Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically significant complication in elderly patients, largely driven by surgery-induced neuroinflammation. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, a crucial regulator of innate immunity, has been implicated in neuroinflammatory activation. This study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) improves POCD by modulating this pathway in aged rats. Aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sevoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy to establish a POCD model. Animals were divided into sham, POCD, POCD+EA, and POCD+EA+cGAS inhibitor groups. The EA groups received stimulation at Baihui (Governor Vessel 20 (GV20)), Neiguan (Pericardium 6 (PC6)), and Zusanli (Stomach 36 (ST36)) acupoints. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze, while hippocampal expression of cGAS-STING pathway components and downstream effectors—interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)—was assessed by Western blot. Cellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the POCD group showed significant impairments in spatial memory, accompanied by upregulated protein expression of cGAS, STING, NF-κB, IRF3, and IL-1β in the hippocampus. Upon pathway activation, cGAS and STING proteins were predominantly co-localized with neurons, and their fluorescence intensity in the hippocampus was markedly increased. These behavioral deficits and molecular alterations were partially reversed in both the POCD+EA and POCD+EA+inhibitor groups. Electroacupuncture alleviates POCD in aged rats by inhibiting hippocampal cGAS-STING pathway activation and reducing neuroinflammation, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological strategy for POCD management.

Objective:To analyze the effect of influenza vaccination on influenza cluster epidemic in primary and secondary schools in Beijing during the 2023-2024 surveillance season and provide evidence for the improvement of influenza vaccination strategies.Methods:The incidence data of influenza cluster epidemic and influenza vaccination coverage in the schools in Beijing during 2023-2024 were collected. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze cluster epidemic characteristics, and χ2 test was used to compare incidence differences between groups, and OR value and vaccine effectiveness [VE=(1- OR)×100%] were calculated. A negative binomial regression model was used to evaluate the association between school vaccination rates and cluster epidemic risk. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze trends in relative risk ( RR) with increasing vaccination coverage and to determine the optimal vaccination threshold. Results:A total of 126 influenza cluster epidemic were reported in 115 primary and secondary schools in Beijing during 2023-2024 with the median size of 15 case, the average attack rate was 36.26% (2 033/5 607). The epidemics mainly occurred in urban area (70, 55.56%). Primary schools were the main setting (78, 61.90%), and influenza A(H3N2) was the predominant subtype (108, 85.71%). The overall influenza vaccination coverage in the primary and secondary students was 54.26%, while the average vaccination in classes affected by the epidemics was 58.57%. The overall protection rate was 47.62%, the protection rate was higher in primary schools (49.65%) than in secondary schools (46.60%). The protection rates against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (80.93%) and influenza B (Victoria lineage) (81.65%) were significantly higher than that against influenza A(H3N2) (44.19%). When school vaccination coverage reached ≥76.00%, the epidemic risk decreased by 52.82%.Conclusions:Even the match between influenza vaccine strains and circulating strains is suboptimal, increasing influenza vaccination coverage in schools can effectively reduce the risk for influenza cluster epidemic. In the future, measures such as policy guidance and public health education should be taken to further improve vaccination coverage, thereby establishing herd immunity and reducing the transmission risk of influenza in schools.

Objective:To analyze the effect of influenza vaccination on influenza cluster epidemic in primary and secondary schools in Beijing during the 2023-2024 surveillance season and provide evidence for the improvement of influenza vaccination strategies.Methods:The incidence data of influenza cluster epidemic and influenza vaccination coverage in the schools in Beijing during 2023-2024 were collected. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze cluster epidemic characteristics, and χ2 test was used to compare incidence differences between groups, and OR value and vaccine effectiveness [VE=(1- OR)×100%] were calculated. A negative binomial regression model was used to evaluate the association between school vaccination rates and cluster epidemic risk. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze trends in relative risk ( RR) with increasing vaccination coverage and to determine the optimal vaccination threshold. Results:A total of 126 influenza cluster epidemic were reported in 115 primary and secondary schools in Beijing during 2023-2024 with the median size of 15 case, the average attack rate was 36.26% (2 033/5 607). The epidemics mainly occurred in urban area (70, 55.56%). Primary schools were the main setting (78, 61.90%), and influenza A(H3N2) was the predominant subtype (108, 85.71%). The overall influenza vaccination coverage in the primary and secondary students was 54.26%, while the average vaccination in classes affected by the epidemics was 58.57%. The overall protection rate was 47.62%, the protection rate was higher in primary schools (49.65%) than in secondary schools (46.60%). The protection rates against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (80.93%) and influenza B (Victoria lineage) (81.65%) were significantly higher than that against influenza A(H3N2) (44.19%). When school vaccination coverage reached ≥76.00%, the epidemic risk decreased by 52.82%.Conclusions:Even the match between influenza vaccine strains and circulating strains is suboptimal, increasing influenza vaccination coverage in schools can effectively reduce the risk for influenza cluster epidemic. In the future, measures such as policy guidance and public health education should be taken to further improve vaccination coverage, thereby establishing herd immunity and reducing the transmission risk of influenza in schools.

Objective To explore the effects of the Otago Exercise Program(OEP)on activities of daily living,muscle strength,balance,and physical function in older adults with sarcopenia,to compare OEP with conventional exercise training,and to provide a basis for clinical rehabilitation programs for older adults with sarcopenia.Methods In this randomized controlled trial,120 older adults clinically diagnosed with sarcopenia were enrolled.The participants were randomly assigned to the OEP intervention group(experimental group)and the conventional exercise intervention group(control group),with 60 in each group.The experimental group underwent 12 weeks of OEP training,three times a week,with each session lasting 45 minutes.The control group underwent conventional exercise training following the same schedule.The Modified Barthel Index was used as the primary outcome measure to assess activities of daily living.Secondary outcome measures included muscle strength,gait stability,dynamic balance,and physical function status,evaluated using grip strength,6-meter walking speed,the Timed Up and Go Test(TUGT),and the Short Physical Performance Battery(SPPB).Results A total of 120 older adults with sarcopenia were included.The mean age of the participants was(80.17±8.48)years.Baseline data before treatment showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups.Both groups completed the treatment within 12 weeks without experiencing any adverse events.The baseline data for the experimental group were as follows,MBI at(67.00±22.76)points,hand grip strength at(15.29±4.94)kg,gait speed at(0.61±0.26)m/s,TUGT time at(15.05±6.74)s,and SPPB score at(6.17±1.40)points,while the corresponding post-intervention findings were as follows,(78.72±15.83)points,(17.67±5.83)kg,(0.77±0.28)m/s,(13.49±6.16)s,and(9.25±1.71)points,respectively.The experimental group showed improvements in all measures from baseline to post-intervention(P＜0.05 for all measures).As for the control group,the baseline data for the corresponding measures were as follows,(67.20±22.12)points,(15.00±5.35)kg,(0.58±0.23)m/s,(17.29±6.90)s,and(6.00±1.24)points,respectively.The post-intervention findings increased to(71.13±20.28)points,(15.47±5.72)kg,(0.64±0.28)m/s,(16.50±6.99)s,and(6.73±1.61)points,respectively,but the changes were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Furthermore,an intergroup comparison of intervention effects(post-intervention minus preintervention)revealed significant differences in mean changes from baseline.The experimental group demonstrated improvements of(+11.72±6.32)points in modified Barthel Index,(+11.72±6.32)kg in grip strength,(+0.16±0.09)m/s in gait speed,(—1.56±1.32)s in TUGT time,and(—1.56±1.32)points in SPPB score.In contrast,the control group showed smaller changes of(+3.93±5.65)points,(+0.47±1.37)kg,(+0.06±0.07)m/s,(—0.79±1.54)s,and(+0.73±1.12)points,respectively(all P＜0.05).Intergroup comparisons revealed superior outcomes in the experimental group across all measures.Conclusion OEP significantly enhances activities of daily living,improves muscle strength,balance,and physical function in older adults,and is more effective than conventional rehabilitation exercise programs,making it suitable for extensive clinical application.

ObjectiveTo understand the epidemic characteristics of influenza in Beijing from 2023 to 2024, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of influenza. MethodsData on influenza-like illness (ILI) from secondary level and above hospitals, etiology surveillance data, and influenza clusters outbreaks data from 2023‒2024 were used to analyze the epidemic trend and pathogenic characteristics of influenza. Furthermore, an influenza comprehensive index was used to categorize the epidemic intensity at the severity level. ResultsA total of 2 065 857 ILI cases were reported in 2023‒2024 epidemic season, and the percentage of ILI was 3.67%. The age group of 5‒14 years accounted for the highest proportion of ILI (30.48%). A total of 41 766 throat swabs from ILI were detected, with a positive rate of 17.28%.A (H3N2) (51.86%) and B Victoria (41.93%) were the most prevalent subtypes of influenza virus. Clustered influenza outbreaks occurred mainly in primary schools (57.78%) and middle schools (35.55%), mainly caused by the influenza A (H3N2) subtype (85.93%). According to the influenza comprehensive index (I), the period of influenza activity and above (I>0.5) lasted for a total of 37 weeks, accounting for 71.15% of the entire influenza season. ConclusionCompared with previous years, the epidemic level of influenza in Beijing was increased in 2023‒2024, and the peak time became earlier. The comprehensive index method can objectively evaluate the level of influenza epidemic and provide suggestions for the future prevention and control of influenza in Beijing.

Objective:A preliminary trial is conducted to explore whether perioperative(preoperative,intraoperative,and postoperative)electroacupuncture is more effective than postoperative electroacupuncture in improving gastrointestinal function for colorectal cancer patients.Methods and analysis:The study proposes a randomized,parallel-controlled,single-center trial involving 30 colorectal cancer patients aged 18-79 requiring elective surgery.Participants are randomly assigned to two groups,with equal allocation,where one group receives perioperative electroacupuncture,and the other group receives postoperative electroacupuncture.The treatment duration spans from preoperative to postoperative 72 h,with a subsequent 28-day follow-up period.The primary outcome is the time of first postoperative defecation.The secondary outcomes include the recovery time of postoperative bowel sounds,time of the first flatus,dietary recovery,postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction frequency,quality of life scale,postoperative pain degree,time of the first ambulation,length of hospital stay,gastrointestinal hormone indicators,and adverse events.The coagulation function test,liver and renal function,and stool and blood routine serve as security biomarkers.The statistical analysis includes the t-test,rank-sum test,Chi-square test,and analysis of variance.A two-sided significance level is set at 5%.Discussion:This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of perioperative electroacupuncture for gastrointestinal function recovery following colorectal cancer surgery.The study's strengths include its randomized design,well-defined intervention periods,and multi-dimensional outcome assessment.Nevertheless,limitations,such as the small sample size and single-center setting,may affect external validity.The findings will guide protocol refinement and sample size estimation for future large-scale multi-center randomized controlled trials.

This study investigated the prevalence and potential mechanisms of gentamicin heterore-sistance in Streptococcus isolates from dairy cows.In this study,A total of 39 Streptococcus isola-ted from raw milk were collected,and the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)of gentamicin and other drugs on the isolates was determined by micro broth dilution method,and the K-B paper diffusion method,colony analysis profile(PAP),and resistance stability test were used to investigate the heteroresistance characteristics of Streptococcus,and the mechanism of heteroresis-tance was analyzed based on whole genome sequencing and resequencing.Seven suspected heterore-sistance strains were identified by K-B paper diffusion method,accounting for 17.95％(7/39)of the total number of suspected strains.PAP confirmed that the MIC to MNIC ratio of L147,L108 and L174 was greater than 8,and the frequency of resistant subgroups ranged from 1.38×10-5 to 8.18 × 10-5,which was greater than 1 × 10-7,confirming that they were heteroresistance strains.Resistance stability tests revealed that the resistant subpopulations of all three strains were not stably inherited.Whole-genome sequencing revealed mutations in the ribosomal target genes of aminoglycoside antibiotics,rsmA,rsmB and rsmE,compared with the reference genome,which may lead to heteroresistance to gentamicin in Streptococcus.The occurrence of heteroresistance of Streptococcus to gentamicin is high in dairy sources,so more attention should be paid to the occur-rence of heteroresistance when using gentamicin for clinical treatment.

Tuberculosis is a infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis( Mtb), which seriously threatens human health. Innate immune cells can synergistically resist the invasion of Mtb by phagocytosing pathogens, releasing inflammatory cytokines, and activating other immune cells, playing a crucial role in the host′s defense against Mtb infection. A comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the role of innate immune cells in Mtb infection will help reveal the complexity of immune response and understand the mechanism of early elimination of Mtb and immune escape of Mtb, and provide new ideas and strategies for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis. This article will provide an overview of the research progress on the mechanisms of several important innate immune cells, including macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and constant natural killer T cells, in Mtb infection.

Objective To explore the differences and similarities in the changes of pulp repair response after direct pulp capping with iRoot BP Plus and MTA.Methods A total of 36 male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups,namely iRoot BP Plus group,MTA group and blank control group.Dental pulp exposure and direct pulp capping was performed on both sides of maxillary first molars of each rat.Four rats were randomly selected and sacrificed from each group at 7,14,and 28 days postoperatively,and the specimens were taken for hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,and then each index was observed.Results ①From the perspective of dentin tubular formation quality,at 14 d and 28 d,there were statistical differences between iRoot BP Plus group and MTA group(P＜0.05),and iRoot BP Plus was significantly better than MTA in terms of quality of restorative dentin formation.②At 14 days after operation,iRoot BP Plus had a greater area of neodontinin than that in MTA group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Both iRoot BP Plus and MTA can promote the formation of restorative dentin bridges after direct pulp capping,and the formation quality is high.The long-term effects need to be further studied.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of robot system-assisted versus freehand screw revision for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with lower cervical fractures.Methods:A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 57 patients with AS combined with lower cervical fractures admitted to Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital, and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, including 46 males and 11 females, aged 38-77 years [(65.4±9.5)years]. Injury segments involved C 3 in 7 patients, C 4 in 13, C 5 in 25, C 6 in 10, and C 7 in 2. All the patients underwent revision surgery, among whom, 22 patients were treated with robot system-assisted cervical pedicle screw placement (robot nailing group, with 190 screws), and 35 with freehand cervical pedicle screw placement (freehand nailing group, with 300 screws). The operative duration, intraoperative bleeding volume, frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy, incision length, and length of hospital stay of the two groups were compared; the time of single nscrew insertion, the number of single nail revisions, the distance between screws and the anterior cortex, the accuracy of screw placement of grade 0 and grade 0+1 were recorded in the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Society (JOA) score, neck dysfunction index (NDI), American Spine Injury Association (ASIA) classification before operation, at 3 days, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up were compared between the two groups. The complication rate was also noted. Results:All the patients were followed up for 12-16 months [(14.3±2.1)months]. The operative duration, intraoperative bleeding volume, and frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy were (186.4±12.9)minutes, (486.1±68.6)ml, and (3.4±1.3)times in the robot nailing group, which were shorter or less than (206.7±14.4)minutes, (660.3±45.2)ml, and (13.5±3.6)times in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01). The incision length was (9.4±2.4)cm in the robot nailing group, longer than (5.6±1.2)cm in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01), and the length of hospital stay was (3.7±0.4)days, shorter than (4.4±1.4)days in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01). The length of single nail insertion, the number of single nail revision, and the distance between the screws and the front cortex were (6.5±0.4)minutes, (1.1±0.1)times, and (3.5±1.3)mm in the robot nailing group, which were shorter or less than (11.6±0.2)minutes, (1.5±0.2)times, and (12.4±4.7)mm in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.01). The accuracy of the screw placement in the robot nailing group was 90.0% (171/190) and 95.8% (182/190) with level 0 and 0+1 screws, better than 80.0% (240/300) and 89.0% (267/300) in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS, JOA score, NDI, or ASIA grading between the two groups before operation ( P>0.05). The VAS, JOA, and NDI scores at 3 days after operation were (3.1±0.6)points, (12.1±1.2)points, and (15.6±2.9)points, respectively in the robot nailing group, which were better than (5.0±1.4)points, (11.3±1.1)points and (22.5±3.7)points, respectively in the freehand nailing group ( P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in the ASIA grade between the two groups at 3 days after operation ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in VAS, JOA, NDI scores, or ASIA grading between the two groups at 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). Compared with those before operation, the VAS, JOA, NDI scores, and ASIA grading were significantly improved at 3 days, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up in the two groups, which were further improved with the passage of time. Two patients in the robot nailing group had pneumonia, with a complication rate of 9% (2/22), while 2 patients in the freehand nailing group had dural sac rupture and cerebrospinal fluid leakage and 3 had lung infection after operation, with a complication rate of 14% (5/35) ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with freehand nailing, the robot system-assisted nailing revision for AS with lower cervical fracture has more advantages in terms of the operative duration, length of hospital stay, intraoperative bleeding volume, frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy nailing speed and accuracy, screw holding force, early pain relief, function restoration, and complication rate, despite longer surgical incision.