Objective To track and evaluate the implementation and application of the occupational health standard Radiation shielding requirements for radiotherapy room—Part 4: Radiotherapy room of ²⁵²Cf neutron afterloading (GBZ/T 201.4-2015) by radiation health technical service agencies, medical institutions, health supervision agencies, and radiotherapy facility design units, and to provide a scientific basis for the further revision and implementation of this standard. Methods Following the Guideline for health standards tracking evaluation (WS/T 536-2017) and the project implementation plan, relevant practitioners were randomly selected for a questionnaire survey. The survey primarily focused on their awareness, standard training, application, and revision suggestions of GBZ/T 201.4-2015. The results were summarized and analyzed. Results A total of 168 evaluation questionnaires were collected from relevant practitioners in 28 provinces. Only 31.6% of the respondents reported being “well familiar” or “ familiar” with the standard, 27.4% of the respondents believed that the standard was widely used, and 45.2% of the respondents believed that the standard could meet the needs of their work. Only 14.9% of the respondents had received relevant training on the standard, more than half of the respondents had not applied the standard within the past 10 years, and 45.2% of the respondents believed that the standard "needs to be revised". Conclusion Due to the small number of californium-252 neutron afterloading radiotherapy devices in operation on the market, the overall awareness of the standard is low, suggesting that relevant authorities need to strengthen training and publicity of the standard, and that certain sections of the standard need to be revised or merged.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy and safety of human epidermal growth factor gel in the treatment of pin tract infections after surgery in patients with severe spinal deformity. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 26 patients with pin tract infections after skull-pelvic ring traction for severe spinal deformity admitted from February 2019 to May 2022. Among them, 11 were male and 15 were female;the age ranged from 18 to 31 years, with an average of (24.1±4.3) years;the Cobb angle ranged 80.3° to 120.7°, with an average of (88.6±10.2)°;there were 52 iliac traction pins, 104 pin tract openings, and 38 pin tract infections. According to the Checketts-Otterbum classification, there were 11 infections of gradeⅠ, 13 infections of gradeⅡ, 10 infections of grade Ⅲ, and 4 infections of grade Ⅳ. The patients were divided into the conventional dressing change group (13 cases) and the growth factor group (13 cases) by coin flipping. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by recording the visual analogue scale(VAS) score during dressing change, duration of dressing change, cost of dressing change, positive rate of bacterial culture, wound improvement rate, and wound improvement time. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in VAS or duration of dressing change between the two groups (P>0.05). The cost of dressing change was (800.0±59.5) yuan in the conventional dressing change group and (1 179.5±80.9) yuan in the growth factor group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the positive rate of bacterial culture between the two groups (P>0.05). In the conventional dressing change group, within 20 pin tract infections, 2 infections achieved wound healing, 7 infections showed improvement, and 11 infections were ineffective;in the growth factor group, within 18 pin tract infections 5 infections achieved wound healing, 8 infections showed improvement, and 5 infections were ineffective, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The wound healing time was (22.8±4.9) days in the conventional dressing change group and (14.2±2.5) days in the growth factor group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). No complications occurred in either group. CONCLUSION The application of human epidermal growth factor gel in the treatment of pin tract infections after skull-pelvic ring surgery in patients with severe spinal deformity is easy to operate, does not increase patient pain, and has significant efficacy. It shortens wound healing time, effectively promotes wound healing, and has good safety and high cost-effectiveness.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Retrospective Studies ; Case-Control Studies ; Young Adult ; Epidermal Growth Factor/therapeutic use* ; Traction/adverse effects* ; Gels ; Bone Nails/adverse effects* ; Surgical Wound Infection/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of oligospermia (OS) on the detection of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) by fluorescence method based on artificial intelligence (AI) recognition and flow cytometry-based sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). METHODS: We collected semen samples from 201 males, including 50 azoospermia (AS) patients as negative controls, 90 OS patients (sperm concentration >0×10⁶/ml and <15×10⁶/ml), and 61 normal men (sperm concentration ≥15×10⁶/ml). Then we subdivided the OS patients into a mild OS (sperm concentration ≥10×10⁶/ml and <15×10⁶/ml), a moderate OS (sperm concentration ≥5×10⁶/ml and <10×10⁶/ml) and a severe/extremely severe OS group (sperm concentration >0×10⁶/ml and <5×10⁶/ml), with 30 cases in each group, and compared the results of DFI detection between the AI fluorescence method and traditional flow cytometry. RESULTS: The DFI value detected by AI fluorescence method showed statistically significant difference from that detected by flow cytometry in the AS, moderate OS and severe/extremely severe OS groups (P<0.01), the former even lower than the latter, but not in the normal control and the mild OS groups (P > 0.05). In the AS group, a dramatically lower rate of non-0 results was achieved by AI fluorescence method than by flow cytometry (8% vs 100%, P<0.01). The DFI values detected by AI fluorescence method exhibited a good linear correlation to those obtained by flow cytometry in the normal control and mild OS groups (R2 = 0.7470; R2 = 0.7180), but a poor linear correlation in the OS full-sample, moderate OS and severe/extremely severe OS groups (R2 = 0.3092; R2 = 0.3558; R2 = 0.2147). CONCLUSION The AI fluorescence method has a higher specificity and is more suitable than flow cytometry for detection of sperm DFI in OS patients. The DFI values obtained by the two methods are consistent with sperm concentration ≥10×10⁶/ml, but the accuracy of the results of detection may be affected with sperm concentration >0×10⁶/ml and <10×10⁶/ml.
Humans ; Male ; Flow Cytometry/methods* ; Oligospermia/genetics* ; Artificial Intelligence ; Spermatozoa ; Adult ; DNA Fragmentation ; Case-Control Studies ; Fluorescence

OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is an adverse event that occurs during long-term peritoneal dialysis, significantly impairing treatment efficiency and adversely affecting patient outcomes. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a principal active component derived from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, has exhibited anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in various settings. This study aims to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of AS-IV in the treatment of PF. METHODS: The PF mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 4.25% peritoneal dialysis fluid (100 mL/kg). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HMrSV5 cells was induced by the addition of 10 ng/mL transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). The differentially expressed genes in HMrSV5 cells treated with AS-IV were screened using transcriptome sequencing analysis. The potential targets of AS-IV were screened using network pharmacology and analyzed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. RESULTS: Administration of AS-IV at doses of 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg effectively mitigated the increase in peritoneal thickness and the development of fibrosis in mice with PF. The expression of the fibrosis marker α-smooth muscle actin in the peritoneum was significantly decreased in AS-IV-treated mice. The treatment of AS-IV (10, 20, and 40 μmol/L) significantly delayed the EMT of HMrSV5 cells induced by TGF-β, as demonstrated by the decreased number of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-positive cells, reduced migrated area, and decreased expression of fibrosis markers. A total of 460 differentially expressed genes were detected in AS-IV-treated HMrSV5 cells through transcriptome sequencing, with notable enrichment in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT) signaling pathway. The reduced levels of phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K) and p-AKT were detected in HMrSV5 cells with AS-IV treatment. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was predicted as a direct target of AS-IV, exhibiting strong hydrogen bond interactions. The activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway by the compound 740Y-P, and the activation of the EGFR pathway by NSC 228155 each partially counteracted the inhibitory effect of AS-IV on the EMT of HMrSV5 cells. CONCLUSION AS-IV delayed the EMT process in peritoneal mesothelial cells and slowed the progression of PF, potentially serving as a therapeutic agent for the early prevention and treatment of PF. Please cite this article as: Huang Y, Chu CL, Qiu WH, Chen JY, Cao LX, Ji SY, Zhu B, Wang GK, Shen QQ. Astragaloside IV delayed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in peritoneal fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of EGFR and PI3K-AKT pathways. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):694-705.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects* ; Animals ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Peritoneal Fibrosis/pathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; ErbB Receptors/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Objective Cognitive impairment(CI)in older individuals has a high morbidity rate worldwide,with poor diagnostic methods and susceptible population identification.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between different retinal metrics and CI in a particular population,emphasizing polyvascular status. Methods We collected information from the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community Study on retinal vessel calibers,retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness,and cognitive function of 3,785 participants,aged 40 years or older.Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between retinal metrics and cognitive function.Subgroups stratified by different vascular statuses were also analyzed. Results RNFL thickness was significantly thinner in the CI group(odds ratio:0.973,95%confidence interval:0.953-0.994).In the subgroup analysis,the difference still existed in the non-intracranial arterial stenosis,non-extracranial carotid arterial stenosis,and peripheral arterial disease subgroups(P<0.05). Conclusion A thin RNFL is associated with CI,especially in people with non-large vessel stenosis.The underlying small vessel change in RNFL and CI should be investigated in the future.

DNA genetic markers have always played important roles in individual identification, kinship analysis, ancestry inference and phenotype characterization in the field of forensic medicine. DNA methylation has unique advantages in biological age inference, body fluid identification and prediction of phenotypes. The majority of current studies independently examine DNA and DNA methylation markers using various workflows, and they use various analytical procedures to interpret the biological information these two markers present. Integrated methods detect DNA and DNA methylation markers simultaneously through a single experimental workflow using the same preparation of sample. Therefore, they can effectively reduce consumption of time and cost, streamline experimental procedures, and preserve valuable DNA samples taken from crime scenes. In this paper, the integrated detection approaches of DNA and DNA methylation markers on different detection platforms were reviewed. In order to convert methylation modifications to detectable forms, several options were available for pretreatment of genomic DNA, including digestion with methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme, affinity enrichment of methylated fragments, conversion of methylated or unmethylated cytosine. Multiplexed primers can be designed for DNA markers and converted DNA methylation markers for co-amplification. The schemes of using capillary electrophoresis platform for integrated detection add the pretreatment of genomic DNA on the basis of detecting DNA genetic markers. DNA and DNA methylation markers are then integrated by co-amplification. But the limited number of fluorescent options available and the length of amplicons restrict the type and quantity of markers that can be integrated into a panel. Pyrophosphate sequencing also supports integrated detection of DNA and DNA methylation markers. On this platform, due to the conversion of unmethylated cytosine to thymine after treatment with bisulfite, the methylation level of CpG site can be directly calculated using the peak height ratio of cytosine bases and thymine bases. Therefore, the methylation levels and SNP typing can be simultaneously obtained. However, due to the limited read length of sequencing, the detection of markers with longer amplicons is restricted. It is not conducive to fully interpret the complete information of the target sequence. Next-generation sequencing also supports integrated detection of DNA and DNA methylation markers. A preliminary experimental process including DNA extraction, pretreatment of genomic DNA, co-preparation of DNA and DNA methylation library and co-sequencing, has been formed based on the next-generation sequencing platform. It confirmed the feasibility of next-generation sequencing technology for integrated detection of DNA and DNA methylation markers. In field of biomedicine, various integrated detection schemes and corresponding data analysis approaches of DNA and DNA genetic markers developed based on the above detection process.Co-analysis can simultaneously obtain the genomic genetic and epigenetic information through a single analytic process. These schemes suggest that next-generation sequencing may be an effective method for achieving more accurate and highly integrated detection, helping to explore the potential for application in forensic biological samples. We finally explore the impact of interactions between sites and different pretreatment methods on the integrated detection of DNA and DNA methylation markers, and also propose the challenge of applying third-generation sequencing for integrated detection in forensic samples.

Objective:Studying the effect of PRDX4 on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells(esophageal carcinoma,ESCC)proliferation and apoptosis as well as its potential mechanism.Methods:The University of Alabama at Birmingham cancer data analysis portal(UALCAN),gene expression profiling interactive analysis(GEPIA)and the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)databases were used to predict PRDX4 expres-sion in ESCC and its relationship with pathological features and prognosis.The cancer and adjacent tissues of 60 patients with ESCC who un-derwent radical resection in the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College from August 2010 to August 2023 were selected as research samples.The expression level of PRDX4 in the patients was detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC).The extracted cancer and adjacent tis-sues were homogenized to analyze its mRNA expression.The expression levels of PRDX4 mRNA and related signaling proteins in ESCC cells were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot.Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)assay and flow cytometry were used to analyze the effect of PRDX4 on cell proliferation and apoptosis.Finally,a subcutaneous tumor model in nude mice was constructed to validate the in vitro experimental results.Results:The data from the GEPIA and UALCAN showed that PRDX4 expression was abnormally increased and re-lated to the pathology stage,grade,and survival rate of patients.After knockdown and overexpression of PRDX4 in an ESCC cell line,the ex-pression of PRDX4,phos-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(p-PI3K),phos-protein kinase B(p-AKT),cyclinD1,and survivin protein decreased and increased,respectively;cell proliferation and apoptosis were positively regulated.Compared with the sh-NC group,tumor volume and weight in the sh-PRDX4 group were decreased.Conclusions:PRDX4 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of ESCC cells by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Objective To investigate the application value of fluoroscopy-guided placement of transanal decompression tube as a bridge measure in laparoscopic surgery of sigmoid volvulus.Methods The data of 21 patients with sigmoid volvulus without intestinal necrosis,who were admitted to the Xuzhou Municipal Central Hospital of China from January 2014 to October 2023,were retrospectively analyzed.The patients received fluoroscopy-guided placement of transanal decompression tube first.After the clinical symptoms disappeared,laparoscopic sigmoid resection was carried out.The success rate of interventional operation,time spent for interventional procedure,postoperative 24-hour remission rate of clinical symptoms,incidence of interventional complications,frequency of transferring to emergency surgery,time from tube placement to laparoscopic surgery,intraoperative intestinal conditions,incidence of postoperative anastomotic fistula and anastomotic infection,and perioperative mortality were calculated.Results The success rate of interventional operation in 21 patients was 100％,the mean time spent for interventional procedure was(9.9±2.5)min,and the postoperative 24-hour remission rate of clinical symptoms was 100％.No interventional complications such as intestinal perforation or intestinal bleeding occurred in all the 21 patients.None of the patients was transferred to emergency surgery.The mean time from tube placement to laparoscopic surgery was(9.0±2.8)days.During the operation,the restoration of sigmoid volvulus was accomplished in all patients.No obvious congestion or oedema of the intestinal wall was observed.Postoperative anastomotic infection occurred in one patient,which was cured after symptomatic treatment,and no anastomotic fistula occurred in all patients.No perioperative death occurred.Conclusion For the treatment of sigmoid volvulus,fluoroscopy-guided placement of transanal decompression tube is technically-simple,clinically safe and effective,and the emergency surgery can be replaced by selective laparoscopic sigmoid resection surgery with one-stage intestinal anastomosis.The incidences of postoperative complications and perioperative mortality are very low.

Objective To evaluate the characteristics of the mass balance and pharmacokinetics of[14 C]birociclib in Chinese male healthy volunteers after a single oral administration.Methods This study used a 14 C labeled method to investigate the mass balance and biological transformation of birociclib in human.Subjects were given a single oral dose of 360 mg/50 pCi of[14 C]birociclib suspension after meals.The blood,urine,and fecal samples were collected at specified time points/intervals after administration.The radiation levels of 14 C labeled birociclib-related compounds in the blood,plasma,urine,and feces were analyzed using liquid scintillation counting.In addition,a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and on-line/off-line isotope detectors was used to obtain radioactive isotope metabolite spectra of plasma,urine,and fecal samples,and high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to identify the main metabolites.Results A total of 6 healthy male subjects were enrolled in this study.The median peak time of radioactive components in plasma was 5.00 h and the average terminal elimination half-life was 43.70 h after administration.The radioactive components were basically excreted and cleared from the body within 288.00 hours after administration,and average cumulative recovery rate of radioactive drugs was(94.10±8.19)％.The radioactive drugs were mainly excreted through feces,accounting for(84.60±7.10)％of the dose of radioactive drugs administered.Urine was the secondary excretory pathway,accounting for 9.41％of the dose of radioactive drugs administered.Metabolic analysis indicated that the prototype drug was the main radioactive components in plasma samples.The main metabolites in plasma were RM4(XZP-5286),RM6(XZP-3584),and RM7(XZP-5736).The drugs were mainly cleared from the body in the form of prototype drugs and metabolites.In addition to prototype drugs,a total of 9 metabolites were identified and analyzed in plasma,urine,and fecal samples,all of which were phase 1 metabolites.The main metabolic and clearance pathways of drugs in the body were deethylation,diisopropylat ion,oxidation,etc.Conclusion After a single oral administration of[14C]birociclib suspension to healthy subjects,it was mainly cleared from the body in the form of prototype drugs and metabolites,with feces as the main excretory pathway and urine as the secondary excretory pathway.Drugs mainly undergo metabolic reactions in the body,such as deethylation,diisopropylation,and oxidation.The subjects were well tolerance after administration.