Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic relapsing intestinal inflammation and encompasses ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). IBD has emerged as a global healthcare problem. Clinically efficacious therapeutic agents are deficient. This study concentrates on models of ulcerative colitis with the objective of discovering novel therapeutic strategies. Previous investigations have established that schisandrin A demonstrates anti-inflammatory effects in vitro, concurrently enhancing the transcriptional activity of farnesoid X receptor (FXR). FXR inversely modulates the transcriptional activity of NF-κB, which has an important role in regulating inflammatory responses. Consequently, the current study was to explore the safeguarding influence of schisandrin A on ulcerative colitis and delineate the mechanism by which it regulates this effect through the FXR signaling pathway. The effect of schisandrin A on the mRNA levels of inflammatory factors was evaluated in RAW264.7 cells. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify the relationship between schisandrin A and FXR targeting. The animal experiments were performed in accordance with the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval No. PZSHUTCM2304250005). Acute ulcerative colitis was induced in wild-type or FXR knockout C57BL/6 mice by drinking 3% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) for 7 days, and schisandrin A was administered via gavage for a continuous treatment period of 7 days. The body weight and faecal were monitored daily. The mRNA levels of inflammatory factors in colon tissue and FXR target genes were measured by RT-qPCR. The findings revealed that schisandrin A, in vitro, impeded the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced elevation in mRNA levels of inflammatory factors and schisandrin A could augment transcriptional activity of FXR. In wild-type mice, schisandrin A significantly improved weight loss, colon shortening, loose stools and blood in stools in mice with acute ulcerative colitis, and schisandrin A significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors genes and significantly increased the expression of FXR target genes in colon tissues. In FXR knockout mice, the administration of schisandrin A failed to yield ameliorative effect on acute ulcerative colitis in mice. In conclusion, schisandrin A can reduce intestinal inflammation through the FXR signaling pathway to alleviate acute ulcerative colitis in mice. Implications arise that Schisandra lignans could serve as lead compounds for drug development aimed at inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: To examine the mediating effects of mindfulness level on resilience and symptoms of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers, so as to provide the reference for developing effective psychological intervention. Methods: The clinical doctors, nurses and public health professionals were selected using the stratified random cluster sampling method from hospitals, disease prevention and control centers, and health departments in five cities in Shandong Province, including Qingdao, Jinan, Rizhao, Jining and Liaocheng in January 2023. Basic information, mindfulness level, resilience and symptoms of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers were collected using general demographic questionnaires, the 5-item Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire, respectively. The Process program was used to analyze the mediating effects of mindfulness level on resilience and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results: A total of 1 836 healthcare workers were investigated, including 472 males (25.71%) and 1 364 females (74.29%), and the median age was 39 (interquartile range, 12) years. There were 629 clinical doctors (34.26%), 963 nurses (52.45%) and 244 public health professionals (13.29%). The median scores of mindfulness level and resilience were 22 (interquartile range, 7) and 20 (interquartile range, 4) points, respectively. The detection rates of anxiety and depression symptoms were 49.78% and 72.28%, respectively. The mediation analysis showed that mindfulness level exerted a partial mediating effect between resilience and anxiety symptoms (β=-0.510, P<0.001), with a direct effect value of -0.130 and a mediating effect value of -0.046, and the mediating effect accounted for 26.14% of the total effect; mindfulness level also exerted a partial mediating effect between resilience and depression symptoms (β=-0.575, P<0.001), with a direct effect value of -0.120 and a mediating effect value of -0.052, and the mediating effect accounted for 30.23% of the total effect. Conclusion Mindfulness level plays a mediating effect between resilience and symptoms of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND:Ischemic stroke is a highly prevalent disease associated with apoptosis.Neuronal death occurs after cerebral ischemia,including necrosis and apoptosis.The ischemic core region is dominated by necrosis,while delayed neuronal death in the penumbra is dominated by apoptosis.The penumbra has become a target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.This bibliometric analysis was used to identify the characteristics,hotspots,and frontiers of global scientific output related to apoptosis in ischemic stroke over the past 5 years. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the role of apoptosis and its mechanisms in the pathological process of ischemic stroke through a bibliometric approach. METHODS:A total of 927 relevant literature records from 2018 to 2022 were retrieved from Science Citation Index Expanded(SCI-Expanded)and Social Science Citation Index Expanded(SSCI-Expanded)of the Web of Science Core Collection.Research trends and hotspots of apoptosis in ischemic stroke were visualized using Citespace,VOSviewer and Bibliometrix. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:From 2018 to 2020,the number of papers on the role of apoptosis in ischemic stroke showed an upward trend,but in 2020,the number of papers began to reduce.China had the largest number of publications,and the United States ranked the second.Capital Medical University and BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN were the institutions and journals with the most articles,respectively.In recent years,the two keywords"expression"and"oxidative stress"have appeared more frequently.The bibliometric study showed that in the past 5 years,most of the studies focused on basic research,in which research on the role of apoptosis in ischemic stroke has gradually decreased in the last 3 years,showing a downward trend.On the contrary,nerve regeneration has gradually become a research hotspot,especially the regulation of neurotrophic factors under the influence of different mechanisms,and the research on angiogenesis and glial cell repair is on the rise.At the same time,apoptosis in nerve regeneration is a potential point of discovery.

Objective To investigate the environmental contamination related to first patient with carbapenem-re-sistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)infection and the infection status of relevant patients in a newly established intensive care unit(ICU)of a hospital in Tibetan area,and analyze the transmission risk.Methods From the ad-mission in ICU of a patients who was first detected CRAB on November 15,2021 to the 60th day of hospitalization,all patients who stayed in ICU for＞48 hours were performed active screening on CRAB.On the 30th day and 60th day of the admission to the ICU of the first CRAB-infected patient,environment specimens were taken respectively 2 hours after high-frequency diagnostic and therapeutic activities but before disinfection,and after disinfection but before medical activities.CRAB was cultured with chromogenic culture medium.Results Among the 13 patients who were actively screened,1 case was CRAB positive,he was transferred from the ICU of a tertiary hospital to the ICU of this hospital on November 19th.On the 40th day of admission to the ICU,he had fever,increased frequency for sputum suction,and CRAB was detected.The drug sensitivity spectrum was similar to that of the first case,and he also stayed in the adjacent bed of the first case.64 environmental specimens were taken,and 9 were positive for CRAB,with a positive rate of 14.06％,8 sampling points such as the washbasin,door handle and bed rail were positive for CRAB after high-frequency diagnostic and therapeutic activities.After routine disinfection,CRAB was detected from the sink of the washbasin.Conclusion For the prevention and control of CRAB in the basic-level ICU in ethnic areas,it is feasible to conduct risk assessment on admitted patients and adopt bundled prevention and con-trol measures for high-risk patients upon admission.Attention should be paid to the contaminated areas(such as washbasin,door handle,and bed rail)as well as the effectiveness of disinfection of sink of washbasin.

Background::Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter, stiffness, and wave reflections, are independent and important clinical biomarkers and risk predictors for cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to establish nationwide reference values of carotid properties for healthy Chinese adults and to explore potential clinical determinants.Methods::A total of 3053 healthy Han Chinese adults (1922 women) aged 18-79 years were enrolled at 28 collaborating tertiary centers throughout China between April 2021 and July 2022. The real-time tracking of common carotid artery walls was achieved by the radio frequency (RF) ultrasound system. The IMT, diameter, compliance coefficient, β stiffness, local pulse wave velocity (PWV), local systolic blood pressure, augmented pressure (AP), and augmentation index (AIx) were then automatically measured and reported. Data were stratified by age groups and sex. The relationships between age and carotid property parameters were analyzed by Jonckheere-Terpstra test and simple linear regressions. The major clinical determinants of carotid properties were identified by Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and analyses of covariance.Results::All the parameters of carotid properties demonstrated significantly age-related trajectories. Women showed thinner IMT, smaller carotid diameter, larger AP, and AIx than men. The β stiffness and PWV were significantly higher in men than women before forties, but the differences reversed after that. The increase rate of carotid IMT (5.5 μm/year in women and 5.8 μm/year in men) and diameter (0.03 mm/year in both men and women) were similar between men and women. For the stiffness and wave reflections, women showed significantly larger age-related variations than men as demonstrated by steeper regression slopes (all P for age by sex interaction <0.05). The blood pressures, body mass index (BMI), and triglyceride levels were identified as major clinical determinants of carotid properties with adjustment of age and sex. Conclusions::The age- and sex-specific reference values of carotid properties measured by RF ultrasound for healthy Chinese adults were established. The blood pressures, BMI, and triglyceride levels should be considered for clinical application of corresponding reference values.

Objective To monitor the antifungal resistance of clinical isolates of Candida spp.in the East China region.Methods MALDI-TOF MS or molecular methods were used to re-identify the strains collected from January 2018 to December 2022.Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method.The susceptibility test results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of 2022 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)documents M27 M44s-Ed3 and M57s-Ed4.Results A total of 3 026 strains of Candida were collected,65.33％of which were isolated from sterile body sites,mainly from blood(38.86％)and pleural effusion/ascites(10.21％).The predominant species of Candida were Candida albicans(44.51％),followed by Candida parapsilosis complex(19.46％),Candida tropicalis(13.98％),Candida glabrata(10.34％),and other Candida species(0.79％).Candida albicans showed overall high susceptibility rates to the 10 antifungal drugs tested(the lowest rate being 93.62％).Only 2.97％of the strains showed dose-dependent susceptibility(SDD)to fluconazole.Candida parapsilosis complex had a SDD rate of 2.61％and a resistance rate of 9.42％to fluconazole,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida glabrata had a SDD rate of 92.01％and a resistance rate of 7.99％to fluconazole,resistance rates of 32.27％and 48.24％to posaconazole and voriconazole non-wild-type strains(NWT),respectively,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida tropicalis had resistance rates of 29.55％and 26.24％to fluconazole and voriconazole,respectively,resistance rates of 76.60％and 21.99％to posaconazole and echinocandins non-wild-type strains(NWT),and a resistance rate of 2.36％to echinocandins.Conclusions The prevalence and species distribution of Candida spp.in the East China region are consistent with previous domestic and international reports.Candida glabrata exhibits certain degree of resistance to fluconazole,while Candida tropicalis demonstrates higher resistance to triazole drugs.Additionally,echinocandins resistance has emerged in Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida tropicalis,and Candida parapsilosis.

AIM To explore the clinical effects of enema of Cayratia japonica(Thunb.)Gagnep.on patients with distal ulcerative colitis.METHODS Sixty patients were randomly assigned into control group(30 cases)for 8-week intervention of Mesalazin Enteric-coated Tablets,and observation group(30 cases)for 8-week intervention of both enema of C.japonica and Mesalazin Enteric-coated Tablets.The changes in clinical effects,life quality scores,DAI score,Mayo activity index,intestinal mucosal barrier function indices(DAO,ET,D-lactic acid),intestinal flora(Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Escherichia coli,Enterococcus),inflammatory factors(IL-10,IL-6,TNF-α)and safety indices were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the observation group displayed increased life quality scores,IL-10(P＜0.05),decreased DAI score,Mayo activity index,intestinal mucosal barrier function indices,IL-6,TNF-α(P＜0.05),enhanced Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus(P＜0.05),and reduced Escherichia coli,Enterococcus(P＜0.05),which were more obvious than those in the control group(except for Enterococcus)(P＜0.05).No obvious adverse reactions were observable in the two groups.CONCLUSION For the patients with distal ulcerative colitis,enema of C.japonica can safely and effectively improve DAI score and Mayo activity index,which may contribute to the regulation of bacterial homeostasis,repairment of intestinal mucosal barrier and inhibition of inflammatory factor release.

Objective To investigate the current situation and risk factors of falls in the rural community elderly aged 65 years and above in Chongqing City, and to provide references for developing preventive measures. Methods The multistage cluster random sampling method was used to select several rural communities in Chongqing City from September to December, 2019, and then the elderly aged 65 years and above who lived in the communities for one year were chosen to serve as the surveyed subjects. A self designed questionnaire (sociodemographic factors, exercise status, illness and medication status and fall to related information) was used to collect the data regarding falls occurring in the last year. The chi-square test and multi factor multi-variant logistic regression analysis were utilized to analyze the data, the used software was SPSS 25.0. Results A total of 801 rural community elderly people in Chongqing City were surveyed．The average age was (71.64±5.85) years old. 7.12% of elderly need cane or walker. 6.87% of them self-reported their health was poor. 42.57% of elderly seldom have the habit of exercise. The prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, cataract, deafness self-reported was 8.99%、8.11%、17.48%、25.97%、13.73% and 6.24% respectively. Totally 104 elderly people experienced 128 falls in the past 12 months, and the incidence rates of falls and falling times were 12.84% and 15.98% respectively．The multi-variant logistic regression analysis showed that poor heath status self-reported（OR=4.04，95% , CI：1.71-9.52）, diabetes （OR=2.68，95% CI： 1.41-5.12）, osteoporosis （OR=1.91 , 95% CI：1.16-3.15）, arthritis （OR=2.60 , 95% CI：1.65-4.11） and non self-care（OR=2.44，95% CI：1.16-5.16） were the risk factors for falls in the rural community elderly. Conclusions The incidence rate of falls in the rural community elderly aged 65 years and above in Chongqing City was low．It is necessary to formulate comprehensive intervention measures for the risk factors of fall so as to reduce the incidence rate of falls in the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of procalcitonin (PCT) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: HUVECs were induced by LPS to establish a model of sepsis-induced inflammatory endothelial cell injury. The experiment was divided into two parts. In the first part, HUVECs were randomly divided into four groups: normal control, LPS (1 μg/mL), PCT (10 ng/mL), and LPS+PCT (n=3 each). In the second part, HUVECs were randomly grouped: normal control, LPS, and LPS+PCT of different concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL) (n=3 each). Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in each group. RESULTS: In the first experiment: compared with the normal control group, the PCT, LPS, and LPS+PCT groups had significantly upregulated mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 (P<0.05); compared with the LPS group, the LPS+PCT group had significantly downregulated mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 (P<0.05). In the second experiment: compared with those in the LPS group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in the LPS+PCT of different concentrations groups were significantly downregulated in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS LPS can promote the expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins NLRP3 and caspase-1 in HUVECs, while PCT can inhibit the LPS-induced expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins NLRP3 and caspase-1 in HUVECs in a concentration-dependent manner.
Humans ; Caspase 1/metabolism* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Procalcitonin ; Nucleotides/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk factors for neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted with 613 cases of neonatal asphyxia treated in 20 cooperative hospitals in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture from January to December 2019 as the asphyxia group, and 988 randomly selected non-asphyxia neonates born and admitted to the neonatology department of these hospitals during the same period as the control group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for neonatal asphyxia. R software (4.2.2) was used to establish a nomogram model. Receiver operator characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis were used to assess the discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia, respectively. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that minority (Tujia), male sex, premature birth, congenital malformations, abnormal fetal position, intrauterine distress, maternal occupation as a farmer, education level below high school, fewer than 9 prenatal check-ups, threatened abortion, abnormal umbilical cord, abnormal amniotic fluid, placenta previa, abruptio placentae, emergency caesarean section, and assisted delivery were independent risk factors for neonatal asphyxia (P<0.05). The area under the curve of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia based on these risk factors was 0.748 (95%CI: 0.723-0.772). The calibration curve indicated high accuracy of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia. The decision curve analysis showed that the model could provide a higher net benefit for neonates at risk of asphyxia. CONCLUSIONS The risk factors for neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture are multifactorial, and the nomogram model based on these factors has good value in predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia, which can help clinicians identify neonates at high risk of asphyxia early, and reduce the incidence of neonatal asphyxia.
Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Nomograms ; Retrospective Studies ; Cesarean Section ; Risk Factors ; Asphyxia Neonatorum/etiology*