Objective To establish a method for simultaneous determination of four high-molecular-weight thiol derivatives (TDs) in workplace air by gas chromatography. Methods The four kinds of vapor-phase macromolecular TDs (1-pentanethiol, 1-hexanethiol, 1-benzyl mercaptan, and n-octanethiol) in the workplace air were collected using the GDH-1 air sampling tubes, desorbed with anhydrous ethanol, separated on a DB-FFAP capillary column, and determined by flame ionization detector. Results The quantitation range of the four TDs was 0.30-207.37 mg/L, with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 00. The minimum detection mass concentrations and minimum quantitation mass concentrations were 0.18-0.32 and 0.60-1.05 mg/m³, respectively (both calculated based on the 1.5 L sample and 3.0 mL desorption solvent). The mean desorption efficiencies ranged from 87.07% to 103.59%. The within-run and between-run relative standard deviations were 1.92%-8.22% and 1.89%-8.45%, respectively. The samples can be stored at room temperature or 4 ℃ for three days and up to 7 days at -18 ℃. Conclusion This method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of four vapor-phase TDs in workplace air.

Objective To investigate the role of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) in trichloroethylene (TCE)-induced skin sensitization and liver damage in guinea pigs, using diallyl sulfide (DAS), a CYP2E1 inhibitor, as an intervention. Methods Specific pathogen-free female guinea pigs were randomly divided into blank control group, solvent control group, positive control (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene) group, TCE-exposure group, and DAS-intervention group. Skin sensitization experiments were conducted using the guinea pig TCE maximal dose-skin sensitization test. Urinary trichloroacetic acid levels were determined following TCE induction and challenge. At 48 hours after the final challenge, serum liver function markers and inflammatory cytokines levels were detected. Histopathological examination on skin and liver tissues was performed, and hepatic CYP2E1 protein expression and oxidative stress indicators were assessed. Results The sensitization rates of guinea pigs were 100.0%, 75.0%, and 33.3% in the positive control, TCE-exposure, and DAS-intervention groups, respectively, while the blank control and solvent control groups were both 0.0%. Compared with the guinea pigs in TCE-exposure group, those in the DAS-intervention group had lower urinary trichloroacetic acid levels at intradermal induction, local induction, first challenge, and 24 hours after the final challenge time point (all P<0.05). Histopathology of guinea pigs showed dermal inflammatory infiltration and basal keratinocyte necrosis in the TCE-exposure group, whereas only mild dermal inflammation was observed in the DAS-intervention group. The guinea pigs in TCE-exposure group exhibited diffuse hepatocellular necrosis, while hepatic damage in the DAS-intervention group was alleviated, characterized by only mild hepatocellular steatosis and hepatocyte swelling around the central vein. The skin sensitization rate of guinea pigs in the TCE-exposure group increased (all P<0.01), the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT )activity, the levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α) increased (all P<0.05), the relative expression of CYP2E1 protein, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the level of malondialdehyde in liver tissue increased (all P<0.05), while the activity of catalase decreased (P<0.05), compared with the blank control and solvent control groups. The serum ALT activity and the levels of IL-2, IL-17, and TNF-α of guinea pigs in DAS-intervention group reduced (all P<0.05), as well as CYP2E1 protein expression, SOD activity, and malondialdehyde level in liver tissue reduced (all P<0.05), compared with the TCE-exposure group. Conclusion TCE can induce hepatic CYP2E1 expression, thereby promoting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which contributes to skin sensitization and liver damage. DAS alleviates TCE-induced toxic effects on skin and liver by inhibiting CYP2E1 expression.

AIM: To compare the short-term postoperative visual acuity, visual disturbance phenomena, and spectacle independence rate in patients who underwent monocular implantation with trifocal, multifocal, or extended range of vision intraocular lens(IOL).METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 67 cataract patients(67 eyes)who underwent phacoemulsification cataract extraction combined with IOL implantation from March 2019 to December 2022. A total of 35 cases(35 eyes)received Symfony extended range of vision IOL implantation, 21 cases(21 eyes)received AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +3D multifocal IOL, and 11 cases(11 eyes)received AcrySof IQ PanOptix trifocal IOL. The preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity(UIVA), and uncorrected near visual acuity(UNVA)and 3 mo postoperatively were documented. Moreover, defocus curves, visual disturbance phenomena, and spectacle independence rates were recorded at 3 mo postoperatively.RESULTS: At 3 mo postoperatively, no statistically significant differences were observed in UDVA among the three groups(P>0.05). A comparison of UIVA showed superior results in the Symfony and PanOptix groups compared to the ReSTOR group(all P<0.01). The UNVA of both the ReSTOR and PanOptix groups outperformed the Symfony group(all P<0.01). The defocus curves indicated that in the intermediate vision range(-1.00 to -1.50 D), the Symfony group exhibited better performance than the ReSTOR group(P<0.05); while in the near vision range(-2.50 to -3.50 D), the ReSTOR group was superior to the Symfony group(P<0.05). The PanOptix group demonstrated superior visual acuity in the near vision range(-2.00 to -3.50 D)compared to the Symfony group(P<0.05)and was also superior in the intermediate vision range(-1.00 to -2.00 D)compared to the ReSTOR group(P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of glare or halo and binocular interference phenomena among the three groups(P>0.05). The PanOptix and ReSTOR groups exhibited a higher spectacle independence rate compared to the Symfony group(P<0.0167).CONCLUSION: Compared to Symfony extended range of vision IOL and ReSTOR multifocal IOL, PanOptix trifocal IOL offers a balanced approach to distance, intermediate, and near visual acuity, without a high incidence of glare and halo, and with a higher spectacle independence rate. Caution is still advised when considering monocular implantation with presbyopia-correcting IOLs.

Biotoxins, which include bacterial, fungal, marine, plant, and animal toxins, are widespread in living and occupational environments, posing potential threats to human health. Rapid detection of biotoxins in blood is crucial for preventing health hazards and enabling timely disease diagnosis and treatment. Biosensors and immunoassay technologies have critical advantages in the rapid detection of biotoxins in blood. Common biosensors, such as surface plasmon resonance biosensors and fluorescent biosensors, enhance sensitivity and reduce detection limits through signal amplification. Common immunoassay methods, such as colloidal gold immunochromatography, fluorescence immunochromatography, and chemiluminescence immunoassay, improve detection efficacy and sensitivity through specific antibody-antigen binding and nanotechnology. However, current rapid detection technologies of bitoxins in blood face challenges such as matrix interference and insufficient specificity, and they fall short in high-throughput detection of multiple toxins simultaneously. Future developments should focus on improving sample pretreatment, innovating signal amplification methods, enhancing specificity on recognition of elements, and designing portable detection devices and high-throughput platforms for simultaneous toxin analysis. These advancements aim to improve the sensitivity and reliability of detection methods, providing more accurate and convenient solutions for biotoxin detection in blood.

BACKGROUND:Semaphone 3A(Sema3A)is an important neurovascular growth inhibitor.It is not clear how Sema3A is involved in the pathogenesis of discogenic low back pain.Exploring the potential mechanism of Sema3A in intervertebral disc degeneration can provide a new target and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of discogenic low back pain. OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of interleukin-1β inhibiting the expression of Sema3A by activating the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway to induce intervertebral disc degeneration in rats. METHODS:RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of Sema3A mRNA in normal and degenerative human nucleus pulposus tissues.Nucleus pulposus cells of Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated,cultured,and passaged to the 3rd generation.Then,passage 3 cells were divided into three groups:the blank control group was routinely cultured for 48 hours,the degeneration group was intervened with 10 ng/mL interleukin 1β for 48 hours,and the degeneration+inhibitor group was treated by 5 μmol/L nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway-specific inhibitor BAY11-7082 for 1 hour,followed by interleukin-1β for 48 hours.At the end of the intervention,cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8,cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/FITC staining,mRNA expression of cellular matrix,vascular and neural markers and Sema3A was detected by RT-qPCR,and protein expression of marker proteins,p65 and p-p65 was detected by western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:RT-qPCR assay showed that the expression of Sema3A mRNA was lower in degenerative human nucleus pulposus tissue than in normal human nucleus pulposus tissue(P＜0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the nucleus pulposus cell viability decreased and the apoptotic rate increased in the degeneration group(P＜0.05);compared with the degeneration group,the nucleus pulposus cell viability increased and the apoptotic rate decreased in the degeneration + inhibitor group(P＜0.05).Compared with the blank control group,mRNA expression of type Ⅱ collagen,polyproteoglycan,and Sema3A was decreased in the degeneration group(P＜0.05),while mRNA expression of CD31 and neurofilament 200 was increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the degeneration group,mRNA expression of type Ⅱ collagen,polyproteoglycan,and Sema3A was elevated in the degeneration+inhibitor group(P＜0.05)and mRNA expression of CD31 and neurofilament 200 decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the protein expression of type Ⅱ collagen,polyproteoglycan,and Sema3A was decreased in the degeneration group(P＜0.05),and the protein expression of CD31,neurofilament protein 200,p65,and p-p65 was elevated(P＜0.05);compared with the degeneration group,the protein expression of type Ⅱ collagen,polyproteoglycan,and Sema3A was elevated in the degeneration+inhibitor group(P＜0.05),and protein expression of CD31,neurofilament 200,p65,and p-p65 was decreased(P＜0.05).To conclude,interleukin-1β does inhibit the expression of Sema3A by activating the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway,which can also increase the degradation of extracellular matrix,promote the innervation and angiogenesis in degenerative intervertebral disc,and may be one of potential factors that contribute to intervertebral disc degeneration and discogenic low back pain.

Objective To establish a rapid qualitative analysis method for volatile organic components in chemicals. Methods Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to qualitatively determine 19 volatile organic components, including benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and n-hexane, in chemicals. Different sample amounts, heating temperatures, heating times, and sample volumes were analyzed to assess their effects on detection results and optimize sampling conditions. Results Based on the set chromatography, the optimal sampling process of this method was as follows： 5.0 g sample in a 20.0 mL headspace bottle, incubated at 40 ℃ for 30 minutes in a constant-temperature drying incubator, and a 1.00 mL headspace gas injection. The within-run and between-run relative standard deviations of all components ranged from 0.00% to 21.05% and 0.00% to 33.33%, respectively. The samples stored in sealed glass containers were stable at room temperature for at least 60 days. Conclusion This method offers simplicity, good reproducibility, and stability, making it suitable for rapid qualitative analysis of volatile organic components in chemicals.

Objective To establish a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for simultaneous determination of six aniline compounds (ADs) in workplace air. Methods GDH-1 air sampling tube was used to collect six co-existing ADs such as aniline, o-toluidine, N-methylaniline, m-methylaniline, p-methylaniline and N,N-dimethylaniline in the vapor and aerosol of workplace air. The samples were desorbed and eluted using a methanol solution containing 1.00% ammonia water, followed by separation on a C₁₈ chromatographic column and detection using a diode array detector. Results The quantification range of the method was 0.19 -253.50 mg/L, with the correlation coefficient of 0.999 9 for all six ADs. The minimum detection range was 0.02-0.06 mg/m³, and the minimum quantitation range was 0.04-0.19 mg/m³ [both calculated for a 15.0 L sample with a desorption (elution) solution volume of 3.00 mL]. The average desorption and elution efficiencies were 92.15%-104.41% (silica gel) and 94.29%-104.29% (filter membrane). The intra-assay relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged from 0.90%-9.72% (silica gel) and 0.57%-6.96% (filter membrane). The inter-assay RSD ranged from 2.03%-9.78% (silica gel) and 2.50%-8.62% (filter membrane). The samples were stable at room temperature for seven days. Conclusion This method can be used for the simultaneous determination of six ADs in workplace air.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of deep learning-based restoration of obscured thyroid ultrasound images.Methods:A total of 358 images of thyroid nodules were retropectively collected from January 2020 to October 2021 at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and the images were randomly masked and restored using DeepFillv2. The difference in grey values between the images before and after restoration was compared, and 6 sonographers (2 chief physicians, 2 attending physicians, 2 residents) were invited to compare the rate of correctness of judgement and detection of image discrepancies. The ultrasound features of thyroid nodules (solid composition, microcalcifications, markedly hypoechoic, ill-defined or irregular margins, or extrathyroidal extensions, vertical orientation and comet-tail artifact) were extracted according to the Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (C-TIRADS). The consistency of ultrasound features of thyroid nodules before and after restoration were compared.Results:The mean squared error of the images before and after restoration ranged from 0.274 to 0.522, and there were significant differences in the rate of correctness of judgement and detection of image discrepancies between physicians of different groups(all P<0.001). The overall accuracy rate was 51.95%, the overall detection rate was 1.79%, there were significant differences also within the chief physicians and resident groups (all P<0.001). The agreement rate of all ultrasound features of the nodules before and after image restoration was higher than 70%, over 90% agreement rate for features such as solid composition and comet-tail artifact. Conclusions:The algorithm can effectively repair obscured thyroid ultrasound images while preserving image features, which is expected to expand the deep learning image database, and promote the development of deep learning in the field of ultrasound images.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of Tianma Goutengyin combined with acupuncture on adult patients with tic disorder of ascendant liver-yang hyperactivity. MethodThe 64 adult patients with tic disorder of ascendant liver-yang hyperactivity who were treated in the outpatients and inpatients of the 989^th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army from January 2019 to December 2020 were selected and classified into the control group （32 cases） and the treatment group （32 cases） with the random number table method. The control group took oral western medicine Duloxetine Hydrochloride Enteric Capsules， and the treatment group was treated by Tianma Goutengyin and acupuncture. The treatment lasted 8 weeks for both groups and the efficacy was observed. ResultThe traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， Yale Global Tic Severity Scale （YGTSS） score， total bile acid （TBA）， triglyceride （TG）， and partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO₂） were significantly lower， and the Na⁺ concentration and partial pressure of oxygen （PaO₂） were significantly higher than those before treatment in both groups （P<0.05）. After treatment， the TCM syndrome score， YGTSS score， and TBA were significantly lower， and and the Na⁺ concentration and PaO₂ were significantly higher than in the treatment group than in the control group （P<0.05）. The efficacy on TG and PaCO₂ was similar in the two groups. The total clinical effective rate of the treatment group was 90.6% （29/32）， as compared with the 64.5% （20/31） of the control group （χ²=6.210， P<0.05）. The incidence of clinical adverse reactions in the treatment group was 12.5% （4/32） in comparison with the 35.5% （11/31） in the control group （χ²=4.585， P<0.05）. The recurrence rate in the treatment group （9.4%， 3/32） was lower than that （32.3%， 10/31） in the control group （χ²=5.035， P<0.05）. ConclusionThe combination of Tianma Goutengyin and acupuncture can remarkably alleviate the clinical symptoms of adult tic disorder patients with ascendant hyperactivity of liver yang， reduce TBA， TG and PaCO₂， and increase the concentration of Na⁺ and PaO₂. Patients treated with the combination show small adverse reactions and low recurrence rate.

Objective: To analyze relationships between levels of 24 hour movement (physical activity, screen time and sleep) and childhood obesity in students aged 7-18 years. Methods: This study used data from students aged 7-18 years in the 2015 China health and nutrition survey, and assessed levels of physical activity, screen time and sleep based on the Canadian 24 hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth. Associations between levels of 24 hour movement and childhood obesity were assessed using multivariable Logistic regression models. Results: The overall rate of overweight and obesity was 21.56%. Proportions of students meeting the guidelines for physical activity, screen time, sleep and three behaviors combined were 24.84%, 38.69%, 57.08%, and 6.77%, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, location of residence and nationality, students meeting the sleep guideline were less likely to be overweight and obese than those who did not(OR=0.73)， students meeting both sleep and screen time guidelines had a lower risk in overweight and obesity than those met neither guidelines(OR=0.58)(P<0.05). However, other behaviors and behavior combinations showed no significant associations with overweight and obesity. Conclusion Only a small proportion of students met all three 24 hour movement guidelines. Ensuring adequate sleep and limiting excessive screen time may be an important strategy for childhood obesity prevention and management.