Objective:To elucidate the etiological and epidemiological characteristics and epidemiological patterns of viral acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Shanghai during 2023, with the aim of providing robust laboratory evidence for effective prevention and control strategies against related respiratory diseases and facilitating risk assessment.Methods:Respiratory pathogens were detected in the clinical surveillance specimens submitted by sentinel hospitals through multiplex PCR, as part of the multi-pathogen surveillance of acute respiratory infections in Shanghai during 2023. The obtained detection result were statistically analyzed in conjunction with sample information.Results:The positive detection rate of viral pathogens in 2023 was 21.17% (984/4 648), with rates of 33.53% (504/1 503) observed in ILI cases and 15.62% (480/3 145) in SARI cases. Influenza A virus (FluA) was the predominant virus detected, accounting for 13.7% (637/4 648). Other viruses identified in the surveillance samples included influenza B virus (Flu B), human rhinovirus/enterovirus (HRV/HEV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), adenovirus (ADV) and human bocavirus (HBoV). Regarding temporal distribution, HRV/HEV and RSV exhibited the highest detection rates during the second quarter at 2.27% each (28/1 236). PIV had its peak during the third quarter at a rate of 2.49% (35/1 405), and HMPV showed prevalence mainly during the third and fourth quarters, with detection rates of 2.63% (37/1 405) and 2.35% (32/1 360), respectively.Conclusions:In acute respiratory infection surveillance cases in Shanghai in 2023, Flu A emerged as the predominant respiratory pathogen. The detection rate of HMPV ranked second only to Flu A, while other respiratory viruses such as HRV/HEV, RSV, and PIV were detected during different seasons and co-circulated. The prevalence of various respiratory viruses varied among different infected populations and over times.

Circular RNA (circRNA) is widely expressed in eukaryotes. Abnormal expression of specific circRNA was found in both animal models with cognitive decline and patients with cognitive dysfunction.However, the role of circRNA in cognitive dysfunction related diseases is still unclear. By introducing the expression of circRNA in cognitive function related brain regions and its impact on brain structure and function, as well as the relevant research progress on the pathological mechanism of circRNA involvement in cognitive dysfunction related diseases, this review provides theoretical basis for revealing the pathological mechanism of circRNA in cognitive dysfunction related diseases and discovering specific circRNA targets for preventing and treating cognitive dysfunction.

Objective:To analyse the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical bacterial isolates in Anhui province.Methods:Surveillance data was collected from 83 members of the Anhui Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network（HuiNet）during October 2022 to September 2023，to analyze the resistance of major bacteria to commonly used antibiotics and the detection of clinically common drug-resistant bacteria. The data was analyzed using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software.Results:A total of 201 647 clinical bacteria isolates were collected，with Gram-negative bacteria accounting for 74.8%（150 847/201 647）. The most prevalent Gram-positive bacterial strains were Staphylococus aureus（32.8%，16 648/50 800），followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis（14.0%，7 098/50 800）， Enterococcus faecalis（10.7%，5 458/50 800）， Enterococcus faecium（9.1%，4 613/50 800）and Staphylococcus hominis（7.4%，3 778/50 800）；the most prevalent Gram-negative bacterial strains were Escherichia coli（28.9%，43 577/150 847），followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae（22.5%，34 006/150 847）， Pseudomonas aeruginosa（14.7%，22 171/150 847）， Acinetobacter baumannii complex（9.4%，14 194/150 847）and Enterobacter cloacae（3.5%，5 235/150 847）. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus（MRSA）and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus aureus（MRCNS）were 39.5%（6 442/16 325）and 75.7%（12 343/16 312），respectively. No vancomycin- and teicolanin-resistant Staphylococcus were detected. The prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis were 0.5% and 0.6%，respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae（CR-KPN）were 1.9%（805/42 956）and 11.7%（3 950/33 761），respectively. The resistance rate of CR-KPN to tigecycline was 3.9%. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa（CR-PAE）and Acinetobacter baumannii（CR-ABA）complex were 18.4%（3 936/21 447）and 62.9%（8 649/13 744），respectively，with low resistance rate to polycolistin B（6.9% and 1.7%，respectively）. The detection rates of MRSA，CR-ABA complex，third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli（CTX/CRO-R-ECO）and quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli（QNR-ECO）in northern Anhui were the highest（50.3%，72.9%，59.2% and 55.6%，respectively），which were higher than those in central and southern Anhui（ χ2=112.734 and 575.069，132.747 and 233.885，93.986 and 471.209，60.062 and 230.669，all P<0.001），and the detection rate in central Anhui was higher than that in southern Anhui（ χ2=278.671，29.219，207.395 and 80.267，all P<0.001）. The detection rates of CR-KPN and thirdgeneration cephalosporinresistant Klebsiella pneumoniae（CTX/CRO-R-KPN）in central Anhui were the highest（15.5% and 33.3%，respectively），which were higher than those in northern and southern Anhui（ χ2=156.237 and 325.533，76.928 and 180.686，all P<0.001），and the detection rate in northern Anhui was higher than that in southern Anhui（ χ2=32.202 and 25.539， P<0.001）. The detection rates of CTX/CRO-R-ECO and QNR-ECO were the highest in the elderly（55.2% and 55.8%，respectively），which were higher than those in children，and young and middle aged adults（ χ2=23.906 and 120.575，376.404 and 196.612， P<0.001）. The detection rate of CTX/CRO-R-KPN in neonates was the highest（57.1%），which was significantly higher than that in children，adults and the elderly（ χ2=46.141，38.843 and 32.093， P<0.001），and the detection rate in the elderly was higher than that in children and adults（ χ2=13.604 and 13.471， P<0.001）. The detection rates of MRSA and MRCNS were the highest in children（42.8% and 77.8%，respectively），which were higher than those in adults（ χ2=21.766 and 10.704， P<0.001）. Except MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and faecalis，the detection rates of major drug-resistant bacteria in tertiary hospitals were higher than those in secondary hospitals（ P<0.05 or <0.01）. Conclusion:In 2023，the situation of antimicrobial resistance in Anhui province was serious，especially in northern and central Anhui，and targeted drug resistance control measures should be taken according to the monitoring results. At the same time，it is necessary to pay attention to the bacterial resistance in the elderly，newborns and children，and strengthen the rational use of antibiotics by clinicians to curb the spread of drug-resistant bacteria.

Diabetic nephropathy(DN),a severe complication of diabetes,is widely recognized as a primary contributor to end-stage renal disease.Recent studies indicate that the inflammation triggered by Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)is of paramount importance in the onset and progression of DN.TLR4 can bind to various ligands,including exogenous ligands such as proteins and polysaccharides from bacteria or vi-ruses,as well as endogenous ligands such as biglycan,fibrinogen,and hyaluronan.In DN,the expression or release of TLR4-related ligands is significantly elevated,resulting in excessive TLR4 activation and increased production of proinflammatory cytokines through downstream signaling pathways.This process is closely associated with the progression of DN.Natural compounds are biologically active products derived from natural sources that have advantages in the treatment of certain diseases.Various types of natural compounds,including alkaloids,flavonoids,polyphenols,terpenoids,glycosides,and polysaccharides,have demonstrated their ability to improve DN by affecting the TLR4 signaling pathway.In this review,we summarize the mechanism of action of TLR4 in DN and the natural compounds that can ameliorate DN by modulating the TLR4 signaling pathway.We specifically highlight the potential of compounds such as curcumin,paclitaxel,berberine,and ursolic acid to inhibit the TLR4 signaling pathway,which provides an important direction of research for the treatment of DN.

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor （GDNF） and androgen receptor （AR） in testicular peritubular cells （TPCs） of cryptorchidism mouse models and explore the theoretical significance of cryptorchidism-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction. MethodsA total of 30 five-week-old male ICR rats were divided randomly by using random number table method into 6 groups. Cryptorchidism was surgically induced in 3 randomly selected groups and the other 3 groups underwent sham surgery as the control groups. On days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， we harvested the mice testes of the 3 groups and their corresponding control groups， then measured the testicular volumes， analyzed the testicular histopathology and detected the mRNA and protein expression levels of AR and GDNF in TPCs by immunofluorescence， real-time PCR and Western blot. ResultsIn normal control groups， on days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， the testicular volumes were （125.58±19.22） mm³，（123.45±20.12） mm³， （140.09±13.62） mm³ ， respectively. Clear layers of spermatogenic cells were well arranged and abundant sperm cells were found. Peritubular cells were morphologically homogeneous， with slim-spindle appearance and normal cell thickness. The mRNA expression levels of AR were 1.00±0.05， 1.06±0.07 and 1.19±0.13； GDNF mRNA 1.00±0.04， 1.09±0.05， and 1.10±0.07. The protein expression levels of AR were 1.01±0.01， 0.79±0.02 and 1.01±0.04； GDNF protein （18.68±0.43） pg/mL， （14.39±0.36） pg/mL and （16.88±0.37） pg/mL. In cryptorchidism groups， on days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， the testicular volumes were （115.64±3.91） mm³， （69.51±14.97） mm³ and （44.86±5.56） mm³， respectively. Spermatogenic cells were disorganized， seminiferous tubules were disrupted， peritubular cells shrank， bent and fractured. The mRNA expression levels of AR were 0.76±0.06， 0.53±0.04， and 0.29±0.02； GDNF mRNA 0.72±0.05， 0.42±0.02 and 0.30±0.03. The protein expression levels of AR were 0.54±0.02， 0.98±0.04 and 0.31±0.01； GDNF protein （8.50±0.34） pg/mL， （17.44±0.32） pg/mL and （6.83±0.34） pg/mL. Statistically significant differences （P < 0.05） were found in 7-day and 14-day testicular volumes between control and cryptorchidism groups but not in the 4-day testicular volume （P > 0.05）. Testicular volumes， AR and GDNF mRNA and protein expression in control groups had no statistically significant difference （P > 0.05）， while those in cryptorchidism groups showed a trend of gradual decline in the amount and the differences between groups were statistically significant （P < 0.05）. ConclusionsIn surgery-induced cryptorchidism mice， after the induction， the expression of AR and GDNF in TPCs showed a gradual decrease over time. AR and GDNF play a major role in mediating the TPCs damage in cryptorchidism. This study provides a theoretical basis for mechanism researches of cryptorchidism-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction.

Objective: To explore the impact of five-flavor Sophora flavescens enteric-coated capsules (FSEC) on the intestinal flora of rats with ulcerative colitis (UC), so as to provide the reference for the mechanism of FSEC in treating UC. Methods: Forty SPF-grade Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the mesalazine group and the FSEC group. Except the control group (0.9% sodium chloride solution), the other 3 groups used 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 7 days to establish UC model. After successful modeling, the control group and the model group were given 2 mL/kgbw of 0.9% sodium chloride solution by gavage for 2 weeks, while the mesalazine group and the FSEC group were given 2 mL/kgbw of mesalazine suspension (0.2 g/kg) and FSEC granule suspension (2.16 g/kg), respectively. Pathological changes of colon tissue were observed after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Rat fecal samples were collected, and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed on intestinal flora. The α and β diversity of intestinal flora among the four groups were compared, and the dominant flora was screened using LEfSe analysis. Results: Compared with the control group, the model group showed a significant loss of colonic crypts and a large infiltration of inflammatory cells. Compared with the model group, the mesalazine group and the FSEC group exhibited a slight loss of colonic crypts, a small amount or an absence inflammatory cell infiltration, and improved tissue damage. The α-diversity analysis showed that compared with the control group, the Chao1 and Shannon indices in the model group increased, while the Simpson index decreased; compared with the model group, the Chao1 and Shannon indices in the mesalazine group and the FSEC group decreased, and the Simpson index increased（all P<0.05）. The β-diversity analysis showed that the sample distance between the FSEC group and the control group were more closer than that between the model group and the control group. LEfSe analysis results showed that the dominant bacteria in the model group were mainly from the Alistipes and Oscillospira. In the FSEC group, the dominant bacteria were from the Ruminococcus and Prevotella. Conclusion FSEC can improve the structures of intestinal flora, increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Ruminococcus and Prevotella, reduce the abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Alistipes, and alleviate the inflammatory response in UC rats.

Exposure to occupational noise and heavy metals are common occupational hazards in workplaces. Occupational noise exposure not only leads to noise-induced hearing loss but also cognitive dysfunction. Exposure to common heavy metals such as lead, manganese, and cadmium during work is closely related to cognitive dysfunction in workers. Combined exposure to noise and heavy metals is common in workplaces. However, current research on the combined effects of exposure to occupational noise with lead or manganese on workers' cognitive function is not comprehensive or systematic. The method for cognitive dysfunction identification varies, leading to a lack of comparability. And the causality between occupational exposure and cognitive dysfunction in workers has not been clarified. Therefore, studying the cognitive dysfunction due to combined exposure to noise and common heavy metals is of great significance for workers' occupational health. In the future, it is necessary to unify the method for cognitive dysfunction identification and conduct systematic and comprehensive research on the effects, mechanisms, and combined effects of exposure to occupational noise with lead, manganese, cadmium, and other heavy metals on workers' cognitive dysfunction, to ensure the occupational health rights and interests of workers.

Objective:To investigate COVID-19 vaccination status and relevant adverse reactions in patients with psoriasis treated with biological agents, and to explore the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on psoriatic lesions.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 572 psoriasis patients aged 18 - 60 years, who were registered in the management system of psoriasis patients treated with biological agents in the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital from May 2019 to June 2021. The COVID-19 vaccination status was investigated by telephone interviews, and the vaccination-related information was obtained by fixed healthcare workers during a fixed time period according to a predesigned questionnaire. Measurement data were compared between two groups by using t test, and enumeration data were compared by using chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test. Results:The COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate was 43.13% (226 cases) among the 524 patients who completed the telephone interview, and was significantly lower in the biological agent treatment group (30.79%, 105/341) than in the traditional drug treatment group (66.12%, 121/183; χ2 = 60.60, P < 0.001) . The main reason for not being vaccinated was patients′ fear of vaccine safety (49.66%, 148/298) , followed by doctors′ not recommending (26.51%, 79/298) . In the biological agent treatment group after vaccination, the exacerbation of psoriatic lesions was more common in patients receiving prolonged-interval treatment (42.86%, 6/14) compared with those receiving regular treatment (4.40%, 4/91; Fisher′s exact test, P < 0.001) . Skin lesions were severely aggravated in two patients after COVID-19 vaccination, who ever experienced allergic reactions and whose skin lesions did not completely subside after the treatment with biological agents. Conclusions:The COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate was relatively low in the psoriasis patients treated with biological agents, and no serious adverse reaction was observed after vaccination. Prolonged-interval treatment due to COVID-19 vaccination ran the risk of exacerbation of skin lesions.

Objective To investigate the role and underlying mechanism of cathepsin B in myocar-dial injury in mice with diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM).Methods Twenty 8-week-old male SPF C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into wild-type(WT)group and WT DCM group,with 10 mice in each group.Another 20 8-week-old male SPF-grade mice with cathepsin B knockout(KO)were randomly and equally assigned to KO group and KO DCM group.HE staining was used to observe morphological changes,Prussian blue staining was employed to detect iron deposition,while immunohistochemical staining with 4-hydroxynonenal(4-HNE)was used to assess lipid peroxidation level in the myocardial tissues.Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1),superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2),and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2),while RT-PCR was applied to evaluate the expressions of Nrf-2,HO-1,and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4).Results Compared to the WT DCM group,the KO DCM group presented improved cell arrangement in cardiac tissues and sig-nificant reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration.Furthermore,the KO DCM group displayed a significant decrease in iron deposition compared to the WT DCM group.Additionally,the KO DCM group exhibited a significant reduction in 4-HNE expression compared to the WT DCM group.The protein levels of Nrf2,SOD2,and HO-1 were significant increased in the KO DCM group than the WT DCM group(0.68±0.21 vs 0.39±0.13,0.59±0.10 vs 0.28±0.09,1.03±0.10 vs 0.48±0.04,P＜0.05).Moreover,elevated mRNA levels of GPX4,Nrf2 and HO-1 were also observed in the KO DCM group than the WT DCM group(0.65±0.09 vs 0.40±0.10,0.61±0.11 vs 0.34±0.11,0.62±0.12 vs 0.39±0.09,P＜0.05).Conclusion Cathepsin B exacerbates myocardial injury in DCM mice through ferroptosis.

ObjectiveTo isolate and study the biological characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 （SARS-CoV-2） from feces of coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19） patients. MethodsVero E6 cells were used for virus isolation and the isolated strains were tested by nucleic acid test， immunofluorescence test， virulence test and whole genome sequencing. 50% tissue culture infective dose （TCID₅₀） was calculated after the cell cultures of each generation were collected ResultsEight fecal specimens were inoculated with Vero E6 cells after treatment and cultured for 48 h. One specimen showed obvious cytopathic effect on Vero E6 cells. One SARS-CoV-2 out of 8 fecal samples from COVID-19 patients were isolated， and separation rate was 12.5%. The TCID₅₀ of P1， P2 and P3 were 10^4.0/0.2 mL， 10^4.5/0.2 mL and 10^4.75/0.2 mL， respectively. Only one of the 8 stool samples had SARS-CoV-2 virus replication and amplification， and the Ct value of the nucleic acid detection was about 10. The sequence of the isolation was more than 99.99% homologous with that of Wuhan-Hu-1（GenBank MN908947）. ConclusionThe SARS-CoV-2 strain is isolated from the fecal samples of COVID-19 cases and is confirmed by genomic sequencing and immunofluorescence test， which indicates the presence of live virus in feces of COVID-19 cases.