an-teroposterior talar-first metatarsal angle(T1MA),talonavicular coverage angle(TCA),lateral talocalcaneal angle(LTCA)be-fore operation and 6 months after operation were observed and compared,and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS)foot and ankle score and visual analogue scale(VAS)were used to explore clinical effect.Results All 26 patients were followed up for 7 to 24 months with an average of(10.72±3.94)months.Meary angle,Pitch angle,T1MA,TCA and LTCA were improved from(9.20±2.57)°,(16.45±3.57)°,(33.34±5.02)°,(22.42±5.86)°,(48.89±4.43)° before opertaion to(3.33±1.06)°,(22.33±4.56)°,(23.89±3.48)°,(11.83±2.67)°,(36.50±3.50)° at 6 months after operation,the difference were statistically significant(P＜0.01).Postoperative AOFAS foot and ankle score were(86.24±4.33)and(93.18±6.02)for type Ⅱ A and type Ⅱ B at 6 months,which were significantly improved compared with those for type Ⅱ A and type Ⅱ B before op-eration(67.34±6.55)and(65.12±9.51),and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01);20 patients got excellent re-sult,5 good and 1 poor.Preoperative VAS of type ⅡA(5.67±1.58)and type Ⅱ B(5.77±1.49)were improved to(2.13±1.01)and(1.43±0.68)at 6 months after operation,with statistical significance(P＜0.01).Conclusion Fusion of accessory navicular bone in patients with type Ⅱ painful accessory navicular bone combined with internal calcaneal osteotomy in patients with par-tial calcaneal valvaration could effectively correct flat foot deformity and relieve pain,and could be used as a clinical treatment for painful accessory navicular bone.

Objective To analyze the acupoint selection law of acupuncture and moxibustion for postherpetic neuralgia(PHN)with R language data mining technology.Methods The clinical research literature on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of PHN included in CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP and CBM from January 1,2010 to July 1,2023 was retrieved,and the database was established by Excel 2016.R language was used to statistically analyze the frequency of acupoint usage,meridians,locations,specific acupoints,etc.Through association rule analysis and clustering analysis,the characteristics and law of acupoint selection for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of PHN were obtained.Results A total of 198 articles were included,including 83 acupoints,with a total frequency of 714 times.The high-frequency acupoints include Ashi acupoint,Jiaji acupoint and Yanglingquan.The commonly used meridians were gallbladder meridian,spleen meridian and large intestine meridiam.The acupoints were mostly in the upper and lower limbs,with the Wushu acupoints,Yuan acupoints and Xiahe acupoints being the most common.The core acupoint was Ashi acupoint,Jiaji acupoint,Hegu,Quchi,and 9 sets of association rules and 5 effective clusters were obtained.Conclusion The most commonly used acupoints for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of PHN are Ashi acupoint,Jiaji acupoint,Hegu and Quchi,which mainly follow the principle of combining local acupoint selection with distal acupoint selection.

OBJECTIVES: To report the development, validation, and findings of the Multi-dimensional Attention Rating Scale (MARS), a self-report tool crafted to evaluate six-dimension attention levels. METHODS: The MARS was developed based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). Totally 202 highly educated healthy adult participants were recruited for reliability and validity tests. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability. Structural validity was explored using principal component analysis. Criterion validity was analyzed by correlating MARS scores with the Toronto Hospital Alertness Test (THAT), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), and the Attention Network Test (ANT). RESULTS: The MARS comprises 12 items spanning six distinct dimensions of attention: focused attention, sustained attention, shifting attention, selective attention, divided attention, and response inhibition.As assessed by six experts, the content validation index (CVI) was 0.95, the Cronbach's alpha for the MARS was 0.78, and the test-retest reliability was 0.81. Four factors were identified (cumulative variance contribution rate 68.79%). The total score of MARS was correlated positively with THAT (r = 0.60, P < 0.01) and ACS (r = 0.78, P < 0.01) and negatively with ANT's reaction time for alerting (r = -0.31, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS The MARS can reliably and validly assess six-dimension attention levels in real-world settings and is expected to be a new tool for assessing multi-dimensional attention impairments in different mental disorders.
Humans ; Adult ; Male ; Attention/physiology* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Young Adult ; Psychometrics

ObjectiveTo evaluate the overall dietary intake of adult residents in Sijing Town, Songjiang District, Shanghai, and to explore the association between dietary health literacy and diet quality. MethodsA total of 1 280 adult residents were selected as the research subjects using a multi-stage sampling method, and face-to-face questionnaire surveys were administered on site. Dietary intake data were collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and the overall diet quality of the participants was evaluated based on the Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI). Participants were divided into low- and high-CHEI groups according to the median CHEI score. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between dietary health literacy and diet quality. ResultsThe median CHEI score for adults in the area was 63.68 points. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that adults with lower dietary health literacy had lower CHEI scores and poorer overall diet quality compared to those with higher dietary health literacy (OR=1.435, 95%CI:1.132‒1.819). ConclusionThe overall diet quality of adult residents in this region requires improvement. There is a significant positive correlation between the level of dietary health literacy and CHEI scores, suggesting that enhancing dietary health literacy may be an important strategy to improve resident’ dietary quality.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health concern in northwest China; however, the impact of particulate matter (PM) exposure during sand-dust storms (SDS) remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between PM exposure on SDS days and COPD hospitalization risk in arid regions. METHODS: Data on daily COPD hospitalizations were collected from 323 hospitals from 2018 to 2022, along with the corresponding air pollutant and meteorological data for each city in Gansu Province. Employing a space-time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional Poisson regression, we analyzed 265,379 COPD hospitalizations. RESULTS: PM exposure during SDS days significantly increased COPD hospitalization risk [relative risk ( RR) for PM _2.5, lag 3:1.028, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.021-1.034], particularly among men and the elderly, and during the cold season. The burden of PM exposure on COPD hospitalization was substantially high in Northwest China, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions. CONCLUSION Our findings revealed a positive correlation between PM exposure during SDS episodes and elevated hospitalization rates for COPD in arid and semi-arid zones in China. This highlights the urgency of developing region-specific public health strategies to address adverse respiratory outcomes associated with SDS-related air quality deterioration.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/chemically induced* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Spatio-Temporal Analysis ; Adult ; Sand ; Air Pollution

Objective To analyze the cellular and histopathological characteristics of underdiagnosed thyroid nodules of Chinese thyroid imaging reporting and data system(C-TIRADS) categories 3 and 4a,thus improving the understanding of these lesions. Methods The data of ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology were collected from 683 nodules diagnosed based on pathological evidence in 549 patients undergoing thyroid surgery.The cellular and histopathological characteristics of C-TIRADS 3 and 4a nodules were analyzed. Results Two hundred and sixty-eight nodules were classified as C-TIRADS category 3,including 236 benign nodules,12 low-risk ones,and 20 (7.46%) malignant ones.Two hundred and twenty-one nodules were classified as C-TIRADS category 4a,including 133 benign nodules,7 low-risk ones,and 81 (36.65%) malignant ones.The malignancy rates differed between C-TIRADS 3 and 4a nodules (χ²=58.93,P<0.001),and both were higher than the recommended malignancy rate in the guidelines for malignancy risk stratification of thyroid nodules (C-TIRADS) (both P<0.001).According to the pathological evidence,the underdiagnosed C-TIRADS 3/4a nodules were mainly papillary thyroid carcinoma,especially in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis.There was not a consistent one-to-one match between each ultrasound result and each cytological classification of low-risk thyroid nodules.Conclusions When the malignant features in preoprative ultrasound imaging are atypical or absent,papillary thyroid carcinoma (especially with Hashimoto thyroiditis),follicular carcinoma,and medullary carcinoma are likely to be underdiagnosed as C-TIRADS 3 or 4a nodules.Therefore,efforts should be made to fully understand the cellular and pathological characteristics of these lesions.
Humans ; Thyroid Nodule/diagnostic imaging* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Ultrasonography ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Aged ; Young Adult ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Adolescent

Objective: To explore the clinical manifestations and treatment plans of chronic recurrent parotitis (CRP), and to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CRP. Methods: Approval was obtained from the hospital’s Medical Ethics Committee, and a retrospective analysis and summary of the clinical features, imaging characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of 41 CRP patients with complete data were performed. Results: Among the 41 patients with CRP, 14 were male and 27 were female, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 1:2 (14/27). The age at first-time onset ranged from 3 to 23 years, with a median age of 6 years, and there were 38 patients (92.7%, 38/41) with the first onset age of under 18 years old. The age of the first visit to our hospital ranged from 4 to 72 years old, with an average age of (41.0 ± 17.3) years; the disease duration was 0.5 to 66 years, with an average of 35.0 ± 16.1 years. Twenty-five cases had bilateral parotid gland involvement (61.0%, 25/41). The clinical manifestations of CRP are repeated swelling of one or both parotid glands, along with discomfort, and this may be accompanied by mild edema or skin flushing and pus or jelly-like secretions at the duct openings. The typical manifestations of parotid angiography are: the dominant duct and branch ducts of the parotid gland do not have specific dilation or narrowing, and the peripheral ducts show characteristic “punctate, spherical, or cavitary” dilation and delayed emptying. Of the cases, 34 had abnormal enlargement of the main duct orifice (82.9%, 34/41), and 37 presented with abnormal anterior displacement of the accessory glands (90.2%, 37/41). The treatment plan of “antibiotic perfusion + aspiration and removal of obstruction (or aspiration after obstruction dissolution)+ postprandia massage along the direction of the parotid duct (from posterior to anterior) with multiple courses for consolidation”achieved favorable outcomes. The mean follow-up period of this group was(71.1+21.9)months, and no recurrence was observed during the follow-up period. Conclusion CRP is more prevalent in young females and frequently presents with bilateral involvement. Congenital anatomical defects, such as abnormal enlargement of the main duct orifice and abnormal anterior displacement of the accessory glands, are important predisposing factors. The multi-course comprehensive therapy centered on antibiotic infusion, removal and dissolution of obstructions, and post-prandial massage along the direction of the parotid duct has significant therapeutic effects and deserves clinical application.

A primary hallmark of pathological cardiac hypertrophy is excess protein synthesis due to enhanced translational activity. However, regulatory mechanisms at the translational level under cardiac stress remain poorly understood. Here we examined the translational regulations in a mouse cardiac hypertrophy model induced by transaortic constriction (TAC) and explored the conservative networks versus the translatome pattern in human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The results showed that the heart weight to body weight ratio was significantly elevated, and the ejection fraction and fractional shortening significantly decreased 8 weeks after TAC. Puromycin incorporation assay showed that TAC significantly increased protein synthesis rate in the left ventricle. RNA-seq revealed 1,632 differentially expressed genes showing functional enrichment in pathways including extracellular matrix remodeling, metabolic processes, and signaling cascades associated with pathological cardiomyocyte growth. When combined with ribosome profiling analysis, we revealed that translation efficiency (TE) of 1,495 genes was enhanced, while the TE of 933 genes was inhibited following TAC. In DCM patients, 1,354 genes were upregulated versus 1,213 genes were downregulated at the translation level. Although the majority of the genes were not shared between mouse and human, we identified 93 genes, including Nos3, Kcnj8, Adcy4, Itpr1, Fasn, Scd1, etc., with highly conserved translational regulations. These genes were remarkably associated with myocardial function, signal transduction, and energy metabolism, particularly related to cGMP-PKG signaling and fatty acid metabolism. Motif analysis revealed enriched regulatory elements in the 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs) of transcripts with differential TE, which exhibited strong cross-species sequence conservation. Our study revealed novel regulatory mechanisms at the translational level in cardiac hypertrophy and identified conserved translation-sensitive targets with potential applications to treat cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in the clinic.
Animals ; Humans ; Cardiomegaly/physiopathology* ; Ribosomes/physiology* ; Protein Biosynthesis/physiology* ; Mice ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/genetics* ; Ribosome Profiling