Objective To predict the radiation impact of discharging wastewater containing uranium within the specified limit generated during the normal operation of a new production line at a nuclear fuel plant on the receiving water body and its downstream, and to provide a reference for the management of radioactive liquid effluent discharge from nuclear facilities. Methods Based on the technical guidelines for environmental impact assessment, literature on radiation environmental impact assessment, and data collected from on-site investigations, appropriate hydrological parameters and prediction models were selected to analyze and predict the variation pattern of radioactive nuclide uranium along the receiving water body and the radiation exposure of nearby residents. Results The maximum increase in uranium concentration in the receiving water body and its downstream caused by the discharge of uranium-containing wastewater was 1.14 μg/L. The maximum predicted concentration was 2.75 μg/L after adding the background data of the water body. The resulting maximum individual annual effective dose for the public was 1.49 × 10⁻⁴ mSv/a. Conclusion The maximum predicted uranium concentration in the receiving water body and its downstream is lower than the uranium concentration limit of 30 μg/L specified in the Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB 5749-2022). The maximum individual annual effective dose for the public is much lower than the control value of 0.2 mSv/a specified in the Radiation Protection Regulations for Uranium Processing and Fuel and Fuel Manufacturing Facilities (EJ 1056-2018). The radiation impact is acceptable.

BACKGROUND:The extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5(ERK5)signaling protein is essential for the survival of organisms,and resveratrol can promote osteoblast proliferation through various pathways.However,whether resveratrol can regulate osteoblast function through the ERK5 signaling protein needs further verification. OBJECTIVE:To explore the regulatory effect of ERK5 on the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells and related secreted proteins,and to further verify whether resveratrol can complete the above process by activating ERK5. METHODS:Mouse MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts were treated with complete culture medium,XMD8-92(an ERK5 inhibitor),epidermal growth factor(an ERK5 activator),resveratrol alone,XMD8-92+EGF,and resveratrol+XMD8-92,respectively.Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of ERK5 and p-ERK5 proteins,proliferation-related proteins Cyclin D1,CDK4 and PCNA,and osteoblast-secreted proteins osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand in MC3T3-E1 cells of each group.The fluorescence intensity of ERK5,osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand in each group was detected by cell immunofluorescence staining,and cell proliferation was detected by EdU staining,respectively.The appropriate concentration and time of resveratrol intervention in MC3T3-E1 cells were determined by cell morphology observation and cell counting kit-8 assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The activation of ERK5 signaling protein could effectively promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells,up-regulate the osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand ratio.The appropriate concentration and time for resveratrol intervention in MC3T3-E1 cells was 5 μmol/L and 24 hours,respectively.Resveratrol could activate ERK5 signaling protein,thereby promoting osteoblast proliferation and up-regulating the osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio.All these results indicate that resveratrol can promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells and up-regulate the osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio by activating the ERK5 signaling protein.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system in patients with end-stage heart failure. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients with end-stage heart failure who were treated with Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system from March 2022 to June 2024 in 4 hospitals in Jiangsu Province. The efficacy of the device was evaluated by comparing changes in clinical indicators at preoperative, discharge, 3-month postoperative, and 6-month postoperative timepoints, including the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD). The safety of the device was assessed by analyzing the intraoperative position and orientation of the blood pump inlet cannula, as well as the incidence of adverse events. Results In this study, 39 patients were collected, including 34 males and 5 females with a mean age of (56.4±12.5) years, ranging from 20 to 75 years. There was no operative death. There was no death in postoperative 3 months with a survival rate of 100.0%. There were 3 deaths in 6 months postoperatively, with a survival rate of 92.3%. All patients had a preoperative NYHA cardiac function classification of class Ⅳ. The NYHA cardiac function class of the patients improved (P<0.05) at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery when compared to the preoperative period. LVEF was significantly higher at 3 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). LVEDD was significantly smaller at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). The safety evaluation's findings demonstrated that all 39 patients' intraoperative blood pump inlet tubes were oriented correctly, the artificial blood vessel suture sites were appropriate, there were no instances of device malfunction or pump thrombosis, or instances of bleeding or hemolysis, and the rate of the remaining adverse events was low. Conclusion With a low rate of adverse events and an excellent safety profile, the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system can efficiently enhance cardiac function in patients with end-stage heart failure. It also has considerable clinical uses.

OBJECTIVE: Anemoside B4 (AB4), the most abundant triterpenoidal saponin isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis, inhibited influenza virus FM1 or Klebsiella pneumoniae-induced pneumonia. However, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect of AB4 has not been unraveled. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the antiviral activity and potential mechanism of AB4 in inhibiting human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: The cytotoxicity of AB4 was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay. SARS-CoV-2 infected HEK293T, HPAEpiC, and Vero E6 cells were used for in vitro assays. The antiviral effect of AB4 in vivo was evaluated by SARS-CoV-2-infected hACE2-IRES-luc transgenic mouse model. Furthermore, label-free quantitative proteomics and bioinformatic analysis were performed to explore the potential antiviral mechanism of action of AB4. Type I IFN signaling-associated proteins were assessed using Western blotting or immumohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The data showed that AB4 reduced the propagation of SARS-CoV-2 along with the decreased Nucleocapsid protein (N), Spike protein (S), and 3C-like protease (3CLpro) in HEK293T cells. In vivo antiviral activity data revealed that AB4 inhibited viral replication and relieved pneumonia in a SARS-CoV-2 infected mouse model. We further disclosed that the antiviral activity of AB4 was associated with the enhanced interferon (IFN)-β response via the activation of retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-1) like receptor (RLP) pathways. Additionally, label-free quantitative proteomic analyses discovered that 17 proteins were significantly altered by AB4 in the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections cells. These proteins mainly clustered in RNA metabolism. CONCLUSION Our results indicated that AB4 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication through the RLR pathways and moderated the RNA metabolism, suggesting that it would be a potential lead compound for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.

BACKGROUND:Fluid shear stress plays an important role in osteoblast proliferation and apoptosis.However,whether Caveolin-1 is involved in the process of fluid shear stress-induced proliferation and apoptosis in osteoblasts is unknown. OBJECTIVE:To explore the role of Caveolin-1 in fluid shear stress-regulated osteoblast proliferation and apoptosis. METHODS:The MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts in good growth status were selected and loaded with fluid shear stress at an intensity of 1.2 Pa for different times(0,30,60,90 minutes).The expression of Caveolin-1 protein was observed and conditions with a time of 60 minutes were screened for the experiment.MC3T3-E1 cells were divided into control group,fluid shear stress group,fluid shear stress+pcDNA 3.1 group(control),fluid shear stress+pcDNA Cav-1 group(plasmid overexpression),and intervened with fluid shear stress and overexpression of Cav-1,respectively.The expression of molecules related to proliferation and apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 cells was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot.In addition,the proliferative activity of MC3T3-E1 cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 and EdU assay;and cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst 33258 and flow cytometry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression of Caveolin-1 in MC3T3-E1 cells was significantly down-regulated after loading fluid shear stress,and the expression level was lowest after 60 minutes.Overexpression of Caveolin-1 attenuated the proliferation-promoting and apoptosis-suppressing effects of fluid shear stress in MC3T3-E1 cells.In conclusion,Caveolin-1 has a vital role in fluid shear stress-regulated osteoblast proliferation and apoptosis,which may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and management status of children with Turner syndrome (TS) in China.Methods:As a cross-sectional study, 1 089 TS patients were included in the database of the National Collaborative Alliance for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Turner Syndrome from August 2019 to November 2023. Clinical characteristics (growth development, sexual development, organ anomalies, etc.), karyotypes, auxiliary examinations, and treatments were collected and analyzed.Results:Among the 1 089 TS cases, 809 were recorded karyotypes. The karyotype distribution was as follows: 45, X in 317 cases (39.2%), X chromosome structural variants (including partial deletions of p or q arm, ring chromosome, and marker chromosome) in 89 cases (11.0%), 45, X/46, XX mosaicism in 158 cases (19.5%), mosaicism with X chromosome structural variants in 209 cases (25.8%), and presence of Y chromosome material in 36 cases (4.4%). Among the 824 TS cases, the age of diagnosis was 9.7(6.4, 12.2) years, with a height standard deviation score (HtSDS) of -3.1±1.2. Five hundred and fifty three cases underwent growth hormone (GH) stimulation test, and 352 cases (63.7%) had GH peak values <10 μg/L and 75.9% (577/760) had low IGF1 levels, with IGF1 SDS ≤-2 accounting for 38.2% (290 cases). Among 471 cases aged ≥8 years, 132 cases (28.0%) showed spontaneous sexual development (mean bone age (11.0±1.7) years), 10 cases had spontaneous menarche (mean bone age (12.0±2.2) years), and 2 cases had regular menstrual cycles. Common physical features included cubitus valgus (311 cases (28.5%)), neck webbing (188 cases (17.2%)), low posterior hairline (185 cases (17.0%)), shield chest (153 cases (14.0%)), high arched palate (127 cases (11.6%)), short fourth metacarpal (43 cases (3.9%)), and spinal abnormalities (38 cases (3.5%)). Congenital cardiovascular and urogenital anomalies occurred in 91 cases (19.4%) and 66 cases (12.0%)respectively. Abdominal ultrasound in 33 cases (7.2%) indicated fatty liver, hepatomegaly, intrahepatic bile duct stones, and splenomegaly. Among 23 cases undergoing oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) test, 2 were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 4 with impaired glucose tolerance. Following diagnosis, 669 cases (80.7%) received rhGH treatment at a chronological age of (9±4) years and bone age of (8.3±3.2) years. Additionally, 112 cases (19.4%) received sex hormone replacement therapy starting at the age of (14±4) years and bone age of (12.6±1.2) years.Conclusions:The karyotypes of 45, X and mosaicism were most common in Chinese children with TS. The clinical manifestations were mainly short stature and gonadal dysplasia. However, a few TS children could be in the normal range of height, and some cases among those aged of ≥8 years old had spontaneous sexual development. Some exhibited physical features, congenital cardiovascular and urogenital anomalies, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-IGF1 axis. Moreover, a few of them developed impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus. Following diagnosis, most of the patients received rhGH treatment, and a few of them received sex hormone replacement therapy.

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the surveillance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis/HIV (TB/HIV) co-infection in Liaoning Province from 2016 to 2021, providing a scientific basis for formulating future prevention and control measures applicable to the province-wide co-infection. Methods　A descriptive analysis was conducted on patient registration, two-way screening, and treatment information from the annual report of patients with TB/HIV co-infection in Liaoning Province from 2016 to 2021. Results From 2016 to 2021, 222 cases of TB/HIV co-infection were registered in Liaoning Province, accounting for 0.16% (222/136 709) of TB patients and 1.42% (222/15 584) of HIV/AIDS patients. In HIV/AIDS, the symptom screening rate was 96.01%, showing a downward trend (χ2trend=982.28, P<0.05). The TB detection rate was 0.47%, also showing a downward trend (χ2trend=36.56, P<0.05), while the chest radiograph or sputum detection rate was 94.61%, showing an overall upward trend (χ2trend=96.5, P<0.05). Among TB patients, 65 188 were tested for HIV antibodies, with a detection rate of 47.68%, which showed an overall upward trend (χ2trend=3 326.38, P<0.05). There were 39 HIV-positive cases detected, with the positive detection rate in TB patients decreasing from 0.12% to 0.07%. From 2016 to 2021, the majority of co-infected patients were male and ≥15 years old, with 496 cases (92.36%) of males and 41 cases (7.64%) of females. Among the 537 patients with co-infection, 47 cases (8.75%) received anti-tuberculosis therapy alone, 72 cases (13.41%) received anti-HIV therapy alone, and 408 cases (75.98%) received combined therapy, with an overall downward trend (χ2trend=9.54, P<0.05). Conclusions Focus should be placed on the male population and those aged ≥15 years, with future efforts aimed at enhancing two-way screening work among TB and HIV/AIDS patients and improving the rate of combined treatment.

Objective:To investigate the iodine nutrition status of residents and its changing trend in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province during the 10 years implementation of a new salt iodine standard, evaluate the prevention and treatment effects, and provide a basis for implementing iodine supplementation measures scientifically.Methods:From 2013 to 2015, each county (district) in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province was divided into 5 districts based on east, west, south, north, and central regions. One town (street, referred to as the town) was selected from each district, and four administrative villages were selected from each town. Fifteen residents from each administrative village were selected to collect edible salt samples from their homes and test the iodine content of the salt. At the same time, one primary school was selected from each selected town, and 42 children (age and gender were balanced) aged 8 - 10 were selected from each primary school for thyroid palpation examination. From 2016 to 2022, each county (district) was divided into 5 districts based on east, west, south, north, and central regions. One town was selected from each district, and one primary school was selected from each town. Forty-two non boarding students aged 8 - 10 were selected from each primary school to undergo thyroid palpation examination, and edible salt samples were collected from their home to detect salt iodine content. At the same time, 4 administrative villages were selected from each town, and 10 households were selected from each administrative village to collect edible salt samples and test the salt iodine content; 21 pregnant women were selected from each of the 5 towns in each county (district) to collect edible salt samples and test the salt iodine content. From 2013 to 2022, synchronous collection of urine samples from children and pregnant women (early, middle, and late pregnancy were balanced) was conducted to detect urine iodine content. Direct titration method was adopted for determination of salt iodine content, and arbitration method was adopted for Sichuan salt and other fortified edible salt (GB/T 13025.7-1999). Thyroid examination was performed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Endemic Goiter (WS 276-2007). Urine iodine was detected by Arsenic Cerium Catalytic Spectrophotometric Method for Determination of Iodine in Urine (WS/T 107 - 2006).Results:From 2013 to 2022, a total of 37 609 household edible salt samples were collected. The coverage rate of iodized salt, the qualified rate of iodized salt and the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt for each year ranged from 98.00% to 100.00%, 94.16% to 99.55%, and 92.28% to 99.67%, respectively. The median range of salt iodine was 22.42 to 26.80 mg/kg. A total of 25 437 children aged 8 - 10 were examined, and the annual incidence of thyroid enlargement (goiter) ranged from 0.35% to 3.02%. A total of 33 270 urine samples were collected, including 21 698 from children and 11 572 from pregnant women. The median range of urine iodine for children in each year was 203.70 - 275.47 μg/L, median range of urine iodine in pregnant women was 167.65 - 218.57 μg/L. The median urine iodine in children showed a decreasing trend from 2013 to 2022 ( Z = 3.04, P = 0.002); the median urine iodine of pregnant women did not show a significant decrease ( Z = 1.61, P = 0.110). Conclusions:During the 10 years implementation of the new salt iodine standard in Shaanxi Province, all indicators of iodine deficiency disorders monitoring in Baoji City have met the standards and maintained the elimination status of iodine deficiency disorders. The urine iodine levels of children have shown a downward trend, while urine iodine levels of pregnant women do not show significant changes. It is recommended that Baoji City expand the scope of iodine nutrition monitoring for key populations, and effectively carry out iodine supplementation measures scientificlly guided by monitoring information, tailored to local conditions, and classified guidance.