Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of scarlet fever in Pudong New Area, Shanghai from 2010 to 2023, and to grasp the incidence of scarlet fever in time. Methods The information on the registration of scarlet fever in Pudong New Area, Shanghai from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2023 was collected through the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System, and descriptive epidemiological methods and Joinpoint regression model were used for data analysis. Results From 2010 to 2023, a total of 5 669 cases of scarlet fever were reported in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, and no deaths were reported. The annual reported incidence rate was 7.2/100 000, and the overall trend was decreasing year by year. In terms of time distribution, the incidence peaks were in spring and winter. The incidence rate in males was higher than that in females, and it mainly affected children, especially those aged 2 to 10 years. Joinpoint regression model analysis showed that the annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) of the reported incidence rate of scarlet fever from 2010 to 2023 showed that the incidence rate was fluctuating, and the incidence rate decreased significantly from 2019 to 2023 (APC was -53.7%). Conclusion The reported incidence rate of scarlet fever in Pudong New Area in Shanghai has decreased year by year from 2010 to 2023, and children remain the focus of prevention and control.

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the early triggers of vascular remodeling during pulmonary hypertension (PH) with complex predisposing mechanisms, mainly via an unbalanced generation of vasoactive factors, increased expression of growth factors, prothrombotic elements, and inflammatory markers. Conventional treatment regimens are restricted to a single therapeutic pathway, which usually leads to limited clinical outcomes. Combination therapies targeting multiple cells and several signaling pathways are increasingly adopted in PH treatment. Herein, inspired by the cocrystal pleomorphism theory, we prepared rod-shaped nanococrystals of the endothelin-1 (ET-1) receptor antagonist (bosentan, BST) and the anti-inflammatory drug (andrographolide, AG) for targeting the pulmonary endothelium and alleviating PH. The 525 nm-sized co-delivery system displayed a rod-like morphology, preferentially accumulated in the pulmonary endothelium and alleviated pulmonary artery (PA) remodeling. A three-week treatment with the preparation significantly alleviated the monocrotaline (MCT)- or Sugen 5416/hypoxia (SuHx)-induced PH by reducing the pulmonary artery pressure, increasing the survival rate, improving the hemodynamics, and inhibiting vascular remodeling. Mechanistically, the nanococrystals collaboratively repaired endothelial dysfunction by suppressing the pathways of ET-1/NF-κB/ICAM-1/TNF-α/IL-6. In conclusion, the cocrystal-based strategy offers a promising approach for constructing co-delivery systems. The developed rod-shaped nanococrystals effectively target the pulmonary endothelium and relieve experimental PH.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize a glycosyltransferase (RpUGT1) from Rheum palmatum and investigate its specificity toward flavonoid compounds. METHODS: The RpUGT1 was expressed in Escherichia coli and screened for catalytic activity against a range of flavonoid substrates using a high-throughput HPLC assay method. Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to determine the structure of the product. Homology modeling, molecular docking analyses and site-directed mutagenesis studies were conducted to identify key residues responsible for its function. RESULTS: The recombinant RpUGT1 protein exhibited catalytic activity towards various flavonoids. Notably, RpUGT1 catalyzed the glycosylation of isorhamnetin to form 3-O-glucoside and kaempferol to form 7-O-glucoside, utilizing uridine diphosphate (UDP) glucose as the sugar donor. The homology modeling and molecular docking analyses identified key residues responsible for its activity. Subsequent site-directed mutagenesis studies highlighted the crucial role of K307 in catalysis. CONCLUSION These discoveries offer valuable perspectives on the role of the UGT family and establish a groundwork for forthcoming research on the synthesis of flavonoids in plants.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the patterns of fasting blood glucose (FBG) trajectories and analyze the relationship between various occupational hazard factors and FBG trajectories in male steelworkers. METHODS: The study cohort included 3,728 workers who met the selection criteria for the Tanggang Occupational Cohort (TGOC) between 2017 and 2022. A group-based trajectory model was used to identify the FBG trajectories. Environmental risk scores (ERS) were constructed using regression coefficients from the occupational hazard model as weights. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the effects of occupational hazard factors using the ERS on FBG trajectories. RESULTS: FBG trajectories were categorized into three groups. An association was observed between high temperature, noise exposure, and FBG trajectory ( P < 0.05). Using the first quartile group of ERS1 as a reference, the fourth quartile group of ERS1 had an increased risk of medium and high FBG by 1.90 and 2.21 times, respectively (odds ratio [ OR] = 1.90, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.17-3.10; OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.09-4.45). CONCLUSION An association was observed between occupational hazards based on ERS and FBG trajectories. The risk of FBG trajectory levels increase with an increase in ERS.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; China ; Prospective Studies ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Risk Factors ; Middle Aged ; Steel ; Fasting/blood* ; Metal Workers ; East Asian People

This study investigates the clinical differentiation and treatment strategies for bipolar disorder （BD） by analyzing the relationship of its core pathomechanisms including qi stagnation， blood stasis， phlegm turbidity， and heat constraint with bile acid metabolism. The imbalance of "yin in form and yang in function" leads to qi stagnation， blood stasis， phlegm turbidity， and heat constraint， which are critical in the pathogenesis and progression of BD. Bile acids regulate neuroinflammation， neural plasticity， and intestinal flora homeostasis through receptor-mediated pathways. It is believed that the physiological functions of bile acids concretely embody the concept of the "liver is yin in form and yang in function" theory. Clinically， prescriptions such as Sini Powder （四逆散） with the function of venting pathogen and resolving constraint， Wendan Decoction （温胆汤） of drying dampness and resolving phlegm， Longdan Xiegan Decoction （龙胆泻肝汤） of clearing liver and draining fire， and Huanglian Ejiao Decoction （黄连阿胶汤） of nourishing yin and blood can be used to nourish liver yin and restore liver yang function. These strategies may improve BD prognosis by modulating bile acid synthesis and metabolism.

BACKGROUND:In recent years,a number of studies have confirmed that gut microbiome regulates bone metabolism through multiple pathways,and this field has become a research hotspot in orthopedics and microbiology.However,there is still no literature metrology and visual analysis on this field.OBJECTIVE:To explore the research status,hot spots and development trends in the field of gut microbiome regulation of bone metabolism,and to provide certain data support and reference for subsequent studies.METHODS:The Web of Science core collection database was used as the retrieval platform to retrieve the related literature in the field of intestinal flora regulating bone metabolism from 2004 to 2024.Citespace software was used to visually analyze the included literature and generate a visual atlas.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 1,035 papers were included in this study.In the past 20 years,the number of publications in the field of gut microbiome regulation of bone metabolism has shown a significant growth trend,with the United States and China dominating research and publication activities in this field.Harvard University and the University of California system are the research institutions with the highest number of published papers and research centrality in this area,and Professor Pacifici R of Emory University is the most prolific author.(2)Inflammatory bowel disease,chain fatty acids,bone marrow are the core keywords in this field.Postmenopausal osteoporosis,rheumatoid arthritis,oxidative stress,mitochondrial dysfunction are the latest research frontiers in this field.(3)Among the top 10 cited papers,4 discussed the mechanism of short-chain fatty acids affecting bone metabolism;3 investigated the pathogenesis and therapeutic potential of intestinal flora in postmenopausal osteoporosis,glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis,and senile osteoporosis;1 discussed the relationship between intestinal inflammation,intestinal flora,parathyroid hormone,and bone metabolism;and 1 examined the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and T cells on the gut microbiome and bone metabolism.(4)NUTRIENTS has the most papers,while ENDOCRINOLOGY& METABOLISM has the most citations.(5)Based on literature co-citation analysis and keywords,further exploration is needed on the specific pathogenesis and treatment strategies of gut microbiome in postmenopausal osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis,revealing the molecular mechanism of regulating gut microbiota to inhibit oxidative stress and improve mitochondrial dysfunction affecting bone metabolism,and translating mechanism research into clinical application,which all constitute the future research directions and trends in this field.

Objective:To develop a validation method for microbial targeted next generation sequencing (tNGS) detection for respiratorypathogens, and to evaluate the performance of the pathogen-targeted high-throughput sequencing test implemented in local hospital.Methods:Cross-sectional study. A total of 14 patients with severe pulmonary infections were admitted to Huangshi Central Hospital from December 2023 to January 2024. Samples were collected as follows:Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples ( n=7) subjected to culture, fluorescent PCR, and tNGS testing. Sputum samples ( n=2) analyzed via sputum culture, fluorescent PCR, and tNGS. Throat swab samples ( n=5) tested using fluorescent PCR-capillary electrophoresis and tNGS. Reference samples were prepared using representative species such as Influenza A virus, Adenovirus C, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Aspergillus fumigatus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida albicans. Jurkat cells at different concentrations were used as a source of human cells. Traditional detection methods such as fluorescent PCR-capillary electrophoresis and culture methods were used as reference methods. The detection performance of tNGS was evaluated by assessing the detection limit, precision, human cell impact, stability, cross-reactivity, and accuracy of metagenomic next-generation sequencing for pathogen detection. Results:The detection limits for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Human Adenovirus C, and Influenza A virus were 2×10 2 copies/ml, and for Aspergillus fumigatus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida albicans, the detection limits were 4×10 2 copies/ml. The consistency rate of repeated detection results for all pathogens in the reference samples was 100%. The impact assessment experiment of human cells showed that when the concentration of Jurkat cells reached 1×10 6 cells/ml, Influenza A virus, Adenovirus C, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Aspergillus fumigatus could all be detected. Stability experiments showed that there was no significant change in the number of pathogen sequences after the specimens were stored at 4 ℃ and -20 ℃ for 1 day, 4 days, and 7 days, respectively. Cross-reactivity experiments showed that when the concentration ratios of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida albicans were (5∶1∶1∶5), (1∶5∶5∶1), and (1∶1∶1∶1), respectively, the detection rate of closely related microbial species was 3/3. Accuracy assessment showed that the accuracy of 19 clinical specimens was 18/19 cases. Conclusion:Compared with traditional detection methods as the reference, tNGS demonstrates high sensitivity and a high positive concordance rate, underscoring its significant clinical value in the detection of respiratory pathogens.

BACKGROUND: The clinical impact of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in patients treated with PCI for chronic total occlusion (CTO) was still undetermined. METHODS: All CTO vessels treated with successful anatomical PCI in patients from PANDA III trial were retrospectively measured for post-PCI QFR. The primary outcome was 2-year vessel-oriented composite endpoints (VOCEs, composite of target vessel-related cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, and ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was conducted to identify optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting the 2-year VOCEs, and all vessels were stratified by this optimal cutoff value. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI. RESULTS: Among 428 CTO vessels treated with PCI, 353 vessels (82.5%) were analyzable for post-PCI QFR. 31 VOCEs (8.7%) occurred at 2 years. Mean value of post-PCI QFR was 0.92 ± 0.13. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis shown the optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting 2-year VOCEs was 0.91. The incidence of 2-year VOCEs in the vessel with post-PCI QFR < 0.91 (n = 91) was significantly higher compared with the vessels with post-PCI QFR ≥ 0.91 (n = 262) (22.0% vs. 4.2%, HR = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.32-10.70). CONCLUSIONS Higher post-PCI QFR values were associated with improved prognosis in the PCI practice for coronary CTO. Achieving functionally optimal PCI results (post-PCI QFR value ≥ 0.91) tends to get better prognosis for patients with CTO lesions.

Objective To investigate the effect of local histopathological changes of thyroid nodules after ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy(US-FNBA)on laparoscopic thyroid surgery.Methods The clinical data of 120 patients with thyroid malignant tumors admitted to Xiaogan Hospital of Wuhan University of Science and Technology from January 2020 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed,and according to whether received US-FNAB before surgery they were divided into the observation group(with US-FNAB)and the control group(without US-FNAB),with 60 cases in each group.The operation time,change of parathyroid hormone(ΔPTH)before and after surgery,change of serum Ca2+concentration(serum ΔCa2+)before and after surgery,drainage volume 24 hours after surgery and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.According to fine needle aspiration-to-surgery(FTS),the patients in the observation group were further divided into the group A(FTS≤3 days)and the group B(FTS>3 days),and the effect of US-FNAB on laparoscopic thyroid surgery was explored combined with the pathological changes of the thyroid puncture capsule of the two groups.Results The operation time of the observation group was longer than that of the control group(P<0.05),and there was no significant difference in the drainage volume 24 hours after surgery,ΔPTH,serum ΔCa2+,or proportions of facial or limb numbness,hypoparathyroidism,recurrent laryngeal nerve integrity,and hypocalcemia between the two groups(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the operation time,ΔPTH,serum ΔCa2+,drainage volume 24 hours after surgery,hypocalcemia,recurrent laryngeal nerve integrity or hypothyroidism between the group A and group B(P>0.05).The proportion of patients with facial or limb numbness after surgery in the group A was significantly lower than that in the group B(P<0.05).Conclusion Preoperative US-FNAB for thyroid nodules may prolong the operation time in patients undergoing laparoscopic thyroid surgery,and surgical treatment in early aspiration can help decrease this effect and reduce the incidences of postoperative hypocalcemia and hypothyroidism.