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.

ObjectiveTo investigate the pathogenic spectrum and epidemiological characteristics of diarrheal disease in Fengxian District of Shanghai, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of diarrheal diseases. MethodsBasic information of the initial adult cases visited diarrheal disease surveillance sentinel hospital in Fengxian District, Shanghai, was collected from August 2013 to 2023, and fecal samples were collected at 1∶5 sampling intervals to isolate and identify 5 kinds of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC), Salmonella (SAL), Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella and Yersinia enterocolitica (YE). Simultaneously, nucleic acid detection was performed for 3 kinds of rotavirus, 2 kinds of norovirus, intestinal adenovirus, astrovirus and sapovirus. ResultsA total of 1 861 cases of newly diagnosed diarrheal disease were reported, with the peak in July to August. Additionally, 704 surveillance samples were detected, with a total positive detection rate of 50.57%. The detection rates of bacterial, viral and mixed infection were 25.14%, 21.02% and 4.40%, respectively. Among the pathogens detected, DEC accounted for the highest (17.61%, 124/704), followed by norovirus (16.48%, 116/704), rotavirus (6.39%, 45/704), SAL (5.97%, 42/704) and Campylobacter (3.84%, 27/704). DEC detected were mainly enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, with no detection of Vibrio cholerae, Shigella and YE. The highest total pathogen detection rate was observed from June to September, and the detection peaks of norovirus were from March to June and from October to December, whereas that of DEC was from June to October. The detection rate of rotavirus peaked from January to February, but which was not detected between 2020‒2023. The SAL positive rate peak was in September, whereas that of Campylobacter was from July to September. ConclusionThe main pathogens detected in Fengxian District from 2013‒2019 are DEC, norovirus, rotavirus, SAL and Campylobacter. Different pathogens have different detection peaks, with bacteria predominating in summer and viruses in winter and spring. Prevention and control measures should be carried out according to the epidemiological characteristics of different seasons.

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.

Ferroptosis of chondrocytes is a significant contributor to osteoarthritis (OA), for which there is still a lack of safe and effective therapeutic drugs targeting ferroptosis. Here, we screen for anti-ferroptotic drugs in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library via a high-throughput manner in chondrocytes. We identified a group of FDA-approved anti-ferroptotic drugs, among which vitamin K showed the most powerful protective effect. Further study demonstrated that vitamin K effectively inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in chondrocytes. Intra-articular injection of vitamin K inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated OA phenotype in destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) mouse model. Mechanistically, transcriptome sequencing and knockdown experiments revealed that the anti-ferroptotic effects of vitamin K depended on growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6). Furthermore, exogenous expression of Gas6 was found to inhibit ferroptosis through the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) axis. Together, we demonstrate that vitamin K inhibits ferroptosis and alleviates OA progression via enhancing Gas6 expression and its downstream pathway of AXL/PI3K/AKT axis, indicating vitamin K as well as Gas6 to serve as a potential therapeutic target for OA and other ferroptosis-related diseases.

This study established the mouse podocyte clone-5 (MPC5) with Smad3 knockout and studied the effect of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) on the dedifferentiation of the MPC5 cells with Smad3 knockout, aiming to provide a cell tool for studying the role of Smad3 in mouse podocytes. The single-guide RNA (sgRNA) sequence targeting Smad3 was designed according to the principles of CRISPR/Cas9 design. The pX458-Smad3 vector was constructed and introduced into competent cells, and then the vector was extracted and used to transfect MPC5 cells. The successfully transfected cells were sorted by a flow cytometer. After single-cell clone expansion, PCR amplification of sequences adjacent to the edition site of Smad3 and sequencing were performed to identify potential cells with gene knockout. Western blotting was employed to verify the knockout efficiency of Smad3. Finally, the effect of Smad3 knockout on TGF-β1-induced dedifferentiation of MPC5 cells was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reacting (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and the immunofluorescence method. The sgRNA was designed to target the fifth exon of Smad3. EGFP expression was observed 24 h after transfection of the pX458-Smad3 plasmid into MPC5 cells, with the transfection efficiency of 0.1% as determined by flow cytometry. From the transfected cells, 21 cell clones were obtained through flow cytometric sorting and single-cell clone expansion. PCR amplification and sequencing of the region around the sgRNA target site in Smad3 identified two cell clones with biallelic frameshift mutations. Western blotting results confirmed the absence of Smad3 expression in these clones, indicating successful establishment of the MPC5 cell line with Smad3 knockout. In normal MPC5 cells, TGF-β1 stimulation promoted the expression of fibrosis-related genes fibronectin and Col1a1 (collagen I) and inhibited the expression of the podocyte marker proteins synaptopodin and podocin, which suggested epithelial-mesenchymal transition and podocyte injury. However, in the two MPC5 cell lines with Smad3 knockout, TGF-β1-induced expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers was significantly suppressed. The MPC5 cell lines with Smad3 knockout that were constructed by CRISPR/Cas9 provide a valuable cell model for functional studies of Smad3 protein and highlight the critical role of Smad3 in cell dedifferentiation.
Animals ; Smad3 Protein/genetics* ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; Mice ; Podocytes/metabolism* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/pharmacology* ; Cell Line ; Gene Knockout Techniques ; RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics*

Objective:To explore the effect of intravenous infusion of remifentanil and remifentanil combined with esketamine on blood glucose during gastrointestinal surgery.Methods:A prospective selection of 160 patients who underwent elective gastrointestinal surgery at Nanjing Hospital and the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July 2023 to October 2023 was conducted. The patients were randomly divided into a control group (remifentanil group) and an observation group (remifentanil combined with esketamine group) using a random number table method, with 80 patients in each group. Both groups were anesthetized with remifentanil. The observation group received intravenous injection of 0.5 mg/kg of esketamine during anesthesia induction, followed by maintenance at a dose of 0.12 mg/(kg·h) until the sutured skin. The control group received an equal amount of physiological saline, and the anesthesia induction and maintenance plans were the same for both groups. Two groups of intraoperative and postoperative blood glucose and insulin usage, as well as intraoperative atropine and ephedrine usage, anesthesia time, extubation time, and post anesthesia care unit (PACU) retention time were recorded. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores were also recorded at 6, 12, and 24 hours post surgery, as well as the incidence of complications.Results:The intraoperative blood glucose levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the blood glucose levels at 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively were higher than those before and during surgery. The blood glucose levels at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively were higher than those at 24 hours postoperatively, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The proportion of patients with intraoperative and postoperative blood glucose>7 mmol/L in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of insulin use between the two groups during surgery ( P>0.05). The postoperative insulin use in both groups was significantly higher than that during surgery, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in anesthesia time between the two groups of patients ( P>0.05). The observation group had shorter extubation time and PACU retention time than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). The incidence of intraoperative heart rate (HR)<60 beats/min and mean arterial pressure (MAP)<60 mmHg in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The maintenance dose of propofol and remifentanil in the observation group were both lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). The proportion of additional remifentanil, the dosage of hydroxycodone used within 24 hours, and the proportion of atropine and ephedrine used in the observation group were all lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The VAS scores of the observation group at rest and activity 12 hours after surgery were significantly lower than those of the control group, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in VAS scores between the two groups at other time points (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Intraoperative infusion of 0.1-0.4 μ g/(kg·min) remifentanil combined with 0.12 mg/(kg·h) esketamine can inhibit intraoperative stress induced blood glucose elevation, maintain good heart rate and mean arterial pressure, and prevent postoperative remifentanil induced hyperalgesia.

Objective:To summarize the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) after novel coronavirus infection(COVID-19),so as to improve the early recognition of MIS-C.Methods:The general information,clinical manifestations,treatment and length of hospital stay of fifteen children diagnosed with MIS-C and hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology,Children's Hospital,Capital Institute of Pediatrics from December 1，2022 to January 31，2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Fifteen children were divided into shock group( n=6) and non-shock group( n=9) according to the criteria of shock,and the differences in general conditions and laboratory examinations before treatment were compared between two groups. Results:The mean age of fifteen children were (3.28±2.48) years (ranging from 9 months to 7.9 years),with a male to female ratio of 4:1.The mean time interval from COVID-19 to the onset of MIS-C was (30.60±9.91) days.The novel coronavirus vaccination rate was 7%.Fever,enlarged lymph nodes,cracked lips and a strawberry tongue were present in all children,with just one exhibiting peeling of the hands and feet.Compared with the non-shock group,patients in the shock group were older,the level of platelet decreased significantly,the level of procalcitonin,interleukin-10,N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) and ferritin significantly increased,the left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening decreased significantly,and the Z score of left ventricular end-systolic diameter significantly increased,and there were significant differences between two groups ( P<0.05).All 15 patients were treated with human intravenous immunoglobulin,and five patients with severe myocarditis and shock accepted combined high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy over a period of five days,with the doses gradually tapering off afterwards.The mean hospital stay of all patients was (11.00±4.80) days,while the mean shock correction time of six patients was (5.14±2.12) days.After six months of follow-up,15 patients showed excellent prognosis with coronary lesions recovered and without any new complications. Conclusion:Generally,MIS-C tends to occur 3-6 weeks after COVID-19,with more boys than girls.Older ones are more likely to suffer from shock.Focusing on NT-proBNP and cardiac function indicators could identify shock early.High-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy may be effective and benefit for prognosis improvement in children complicated with both shock and severe myocarditis.

Objective To investigate the effect of nasal mask on preventing respiratory depression and hypoxia during anesthesia under painless gastroscopy.Methods 246 patients underwent elective painless gastroscopy from September 2022 to March 2023 were selected and divided into nasal catheter oxygen group(group C)and nasal mask oxygen group(group M)according to random number table method.The group C was inhaled oxygen by conventional nasal cannula,and in group M,oxygen was inhaled by a nasal mask.Patients in both groups were given 5 L/min preoxygenation for 3 min.After induction of anesthesia,gastroscopy was performed when modified observer's assessment of alertness/sedation(MOAA/S)score≤1.During anesthesia,hypoxia interventions were performed in group C based on percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation(SpO2)and in group M based on partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide(PetCO2)and SpO2.The incidence of subclinical respiratory depression,hypoxia and severe hypoxia during anesthesia was recorded.The minimum SpO2 value during anesthesia was recorded;Implementation of intervention measures of jaw lifting,mask pressure oxygen and tracheal intubation.Record the number of gastroscope withdrawal cases.Mean arterial pressure(MAP),heart rate(HR),and respiratory rate(RR)were recorded at the time of entry(T0),immediately after induction of anesthesia(T1),at the end of gastroscopy(T2),and 5 minutes after awakening(T3).The occurrence of perioperative adverse events and the satisfaction of anesthesiologists and endoscopists were recorded.Results Compared with group C,the incidence of subclinical respiratory depression,hypoxia and severe hypoxia in group M was significantly decreased(P<0.05).The minimum value of SpO2 during anesthesia in group M was higher than that in group C(P<0.05).The incidence of jaw-lifting and mask ventilation were lower in group M than that in group C(P<0.05).The incidence of gastroscope withdrawal due to airway intervention in group M was lower than that in group C(P<0.05).Compared with T0,MAP,HR and RR of the two groups were significant reduction at T1 and T2(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups(P>0.05).The satisfaction of endoscopists in group M was higher than that in group C(P<0.05).Conclusion Compared with nasal catheter oxygen inhalation,anesthesia nasal mask can timely detect hypopnea and respiratory depression during gastroscopy,reduce the occurrence of hypoxia,and improve the airway safety of painless gastroscopy patients.

Objective To screen the active antidiarrheal components of salt-processed Alpiniae oxyphyllae Fructus-Foeniculi Fructus medicines(YZYH)and investigate its pharmacological basis and quality markers by examining its"spectrum-effect"relationship.Methods A spleen and kidney yang deficiency model of diarrhea was established in rats.The pharmacodynamic indexes of YZYH in petroleum ether,ethyl acetate,and water fractions were measured,including behavioral indicators such as body weight,anal temperature,diarrhea incubation period(DIP),diarrhea index(DI),and biochemical indicators such as nitric oxide synthase(NOS),cGMP,and creatinine phosphokinase(CPK).We analyzed the components of YZYH by high performance liquid chromatography,and analyzed the"spectrum-effect"relationship between the chemical components and the antidiarrheal efficacy indicators using the grey correlation method.Results Compared with the blank control group,rats in the model group developed watery stools after 15 days,which was the key pathological index of the main syndrome of diarrhea.Rats in the model group also developed abdominal distension,loss of appetite,and back arching,as secondary symptoms of spleen and kidney yang deficiency diarrhea.Administration of the therapeutic drugs improved both the main and secondary symptoms of diarrhea.The positive drug and YZYH-M significantly prolonged DIP(P＜0.01)and decreased DI(P＜0.01)after 28 days.These key indexes of diarrhea,as well as body mass,24 h food intake,water intake,anal temperature,and the serum biochemical indexes NOS,cGMP,CPK were all improved in the positive drug and YZYH-M groups.Examination of the spectral effect relationship showed that anisaldehyde,chromatographic peak 4,and other components were correlated with the pharmacodynamic indexes of DIP,DI,NOS,cGMP,and CPK.Conclusions The ethyl acetate fraction was the active antidiarrheal fraction of salt-processed Alpiniae oxyphyllae Fructus-Foeniculi Fructus medicines.It acts by inhibiting gastrointestinal hyperfunction,regulating energy metabolism and immunity.Ingredients such as anisaldehyde and peak 4 served as quality indicators for its antidiarrheal effect.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of Qishishenshu Capsule on renal fibrosis in mice with early diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods A DN mouse model was established by multiple injections of streptozotocin.The mice were randomly divided into a normal group(NC),model group(DN),and Qishi group(QS)(0.9 g/(kg·d)),with eight mice in each group.Mice were gavaged continuously for 4 weeks,and fasting blood glucose(FBG)was measured weekly.Four weeks later,urinary albumin/creatinine(UACR),serum creatinine,and blood urea nitrogen were measured.Hematoxylin-eosin,periodicacid-Schiff,and Sirius red staining were used to analyze renal pathological changes.Real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA levels of fibronectin(FN),collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1(Col1a1),and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA).Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to detect FN,collagen type Ⅰ(Collagen Ⅰ),collagen typeⅢ(Collagen Ⅲ),α-SMA,Podocin,Nephrin,and transforming growth factor-β1/SMAD family member2/3(TGF-β1/Smad2/3)pathway-related proteins.Results Compared with mice in the NC group,those in the DN group showed significantly higher levels of FBG and UACR(P＜0.001),and mesangial hyperplasia,basement membrane thickening,and collagen deposition in the renal tissue.The mRNA levels of FN,Col1a1,and α-SMA were increased(P＜0.05).Protein levels of Podocin and Nephrin were decreased(P＜0.05).The levels of FN,Collagen I,Collagen Ⅲ,α-SMA,and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway proteins were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the DN group,the QS group's level of UACR was decreased(P＜0.05),their renal pathological injury was alleviated,and mRNA levels of FN,Collagen Ⅰ,andα-SMA were attenuated(P＜0.05);whereas their protein levels of Podocin and Nephrin were elevated(P＜0.05).The levels of FN,Collagen Ⅰ,Collagen Ⅲ,α-SMA,and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway proteins were also decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusions Qishishenshu Capsule improved renal fibrosis in DN mice,probably through the inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway.