Objective To investigate the changes in the prevalence of Babesia microti infections, spleen morphology and proportions of splenic immune cells in BALB/c mice following intravenous and intraperitoneal injections, so as to provide insights into unraveling the immune regulatory mechanisms of Babesia infections. Methods Laboratory - maintained B. microti strains were prepared into whole blood samples with 10% prevalence of B. microti infection. A total of 75 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups, including the normal control group, intravenous injection group, and intraperitoneal injection group, of 25 mice in each group. Mice in the intravenous and intraperitoneal injection groups were administered 100 μL of whole blood samples with 10% prevalence of B. microti infection, with the day of injection recorded as d0, and animals in the normal control group were given no treatments. Blood was sampled from mice in each group via the tail tip on d7, d14, d21, d28 and d35, and prepared into thin-film blood smears, and B. microti infection was observed in red blood cells. Five mice were randomly sampled from each group and sacrificed on d7, d14, d21, d28 and d35, and spleen was collected for measurement of spleen size and weight. In addition, splenic cells were isolated, and the proportions of CD3e⁺ T cells, CD45R⁺ B cells, CD49b⁺ nature killer (NK) cells, and F4/80⁺ macrophages were detected in CD45⁺ lymphocytes using flow cytometry. Results The prevalence of B. microti infection in the intravenous (22.80%) and intraperitoneal injection groups (44.82%) peaked on d7 (χ² = 8.141, P < 0.01) and then rapidly decreased, and no parasites were observed on d35. The longest mouse spleen length [(32.91 ± 2.20) mm] and width [(9.82 ± 0.43) mm], and the greatest weight [(0.78 ± 0.10) g] were found on d14 in the intravenous injection group, and the longest spleen length [(32.42 ± 3.21) mm] and width [(10.25 ± 0.73) mm], and the greatest weight [(0.73 ± 0.09) g] were seen in the intra-peritoneal injection group on d21, d7 and d14, respectively. There were significant differences among the intravenous injection group, intraperitoneal injection group and the normal control group in terms of spleen length (F = 10.310, P < 0.05), width (F = 9.824, P < 0.05), and weight (F = 10.672, P < 0.05) on d21, and the mouse spleen length, width and weight were all significantly greater in the intraperitoneal injection group than in the intravenous injection group (allP values < 0.05). The proportions of splenic CD3e⁺ T cells [(60.60 ± 6.20)% and (39.68 ± 7.62)%], CD45R⁺ B cells [(43.32 ± 2.08)% and (49.53 ± 4.90)%], CD49b⁺ NK cells [(6.88 ± 1.34)% and (7.71 ± 1.59)%], and F4/80⁺ macrophages [(2.21 ± 0.29)% and (3.80 ± 0.35)%] peaked on d14, d21, d21 and d14 in the intravenous and intraperitoneal injection groups, respectively. There were significant differences in the proportions of CD3e⁺ T cells (F = 16.730, P < 0.05) and F4/80⁺ macrophages (F = 15.941, P < 0.05) among the intravenous injection group, intraperitoneal injection group and normal control group on d14, and a higher proportion of CD3e⁺ T cells and a lower proportion of F4/80⁺ macrophages were detected in the intravenous injection group than in the intraperitoneal injection group (both P values < 0.01). There were significant differences among the intravenous injection group, intraperitoneal injection group and normal control group on d21 in terms of proportions of splenic CD3e⁺ T cells (F = 9.252, P < 0.05), CD45R⁺ B cells (F = 14.349, P < 0.05), CD49b⁺ NK cells (F = 13.436,P < 0.05), and F4/80⁺ macrophages (F = 8.180, P < 0.05), and a higher proportion of CD3e⁺ T cells and lower proportions of CD45R⁺ B cells and F4/80⁺ macrophages were detected in the intravenous injection group than in the intraperitoneal injection group (all P values < 0.01). In addition, there was a significant difference in the proportion of CD3e⁺ T cells among the intravenous injection group, intraperitoneal injection group and normal control group on d28 (F = 9.772,P < 0.05), and a lower proportion of CD3e⁺ T cells was found in the intravenous injection group than in the intraperitoneal injection group (P < 0.01). Conclusions Both intraperitoneal and intravenous routes are effective to induce B. microti infections in BALB/c mice, and the prevalence of B. microti infections is higher in BALB/c mice through the intraperitoneal route than through the intravenous route. Intraperitoneal and intravenous injections with B. microti cause diverse spleen morphologies and proportions of splenic immune cells in mice, indicating routes of B. microti infections cause different impacts on immune response mechanisms in mice.

ObjectiveTo understand the infection characteristics of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in hospitalized patients in a tertiary sentinel hospital in Shanghai, so as to provide an evidence for the development of targeted prevention and control measures. MethodsData of MDROs strains and corresponding medical records of some hospitalized patients in a hospital in Shanghai from 2021 to 2023 were collected, together with an analysis of the basic information, clinical treatment, underlying diseases and sources of sample collection. ResultsA total of 134 strains of MDROs isolated from hospitalized patients in this hospital were collected from 2021 to 2023 , including 63 strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 57 strains of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), and 14 strains of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). Of the 134 strains, 30 strains were found in 2021, 47 strains in 2022 and 57 strains in 2023. The male-to-female ratio of patients was 2.05∶1, with the highest percentage (70.90%) in the age group of 60‒<90 years. The primary diagnosis was mainly respiratory disease, with lung and respiratory tract as the cheif infection sites. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of strains between different genders and infection sites (P>0.05). However, the differences in the distribution of strains between different ages and primary diagnosis were statistically significant (P<0.05). Patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), had urinary tract intubation, were not artery or vein intubated, were not on a ventilator, were not using immunosuppresants or hormones, and were not applying radiotherapy or chemotherapy were in the majority. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of strains for whether received radiotherapy or chemotherapy or not (P>0.05), while the differences in the distribution of strains with ICU admission history, urinary tract intubation, artery or vein intubation, ventilator use, and immunosuppresants or hormones use or not were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The type of specimen was mainly sputum, the hospitalized ward was mainly comprehensive ICU, the sampling time was mainly in the first quarter throughout the year, the number of underlying diseases was mainly between 1 to 2 kinds, the application of antibiotics ≥4 kinds, and those who didn’t receive any surgery recently accounted for the most. There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of strains between different specimen types, wards occupied and history of ICU stay (P<0.05), but no statistically significant difference in the distribution of strains between different sampling times, number of underlying diseases and types of antibiotics applied (P>0.05). ConclusionThe situation of prevention and control on MDROs in this hospital is still serious. Focus should be placed on high-risk factors’ and infection monitoring and preventive measures should be strengthened to reduce the incidence rate of MDROs infection.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of resistance combined with aerobic chrono-exercise on the common carotid artery elasticity and hemodynamics. 24 healthy young men (21.96±0.43 years old) underwent a single acute resistance combined with aerobic exercise intervention at eight time periods (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 o'clock). The axial flow velocity and diameter waveforms of the common carotid artery were measured, and the hemodynamics were calculated using the classical hemodynamic theory before exercise, immediately after exercise, 10 min and 20 min after exercise. The results showed that during exercise recovery, systolic and mean pressures decreased more markedly after exercise at 8 o'clock (P < 0.05); At 20 min post-exercise, arterial stiffness index and pressure-strain elastic modulus after exercise at 6 o'clock were reduced compared with the resting state, but were significantly elevated after exercise at 20 o'clock (P < 0.05). Immediately after exercise, the pressure rise was higher after exercise at 6 o'clock and the mean wall shear stress was higher after exercise at 20 o'clock (P < 0.05). These results suggest that resistance combined with aerobic chrono-exercise produces different effects on common carotid artery hemodynamics in young men. A single acute session of resistance combined with aerobic exercise at 8 o'clock is more effective in lowering blood pressure. Exercise at 6 o'clock is beneficial to improve arterial elasticity but is not recommended for young male individuals with cardiovascular disease risks because of the excessive increase in blood pressure immediately after exercise. Exercise at 20 o'clock is more effective in improving wall shear stress but is accompanied by elevated arterial stiffness indices and pressure-strain elastic modulus. These results provide a scientific basis for healthy young men in choosing the time of exercise by exploring the common carotid artery elasticity and hemodynamic-related indices.
Humans ; Male ; Young Adult ; Exercise/physiology* ; Carotid Artery, Common/physiology* ; Hemodynamics/physiology* ; Vascular Stiffness/physiology* ; Elasticity ; Resistance Training ; Adult

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of functional perforator flaps utilizing the superficial circumflex iliac artery as a vascular pedicle, as well as chimeric iliac bone flaps, in the reconstruction of composite tissue defects in the hand and foot. METHODS: A retrospective review of the clinical data from 13 patients suffering from severe hand or foot injuries, treated between May 2019 and January 2025, was conducted. The cohort comprised 8 males and 5 females, with ages ranging from 31 to 67 years (mean, 48.5 years). The injuries caused by mechanical crush incidents (n=9) and traffic accidents (n=4). The distribution of injury sites included 8 cases involving the hand and 5 cases involving the foot. Preoperatively, all patients exhibited bone defects ranging from 2.0 to 6.5 cm and soft tissue defects ranging from 10 to 210 cm². Reconstruction was performed using functional perforator flaps based on the superficial circumflex iliac artery and chimeric iliac bone flaps. The size of iliac bone flaps ranged from 2.5 cm×1.0 cm×1.0 cm to 7.0 cm×2.0 cm×1.5 cm, while the size of the soft tissue flaps ranged from 4 cm×3 cm to 15 cm×8 cm. In 1 case with a significant hand defect, a posterior interosseous artery perforator flap measuring 10.0 cm×4.5 cm was utilized as an adjunct. Likewise, an anterolateral thigh perforator flap measuring 25 cm×7 cm was combined in 1 case involving a foot defect. All donor sites were primarily closed. Postoperative flap survival was monitored, and bone healing was evaluated through imaging examination. Functional outcomes were assessed based on the location of the defects: for hand injuries, grip strength, pinch strength, and flap two-point discrimination were measured; for foot injuries, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Maryland Foot Score, plantar pressure distribution and gait symmetry index (GSI) were evaluated. RESULTS: All flaps survived completely, with primary healing observed at both donor and recipient sites. All patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 12.2 months). No significant flap swelling or deformity was observed. Imaging examination showed a bone callus crossing rate of 92.3% (12/13) at 3 months after operation, and bone density recovered to more than 80% of the healthy side at 6 months. The time required for bone flap integration ranged from 2 to 6 months (mean, 3.2 months). One patient with a foot injury exhibited hypertrophic scarring at the donor site; however, no major complication, such as infection or bone nonunion, was noted. At 6 months after operation, grip strength in 8 patients involving the hand recovered to 75%-90% of the healthy side (mean, 83.2%), while pinch strength recovered to 70%-85% (mean, 80%). Flap two-point discrimination ranged from 8 to 12 mm, approaching the sensory capacity of the healthy side (5-8 mm). Among the 5 patients involving the foot, the AOFAS score at 8 months was 80.5±7.3, VAS score was 5.2±1.6. According to the Maryland Foot Score, 2 cases were rated as excellent and 3 as good. Gait analysis at 6 months after operation showed GSI above 90%, with plantar pressure distribution closely resembling that of the contralateral foot. CONCLUSION The use of functional perforator flaps based on the superficial circumflex iliac artery, combined with chimeric iliac bone flaps, provides a reliable vascular supply and effective functional restoration for the simultaneous repair of composite bone and soft tissue defects in the hand or foot. This technique represents a viable and effective reconstructive option for composite tissue defects in these anatomical regions.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Perforator Flap/transplantation* ; Adult ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Hand Injuries/surgery* ; Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Foot Injuries/surgery* ; Ilium/transplantation* ; Iliac Artery/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Bone Transplantation/methods* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) for short-term efficacy and prognosis in newly treated patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). METHODS: The general data, laboratory indicators, disease stage and other clinical data of 91 newly treated PTCL patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2015 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cutoff values for PNI and SIRI were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the patients were stratified into groups based on these cutoffs to compare clinical features and short-term efficacy between the different groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors affecting overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The optimal cutoff values for PNI and SIRI were 45.30 and 1.74×10⁹/L, respectively. Patients in different PNI groups showed statistically significant differences in age, Ann Arbor stage, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, international prognostic index (IPI), prognostic index for PTCL-not otherwise specified (PIT), pathological subtypes, and complete response (CR) rate (P < 0.05). PTCL patients in different SIRI groups exhibited significant differences in Ann Arbor stage, LDH level, IPI score, PIT score, and CR rate (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥60 years old (OR =2.750), Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ (OR =5.200), IPI score ≥2 (OR =7.650), low PNI (OR =3.296), and high SIRI (OR =3.130) were independent risk factors affecting treatment efficacy in PTCL patients (P < 0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that low PNI and elevated β₂-microglobulin (β₂-MG) levels were independent risk factors affecting OS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION PNI and SIRI have certain application value in evaluating short-term efficacy and prognosis in patients with PTCL. Compared with SIRI, PNI demonstrates greater predictive value for patient prognosis.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Nutrition Assessment ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve ; Inflammation

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effect and safety of the combination of Compound Xuanju Capsules (CXC) and Western medicine (WM) in the treatment of type Ш prostatitis complicated by ED. METHODS: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) on the treatment of type Ш prostatitis complicated by ED with CXC+WM or WM in the Chinese and English databases CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Digital, Duxiu Academic Search and Chaoxing Electronic Book Information Retrieval, Fangzheng Apabi Electronic Book, Google Scholar Search, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and others from their establishment to April 2024. According to the Cochrane Handbook requirement, we subjected the identified RCTs to meta-analysis using the RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 16 eligible studies were identified, involving 742 cases treated by combination therapy of CXC+WM and another 742 with WM alone. The results of meta-analysis showed that the rate of clinical effectiveness was dramatically higher in the CXC+WM than in the WM group (P<0.01, MD = 6.19, 95% CI: 4.63－8.28), and so were the IIEF-5 scores (P < 0.004, MD = 2.90, 95% CI: 0.90－4.89), while the quality of life (QOL) scores were significantly lower in the former group than in the latter (P<0.01, MD = －1.94, 95% CI: －2.47－－1.40), and so were the NIH-CPSI scores (P<0.01, MD = －3.92, 95% CI: －4.94－－2.91). No statistically significant difference was reported in the adverse reactions between the two groups (P = 0.12, MD = 0.03, 95% CI: －0.01－0.08). Publication bias analysis on the effectiveness rate of the results revealed an incomplete symmetry between the two sides of the funnel plot, indicating the possibility of publication biases. CONCLUSION The combination therapy of CXC+WM is superior to WM alone in the treatment of type Ш prostatitis complicated by ED for its high safety and effect of improving the patients' erectile function, but inferior to the latter in improving the QOL and NIH-CPSI scores of the patients.
Male ; Humans ; Prostatitis/complications* ; Erectile Dysfunction/complications* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Capsules ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Treatment Outcome ; Quality of Life ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVE: Referring to the application of the NEH (Nawaz-Enscore-Ham) algorithm in flow shop scheduling, this paper proposes an optimization method of hospital medical consumables discrete scheduling based on the extended NEH algorithm, in order to obtain the optimal medical consumables discrete scheduling scheme and achieve the optimization of medical consumables discrete scheduling. METHODS: Thoroughly analyze the scheduling needs of medical consumables in hospitals, predict the demand for medical consumables in each department. Construct a discrete scheduling optimization model for medical consumables and determine the constraint conditions for building the model (residual coefficient matrix, efficiency constraint matrix, and time window function). Then, solve the discrete scheduling optimization model for medical consumables based on the extended NEH algorithm. RESULTS: By comparison the data before and after the experiment, it is found that the discrete scheduling time and cost of medical consumables in experimental departments have decreased to varying degrees, and all the differences are statistically significant ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION Through experiments, it is known that the optimized medical consumables discrete scheduling scheme proposed meets the requirements of discrete scheduling time and cost, providing a better solution for hospital medical consumables discrete scheduling.
Algorithms ; Materials Management, Hospital ; Appointments and Schedules

The prevalence of Class III malocclusion varies among different countries and regions. The populations from Southeast Asian countries (Chinese and Malaysian) showed the highest prevalence rate of 15.8%, which can seriously affect oral function, facial appearance, and mental health. As anterior crossbite tends to worsen with growth, early orthodontic treatment can harness growth potential to normalize maxillofacial development or reduce skeletal malformation severity, thereby reducing the difficulty and shortening the treatment cycle of later-stage treatment. This is beneficial for the physical and mental growth of children. Therefore, early orthodontic treatment for Class III malocclusion is particularly important. Determining the optimal timing for early orthodontic treatment requires a comprehensive assessment of clinical manifestations, dental age, and skeletal age, and can lead to better results with less effort. Currently, standardized treatment guidelines for early orthodontic treatment of Class III malocclusion are lacking. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the etiology, clinical manifestations, classification, and early orthodontic techniques for Class III malocclusion, along with systematic discussions on selecting early treatment plans. The purpose of this expert consensus is to standardize clinical practices and improve the treatment outcomes of Class III malocclusion through early orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III/classification* ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Child

Periodontitis is a common oral disease characterized by progressive alveolar bone resorption and inflammation of the periodontal tissues. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has been used in the treatment of various immune-inflammatory diseases due to its excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. Here, we investigated for the first time the therapeutic effect of DMF on periodontitis. In vivo studies showed that DMF significantly inhibited periodontal destruction, enhanced mitophagy, and decreased the M1/M2 macrophage ratio. In vitro studies showed that DMF inhibited macrophage polarization toward M1 macrophages and promoted polarization toward M2 macrophages, with improved mitochondrial function, inhibited oxidative stress, and increased mitophagy in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, DMF increased intracellular mitochondrial Tu translation elongation factor (TUFM) levels to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis, promoted mitophagy, and modulated macrophage polarization, whereas TUFM knockdown decreased the protective effect of DMF. Finally, mechanistic studies showed that DMF increased intracellular TUFM levels by protecting TUFM from degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation pathway. Our results demonstrate for the first time that DMF protects mitochondrial function and inhibits oxidative stress through TUFM-mediated mitophagy in macrophages, resulting in a shift in the balance of macrophage polarization, thereby attenuating periodontitis. Importantly, this study provides new insights into the prevention of periodontitis.
Dimethyl Fumarate/pharmacology* ; Mitophagy/drug effects* ; Animals ; Mice ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Periodontitis/prevention & control* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Peptide Elongation Factor Tu/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Mitochondria/drug effects*