Objective:To establish and optimize a novel method, focus forming assay (FFA), for quantitation of influenza A virus (FluA) and compare its application performance with traditional plague forming assay (PFA).Methods:The foci chromogenic effects of three peroxidase substrates in immunostaining were compared. The PFA and FFA methods were used to explore FluA incubation times and plaque morphology on 12-well plates, and to determine optimal incubation times and virus adsorption volumes for different FluA subtypes on 96-well plates. The correlation between FFA and PFA was evaluated, and the optimized FFA was applied to the in vitro antiviral efficacy analysis of Favipiravir and neutralization test against different subtypes of FluA. Results:TRUEBLUE substrate was identified as the optimal substrate for foci visualization. Compared with the PFA, the FFA showed improved sensitivity and reduced detection time in FluA titration, and good correlation was shown between the two methods′ results. By replacing the 96-well plate with the 12-well plate for FFA titration of different subtypes of FluA, the detection time was shortened, and the amount of serum samples used could be further reduced by optimizing the virus adsorption volume. The half-maximal effective concentration of favipiravir against influenza viruses assessed by the FFA and PFA methods showed no significant difference, and was consistent with the results obtained from quantitative PCR. Additionally, the focus reduction neutralization test and hemagglutination inhibition assays demonstrated strong correlation in determining antibody titers against FluA in serum neutralization assays.Conclusions:The improved FFA method developed here provides a more efficient experimental tool for FluA titration, antiviral drug screening and broad-spectrum vaccine evaluation.

Objective To compare the efficacy of 2 L and 3 L polyethylene glycol(PEG)electrolyte solution for bowel preparation in a real-world setting.Methods A real-world,single-center cohort study was conducted on the individuals undergoing colonoscopy in Department of Gastroenterology of Chengdu Third People's Hospital between May and October 2023.Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria,they were given 2 L(n=4 684)and 3 L(n=3 700)PEG electrolyte solution for bowel preparation.The primary outcome indicator was the adequacy of bowel preparation by Boston bowel preparation score(BBPS).Secondary outcome indicators included the BBPS score,polyp detection rate(PDR),tolerability,compliance,and incidence of adverse events.Results The adequacy rate of bowel preparation was 94.35％in the 3 L group,significantly higher than that of the 2 L group(91.29％,P＜0.001).The 3 L group obtained a higher BBPS score then the 2 L group(6.92±1.06 vs 6.81±1.14,P＜0.001).But there was no statistical difference in the PDR between the 2 groups(P=0.073).And the rate of PEG completion(P=0.810),administration of low residue diet as required(P=0.094)or use of dimethicone(P=0.072)were comparable between the 2 groups.However,the incidences of vomiting(4.5％vs 3.2％,P=0.002),abdominal discomfort(5.0％vs 3.9％,P=0.011)and sleep disturbance(18.0％vs 14.6％,P＜0.001)were obviously higher in the 3 L group than the 2 L group.Conclusion In a real-world setting,2 L PEG is a considerably safe and effective regimen for bowel preparation.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic performance and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)for biliary lesions and to investigate the factors influencing its accuracy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of patients who underwent EUS-FNA at Chengdu Third People's Hospital between January 2021 and December 2023 for suspected malig-nant biliary strictures or masses,including 22 males and 19 females,with a mean age of 65.9(35.0-89.0)years.Diagnostic performance(sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and accuracy)and factors influencing these outcomes were evalu-ated.Results:The overall sensitivity of EUS-FNA for diagnosing biliary lesions was 85%,with a specificity of 100%,positive predictive value of 100%,negative predictive value of 33%,and accuracy of 86%.The use of a 25G needle and the presence of solid masses were significant factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA.In contrast,the puncture site did not impact diagnostic performance.No EUS-FNA-re-lated adverse events were observed during the follow-up period.Conclusions:EUS-FNA is highly accurate and safe for the diagnosis of bili-ary lesions.The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA significantly improves when using a 25G needle and in the presence of solid biliary masses.

Objective To analyze differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)in the hippocampal tissue of an amyloid-beta 1-42(Aβ1-42)-induced Alzheimer's disease(AD)rat model using Tandem mass tag(TMT)-based quantitative proteomics,followed by bioinformatic analysis to explore potential AD mechanisms.Methods Twelve male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned to a control group(n=6)and a model group(n=6).The AD model was established by bilateral hippocampal injection of Aβ1-42 in the model group,while the control group received an equivalent volume of saline.Cognitive function was assessed using the novel object recognition test,and hippocampal Aβ deposition was detected by immunofluorescence.DEPs were identified using TMT-based proteomics and subsequently analyzed via Gene Ontology(GO)annotation,Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment,and protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis.Key DEPs were validated using parallel reaction monitoring(PRM)technology.Results The model group exhibited a significantly lower novel object recognition index(P<0.01)and significantly increased hippocampal Aβ deposition(P<0.01)compared to the control group.Proteomic analysis identified 183 DEPs(87 upregulated,96 downregulated).GO analysis revealed that DEPs were primarily enriched in processes such as amyloid-beta binding and ion transmembrane transport.KEGG analysis indicated significant enrichment in 42 pathways,including dopaminergic synapse,glutamatergic synapse,cholinergic synapse,and long-term potentiation.Ten core DEPs were identified from the PPI network,and PRM validation confirmed expression trends consistent with the TMT results.Conclusion Aβ1-42-induced AD involves the synergistic action of multiple targets,biological processes,and pathways.The activation of glutamatergic and dopaminergic synaptic signaling pathways,mediated by core DEPs(e.g.,Th、D1、VGLUT2、GluN2A、GluA1、GluA3、Shank1、DARPP-32、PKC-δ、PKC-α、PKA C-β、CaMKⅡα、PTK2B),likely represents a key molecular mechanism in this AD model,providing a basis for identifying potential therapeutic targets.

Objective To analyze differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)in the hippocampal tissue of an amyloid-beta 1-42(Aβ1-42)-induced Alzheimer's disease(AD)rat model using Tandem mass tag(TMT)-based quantitative proteomics,followed by bioinformatic analysis to explore potential AD mechanisms.Methods Twelve male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned to a control group(n=6)and a model group(n=6).The AD model was established by bilateral hippocampal injection of Aβ1-42 in the model group,while the control group received an equivalent volume of saline.Cognitive function was assessed using the novel object recognition test,and hippocampal Aβ deposition was detected by immunofluorescence.DEPs were identified using TMT-based proteomics and subsequently analyzed via Gene Ontology(GO)annotation,Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment,and protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis.Key DEPs were validated using parallel reaction monitoring(PRM)technology.Results The model group exhibited a significantly lower novel object recognition index(P<0.01)and significantly increased hippocampal Aβ deposition(P<0.01)compared to the control group.Proteomic analysis identified 183 DEPs(87 upregulated,96 downregulated).GO analysis revealed that DEPs were primarily enriched in processes such as amyloid-beta binding and ion transmembrane transport.KEGG analysis indicated significant enrichment in 42 pathways,including dopaminergic synapse,glutamatergic synapse,cholinergic synapse,and long-term potentiation.Ten core DEPs were identified from the PPI network,and PRM validation confirmed expression trends consistent with the TMT results.Conclusion Aβ1-42-induced AD involves the synergistic action of multiple targets,biological processes,and pathways.The activation of glutamatergic and dopaminergic synaptic signaling pathways,mediated by core DEPs(e.g.,Th、D1、VGLUT2、GluN2A、GluA1、GluA3、Shank1、DARPP-32、PKC-δ、PKC-α、PKA C-β、CaMKⅡα、PTK2B),likely represents a key molecular mechanism in this AD model,providing a basis for identifying potential therapeutic targets.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic performance and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)for biliary lesions and to investigate the factors influencing its accuracy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of patients who underwent EUS-FNA at Chengdu Third People's Hospital between January 2021 and December 2023 for suspected malig-nant biliary strictures or masses,including 22 males and 19 females,with a mean age of 65.9(35.0-89.0)years.Diagnostic performance(sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and accuracy)and factors influencing these outcomes were evalu-ated.Results:The overall sensitivity of EUS-FNA for diagnosing biliary lesions was 85%,with a specificity of 100%,positive predictive value of 100%,negative predictive value of 33%,and accuracy of 86%.The use of a 25G needle and the presence of solid masses were significant factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA.In contrast,the puncture site did not impact diagnostic performance.No EUS-FNA-re-lated adverse events were observed during the follow-up period.Conclusions:EUS-FNA is highly accurate and safe for the diagnosis of bili-ary lesions.The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA significantly improves when using a 25G needle and in the presence of solid biliary masses.

Objective:To establish and optimize a novel method, focus forming assay (FFA), for quantitation of influenza A virus (FluA) and compare its application performance with traditional plague forming assay (PFA).Methods:The foci chromogenic effects of three peroxidase substrates in immunostaining were compared. The PFA and FFA methods were used to explore FluA incubation times and plaque morphology on 12-well plates, and to determine optimal incubation times and virus adsorption volumes for different FluA subtypes on 96-well plates. The correlation between FFA and PFA was evaluated, and the optimized FFA was applied to the in vitro antiviral efficacy analysis of Favipiravir and neutralization test against different subtypes of FluA. Results:TRUEBLUE substrate was identified as the optimal substrate for foci visualization. Compared with the PFA, the FFA showed improved sensitivity and reduced detection time in FluA titration, and good correlation was shown between the two methods′ results. By replacing the 96-well plate with the 12-well plate for FFA titration of different subtypes of FluA, the detection time was shortened, and the amount of serum samples used could be further reduced by optimizing the virus adsorption volume. The half-maximal effective concentration of favipiravir against influenza viruses assessed by the FFA and PFA methods showed no significant difference, and was consistent with the results obtained from quantitative PCR. Additionally, the focus reduction neutralization test and hemagglutination inhibition assays demonstrated strong correlation in determining antibody titers against FluA in serum neutralization assays.Conclusions:The improved FFA method developed here provides a more efficient experimental tool for FluA titration, antiviral drug screening and broad-spectrum vaccine evaluation.

Introduction::Observational studies have revealed an association between waist circumference (WC) and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is difficult to infer a causal relationship from observational studies because the observed associations could be confounded by unknown risk factors. Therefore, the causal role of WC in AF is unclear. This study was designed to investigate the causal association between WC and AF using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.Methods::In our two-sample MR analysis, the genetic variation used as an instrumental variable for MR was acquired from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of WC (42 single nucleotide polymorphisms with a genetic significance of P <5 × 10 –8). The data of WC (from the Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits consortium, containing 232,101 participants) and the data of AF (from the European Bioinformatics Institute database, containing 55,114 AF cases and 482,295 controls) were used to assess the causal role of WC on AF. Three different approaches (inverse variance weighted [IVW], MR–Egger, and weighted median regression) were used to ensure that our results more reliable. Results::All three MR analyses provided evidence of a positive causal association between high WC and AF. High WC was suggested to increase the risk of AF based on the IVW method (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30–1.58, P = 2.51 × 10 -13). The results of MR–Egger and weighted median regression exhibited similar trends (MR–Egger OR = 1.40 [95% CI, 1.08–1.81], P = 1.61 × 10 -2; weighted median OR = 1.39 [95% CI, 1.21–1.61], P = 1.62 × 10 -6). MR–Egger intercepts and funnel plots showed no directional pleiotropic effects between high WC and AF. Conclusions::Our findings suggest that greater WC is associated with an increased risk of AF. Taking measures to reduce WC may help prevent the occurrence of AF.

Objective:To construct a diagnosis model of water accumulation fault of ventilator pipeline based on firefly algorithm(FA),so as to improve the management quality of ventilator equipment.Methods:The diagnostic model of water accumulation fault of ventilator pipeline was constructed based on FA.Objective function and multi-objective mathematical model were used to accurately judge the water accumulation fault of ventilator pipeline.From 2022 to 2023,the using 20 ventilators of hospital were selected,and the diagnostic model of water accumulation fault of ventilator pipeline was used to improve the management of 20 ventilators.January-December 2022 was set as before equipment management was improved,and January-December 2023 was set as after equipment management was improved.The failure rate,operation quality,pass rate of sampling inspection and the recognition score of equipment users were compared before and after the management for ventilator equipment was improved.Results:The condensate water treatment,pipeline location,humidification tank condition and other reasons after the management of ventilator equipment was improved were significantly lower than those before that was improved,and the differences were statistically significant(x2=11.875,14.636,11.834,11.039,P＜0.05),respectively.The startup rate,integrity rate,time utilization rate and quality stability rate of operating quality of the improved ventilators were higher than those before they were improved,and the differences of them were statistical significance(t=11.520,12.145,9.189,13.637,P＜0.05),respectively.The failure rate after these equipment were improved was significantly lower than that before they were improved,while the qualified rate was significantly higher than that before that was improved,and the differences were statistically significant(x2=5.625,15.000,P＜0.05),respectively.The recognition scores of engineers,doctors,nurses and patients of users who using equipment after these equipment were improved were significantly higher than those before they were improved,and the differences were statistically significant(t=11.093,11.080,16.006,11.049,P＜0.05),respectively.Conclusion:The diagnosis model of water accumulation fault of ventilator pipeline based on FA can realize accurate judgment for water accumulation fault in ventilator pipeline,and reduce the probability of water accumulation fault in ventilator pipeline,and effectively improve the management quality of ventilator equipment in hospital.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on the learning and memory abilities of Alzheimer disease(AD)rats;To explore its potential mechanism based on proteomics.Methods Totally 36 SD male rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group,model group and heart meridian acupoints group,with 12 rats in each group.Aβ1-42 were injected into the bilateral hippocampus to establish AD rat model,the sham-operation group was injected with an equal volume of normal saline.The heart meridian acupoints group received electroacupuncture treatment,accompanied by a stimulation time of 20 minutes,rest for 1 day after 6 days of electroacupuncture for 7 consecutive weeks.The Morris water maze experiment was used to evaluate the learning and memory abilities of AD rats,tandem mass tag(TMT)labeling technology and bioinformatics analysis were used to screen core differentially expressed proteins in important typical pathways,and key differentially expressed protein was verified by parallel reaction monitoring(PRM).Results There was no statistically significant difference in swimming speed between each group of rats(P>0.05).Compared with the sham-operation group,the escape latency of Morris water maze experiment in the model group increased significantly(P<0.01);compared with the model group,the escape latency of heart meridian acupoints group was significantly shortened on the 2-4th day(P<0.01).A total of 209 differentially expressed proteins were identified in different groups using TMT labeling quantification,among which 12 proteins showed significant changes among the 3 groups.GO annotation involved biological processes such as metal ion transport,sodium ion transport,and sodium ion transmembrane transport,as well as cellular components such as synapses,presynapse,and synaptic vesicle,involving solute:sodium symporter activity,organic acid:sodium symporter activity,amino acid:cation symporter activity,amino acid:sodium symporter activity,and other molecular functions;KEGG analysis significantly enriched the synaptic vesicle pathway.The PRM validation results indicated that electroacupuncture at the heart meridian acupoints could reduce the expressions of sodium and chloride dependent GABA transporter protein 3(GAT3),which was consistent with the quantitative detection results of TMT labeling quantification.Conclusion Electroacupuncture at the heart meridian acupoints can improve the learning and memory abilities of AD rats,possibly by regulating the expression of synaptic transporter GAT3 on the synaptic vesicle pathway to exert neuroprotective effects.