Objectives: This study examined dental care utilization among older adults who use long-term care (LTC) insurance and identified sociodemographic and LTC-related factors associated with dental care utilization. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed the 2019 data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Elderly Cohort Database. We examined the data of 50,606 beneficiaries aged ≥60 years. Stepwise multiple logistic regression was performed to identify the impact of sociodemographic and LTC-specific factors on dental service utilization. Results: The dental care utilization rate was 29.4%. Higher utilization was significantly associated with male sex, younger age, urban residence, higher income, and disability. Notably, LTC characteristics were strong predictors of dental service utilization: home-based care users were 2.26 times more likely to use dental services than facility-based users (OR=2.26, 95% CI: 2.11-2.43).Utilization significantly decreased with higher LTC severity (grade 1; OR=0.22). Dental utilization was higher when a spouse was the primary caregiver but lower when care was provided by paid caregivers. Conclusions Dental care utilization among LTC recipients is constrained by structural factors, including benefit types and caregiving environments. Policy efforts should focus on institutionalizing home-visit dental services and enhancing caregivers’ oral health competencies within the LTC system.

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), specifically phthalates, bisphenol A, bisphenol F, and bisphenol S, and the severity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms using neuropsychological tests in children diagnosed with ADHD. Methods: This study included 67 medication-naïve children with ADHD aged 6–16 years. The urinary concentrations of EDCs were measured, and ADHD symptom severity was evaluated using neuropsychological tests and clinical symptom scale measurements. The Jonckheere–Terpstra test, Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses, linear regression models, and multiple regression models were used to examine the relationship between EDC exposure and ADHD symptoms. Results: A significant correlation was observed between urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and commission error T-scores in the visual Advanced Test of Attention test. No significant associations were found with other neuropsychological indicators or bisphenol levels. Conclusion Phthalate exposure affects impulsivity in children with ADHD, which is consistent with the results of previous studies that used parental surveys. However, bisphenols are not clearly associated with ADHD symptoms, which is consistent with the results of previous studies.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of eso-phageal fistula (EF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 15 patients with EF after RFCA for atrial fibrillation who were admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2020 to December 2024 were collected. There were 11 males and 4 females, aged (64±7)years. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) diagnosis and surgery; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range), and count data were represented as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Diagnodid and surgery. Of the 15 patients, radiofrequency catheter ablation included pulmonary vein isolation plus linear ablation in 13 cases and pulmonary vein isolation alone in 2 cases. The time to postoperative symptom onset of EF in 15 patients was (13±8)days. The main clinical manifestations included persistent chest pain in 14 cases, fever in 12 cases, dysphagia in 2 cases, and neurological symptoms in 2 cases (the same patient could have multiple symptoms). All patients presented with signs of infection of varying severity. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) or pulmonary vein CT angio-graphy revealed mediastinal emphysema, pneumopericardium with pericardial effusion, localized esophageal wall thickening with exudation, abnormalities in the posterior wall of the left atrium, or contrast extravasation in all patients. Cerebral imaging examination showed newly developed cerebral infarcts in 2 patients. The time from symptom onset to surgical intervention was 2(range, 1-10)days.All 15 patients underwent surgical treatment immediately after being diagnosed or highly suspected of EF via multidisciplinary collaboration. Among them, 11 patients with atrial-esophageal fistula (AEF) underwent left atrial defect repair plus left thoracic esophageal repair under cardio-pulmonary bypass through a median sternotomy, 3 patients with simple EF underwent left thoracic esophageal repair, 1 patient with AEF underwent atrial repair plus esophageal exclusion and drainage due to severe mediastinal infection. The diameter of the left atrial defect in the 15 patients was (12±5)mm, and the diameter of the esophageal defect was (11±4)mm. There was no patient cured with conservative treatment or converted to surgical treatment after failed conservative treatment.(2)Postoperative situations.Of the 15 patients, 3 cases developed pulmonary infection and were improved after anti-infective treatment. The duration of postoperative hospital stay was (21±5)days. (3) Follow-up. All 15 patients were followed up for 11(range, 3-18)months. Two of 15 patients died. One patient undergoing atrial repair plus esophageal diversion and drainage died postoperatively due to sepsis and multiple organ failure, and one patient undergoing left thoracic esophageal repair died of acute cardiac tamponade one week after surgery. The remaining 13 patients recovered well, without recurrence or new complications.Conclusions:The main clinical features of esophageal fistula after RFCA for atrial fibrillation include persistent chest pain, fever, accompanying signs of infection. Early contrast-enhanced chest CT or pulmonary vein CT angiography is helpful for diagnosis, and active surgical treatment after confirmation via multidisciplinary collaboration can improve patient prognosis.

To investigate the phenotype and genomic characterization of a mucoid-type Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 isolate from a urinary tract infection patient,promoting clinical diagnosis and treatment for urinary tract infections caused by Salmo-nella spp.Culture-based quantitative counts of midstream urine sample from the patient were conducted,and further biochemi-cal identification,mass spectrometry detection,serum agglutination test and antimicrobial susceptibility test(AST)were con-ducted on Salmonella isolate(2024JD5).Whole-genome sequencing(WGS)was performed on isolate 2024JD5 to predict sero-type,multilocus sequence type(MLST),resistance genes,and virulence genes.Two smooth-type of Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 were selected as comparative genomic reference strains from the Chinese local Salmonella genome database.The literature reviews of global Salmonella serotype of urinary tract infection were summarized.Specific serum agglutination confir-mation of isolate 2024JD5 failed due to characterization of the mucus type.The strain 2024JD5 was predicted as Salmonella Saintpaul(4,5,12:e,h:1,2)ST50 using WGS,and was resistant to ciprofloxacin,nalidixic acid,chloramphenicol and tetracy-cline with carrying aminoglycoside resistance genes aac(6')-Ⅰaa and aph(3)-Ⅱa,chloramphenicol resistance gene floR,tetra-cycline resistance gene tet,quinolone resistance gene qnrS1,and S83Y substitution in the gyrA gene was found in the quinolo-ne resistance determination region(QRDR).In addition,the strain 2024JD4 carried six types of non-plasmid-based mobile ge-netic elements and 144 virulence genes,including 71 secretion transporter genes and 58 fimbriae adhesion genes,respectively.Four types of fimbriae regulatory genes(csgB,csgC,fimW,fimY)were absent in comparison with smooth-type Salmonella Saintpaul.The literature reviews showed Salmonella Saintpaul was currently a rare Salmonella serotype in cases of urinary tract infections worldwide.Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 with mucoid-type is the pathogen of urinary tract infection with multi-drug resistant phenotypic and genotypic characteristics,and the high mucoid expression may be related to the compensatory mechanism of fimbriae regulatory genes absence in urinary tract colonization and adaptation.WGS combined with the Chinese local Salmonella genome database can effectively solve the diagnosis and biosafety assessments of rare Salmonella phenotypes.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of lumbar disc resection under unilateral biportal endoscopy(UBE)for calcified lumbar disc herniation(CLDH).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 25 patients with single-segment CLDH who underwent lumbar disc resection under UBE from January 2020 to January 2022.The operation time,postoperative hospital stay,and postoperative complications were recorded.The visual analogue scale(VAS)score for low back and leg pain,Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score for the lumbar spine,and Oswestry disability index(ODI)were used to evaluate the efficacy before surgery,3 d after surgery,1 month after surgery,and at the last follow-up.At the last follow-up,the modified Macnab standard was used to assess the excellent and good rate.Results The patients were followed up for 12～24 months,with an average of(15.60±2.60)months.The average operation time was(58.67±10.73)min,and the postoperative hospital stay was(4.65±0.63)d.The VAS score,and ODI were lower,and JOA score was higher at 3 d after surgery,1 month after surgery,and the last follow-up compared with those before surgery,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).At the last follow-up,according to the modified Macnab criteria,15 cases were rated as excellent,9 cases as good,and 1 case as fair.The excellent and good rate was 96.00%(24/25).Postoperative complications included a tear of the ventral dural sac of the nerve root,about 5 mm in length,without dural sac repair.The patient was instructed to stay in bed for 5 d after surgery and was given fluid replacement.The patient did not complain of discomfort such as headache when he got out of bed,and the postoperative MRI showed no massive epidural effusion.One patient had lower limb sensory disturbance and was treated with neurotrophic drugs,and recovered at the 1-month follow-up after surgery.Postoperative imaging examinations showed that the free calcified tissues were basically completely resected and the nerve roots were adequately decompressed.At the last follow-up,no recurrent cases were found.Conclusion Lumbar disc resection under UBE for CLDH is an effective and safe minimally invasive technique.

Objective:To determine whether the Rb1 of ginsenoside has protective effects on PA induced oxidative stress in endothelial cells.Methods:Established a model of palmitic acid-induced oxidative stress injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs).Using MTT assay,flow cytometry,fluorescent probe staining,and Western blot analysis to detect whether Rb1 of ginsenoside has effects on the cell viability,apoptosis rate,ROS and NO production,mitochondrial membrane potential,and the expression levels of related proteins.Results:MTT assay and flow cytometry revealed that ginsenoside Rb1 can reduce PA-induced apoptosis in HUVECs(P＜0.05).The mechanism may be related to the following two points:(1)reducing ROS production and increasing NO levels,thereby enhancing the antioxidant capacity of HUVECs;(2)regulating the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins,increasing the BCL-2/Bax ratio(P＜0.05),modulating mitochondrial membrane permeability,reducing cytochrome C release(P＜0.001),and decreasing Caspase protein activation(P＜0.01),thereby attenuating PA-induced apoptosis.Conclusion:After the stimulation with PA,ROS production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells increased while NO content and cell activity decreased,oxidative stress induced apoptosis in cells.By regulating the production of ROS and NOx stabilizing the mitochondrial transmembrane potential,reducing the leakage of cytochrome C,Ginsenoside Rb1 can reduce HUVECs apoptosis induced by PA.

This study investigated the drug resistance and genetic relationships among strains co-existing in animals,the environ-ment,and the living quarters of employees at large-scale pig farms in certain regions of Shandong Province,to provide a scientific ba-sis for elucidating the transmission mechanisms of drug-resistant bacteria through bacterial traceability analysis.Samples were col-lected from two pig farms,and bacteria were isolated and purified.The species of the isolated strains were identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted with a VITEK-2 Compact system and the disk diffusion method for strains present in pigs,the environment,and living areas.Furthermore,whole-genome sequencing was performed on the Illumina Miniseq platform to annotate drug resistance genes,and multilocus sequence typing(MLST)and core genome single nucleotide poly-morphism(cgSNP)analyses were used to trace the resistant strains.Three species—Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Bacillus cereus—were isolated and cultured from animals,the environment,and employee living areas,and their distributions were analyzed.These strains exhibited diverse drug resistance spectra and genetic diversity.Additionally,the strains displayed highly consistent resistance profiles,resistance genes,ST types,and SNP loci in pig urine,soil both inside and outside the facility,human drinking water,and the cafeteria and dormitories.Our findings indicated a potential risk of transmission of opportunistic pathogens be-tween the pig farming area and the living quarters.Particular attention should be paid to the environmental transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

To investigate the phenotype and genomic characterization of a mucoid-type Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 isolate from a urinary tract infection patient,promoting clinical diagnosis and treatment for urinary tract infections caused by Salmo-nella spp.Culture-based quantitative counts of midstream urine sample from the patient were conducted,and further biochemi-cal identification,mass spectrometry detection,serum agglutination test and antimicrobial susceptibility test(AST)were con-ducted on Salmonella isolate(2024JD5).Whole-genome sequencing(WGS)was performed on isolate 2024JD5 to predict sero-type,multilocus sequence type(MLST),resistance genes,and virulence genes.Two smooth-type of Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 were selected as comparative genomic reference strains from the Chinese local Salmonella genome database.The literature reviews of global Salmonella serotype of urinary tract infection were summarized.Specific serum agglutination confir-mation of isolate 2024JD5 failed due to characterization of the mucus type.The strain 2024JD5 was predicted as Salmonella Saintpaul(4,5,12:e,h:1,2)ST50 using WGS,and was resistant to ciprofloxacin,nalidixic acid,chloramphenicol and tetracy-cline with carrying aminoglycoside resistance genes aac(6')-Ⅰaa and aph(3)-Ⅱa,chloramphenicol resistance gene floR,tetra-cycline resistance gene tet,quinolone resistance gene qnrS1,and S83Y substitution in the gyrA gene was found in the quinolo-ne resistance determination region(QRDR).In addition,the strain 2024JD4 carried six types of non-plasmid-based mobile ge-netic elements and 144 virulence genes,including 71 secretion transporter genes and 58 fimbriae adhesion genes,respectively.Four types of fimbriae regulatory genes(csgB,csgC,fimW,fimY)were absent in comparison with smooth-type Salmonella Saintpaul.The literature reviews showed Salmonella Saintpaul was currently a rare Salmonella serotype in cases of urinary tract infections worldwide.Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 with mucoid-type is the pathogen of urinary tract infection with multi-drug resistant phenotypic and genotypic characteristics,and the high mucoid expression may be related to the compensatory mechanism of fimbriae regulatory genes absence in urinary tract colonization and adaptation.WGS combined with the Chinese local Salmonella genome database can effectively solve the diagnosis and biosafety assessments of rare Salmonella phenotypes.

This study investigated the drug resistance and genetic relationships among strains co-existing in animals,the environ-ment,and the living quarters of employees at large-scale pig farms in certain regions of Shandong Province,to provide a scientific ba-sis for elucidating the transmission mechanisms of drug-resistant bacteria through bacterial traceability analysis.Samples were col-lected from two pig farms,and bacteria were isolated and purified.The species of the isolated strains were identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted with a VITEK-2 Compact system and the disk diffusion method for strains present in pigs,the environment,and living areas.Furthermore,whole-genome sequencing was performed on the Illumina Miniseq platform to annotate drug resistance genes,and multilocus sequence typing(MLST)and core genome single nucleotide poly-morphism(cgSNP)analyses were used to trace the resistant strains.Three species—Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Bacillus cereus—were isolated and cultured from animals,the environment,and employee living areas,and their distributions were analyzed.These strains exhibited diverse drug resistance spectra and genetic diversity.Additionally,the strains displayed highly consistent resistance profiles,resistance genes,ST types,and SNP loci in pig urine,soil both inside and outside the facility,human drinking water,and the cafeteria and dormitories.Our findings indicated a potential risk of transmission of opportunistic pathogens be-tween the pig farming area and the living quarters.Particular attention should be paid to the environmental transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective:To analyze the clinical value of delayed solidification of cement at freezing point combined with establishment of cement channels in the treatment of further leakage of cement in percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed for the medical records of 261 patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture in the thoracolumbar segment who underwent PKP treatment in Beijing Puren Hospital from April 2019 to April 2023. According to the method of dealing with PKP cement leakage, it was divided into freezing point group (using bone cement combined with cement channel reconstruction treatment at freezing point temperature) and temperature gradient group (using temperature gradient method). There were 128 cases in the freezing point group, including 37 males and 91 females, aged 75.57±4.60 years (range, 65-85 years), and fracture locations were 18 cases in T 10, 30 cases in T 11, 44 cases in T 12, 23 cases in L 1 and 13 cases in L 2. There were 133 cases in the temperature gradient group, including 36 males and 97 females, aged 75.66±4.51 years (range, 65-85 years), and fracture locations were 17 cases in T 10, 32 cases in T 11, 51 cases in T 12, 22 cases in L 1, and 11 cases in L 2. The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, intravertebral cement area, cement leakage area, cement leakage area increase, cement bolus time and incidence of injection difficulty, as well as the pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), kyphosis angle, the height of the anterior edge of the injured vertebral body and the difference between it before and after surgery were compared. Results:All patients were followed up for 3 consecutive months. The intraoperative blood loss and initial cement leakage area were 9.48±2.64 ml and 32.56±7.05 mm 2 in the freezing point group and 9.04±2.25 ml and 32.86±7.00 mm 2 in the temperature gradient group, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05) ; The operation time, the area of bone cement in the vertebral body, the final leakage area of bone cement, and the increase of bone cement leakage in the freezing point group were 55.08±4.13 min, 1 175.45±117.11 mm 2, 35.84±8.67 mm 2, and 0.00(0.00, 13.32) mm 2, respectively, and the temperature gradient group were 53.02±3.96 min, 823.70±144.79 mm 2, and 73.38±29.16 mm 2 and 44.39(20.13, 56.61) mm 2, the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The height of the anterior edge of the vertebral body was 21.54±2.06 mm and 21.24±2.33 mm immediately after surgery and 3 months after surgery in the freezing point group, which were higher than those in the temperature gradient group 21.10±1.60 mm and 18.92±1.51 mm, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). The VAS scores of the freezing point group were 2.29±0.62 and 1.03±0.66 points, ODI were 23.20%±3.97%, 10.43%±4.33%, and the kyphosis angles were 9.09°±2.80° and 9.44°±2.93°, respectively, which were lower than those of the temperature gradient group (4.11±0.79 and 2.79±0.65 points), ODI (35.97%±6.42%, and 23.73%±5.72%), and the kyphosis angles (10.24°±2.33° and 13.22°±2.56°), the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The operating time of bone cement in the freezing point group was 10.89±2.35 min, which was longer than that in the temperature gradient group 5.77±0.52 min, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=24.021, P<0.001). The incidence of cement injection difficulty was 0 in the freezing point group and 27.1% (36/133) in the temperature gradient group. Conclusion:The establishment of bone cement combined with bone cement channel at freezing point temperature can effectively prolong the bolus time of bone cement and reduce the re-leakage of bone cement, which is conducive to increasing the injection volume and distribution area of bone cement in the vertebral body, effectively reducing the amount of bone cement leakage and obtaining better clinical efficacy.