ObjectiveIn the realm of forensic science, dust is a valuable type of trace evidence with immense potential for intricate investigations. With the development of DNA sequencing technologies, there is a heightened interest among researchers in unraveling the complex tapestry of microbial communities found within dust samples. Furthermore, striking disparities in the microbial community composition have been noted among dust samples from diverse geographical regions, heralding new possibilities for geographical inference based on microbial DNA analysis. The pivotal role of microbial community data from dust in geographical inference is significant, underscoring its critical importance within the field of forensic science. This study aims to delve deeply into the nuances of fungal community composition across the urban landscapes of Beijing, Fuzhou, Kunming, and Urumqi in China. It evaluates the accuracy of biogeographic inference facilitated by the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fungal sequencing while concurrently laying a robust foundation for the operational integration of environmental DNA into geographical inference mechanisms. MethodsITS2 region of the fungal genomes was amplified using universal primers known as 5.8S-Fun/ITS4-Fun, and the resulting DNA fragments were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq FGx platform. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) was employed to visually represent the differences between samples, while analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) were utilized to statistically evaluate the dissimilarities in community composition across samples. Furthermore, using Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis to identify and filter out species that exhibit significant differences between various cities. In addition, we leveraged SourceTracker to predict the geographic origins of the dust samples. ResultsAmong the four cities of Beijing, Fuzhou, Kunming and Urumqi, Beijing has the highest species richness. The results of species annotation showed that there were significant differences in the species composition and relative abundance of fungal communities in the four cities. NMDS analysis revealed distinct clustering patterns of samples based on their biogeographic origins in multidimensional space. Samples from the same city exhibited clear clustering, while samples from different cities showed separation along the first axis. The results from ANOSIM and PERMANOVA confirmed the significant differences in fungal community composition between the four cities, with the most pronounced distinctions observed between Fuzhou and Urumqi. Notably, the biogeographic origins of all known dust samples were successfully predicted. ConclusionSignificant differences are observed in the fungal species composition and relative abundance among the cities of Beijing, Fuzhou, Kunming, and Urumqi. Employing fungal ITS2 sequencing on dust samples from these urban areas enables accurate inference of biogeographical locations. The high feasibility of utilizing fungal community data in dust for biogeographical inferences holds particular promise in the field of forensic science.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the methods, fixation points, and effectiveness of staged therapy using external fixation frame in treatment of infectious nonunion near knee joint. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 60 patients with infectious nonunion near knee joint, who underwent staged therapy using external fixation frame between June 2021 and June 2024 and were followed up. There were 48 males and 12 females with an average age of 47.9 years (range, 16-70 years). The disease duration ranged from 9 months to 20 years, with a median of 14 months. Among them, 21 cases of infectious nonunion located in the distal femur, 36 cases in the proximal tibia, and 3 cases in the patella; 12 cases exhibited segmental bone defects (≥4 cm), while 48 cases presented with localized bone defects (<4 cm). Osteomyelitis was classified using the Cierny-Mader system, with 3 cases classified as type Ⅰ, 6 cases as type Ⅱ, 35 cases as type Ⅲ, and 16 cases as type Ⅳ. Preoperative C-reactive protein levels ranged from 15.1 to 55.8 mg/L (mean, 36.4 mg/L). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 35-80 mm/1 h (mean, 56.9 mm/1 h). The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score for knee joint was 69.3±17.7 and the range of motion was (70.61±40.60)°. After debridement and placement of antibiotic carriers at the first-stage operation, unilateral orbital frames ( n=14), combined frames ( n=27), or Ilizarov frames ( n=19) were used for cross joint fixation ( n=9) or joint preservation fixation ( n=51). After 6-8 weeks of infection control, the bone grafting or bone transport was performed at the second-stage operation based on the type of bone defect, with internal fixation employed as an adjunct if necessary. After operation, the infection control and fracture healing were observed and the bone healing time was recorded. The knee joint function was assessed using the HSS score, and the knee joint range of motion was measured as well as the angle of motion loss. Patients were grouped according to the site of nonunion, type of external fixation frame, and fixation method. The bone healing time, change value of HSS score, and knee joint range of motion loss (difference between pre- and post-operation) were compared between groups. RESULTS: All infection markers returned to the normal range within 6 weeks after the first-stage operation. All patients were followed up 12-48 months (mean, 22.0 months) after the second-stage operation. There were 5 cases of needle tract infection during the external fixation period, and 3 cases of infection recurrence after the second-stage operation, all of which were cured after symptomatic treatment. The bone healing time was 6-18 months (mean, 11.0 months). At last follow-up, the HSS score was 88.5±7.9 and the range of motion was (61.84±40.59)°, with significant differences compared to preoperative values ( P<0.05); the knee joint range of motion loss was (8.77±11.07)°. The bone healing time was significantly longer in the distal femur group than in the proximal tibia group ( P<0.05), and in the unilateral orbital frames group than in the Ilizarov frames group and the combined frames group ( P<0.05). The angle of motion loss was significantly larger in the Ilizarov frames group than in the unilateral orbital frames group and the combined frames group ( P<0.05). The change value of HSS score was significantly higher in the cross joint fixation group than in the joint preservation fixation group ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION During the first-stage operation, debridement is performed and antibiotic carriers are placed to control infection. External fixation frames are then precisely positioned based on the distance between the lesion and the joint surface, avoiding the infected wound while ensuring mechanical balance. During the second-stage operation, bone grafting options are selected according to the extent of bone defects to enhance the bone union. Postoperative early functional exercises of the knee joint are permitted to improve joint function.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Fractures, Ununited/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; External Fixators ; Aged ; Knee Joint/surgery* ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Osteomyelitis/surgery* ; Fracture Fixation/instrumentation* ; Bone Transplantation ; Tibial Fractures/surgery*

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in regulating many physiological processes. Activating the AhR-CYP1A1 axis has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy against various inflammatory diseases. Here, a practical in situ cell-based fluorometric assay was constructed to screen AhR-CYP1A1 axis modulators, via functional sensing of CYP1A1 activities in live cells. Firstly, a cell-permeable, isoform-specific enzyme-activable fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 was rationally constructed for in-situ visualizing the dynamic changes of CYP1A1 function in living systems, which was subsequently used for discovering the efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis. Following screening of a compound library, LAC-7 was identified as an efficacious activator of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis, which dose-dependently up-regulated the expression levels of both CYP1A1 and AhR in multiple cell lines. LAC-7 also suppressed macrophage M1 polarization and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages. Animal tests showed that LAC-7 could significantly mitigate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice, and markedly reduced the levels of multiple inflammatory factors. Collectively, an optimized fluorometric cell-based assay was devised for in situ functional imaging of CYP1A1 activities in living systems, which strongly facilitated the discovery of efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis as novel anti-inflammatory agents.

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

Objective To explore the expression and significance of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs)in peripheral blood of primary Sj?gren's syndrome(pSS)patients across different disease activity levels,and the predictive value of NETs and routine laboratory markers antithrombin Ⅲ(AT Ⅲ),alkaline phosphatase(ALP)and carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)for pSS disease activity.Methods A total of 94 newly diagnosed pSS patients at the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2021 to December 2023 were categorized into active(n=49)and non-active(n=45)groups based on the European League Against Rheumatism(EULAR)Sj?gren's Syndrome disease activity index(ESSDAI).The levels of NETs biomarkers,namely serum myeloperoxidase(MPO)-DNA,were measured using ELISA.Laboratory routine indicators and MPO-DNA were integrated into multivariate Logistic regression to screen for independent influencing factors of pSS disease activity.Pearson's correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between MPO-DNA levels and ESSDAI scores.The efficacy of MPO-DNA alone or in combination with AT Ⅲ,ALP and CA125,for predictors of disease activity was evaluated using ROC curve.Results Serum MPO-DNA(23.884±3.494 μg/L),ALP(80.159±34.318 U/L)and CA125(20.300±16.560 U/ml)levels of active pSS patients were higher than those in the non-active patients(19.024±3.324 μ g/L,67.500±21.166U/L,13.200±6.340 U/ml),while AT Ⅲ(89.180±15.040 ng/ml)was lower than that in non-active patients(94.650±11.620 ng/ml),with significant differences(t=-7.921,-2.426,-2.925,2.094,all P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed laboratory indicator MPO-DNA,ALP and CA125 were independent risk factors,while AT Ⅲ was an independent protective factor(all P＜0.05).MPO-DNA was positively correlated with ESSDAI scores(r=0.602,P＜0.01).The AUC(95％CI)of the combination of ALP,CA125 and AT Ⅲ for predicting disease activity in pSS was 0.711(0.612～0.810).The AUC(95％CI)of MPO-DNA alone for predicting disease activity in pSS was 0.837(0.758～0.915),and the AUC(95％CI)of combination of MPO-DNA,ALP,CA125 and AT Ⅲ for predicting disease activity in pSS was 0.866(0.797～0.935),showing an improving in the predictive value.Conclusion The involvement of NETs in the occurrence and expression levels of pSS is related to its disease activity.NETs combined with ALP,CA125 and AT Ⅲ have effective diagnostic performance for the disease activity of pSS.This tool can serve as a biological indicator for predicting the disease activity of pSS.

Objective:To study the changes in skeletal muscle and serum nutritional indicators during concurrent chemoradiotherapy in cervical cancer patients,and to evaluate their correlation with short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 114 patients with cervical cancer who underwent radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the Department of Oncology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from February 2019 to February 2023. All patients underwent a treatment regimen comprising external beam radiation (EBRT),internal radiation,and concurrent chemotherapy. Serum nutritional data of the patients were collected before radiotherapy,one week,two weeks and five weeks after the onset of radiotherapy. CT images of the patients at the time of simulation and about five weeks after the onset of radiotherapy were imported into the Pinnacle 39.10 planning system,and the skeletal muscle index (SMI) of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) were calculated for each patients. The changes of the serum nutritional indicators of the patients prior to and post EBRT were analyzed statistically. The patients are categorized into two groups according to the baseline SMI:a sarcopenic group consisting of 35 cases and a non-sarcopenic group comprising 79 cases. The therapeutic outcomes between the two groups were compared,and logistic analysis of the relevant factors affecting the occurrence of sarcopenia during radiotherapy was conducted. The survival curves were drawn using Kaplan-Meier method and disease-free survival (DFS) between the two groups was compared using Log Rank test. We used Cox univariate and multivariate regression analysis to identify prognostic factors related to DFS. Results:The serum nutritional indicators of the patient at one week,two weeks,and five weeks after the beginning of EBRT were significantly lower than those before radiotherapy (P<0.05). The SMI from the CT images of simulation at five weeks after the onset of radiotherapy was significantly lower than that before radiotherapy (P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between hemoglobin levels prior to radiotherapy and incidence of sarcopenia during radiotherapy (P=0.046). There was no significant difference in efficacy between the two groups at the end of EBRT (P>0.05). At the end of radiotherapy,the complete response (CR) rate of the non-sarcopenia group was significantly higher than that of the sarcopenia group (P=0.040). However,the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of both groups at the end of radiotherapy were 100％. The 2-year DFS of the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group were 66.7％ and 85.5％,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.016). Only four patients died during the 2-year follow-up,so OS was not reached. Baseline SMI,serum squamous cell antigen levels prior to radiotherapy,and degree of bone marrow suppression were three independent prognostic factors affecting DFS in the patients. Conclusion:Cervical cancer patients experience significant nutritional loss during chemoradiotherapy,and baseline SMI is significantly correlated with short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis and can serve as a predictive marker for patients with cervical cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Based on the principle of'treating disease and seeking the root cause',Professor FU Wen-Bin proposed'treating radiation encephalopathy(REP)from yang',pointing out that the main pathogenesis of REP is yang qi deficiency,brain spirit dystrophy,phlegm and blood stasis blocking orifices.Using'supplementing yang and unblocking yang simultaneously','treating spirit from heart and gallbladder',combined with the method of regulating spirit and unblocking orifices at acupoints of governor vessol and conception vessel,and using the integrated acupuncture mode of'firstly applying needling,secondly using moxibustion,thirdly focusing on consolidation'to play the role of supporting yang and treating spirit can effectively relieve symptoms and delay the development of the disease.

Objective:To explore the effects of computer-navigated surgery and traditional surgery on the functional and oncological outcomes of pelvic chondrosarcoma.Methods:Retrospective analysis of 136 cases of pelvic chondrosarcoma surgically treated at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from January 2000 to December 2017. There were 65 males and 71 females with an average age of 46.07±13.37 years (range 13-73 years). There were 120 primary cases and 16 secondary cases, of which 109 cases were ordinary chondrosarcoma (7 cases with pathological differentiation grade I, 83 cases with grade II. There were 109 cases of common type chondrosarcoma (7 cases of pathological differentiation grade I, 83 cases of grade II, 19 cases of grade III), 21 cases of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma, 3 cases of mesenchymal type, 2 cases of clear cell type, 1 case of mucinous type; 12 cases of malignant degeneration of multilocular chondrosarcoma of bone; 104 cases of Enneking staging stage IB, 32 cases of stage IIB. According to the pelvis zone classification, there were 14 cases of pelvic zone I, 1 case of zone II, 13 cases of zone III, 16 cases of zone I+II, 16 cases of zone I+IV, 47 cases of zone II+III, 25 cases of zone I+II+III, 25 cases of zone I+II+III, 4 cases of zone I + II + III + IV. All cases were classified as intracapsular, marginal, or wide resection according to the resection boundary classification. There were 45 cases in computer-navigated surgery (navigated group) and 91 cases in non-navigated surgery group. The demographic data, preoperative tumor staging, surgical characteristics, surgical boundary classification, oncological indexes, reconstruction methods, postoperative complications, and bone and soft tissue tumor function score (Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score, MSTS) were compared between the two groups.Results:No surgical complications related to the computerized navigation system occurred in the navigation group. The postoperative follow-up time was 68.56±37.82 months (range 6-197 months) and 76.85±52.60 months (range 5-225 months) for the navigation and non-navigation groups, respectively. The MSTS was 25.43±2.85 and 24.56±4.19 points in the navigation and non-navigation groups, respectively, with no significant difference ( t=1.191, P=0.237). There were 10 cases of marginal resection and 35 cases of wide resection in the navigation group, and 12 cases of intracapsular resection, 32 cases of marginal resection and 47 cases of wide resection in the non-navigation group with significant difference (χ 2=10.977, P=0.004). There were 4 cases (8.9%, 4/45) of local recurrence after surgery in the navigation group and 20 cases (21.9%, 20/91) in the non-navigation group, with significant difference (χ 2=4.040, P=0.046). There were 2 cases of final amputation and 2 cases of re-excision with recurrence in the navigation group and 6 cases of final amputation and 14 cases of re-excision in the non-navigation group. Distant metastases occurred in 3 cases (7%, 3/45) in the navigation group and 18 cases (20%, 18/91) in the non-navigation group wtih significant difference (χ 2=4.478, P=0.034). The five-year postoperative survival rates of the navigation and non-navigation groups were 93.3% and 72.6%, and the three- and five-year progression-free survival rates were 91.1% and 84.4% and 74.8% and 62.7%, respectively, with significant differences (χ 2=5.081, P=0.024; χ 2=6.800, P=0.009). The five-year survival rate of stage IB tumors was 96.7% in the navigation group and 84.5% in the non-navigation group with significant difference (χ 2=3.897, P=0.048); the five-year survival rate of stage IIB tumors was 75.0% in the navigation group and 35.0% in the non-navigation group with no significant difference ( P>0.05). Postoperative complications included 15 cases of postoperative infection, 16 cases of deep vein thrombosis, 14 cases of double lower limb inequality, 2 cases of prosthesis dislocation, 2 cases of lymphedema, 1 case of hernia and 1 case of allograft bone resorption. There was no significant difference of complication rates between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Computer navigation-assisted resection of pelvic chondrosarcoma was better in obtaining a safe surgical border of the tumor compared with traditional surgery, reducing the rate of local recurrence of the tumor and thus effectively improved the survival and prognosis of patients.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

Mitral annular calcification(MAC)is an age-related,chronic,degenerative change in localized fibrous support structures,and current research suggests that it is a process similar to the active onset of atherosclerosis and aortic valve calcification,both of which are accompanied by the deposition of lipoprotein(α)[Lp(α)]and the formation of chronic inflammatory foci.Among them,Lp(α)is the hot spot of research.In recent years,the relationship between Lp(α)and aortic valve calcification has received extensive attention.A large number of studies have demonstrated that elevated Lp(α)and its associated oxidized phospholipids(OxPL)can promote aortic valve calcification and stenosis through multiple calcium-regulated pathways,but the pathophysiological process of MAC is much more complex and unclear,and there has been a preliminary exploration of the relationship between Lp(α)and MAC.To make the current relationship between the two clearer,and thus provide new possibilities for preventing or delaying MAC,the paper will review the three aspects of MAC,Lp(α),and the research progress between the two.