This article reports the clinical characteristics and treatment processes of three cases of mucormycosis occurring after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children, along with a review of relevant literature. All three patients presented with chest pain as the initial symptom, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) confirmed the mucycete infection early in all cases. Two patients recovered after treatment, while one succumbed to disseminated infection. mNGS has facilitated early diagnosis and treatment, reducing mortality rates. Additionally, surgical intervention is an important strategy for improving the prognosis of this condition.
Humans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Mucormycosis/etiology* ; Male ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods* ; Child ; Female ; Metagenomics ; Child, Preschool

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between fish consumption and stroke is inconsistent, and it is uncertain whether this association varies across predicted stroke risks. METHODS: A cohort study comprising 95,800 participants from the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China project was conducted. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on fish consumption. Participants were stratified into low- and moderate-to-high-risk categories based on their 10-year stroke risk prediction scores. Hazard ratios ( HRs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models and additive interaction by relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP), and synergy index (SI). RESULTS: During 703,869 person-years of follow-up, 2,773 incident stroke events were identified. Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, particularly among moderate-to-high-risk individuals ( HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.47-0.60) than among low-risk individuals ( HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49-0.85). A significant additive interaction between fish consumption and predicted stroke risk was observed (RERI = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.80-5.36; SI = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.42-1.89; AP = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.28-0.43). CONCLUSION Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, and this beneficial association was more pronounced in individuals with moderate-to-high stroke risk.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Stroke/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Incidence ; Aged ; Animals ; Fishes ; Risk Factors ; Diet ; Seafood ; Adult ; Cohort Studies

Lower-cost genotyping technology has promoted the generation of large genetic datasets with the evolving next-generation sequencing technology. The emergence of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has facilitated researchers’ understanding of common complex diseases. GWAS refers to finding the sequence variations present in the human genome and screening out disease-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These SNPs are considered as the basis for assessing the stability of complex diseases. However, a single variation is not sufficient to assess an individual’s risk of disease. Polygenic risk score (PRS) is an emerging genetic data analysis method for quantitatively estimating an individual’s genetic risk for complex diseases by comprehensively considering multiple genetic variation sites. A single-value estimate of an individual’s genetic risk for a certain phenotype can be calculated as the cumulative impact of multiple genetic variants by building a PRS model. The finally expected risk score is weighted by the strength and direction of association of each SNP with the phenotype based on the number of alleles carried by each SNP. With the continuous development of various PRS calculation methods and the constant accumulation of genomic data, PRS has received widespread attention in the field of genetics. So far, quite a few studies at home and abroad have shown that PRS is valuable in risk prediction of different types of human traits or complex diseases, and its effectiveness has been further verified in clinical applications. At present, many studies have established PRS models based on GWAS summary statistics to quantify the genetic risk of susceptibility loci and clinical characteristics on diseases such as lung cancer, breast cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The disease-susceptible populations can be recognized through comparing the relative risk and absolute risk of the disease in different risk groups according to the population risk stratification results. Additionally, individual-level genotype data and omics data can also be used as data sources for PRS analysis research, especially the latter can dynamically reflect the short-term or long-term effects of environmental factors on human gene expression, and has potential application value in building early warning models to assess health risks. Since the calculation of PRS involves a large amount of genomic data analysis, there are big differences in the methods for data selection, model building and validation. Different PRS construction methods and software have different performances in disease risk prediction, and even the performance of same algorithm varies across diseases. It is worth noting that the PRS model often needs to be re-evaluated and verified for different groups of people, because PRS is affected by race and region. This review combines currently published PRS-related research and algorithms to describe the basic principles of PRS, compares their construction and verification methods, and discusses their applications and prospects. As a powerful genetic risk assessment tool, PRS has great potential in analyzing the genetic code of complex diseases and achieving precise diagnosis and personalized treatment.

Objective To elucidate the clinical significance of high expression levels of endonuclease meiosis 1(EME1)in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)databases were used to screen and analyze differential gene expression between HCC and non-tumor tissues.A retrospective collection of liver tissue samples from 80 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy in the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2010 and December 2014 was performed.Immunohistochemistry analysis was employed to detect the EME1 expression levels.Survival analysis was then conducted to assess the impact of EME1 expression on 5-year postoperative survival rate of HCC patients.Additionally,gene enrichment analysis was applied to predict the function of EME1 in HCC.Results A total of 371 HCC tissue samples and 50 non-tumor liver tissue samples from TCGA database were analyzed,revealing significantly higher EME1 expression in HCC tissues.Microarray analysis of 107 samples within the GEO database(70 HCC tissues and 37 non-tumor tissues)confirmed that EME1 mRNA expression was markedly elevated in HCC tissues compared with non-tumor tissues(P<0.05).The 5-year overall survival(OS)rate was notably lower in high EME1 expression group than that in low expression group(44.1%vs.53.0%,P<0.05).Semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated that patients with high EME1 expression had a significantly lower OS rate than those with low EME1 expression(32.8%vs.45.0%,P<0.05).Multivariate COX regression analysis identified that high EME1 expression(HR=2.234,95%CI 1.073-4.649,P=0.032)and advanced China liver caner(CNLC)staging(HR=4.317,95%CI 1.799-10.359,P=0.001)were independent risk factors for the 5-year OS of post-operation patients with HCC.Conclusion Elevated EME1 expression in HCC tissues correlates with an adverse prognosis of HCC and suggests that EME1 could serve as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Aim To investigate the effect of Tripterygi-um wilfordii polyglycosides(TWP)on renal protection and the expression of cannabinoid 2 receptor/NADPH oxidase4/NOD like receptor protoin3(CB2R/NOX4/NLRP3)in renal tissue of IgA nephropathy(IgAN)rats.Methods The IgAN rat model was replicated u-sing the"BSA+CCl4+LPS"combined method,and intervention with TWP was administered.A fully auto-mated biochemical analyzer was used to detect 24-hour urine protein quantification(24h-UTP),urine red blood cell count(URBC),serum albumin(ALB),ala-nine aminotransferase(ALT),serum creatinine(Scr),and blood urea nitrogen(BUN).The pathological changes in renal tissue were observed under light mi-croscopy,and IgA deposition in the mesangial area was observed using immunofluorescence.The protein ex-pressions of CB2R,NOX4 and NLRP3 in renal tissue were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the model group,the pathological damage to the kidneys of rats in the TWP group was significantly re-duced,and the deposition of IgA electron dense materi-al was significantly reduced.The levels of ALB in rats treated with TWP increased,while the levels of 24h-UTP,URBC,ALT,Scr,and BUN all decreased.The expression of CB2R protein in renal tissue of rats trea-ted with TWP increased,while the expression of NOX4 and NLRP3 proteins was reduced.Conclusion TWP can effectively improve renal injury in IgAN rats,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the CB2R/NOX4/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Aim To investigate the effects of multi-gly-cosides of Tripterygium wilfordii(GTW)on mitochon-drial dynamics-related proteins and the mechanism of nephroprotective effects in IgA nephrophathy(IgAN)rats.Methods SPF grade male SD rats were random-ly divided into the Control group,modelling group,prednisone group(6.25 mg·kg·d-1)and GTW group(6.25 mg·kg·d-1).The IgAN rat model was established by the method of"bovine serum albumin(BSA)+carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)+lipopolysac-charide(LPS)".The total amount of urinary protein(24 h-UTP)and erythrocyte count in urine were meas-ured in 24 h urine.Blood biochemistry of serum albu-min(ALB),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),urea ni-trogen(BUN),and creatinine(Scr)were measured in abdominal aorta of the rats;immunofluorescence and HE staining were used to observe the histopathology of the kidneys;RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of key proteins regulating mitochondrial division and fu-sion:dynamin-related protein 1(Drp1),mitochondrial fusion protein 1(Mfn1),and mitochondrial fusion pro-tein 2(Mfn2),and PTEN-induced putative kinase 1(Pink1),in the kidney tissue of rats.Results GTW significantly reduced urinary erythrocyte count and 24 h-UTP,decreased serum ALT,BUN and Scr levels,in-creased serum ALB levels,improved renal histopatho-logical status in IgAN rats,increased the protein and mRNA expression levels of Mfn1,Mfn2,and Pink1,and decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of Drp1 in renal tissues.Conclusions GTW may regu-late mitochondrial structure and maintain the dynamic balance of mitochondrial dynamics by promoting the ex-pression of Mfn1,Mfn2,Pink1 and decreasing Drp1.This may result in a reduction in urinary erythrocyte counts and proteinuria,and an improvement in renal function.

Aim To investigate the mechanism of py-roptosis mediated by the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway and the intervention effect of Radix Angelica Sinensis and Radix Astragalus ultrafiltration extract(RAS-RA)in radiation-induced pulmonary fi-brosis.Methods Fifty Wistar rats were randomly di-vided into five groups,with ten rats in each group.Ex-cept for the blank control group,all other groups of rats were anesthetized and received a single dose of 40 Gy X-ray local chest radiation to establish a radiation-in-duced pulmonary fibrosis rat model.After radiation,the rats in the RAS-RA intervention groups were orally administered doses of 0.12,0.24 and 0.48 g·kg-1 once a day for 30 days.The average weight and lung index of the rats were observed after 30 days of contin-uous administration.Hydroxyproline(HYP)content in lung tissue was determined by hydrolysis method.The levels of IL-18 and IL-1 β in serum were detected by ELISA.Lung tissue pathological changes were ob-served by HE and Masson staining.Ultrastructural changes in lung tissue were observed by transmission e-lectron microscopy.The expression levels of NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway-related proteins and fibrosis-related proteins in lung tissue were detec-ted by Western blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the HYP content in lung tissue and the levels of IL-18 and IL-1 β in serum significantly in-creased in the model group(P＜0.01).HE and Mas-son staining showed inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen fiber deposition.Transmission electron mi-croscopy revealed increased damaged mitochondria,disordered arrangement,irregular morphology,shallow matrix,outer membrane rupture,mostly fractured and shortened cristae,mild expansion,increased electron density of individual mitochondrial matrix,mild sparse structure of lamellar bodies,partial disorder,unclear organelles,and characteristic changes of pyroptosis.Western blot analysis showed increased expression of caspase-1,GSDMD,NLRP3,CoL-Ⅰ,α-SMA,and CoL-Ⅲ proteins(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the RAS-RA intervention group showed signifi-cant improvement in body mass index and lung index of rats,decreased levels of IL-18 and IL-1 β inflammatory factors(P＜0.01),improved mitochondrial structure,reduced degree of fibrosis,and decreased expression of caspase-1,GSDMD,NLRP3,COL-Ⅰ,COL-Ⅲ,and α-SMA proteins in lung tissue(P＜0.01).Conclusion RAS-RA has an inhibitory effect on radiation-in-duced pulmonary fibrosis,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of pyroptosis through the regu-lation of the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway.

Aim To explore the mechanism of action of Tripterygium glycosides tablets on kidney of rats with IgA nephropathy based on inflammation-related path-ways.Methods Forty-five male SD rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into control group and modeling group.In addition to the blank group,the modeling group used the combination of bovine serum albumin(BSA)+carbon tetrachloride(CC14)+lipopolysac-charide(LPS)to establish the IgA nephropathy rat model.Successfully modeled rats were randomly divid-ed into the model group,the prednisone group and Tripterygium glycosides tablets group,and the treat-ment group was given the drug by gavage from the 13 th week,and the 24 hours urine,blood and kidney tis-sues of the rats were collected and examined after 4 weeks of the administration of the drug.Urine erythro-cyte count,quantitative 24-h urine protein(24 h-UTP),urea nitrogen(BUN),and blood creatinine(Scr)were detected in each group;serum interleukin 1β(IL-1β)and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(Elisa);the pathological changes in the renal tissues of the rats in each group were observed by horizontal hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;and the renal tis-sues in each group were observed by Western blotting.The expressions of LIGHT,HVEM,LTβR proteins and their mRNAs in rat kidney tissue were detected by Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results Tripterygium glycosides tablets significantly reduced the levels of urinary erythrocyte count,24 h-UTP,BUN,and Scr in IgA nephropathy rats(P＜0.01),improved renal histopathology,lowered the levels of se-rum inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α(P＜0.01),and lowered the levels of LIGHT,HVEM,LTβR proteins and their mRNA expression in renal tis-sues(P＜0.01).Conclusions Tripterygium glyco-sides tablets may inhibit the immune response and re-duce the release of inflammatory factors by down-regu-lating the LIGHT-HVEM/LT(3R pathway,thus reduc-ing the inflammatory response,lowering the urinary e-rythrocytes and urinary proteins,improving the renal nephron pathologic injury,and protecting the renal function.

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) measures have not been systematically applied in transurethral surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study was performed on patients with BPH who required surgical intervention. From July 2019 to June 2020, the ERAS program was applied to 248 patients, and the conventional program was applied to 238 patients. After 1 year of follow-up, the differences between the ERAS group and the conventional group were evaluated. The ERAS group had a shorter time of urinary catheterization compared with the conventional group (mean ± standard deviation [s.d.]: 1.0 ± 0.4 days vs 2.7 ± 0.8 days, P < 0.01), and the pain (mean ± s.d.) was significantly reduced through postoperative hospitalization days (PODs) 0-2 (POD 0: 1.7 ± 0.8 vs 2.4 ± 1.0, P < 0.01; POD 1: 1.6 ± 0.9 vs 3.5 ± 1.3, P < 0.01; POD 2: 1.2 ± 0.7 vs 3.0 ± 1.3, P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was found in the rate of postoperative complications, such as postoperative bleeding (P = 0.79), urinary retention (P = 0.40), fever (P = 0.55), and readmission (P = 0.71). The hospitalization cost of the ERAS group was similar to that of the conventional group (mean ± s.d.: 16 927.8 ± 5808.1 Chinese Yuan [CNY] vs 17 044.1 ± 5830.7 CNY, P =0.85). The International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and quality of life (QoL) scores in the two groups were also similar when compared at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after discharge. The ERAS program we conducted was safe, repeatable, and efficient. In conclusion, patients undergoing the ERAS program experienced less postoperative stress than those undergoing the conventional program.
Male ; Humans ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/complications* ; Quality of Life ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Enhanced Recovery After Surgery