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.

Background: and Purpose Treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) such as eculizumab, ravulizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab have significantly advanced relapse prevention, but they remain expensive. Rituximab is an off-label yet popular alternative that offers a cost-effective solution, but its real-world efficacy needs better quantification for guiding the application of newer approved NMOSD treatments (ANTs). This study aimed to determine real-world rituximab failure rates to anticipate the demand for ANTs and aid in resource allocation. Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective study involving 605 aquaporin-4-antibody-positive NMOSD patients from 22 centers in South Korea that assessed the efficacy and safety of rituximab over a median follow-up of 47 months. Results: The 605 patients treated with rituximab included 525 (87%) who received continuous therapy throughout the follow-up period (median=47 months, interquartile range=15–87 months). During this period, 117 patients (19%) experienced at least 1 relapse. Notably, 68 of these patients (11% of the total cohort) experienced multiple relapses or at least 1 severe relapse.Additionally, 2% of the patients discontinued rituximab due to adverse events, which included severe infusion reactions, neutropenia, and infections. Conclusions This study has confirmed the efficacy of rituximab in treating NMOSD, as evidenced by an 87% continuation rate among patients over a 4-year follow-up period. Nevertheless, the occurrence of at least one relapse in 19% of the cohort, including 11% who experienced multiple or severe relapses, and a 2% discontinuation rate due to adverse events highlight the urgent need for alternative therapeutic options.

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.

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 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.

Objective To establish a stable,reliable,and clinically relevant porcine model of endotoxin-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Methods Ten 8-month-old male Bama minipigs were deeply sedated,followed by invasive mechanical ventilation and electrocardiographic monitoring.Lipopolysaccharide(LPS)was intravenously pumped at 600 μg/(kg·h)for 3 hours,then maintained at 15 μg/(kg·h)thereafter.Dynamic monitoring was performed at five time points after LPS injection(LPS 0,1,3,5,and 8 h),including arterial blood gas analysis and chest computed tomography(CT)scans.Pathological examination of lung tissues obtained via bronchoscopic biopsy(HE staining and transmission electron microscopy)was conducted.These indicators were comprehensively used to evaluate the success of the animal model.Results At 5 hours after LPS administration,8 minipigs developed symptoms such as skin cyanosis,elevated body temperature,and respiratory distress.The oxygenation index decreased to<300 mmHg.Chest CT scans showed diffuse pulmonary infiltrates.Histopathology revealed alveolar edema and hyaline membrane formation.Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated disruption of pulmonary blood-air barrier,depletion of lamellar bodies in type Ⅱ pneumocytes,inflammatory cell infiltration,and exudation of plasma proteins and fibrin.Compared with LPS 0 h,at LPS 8 h,the oxygenation index and arterial blood pH were significantly decreased(P<0.001),while blood lactic acid and serum potassium were significantly increased(P<0.05);serum calcium and base excess were significantly decreased(P<0.05),and the lung injury score based on HE-stained lung sections was significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion The porcine ARDS model established by continuous LPS injection can dynamically simulate the pathophysiological characteristics and typical pathological manifestations of clinical septic ARDS,making it an effective tool to study the pathogenesis,prevention,and treatment strategies of septic ARDS.

Objective To construct a database for molecular mass spectra of toxins and drugs in order to facilitate the management and retrieval of mass spectra for nerve agents,metabolites and other small molecules.Methods Requirement analysis and functional design were performed using software engineering methods.The Spec2Vec algorithm was used for vector representation of mass spectra,while SMILES molecular structures were vectorized using the extended connectivity fingerprint(ECFP).A data storage model integrating structured information and vector representations was established using the Milvus database.Similarity search of mass spectra and molecular structures was conducted via vector similarity comparison and the FlashEntropySearch algorithm.Results The constructed database of mass spectra encompassed over 400,000 entries from such sources as OCAD,NIST,MASSBANK,metabolic products,and natural products of TCM,which was capable of searching for similarities in mass spectra and molecular structures.On a standard server,similarity search of mass spectra took no more than 5 seconds,while that of molecular structures took no more than 1 second.Conclusion The system enables efficient management of complex mass spectra and provides rapid retrieval and comparison of mass spectra-related information through advanced vector indexing technology,offering robust data support and research tools for toxicology and pharmacology.

Aim To investigate the effects of edaravone(EDA)on depression-like behaviors in a rat model of post-stroke depression(PSD)and to explore the un-derlying mechanisms.Methods SD rats were ran-domly divided into:sham operation group(Sham),cerebral ischemia group(CI),post-stroke depression(PSD),fluoxetine(10 mg·kg-1)group,and EDA(5,15 mg·kg-1)group.A PSD rat model was estab-lished using the suture method combined with 56 d of chronic unpredictable mild stimulation.Drug treatment was given once daily for 28 d after stimulation.Body weight and sucrose water preference were measured during the stimulation period,and serum TNF-α,IL-1 β,IL-6,MDA,SOD levels,and hippocampal tissue HO-1 and GPX4 protein expression were detected at the end of stimulation.Results Compared with the sham group,the rat neurological function scores of the remaining groups increased(P＜0.01).Compared with the PSD group,EDA increased the body weight and sucrose water preference of the rats(P＜0.01),significantly decreased the serum TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 levels,decreased the MDA level,increased the SOD level(P＜0.01),and up-regulated hippocampal HO-1 and GPX4 protein expression(P＜0.01).Con-clusions EDA improves depression-like behaviors and inhibits peripheral inflammation and oxidative stress in-jury in PSD rats,and its mechanism may be related to the activation of HO-1/GPX4 pathway to inhibit oxida-tive stress.

Objective:To investigate the supervisor-student relationship experience of nursing postgraduates from the perspective of humanistic care, identify the influencing factors for students' care experience, and provide a reference for building a good supervisor-student relationship pattern with humanistic care.Methods:Objective sampling was used to enroll 15 nursing postgraduates from colleges and universities in Wuhan, Hubei Province, Beijing, and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. A semi-structured interview was then conducted in the students. Nvivo 12 software and the Colaizzi seven-step analysis method were used for sorting and analysis of the interview data.Results:Five themes and 15 sub-themes (namely, daily interpersonal interaction, academic interaction, emotional communication, internal growth, and professional literacy) were extracted. Among these themes, equal communication and mental health care were of particular concern to the students. The nursing postgraduates also expected their tutors to provide care in their daily life and help them develop three essential values.Conclusions:The supervisor-student relationship from the perspective of humanistic care is becoming more individualized and diversified. The tutors should provide multidimensional care to nursing postgraduates based on the students' personal characteristics. Meanwhile, they should focus on developing students' humanistic care abilities to cultivate high-level nursing professionals with a high humanistic care foundation.

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.