Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear mainly caused by bacteria, and current treatments rely heavily on antibiotics. However, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains seriously affects their efficacy. In our study, we found that extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human natural killer cells (NKs) inhibit the proliferation of both standard and levofloxacin (LVX)-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compared to LVX, EVs were more effective at reducing effusion and rescuing hearing thresholds in animal models. For LVX-sensitive strains, EVs were significantly more effective in terms of curative time but not curative rate. For LVX-resistant strains, EVs were significantly more effective in terms of both curative rate and curative time when applied alone or applied jointly with LVX. In summary, we found that NK EVs are highly effective in treating otitis media, providing an alternative approach for treating this common disease.
Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism* ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Animals ; Humans ; Otitis Media/therapy* ; Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Levofloxacin/pharmacology*

Objective To sort out and summarize the researches of source,structures and identification technologies of glucosamine drugs,and provide a reference for the development and research of this kind of drugs.Methods The sources of glucosamine drugs was identified by stable isotope ratio test,and the crystal structures of glucosamine drugs was identified by X-ray powder diffraction.Results When the carbon isotope ratio was between-11‰ and-13‰,the source of glucosamine was from microbial fermentation.When the carbon isotope ratio was between-17‰ and-24‰,the source of glucosamine was from microbial animals.The 2θ angles of the strongest diffraction peak of hydrochloric glucosamine were 16.525°,12.360° and 17.330°,the 2θ angles of the strongest diffraction peak of sodium sulfate were 32.124° and 19.035,the 2θ angle of the strongest diffraction peak of the glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride/sodium was 27.036°,and the 2θ angle of the strongest diffraction peak of the physical mixture of glucosamine hydrochloride and chloride/sodium sulfate(2∶1)was 12.391°.Through X-ray powder diffraction technology,the glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride/sodium eutectic complex salt and the physical mixture of glucosamine hydrochloride and chloride/sodium sulfate.can be distinguished.Conclusion The research can effectively identify the sources and structures of glucosamine drugs,which is simple,accurate and reliable,and provides technical support for the supervision and management of glucosamine drugs.

Objective:To explore the current situation and influencing factors of health literacy of postoperative lung cancer patients, so as to provide a basis for the development of relevant interventions.Methods:Using the convenient sampling method, a total of 200 postoperative lung cancer patients who came to Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital for follow-up from March to November 2023 were selected as the research objects. The survey was conducted using Health Literacy Management Scale (HeLMS), Family APGAR Index and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors.Results:In this study, a total of 200 questionnaires were sent out and 186 were valid, with an effective recovery rate of 93%. The total scores of HeLMS, CD-RISC and Family APGAR Index were (73.11±19.12), (48.46±10.72) and (5.07±2.82) in 186 postoperative lung cancer patients. Age, education level, complicity of other chronic diseases, psychological resilience and family care were the factors influencing health literacy of postoperative lung cancer patients ( P<0.05), which could explain 32.8% of the variation. Conclusions:Clinical medical staff should pay more attention to patients with postoperative lung cancer patients who are older, less educated and not complicated with other chronic diseases, and take certain intervention measures to improve the degree of family care and psychological resilience of patients, so as to improve the health literacy of patients.

It is difficult to accurately distinguish pharyngitis caused by Group A Streptococcus(GAS) from other pathogens according to the clinical presentation alone, which cannot effectively guide the rational use of antimicrobials.The pharyngeal swab culture, rapid antigen detection test, nucleic acid test, and blood test can help definitively diagnose GAS pharyngitis.However, there are differences in different guidelines on who the laboratory test methods are intended for, interpretation of laboratory test results and so on.This article summarizes and analyses the laboratory diagnostic modalities and their characteristics, as well as recommendations for GAS pharyngitis in different guidelines to provide references for the clinical diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment, and further study of GAS pharyngitis.

Objective:To investigate the factors affecting postoperative short-term improvement of consciousness level in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI).Methods:A case-control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 55 patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after sTBI admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from September 2021 to September 2022. There were 33 males and 22 females, with the age range of 13-68 years [(43.0±15.5)years]. All patients were assessed for the consciousness level using the coma recovery scale-revision (CRS-R) preoperatively and within 48 hours postoperatively. A total of 33 patients were observed in vegetative state and 22 in minimally conscious state preoperatively. The consciousness level was found to be improved in 26 patients (consciousness- improved group), but not improved in the remaining 29 patients (consciousness-unimproved group). Indicators were documented including gender, age, cause of injury, Glasgow coma score (GCS) on admission, course of injury, preoperative consciousness level, operation mode, operation time, intraoperative fluid replenishment, intraoperative urine volume, intraoperative bleeding volume, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, analgesic regimen and sedation maintenance drugs. A univariate analysis was conducted first to assess those indicators′ correlation with postoperative short-term improvement of consciousness level in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after sTBI. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was then used to determine the independent risk factors for their postoperative short-term improvement of consciousness level.Results:Univariate analysis showed that GCS on admission, course of injury, preoperative consciousness level and analgesic regimen were correlated with short-term improvement of postoperative consciousness level in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after sTBI (all P<0.05), whereas gender, age, cause of injury, operation mode, operation time, intraoperative fluid replenishment, intraoperative urine volume, intraoperative bleeding volume, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade and sedation maintenance drugs showed no relation to the improvement of postoperative consciousness level (all P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the GCS ≥7 points on admission ( OR=0.06, 95% CI 0.01, 0.36, P<0.01), preoperative minimally conscious state ( OR=0.09, 95% CI 0.02, 0.40, P<0.01) and intraoperative use of Sufentanil combined with Remifentanil ( OR=0.07, 95% CI 0.01, 0.43, P<0.01) were significantly correlated with postoperative improvement of consciousness level. Conclusion:The GCS on admission (≥7 points), preoperative minimally conscious state and intraoperative use of Sufentanil combined with Remifentanil are independent risk factors affecting short-term postoperative improvement of consciousness level in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after sTBI.

Areca catechu L. medicinal materials and their preparations are widely used in clinical practice. Betelnut polyphenol is one of the main chemical components with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. With continuous increase of high altitude activities, tissue oxidative damage caused by high altitude hypoxia seriously affects the ability to work, and the studies on anti-hypoxia drugs are particularly important. Recent studies have shown that betelnut polyphenols have protective effects on oxidative stress injury caused by hypoxia via improving blood gas index of hypoxic organism, increasing superoxide dismutase glutathione catalase activity, and scavenging excessive free radicals. The effects of betelnut polyphenols against hypoxia and oxidative damage protection suggest that betelnut polyphenols can be used as potential anti-hypoxia drugs and posses clinical prospects.
Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Areca/chemistry* ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; Oxidative Stress ; Polyphenols/pharmacology* ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism*

Puerarin (Pue), known as a phytoestrogen, has salient bioactivities and is promising against cardiovascular diseases. This article summarizes the underlying molecular mechanisms of Pue in treating cardiovascular diseases, especially regulating the intracellular signal transduction, influencing ion channels, modulating the expression of microRNA, and impacting on the autophagy, which are mainly involved in the inflammatory signaling pathways, fatty acid/lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and the like. The protective effect of Pue against cardiovascular diseases mainly involves attenuating the myocardial injury and decreasing the myocardial fibrosis, improving the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, as well as inhibiting the myocardial hypertrophy and atherosclerosis. The molecular mechanisms of Pue's cardiovascular protective effects for the first time and comment on the state-of-the-art research methods and principles of Pue's regulation of small molecules were reviewed, so as to provide the rationale for its basic research and clinical applications.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between BRAF V600E gene mutation and ultrasonography manifestations as well as the lesion invasiveness in thyroid cancer.Methods:A total of 153 patients pathologically diagnosed as thyroid cancer after surgery who underwent thyroidectomy in Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital from January 2018 to October 2019 were selected, including 146 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Ultrasonography was performed before operation. Paraffin embedded tissue after operation was used to detect BRAF V600E gene mutation. According to the results of BRAF V600E gene detection, patients were divided into mutation group and non-mutation group. The ultrasonic characteristics of the two groups were compared. The relationship of BRAF V600E gene mutation with ultrasonic characteristics, clinicopathological characteristics as well as cervical lymph node metastasis was analyzed by using logistic regression.Results:There were 130 cases (85.0%) of BRAF V600E gene mutation and 23 cases of BRAF V600E gene non-mutation in 153 patients with thyroid cancer. Among 146 cases with papillary thyroid carcinoma, there were 128 cases (87.7%) of BRAF V600E gene mutation. The percentage of patients with the unclear boundary between thyroid lesions and capsule in BRAF V600E gene mutation group was higher than that of patients in non-mutation group, and the difference was statistically significant [46.9% (60/128) vs. 11.1% (2/18), χ 2 = 8.261, P = 0.004]. There were no significant differences in age, gender, nodule long diameter, aspect ratio, nodal location, internal calcification, internal echo, echo uniformity, cystic solid, nodal shape, boundary clarity, blood flow signal, the number of tumor site, lymph node metastasis and nodular goiter between BRAF gene mutation group and non-mutation group (all P > 0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that only the boundary clarity between thyroid lesions and capsule was an independent influencing factor of BRAF V600E gene mutation ( OR = 14.400, 95% CI 1.847-112.246, P = 0.011), tumor lesion size was an independent influencing factor of cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma ( OR = 2.714, 95% CI 1.335-5.517, P = 0.006). Conclusions:In papillary thyroid carcinoma, BRAF V600E gene mutation is related with lesion and the unclear boundary between the tumor and capsule, but not related with lymph node metastasis. The size of the tumor lesion is associated with lymph node metastasis.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate FFDM differential diagnosis between breast mastitis,benign hyperplasia and breast cancer. Methods Fifty-nine cases of non-puerperal breast mastitis,sixty-eight cases of benign hyperpla-sia and two hundred and forty cases with non-mass type breast cancer were analyzed retrospectively,which were verified by surgery and pathology by contrast with FFDM signs,pathological types,grouped and statistics processed. The observation indexes of lamellar shadow included shape,density and edge. The observation indexes of linear shadow included direction,form and diameter. Results The FFDM signs in three groups of breast diseases were statistically significant(P<0. 05):the form of linear shadow,accompanied by calcifications,the shape of lamellar shadow,the direction of linear shadow,the distribution of lesion,the sharp angle of shadow edge. χ2 segmentation show that there were significant differences between three groups(P<0. 0125):the shape of lamellar shadow,the direc-tion of linear shadow. Conclusion There have some values for the diagnosis of breast cancer by rigid form and radial distribution of linear shadow,rigid shape and segmental distribution of lamellar shadow,the polymorphic calcifications and the sharp angle sign.

Objective To detect C-met protein expression and gene amplification in lung adenocarcinoma, and to analyze their relationship with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) resistance and prognosis. Methods A total of 120 cases of lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed in Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital from January 2011 to May 2013 were selected. The expressions of C-met protein and C-met gene amplification were conducted by immunohistochemistry (IHC) method and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and all patients were followed up. The relationship between the expression of C-met protein and gene amplification with clinicopathological features and EGFR-TKI resistance and prognosis were analyzed. Results The high expression of C-met protein and gene amplification in 120 tissues were 17.5 ％ (21/120), 10.83 ％ (13/120). Of the 80 patients treated with EGFR-TKI, the incidence of C-met protein high expression was 30.43 ％ (14/46) in patients with drug resistance, which was significantly higher than that in patients without drug resistance (11.76 ％, 4/34), the difference was statistically significant (χ2= 3.908, P= 0.048). The rate of C-met gene amplification was 19.57 ％ (9/46) in patients with drug resistance,which was significantly higher than that in patients without drug resistance (2.94 ％, 1/34) the difference was statistically significant (P= 0.038). The expression of C-met protein in 46 patients with drug resistance was positively correlated with gene amplification (r= 0.388, P= 0.008), but in 40 patients without TKI, the expression of C-met protein was not correlated with gene amplification (r=0.279, P=0.081). The high expression of C-met protein was correlated with age, pathological grade and clinical stage (all P<0.05), while C-met gene amplification was related to clinical stage (P=0.036). Cox regression analysis suggested that C-met gene amplification was an independent prognostic factor (P= 0.034). Conclusions C-met protein expression and gene amplification are risk factors for EGFR-TKI resistance. C-met gene amplification suggests poor prognosis, and can be used as an independent factor for prognostic evaluation.