ObjectiveAs a common lifestyle habit, alcohol consumption has a controversial association with the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To demonstrate the correlation between alcohol consumption and PD and to identify associated genes, we integrated findings from clinical surveys, genomics, transcriptomics, and animal experiments. MethodsWe investigated the alcohol consumption rates (including both before and after disease onset) among 244 PD patients in China and 177 PD patients from the U.S. NHANES database. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for three alcohol-related traits and seven PD-related datasets from the MRC IEU OpenGWAS database. Transcriptomic data from the substantia nigra of PD patients were obtained from three GEO datasets (GSE7621, GSE20141, and GSE49036) to analyze RIT2 gene transcription. Finally, three groups of animal experiments (water/20% ethanol/20% liquor, with 4 C57BL/6J mice per group) were conducted to examine changes in brain RIT2 gene expression and transcriptomic profiles following alcohol consumption. ResultsThe alcohol consumption rates among PD patients in China and the U.S. (9%-18.87%) were significantly lower than the general population rates of 15%-45% in their respective regions (P<0.001), suggesting a possible negative association between alcohol consumption and PD. Subsequently, in 21 bidirectional MR analyses using 3 alcohol-related GWAS datasets and 7 PD-related GWAS datasets, the forward MR analyses (alcohol intake as exposure, PD as outcome) yielded 12 negative associations (OR_IVW<1) and 9 positive associations (OR_IVW>1). Among these, only two negative associations reached statistical significance: alcohol intake frequency (OR_IVW=0.75, 95% CI: 0.60-0.93, P=0.010) and alcohol consumption (OR_IVW=0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.83, P=0.026). The forward MR analysis (alcohol intake→PD) identified 235 SNPs, annotated to 316 genes, while the reverse MR analyses (PD→alcohol intake) identified 37 SNPs, annotated to 53 genes. Notably, only the RIT2 gene appeared in both the forward and reverse MR analyses (alcohol intake→PD: rs28597806, rs8083110; PD→alcohol intake: rs4588066). RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain (FPKM: 5.259±2.103), with low or no expression in peripheral tissues (FPKM: <1). Analysis of three human substantia nigra transcriptomic datasets revealed a decreasing trend in RIT2 gene expression in PD patients (GSE20141 array signal: 3.49±1.23 vs. 2.33±0.87, P=0.044). Animal experiments demonstrated that administration of 20% ethanol or 20% liquor (approximately 8% ethanol) stimulated a >2-fold upregulation of RIT2 gene expression in the mouse brain. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the two alcohol-treated groups exhibited 96 (20% ethanol vs. water control) and 4 (20% liquor vs. water control) differentially expressed genes, respectively, indicating that low-dose alcohol consumption can achieve RIT2 upregulation while minimizing impact on other brain genes. In addition to its anti-infective effects, low-dose alcohol consumption primarily influences signaling pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and Prion diseases. ConclusionAlcohol consumption is generally considered as a harmful lifestyle habit. However, some studies have also shown a lower risk of mortality among individuals who consume low doses of alcohol (100 g/week of ethanol) or drink occasionally. Currently, one of the research focuses on alcohol consumption is whether the human body can benefit from low-dose alcohol intake. This study provides new evidence supporting a negative association between alcohol consumption and PD, and for the first time, through MR analysis, identifies the RIT2 gene as a potential mediator of the effect of alcohol consumption on PD. RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain. Building upon existing evidence indicating downregulated RIT2 gene expression in PD pathogenesis, our experiments confirm that low-dose alcohol consumption can upregulate RIT2 expression in the brain. In brief, alcohol consumption may suppress the pathogenesis of PD by upregulating RIT2 expression in the substantia nigra. China is facing a serious problem of population aging. This study offers important insights for long-term PD prevention and treatment strategies, with the aim of benefiting more potential PD patients through lifestyle modifications, thereby improving the quality of life of the aging population and reducing the economic burden on healthcare.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in response evaluation and relapse monitoring for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). METHODS: The clinical characteristics, efficacy and survival of 38 PMBCL patients in our hospital from January 2010 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The ctDNA monitoring was conducted by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: Among the 38 patients, 26 cases were female, and 32 cases were diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage I-II. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were 74.7% and 61.7%, respectively. Males and those with high aaIPI scores (3 points) had a relatively poor prognosis. The NGS results of 23 patients showed that STAT6 (65.2%), SOCS1 (56.5%), and TNFAIP3 (56.5%) were the most common mutated genes. Patients with stable disease (SD)/progressive disease (PD) exhibited enrichment in cell cycle, FoxO, and TNF signaling pathways. A total of 29 patients underwent end-of-treatment PET/CT (EOT PET/CT), and 16 of them received ctDNA monitoring with 12 negative. Among 6 patients with EOT PET/CT positive (Deauville 4), 4 underwent ctDNA monitoring, and 3 of them were negative, being still in continuous remission without any subsequent anti-tumor therapy. CONCLUSION CtDNA may be combined with PET/CT to assess efficacy, monitor relapse, and guide treatment of PMBCL.
Humans ; Circulating Tumor DNA/blood* ; Female ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Prognosis ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Mutation

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Objective:To explore the correlation between weekend moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA), weekday sedentary behavior(SB)and the risk of frailty in the elderly population monitored by wearable devices, and to provide a scientific basis for lifestyle interventions for frailty in the elderly.Methods:This study was based on the data of the UK Biobank from 2013 to 2015.A cross-sectional study design was adopted, and 33, 212 elderly people aged 60 and above with complete physical activity monitoring data were selected.The Frailty Index(FI)constructed by the deficit accumulation method was used to assess the frailty status.The correlation between the combined effect of weekday SB and weekend MVPA and the frailty status was analyzed, and the differences between genders were explored.Results:There were significant differences in physical activity indicators among the elderly with different frailty statuses.As the degree of frailty increased, the MVPA-related indicators showed a downward trend, while the weekday SB time gradually increased.There were sex differences in physical activity patterns and frailties.Compared with women, men had longer SB time on weekdays, lower metabolic equivalent of weekly MVPA consumption, and higher MVPA time on weekends, but the frailties index of women was slightly higher than that of men.After adjusting for confounding factors, the frailty risks for men and women in the subgroup with the lowest weekday SB and the highest weekend MVPA duration decreased by 46.9% and 59.8%, respectively( P<0.001)when compared to the highest-risk group. Conclusions:Based on the monitoring data from wearable devices, elderly individuals who reduced their SB time during weekdays and increased their MVPA time on weekends were associated with a lower risk of frailty, especially among women; which providing a new perspective for lifestyle-based intervention strategies for frailty among the elderly.

Alzheimer′s disease(AD), as a common cognitive impairment disorder in the elderly, has imposed a significant burden on the global public health system.The latest international diagnostic criteria emphasize defining AD from a biological perspective and viewing it as a continuous pathological and physiological change process.This article, guided by the principle of ′early diagnosis-precision intervention′, systematically elaborates on the current research status of AD regarding diagnostic criteria, biomarkers, new drug development, and the establishment of China-specific AD cohorts.It also provides an in-depth outlook on the future research directions and clinical application prospects of AD.

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential mechanisms of sepsis pathogenesis in intensive care unit (ICU), with a specific focus on the role of skin microbiota, and to evaluate the causal relationships between skin microbiota and ICU sepsis using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: A two-sample MR analysis was performed using skin microbiota genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data from German population cohorts as exposures, combined with ICU sepsis susceptibility and 28-day mortality GWAS summary data from the IEU OpenGWAS database as outcomes. The primary causal effect estimates were generated using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented by validation through MR-Egger and weighted median approaches. Heterogeneity and pleiotropy tests, along with sensitivity analyses, were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Regarding risk of ICU sepsis, IVW analysis showed that order Pseudomonadales [odds ratio (OR) = 0.93, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.88-0.98], family Flavobacteriaceae (OR = 0.93, 95%CI was 0.90-0.96), and genus Acinetobacter (OR = 0.96, 95%CI was 0.93-0.99) were significantly negatively correlated with the risk of ICU sepsis (all P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the risk of ICU sepsis and the presence of β-Proteobacteria (OR = 1.05, 95%CI was 1.00-1.11) and Actinobacteria (OR = 1.05, 95%CI was 1.00-1.11), both P < 0.05. Regarding 28-day mortality of ICU sepsis, IVW analysis showed that phylum Bacteroidetes (OR = 0.92, 95%CI was 0.86-0.99), family Streptococcaceae (OR = 0.92, 95%CI was 0.85-0.98), family Flavobacteriaceae (OR = 0.90, 95%CI was 0.83-0.97), genus Streptococcus (OR = 0.92, 95%CI was 0.86-0.99), ASV016 [Enhydrobacter] (OR = 0.92, 95%CI was 0.87-0.98), and ASV042 [Acinetobacter] (OR = 0.92, 95%CI was 0.88-0.97) were significantly negatively correlated with the 28-day mortality of ICU sepsis (all P < 0.05); family Moraxellaceae (OR = 1.09, 95%CI was 1.00-1.18) and ASV008 [Staphylococcus] (OR = 1.08, 95%CI was 1.03-1.14) was significantly positively correlated with the 28-day mortality of ICU sepsis (both P < 0.05). Sensitivity analysis and MR-PRESSO showed no heterogeneity, pleiotropy, or horizontal pleiotropy between skin microbiota and ICU sepsis risk and 28-day mortality rate. Analysis of confounding factors showed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with relevant skin bacteria could independently and causally affect the risk of ICU sepsis or ICU sepsis related mortality rate, independent of other confounding factors. The Steiger test results indicated that the established causal relationship was not due to reverse causality. CONCLUSIONS Skin microbiota composition may influence both sepsis susceptibility and 28-day mortality in ICU settings. Family Flavobacteriaceae demonstrated protective effects against sepsis onset and mortality. These findings provide new perspectives for early detection and management strategies.
Humans ; Sepsis/mortality* ; Intensive Care Units ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Microbiota ; Skin/microbiology* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Risk Factors ; Skin Microbiome

Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny