OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Qiwei dongqingye powder （QDP） on bronchial asthma in mice. METHODS The mice were divided into blank group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， dexamethasone group （2 mg/kg）， and QDP low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （200， 400， 800 mg/kg）， with 14 mice in each group. Except for the blank group， mice in all other groups were given ovalbumin via intraperitoneal injection followed by aerosol inhalation to induce a bronchial asthma model. During the modeling process， mice in each group were administered corresponding drug solutions or normal saline intragastrically/intraperitoneally. After the last medication， the number of cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） of the mice was observed and counted； the pathological changes of the bronchus and lung tissue were observed； the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， nitric oxide （NO）， total superoxide dismutase （T-SOD）， and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the lung tissue of the mice were determined， and the level of interleukin-17 （IL-17） in the BALF and serum was determined. Transcriptomics was employed to predict and validate the mechanism of action of QDP against bronchial asthma. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the total cell count， neutrophil count， lymphocyte count， and macrophage counts in the BALF of the QDP high-dose group were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of MDA and NO in the lung tissue， and the levels of IL-17 in the BALF and serum were all decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of T-SOD and GSH-Px were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）； the arrangement of lung tissue cells tended to normalize， with reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased exfoliation of bronchial simple columnar epithelial cells. The transcriptomic results revealed that the differentially expressed genes were B-cell receptor signaling pathway， nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， ferroptosis signaling pathway， and others. Further validation revealed that， compared with the model group， the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and chemokine ligand 20， as well as the phosphorylation level of NF-κB inhibitor protein α， were significantly decreased in the lung tissues of the mice in all QDP groups （ P ＜0.05）. Conversely， the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） and heme oxygenase 1 （HO-1） were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS QDP can effectively alleviate bronchial asthma by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway， activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway， regulating oxidative stress， and reducing inflammatory responses.

[Objective] To study the molecular biological mechanism for a case of ABO blood group B subtype, and perform three-dimensional modeling of the mutant enzyme. [Methods] The ABO phenotype was identified by the tube method and microcolumn gel method; the ABO gene of the proband was detected by sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP), and the exon 6 and 7 of the ABO gene were sequenced and analyzed. Homologous modeling of Bw.03 glycosyltransferase (GT) was carried out by Modeller and analyzed by PyMOL2.5.0 software. [Results] The weakening B antigen was detected in the proband sample by forward typing, and anti-B antibody was detected by reverse typing. PCR-SSP detection showed B, O gene, and the sequencing results showed c.721 C>T mutation in exon 7 of the B gene, resulting in p. Arg 241 Trp. Compared with the wild type, the structure of Bw.03GT was partially changed, and the intermolecular force analysis showed that the original three hydrogen bonds at 241 position disappeared. [Conclusion] Blood group molecular biology examination is helpful for the accurate identification of ambiguous blood group. Homologous modeling more intuitively shows the key site for the weakening of Bw.03 GT activity. The intermolecular force analysis can explain the root cause of enzyme activity weakening.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of the multiple-choice auditory graphical interactive check（MAGIC） screening module in childhood hearing screening in children aged 3 to 6 years. Methods:A hearing screening was conducted on 366 children（732 ears） aged between 3 and 6 years. The screening methods included MAGIC, DPOAE, and acoustic immittance.The cooperation, screening time, pass rate, and correlation of the three screening methods were compared. Results:There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of cooperation among the three screeningmethods（P=0.004）.The MAGIC pure tone screening method was 98.6%, the screening DPOAE was 99.5%,and the acoustic immittance screening was 100%. For the screening duration, the MAGIC pure tone screening method was（116.3±59.1）s, the screening DPOAE was（27.2±19.7）s, and the acoustic impedance screening was（24.6±14.6）s. There was a significant statistical significance differences among the three or two groups（P<0.01）. The passing rates of MAGIC pure tone screening,screening DPOAE and acoustic immittance screening were 64.7%, 65.4%, and 69.3%, respectively, and there was no significant statistical difference among the three or two groups（P>0.05）. There was no significant difference between MAGIC pure tone screening method and screening DPOAE（P=0.827>0.05）, and acoustic impedance（P=0.653>0.05）, while the difference between screening DPOAE and acoustic impedance was statistically significant（P<0.01）. Conclusion:MAGIC pure sound screening method has good feasibility, can comprehensively reflect the hearing level of screened children, and can be promoted for hearing screening in children aged between 3 and 6 years.
Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Female ; Male ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Mass Screening/methods* ; Feasibility Studies ; Acoustic Impedance Tests/methods* ; Hearing Loss/diagnosis* ; Hearing Tests/methods*

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Objective: To understand the moderating effect of cohabitation with parents on the association between peer dating behavior and sexual behaviors among secondary vocational school students, so as to provide a scientific basis for preventing sexual behaviors among secondary vocational school students. Methods: From March to April 2021, an electronic questionnaire survey was conducted among 3 180 students from 6 vocational schools in Shanghai (urban, suburban, exurban) and Shaanxi (Shangluo, Ankang, Baoji) using cluster sampling. Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationship of cohabitation with parents, peer dating behavior and sexual behaviors among secondary vocational school students. Binary Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the role of cohabitation with parents on peer dating behavior and sexual behaviors among secondary vocational students. Results: There was a significant negative between cohabitation with parents and sexual ( r =-0.04); and there was a positive correlation between peer dating behavior and sexual behaviors ( r =0.24), as well as cohabitation with parents and peer dating behavior ( r =0.04)( P <0.05). Multivariable Logistic regression analysis showed an association between peer dating behavior and the occurrence of sexual behaviors ( OR=2.79-12.95, P <0.05). Cohabitation with parents played a moderating role in the association between peer dating behavior and sexual behaviors, and a signification interaction was found between cohabitation with parents and reporting that a small part or about half of their peers had dating behavior ( OR =0.48, P <0.05). Conclusions The more peers dating behavior are associated with a higher risk of sexual behaviors among secondary vocational school students, and cohabitation with parents can partly reduce this risk. School and family sexuality education for secondary vocational students should be strengthened to improve their interpersonal skills and decision-making, and ability to resist peer pressure, so as to reduce their risk of sexual behaviors.

Objective: This study investigated the value of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in predicting Gleason score (GS) upgrading and downgrading in radical prostatectomy (RP) compared with presurgical biopsy. Materials and Methods: Clinical and mpMRI data were retrospectively collected from 219 patients with prostate disease between January 2015 and December 2021. All patients underwent systematic prostate biopsy followed by RP. MpMRI included conventional diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the factors associated with GS upgrading and downgrading after RP. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to estimate the area under the curve (AUC) to indicate the performance of the multivariable logistic regression models in predicting GS upgrade and downgrade after RP. Results: The GS after RP was upgraded, downgraded, and unchanged in 92, 43, and 84 patients, respectively. The AUCs of the clinical (percentage of positive biopsy cores [PBCs], time from biopsy to RP) and mpMRI models (prostate cancer [PCa] location, Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS] v2.1 score) for predicting GS upgrading after RP were 0.714 and 0.749, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnostic model (age, percentage of PBCs, tPSA, PCa location, and PIRADS v2.1 score) was 0.816, which was larger than that of the clinical factors alone (P < 0.001). The AUCs of the clinical (age, percentage of PBCs, ratio of free/total PSA [F/T]) and mpMRI models (PCa diameter, PCa location, and PI-RADS v2.1 score) for predicting GS downgrading after RP were 0.749 and 0.835, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnostic model (age, percentage of PBCs, F/T, PCa diameter, PCa location, and PI-RADS v2.1 score) was 0.883, which was larger than that of the clinical factors alone (P < 0.001). Conclusion Combining clinical factors and mpMRI findings can predict GS upgrade and downgrade after RP more accurately than using clinical factors alone.

BACKGROUND: The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) is a major concern for medication safety as it may entail more harm than potential benefits for older adults. This study aimed to explore the prescribing rate, healthcare utilization, and expenditure of older adults using PIMs in China. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a national representative database of all medical insurance beneficiaries across China, extracting ambulatory visit records of adults aged 65 years and above between 2015 and 2017. Descriptive analysis was conducted to measure the rate of patients exposed to PIM, prescribing rate of each PIM, average annual outpatient visits per patient, average total medication costs for each visit, average annual cost of PIMs for each patient, and average annual medication costs for each patient. Generalized linear model with logit link function and binomial distribution was used to examine the adjusted associations between PIMs and independent variables. RESULTS: In total, 845,278 (33.2%) participants were identified to be exposed to at least one PIM. Patients aged 75-84 years (38.1%, 969,809/2,545,430) and ≥85 years (37.9%, 964,718/2,545,430) were more likely to be prescribed with PIMs. Beneficiaries of the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and living in eastern and southern regions were more frequently prescribed with PIMs. Compared with patients without PIM exposure (7.5 visits, drug cost of RMB 1545.0 Yuan), patients with PIM exposure showed higher adjusted average annual number of outpatient visits (10.7 visits, β = 3.228, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.196-3.261) and higher annual drug costs (RMB 2461.8 Yuan, Coef. = 916.864, 95% CI = RMB 906.292-927.436 Yuan). CONCLUSIONS The results showed that the use of PIM among older adults was common in China. This study suggests that the use of PIM could be considered as a clear target, pending multidimensional efforts, to promote rational prescribing for older adults.
Humans ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Aged, 80 and over ; Male ; Female ; China ; Inappropriate Prescribing/economics* ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Potentially Inappropriate Medication List/statistics & numerical data* ; Health Expenditures/statistics & numerical data*

Macrophages are innate immune cells connected with the development of inflammation. Retinoic acid has previously been proved to have anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. However, the exact mechanism through which retinoic acid modulates arthritis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether retinoic acid ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis by modulating macrophage polarization. This study used retinoic acid to treat mice with adjuvant arthritis and evaluated anti-inflammatory effects by arthritis score, thermal nociceptive sensitization test, histopathologic examination and immunofluorescence assays. In addition, its specific anti-arthritic mechanism was investigated by flow cytometry, cell transfection and inflammatory signaling pathway assays in RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro. Retinoic acid significantly relieved joint pain and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration in mice. Furthermore, this treatment modulated peritoneal macrophage polarization, increased levels of arginase 1, as well as decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. In vitro, we verified that retinoic acid promotes macrophage transition from the M1 to M2 type by upregulating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) expression and inhibiting P38, JNK and ERK phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Notably, the therapeutic effects of retinoic acid were inhibited by MKP-1 knockdown. Retinoic acid exerts a significant therapeutic effect on adjuvant arthritis in mice by regulating macrophage polarization through the MKP-1/MAPK pathway, and play an important role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.

Objective: This study investigated the value of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in predicting Gleason score (GS) upgrading and downgrading in radical prostatectomy (RP) compared with presurgical biopsy. Materials and Methods: Clinical and mpMRI data were retrospectively collected from 219 patients with prostate disease between January 2015 and December 2021. All patients underwent systematic prostate biopsy followed by RP. MpMRI included conventional diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the factors associated with GS upgrading and downgrading after RP. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to estimate the area under the curve (AUC) to indicate the performance of the multivariable logistic regression models in predicting GS upgrade and downgrade after RP. Results: The GS after RP was upgraded, downgraded, and unchanged in 92, 43, and 84 patients, respectively. The AUCs of the clinical (percentage of positive biopsy cores [PBCs], time from biopsy to RP) and mpMRI models (prostate cancer [PCa] location, Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS] v2.1 score) for predicting GS upgrading after RP were 0.714 and 0.749, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnostic model (age, percentage of PBCs, tPSA, PCa location, and PIRADS v2.1 score) was 0.816, which was larger than that of the clinical factors alone (P < 0.001). The AUCs of the clinical (age, percentage of PBCs, ratio of free/total PSA [F/T]) and mpMRI models (PCa diameter, PCa location, and PI-RADS v2.1 score) for predicting GS downgrading after RP were 0.749 and 0.835, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnostic model (age, percentage of PBCs, F/T, PCa diameter, PCa location, and PI-RADS v2.1 score) was 0.883, which was larger than that of the clinical factors alone (P < 0.001). Conclusion Combining clinical factors and mpMRI findings can predict GS upgrade and downgrade after RP more accurately than using clinical factors alone.