Objective: To investigate the effect of different surface treatment protocols on the surface properties and immediate shear bond strength (SBS) between 3D-printed zirconia and resin cement to provide a reference for clinical practice. Methods: Disc-shaped zirconia specimens (Ø 14 mm× 1.2 mm) with two different surface designs were fabricated using 3D printing technology: a smooth surface (Group S) and microporous surface (Group M), with 40 specimens in each group. Each group was further randomly divided into four subgroups according to surface treatment: untreated (Subgroup U), alumina sandblasting (Subgroup ST), alumina sandblasting + Z-Prime ceramic primer (Subgroup ZP), and alumina sandblasting + Monobond N ceramic primer (Subgroup MN). The surface morphology was examined, roughness was measured, and wettability was evaluated via contact-angle testing. Composite resin cylinders (Ø 3.5 mm× 2.0 mm) were bonded to the zirconia surfaces with resin cement. Immediate SBS was determined by shear testing, and failure modes were analyzed. Results: Scanning electron microscopy revealed clear micro-grooves (2-5 μm wide) in Subgroup S-U and micropores (approximately 400 μm in diameter) in Subgroup M-U. After sandblasting, the micro-grooves in Subgroup S-ST were partially destroyed with some micro-cracks, while the microporous structure in Subgroup M-ST remained clear. Compared with Subgroups S-U and M-U, sandblasted zirconia specimens (Subgroups S-ST, S-ZP, S-MN, M-ST, M-ZP, M-MN) showed significantly increased roughness and decreased contact angles. Different surface treatments significantly affected SBS between 3D-printed zirconia and resin. Sandblasted groups (Subgroups S-ST and M-ST) had significantly higher SBS than untreated groups (Subgroups S-U and M-U). The application of ceramic primers after sandblasting (Subgroups S-ZP, S-MN, M-ZP, M-MN) further increased SBS; however, there was no statistically significant difference in SBS between the two primers used after sandblasting (Subgroup S-ZP vs. S-MN, Subgroup M-ZP vs. M-MN). Under the same surface treatment, microporous surface groups (Subgroups M-U, M-ST, M-MN, M-ZP) all exhibited significantly higher SBS than smooth surface groups (Subgroups S-U, S-ST, S-MN, S-ZP). Conclusion Fabricating a microporous surface using 3D printing technology can improve resin bonding effectiveness. Sandblasting combined with a ceramic primer yields the highest immediate SBS.

Background: and Purpose Live cell-based assays (LCBA) are increasingly used for serological antibody detection due to their ability to preserve antigen conformation, offering moderately higher sensitivity than fixed cell-based assays. However, the clinical necessity of prioritizing LCBA for the detection of aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remains unclear, especially when compared to its established role in diagnosing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease. Methods: We compared the performance of live cell-based assays using immunofluorescence (LCBA-IF) and fixed cell-based assays using immunofluorescence (FCBA-IF) in detecting AQP4-IgG in 90 cases of NMOSD meeting 2015 International Panel for Neuromyelitis Optica Diagnosis criteria, alongside 40 controls. Additionally, we further investigated the relationship between AQP4-IgG titers as measured by LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF and clinical parameters in NMOSD patients. Results: Results showed 96.9% agreement between LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF (Cohen’s κ=0.935), with a strong Spearman correlation (0.977, p<0.001). Both methods demonstrated 100% specificity, with LCBA-IF showing slightly higher sensitivity compared to FCBA-IF. Within LCBAIF-tested groups, statistically significant differences in annualized relapse rates were observed across all pairwise comparisons (low-titer vs. moderate-titer, low-titer vs. high-titer, and moderate-titer vs. high-titer; all p<0.050). However, this association reached statistical significance in some FCBA-IF-tested groups. Conclusions Overall, there is a strong concordance between LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF in detecting AQP4-IgG, where LCBA-IF shows slightly higher sensitivity. Furthermore, there is a potential link between elevated AQP4-IgG titers and an increased risk of relapse, and this correlation may appear more pronounced when using LCBA-IF.

ObjectiveTo investigate the patterns of chronic disease comorbidity among permanent elderly residents in Xuhui District of Shanghai, and to analyze the impact of different comorbidity patterns on the elderly’s ability to perform activities of daily living. MethodsBased on data from the 2015 and 2021 Surveys on Health Status and Health Service Utilization among Permanent Residents in Xuhui District of Shanghai, the study included permanent residents who fully participated in both surveys, were aged 60 years or older at the 2015 survey, self-reported having a chronic disease, and reported no significant changes in their chronic disease status between the two surveys. A prospective cohort study design was adopted, using the 2015 data as the baseline and the 2021 survey data as follow-up data. Physical examinations and questionnaire surveys were conducted by the Shanghai Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the subdistricts and towns within the jurisdiction from April to July in both 2015 and 2021. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to classify comorbidity patterns across 11 types of chronic diseases. The smaller the values of the Akaike information criterion (AIC), the Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and the sample-corrected Bayesian information criterion (aBIC), the better the model fits. The Barthel index (BI) and the Lawton and Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (LB-IADL) were used to assess the participants’ activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Multiple linear regression and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between different comorbidity patterns and ADL and IADL. ResultsA total of 1 608 study participants were enrolled. Among them, 671 (41.73%) self-reported having no chronic diseases. The prevalence of 11 types of chronic diseases was as follows: hypertension in 743 participants (46.21%), heart disease in 148 participants (9.20%), cerebrovascular disease in 37 participants (2.30%), diabetes or abnormal blood glucose in 310 participants (19.28%), other endocrine system diseases (non-diabetic) in 39 participants (2.43%), malignant tumors in 37 participants (2.30%), chronic lung disease in 16 participants (1.00%), gout in 8 participants (0.50%), musculoskeletal disorders in 34 participants (2.11%), gastric or digestive system diseases in 27 participants (1.68%), and dyslipidemia in 15 participants (0.93%). LCA was used to classify comorbidity patterns of chronic diseases among older adults into 1 to 9 latent category combinations. Model 5 (i.e., 5 latent categories) had the lowest BIC (7 112.69) and aBIC (6 909.38), with a relatively low AIC (6 768.20), indicating the best model fit; thus, five latent categories represented the optimal combination in this study. The five latent categories (and their respective proportions of study participants) were the healthy control group (41.73%), the hypertension group (31.28%), the diabetes-hypertension group (19.28%), the severe illness group (5.29%), and the other metabolic diseases group (2.43%). According to multiple linear regression analyses, compared with the healthy control group, the diabetes-hypertension group had significantly lower BI-20 scores (b=-0.952, 95%CI: -1.317‒ -0.587, P<0.001) and lower IADL scores (b=-0.744, 95%CI: -0.999‒ -0.489, P<0.001); the severe illness group (b=-0.644, 95%CI: -1.072‒ -0.217, P=0.003) and the hypertension group (b=-0.344, 95%CI: -0.562‒ -0.125, P=0.002) had lower IADL scores. According to multivariate logistic regression analyses, compared with the healthy control group, older adults in the diabetes-hypertension group had a higher risk of disability (OR=2.835, 95%CI: 1.392‒5.774), impaired ADL function (OR=2.470, 95%CI: 1.637‒3.726), and impaired IADL function (OR=1.739, 95%CI: 1.264‒2.392); older adults in the severe illness group had a higher risk of impaired ADL function (OR=2.206, 95%CI: 1.171‒4.155). ConclusionAmong the elderly participating in the Survey on Health Status and Health Service Utilization of Permanent Residents in Xuhui District of Shanghai, diabetes-hypertension is one of the key chronic disease comorbidity combinations and has adverse effects on both ADL and IADL. Community health management should prioritize the elderly with diabetes-hypertension comorbidity, and strengthen early screening and comprehensive interventions to slow the decline in ADL and IADL.

Objective To compare the efficacy of five Blastocystis staining method for staining cells with different morphologies and in different developmental stages to select appropriate staining techniques for specific scenarios and experimental purposes. Methods Blastocystis was stained using Wright-Giemsa, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Oil Red O, Nile Red, and Lugol's iodine solution respectively. The staining effects of the five method on Blastocystis were compared. Results Wright-Giemsa staining colored the cytoplasm and nucleus of Blastocystis bluish-purple, with other parts lightly stained; PAS staining rendered Blastocystis cells red; Oil Red O staining showed different structures within Blastocystis in varying intensities of orange-red; Nile Red enabled Blastocystis to fluoresce orange-yellow under a fluorescence microscope; Lugol's iodine solution stained the cytoplasm and nucleus a dark brownish-yellow. Conclusions Wright-Giemsa staining is recommended for clinical diagnosis. For metabolic studies, a combination of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and Oil Red O staining is suggested; PAS + Oil Red O staining can provide comprehensive morphological evidence for cell metabolism research. Nile Red staining is recommended for dynamic observation of live Blastocystis. Lugol's iodine staining is suitable for preliminary screening of large-scale samples.

The recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) can be used for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) preparation before ¹³¹I therapy, and follow-up. Since its approval by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998, rhTSH has been clinically used in European countries, the United States, and other countries for nearly 30 years. In April 2024, China’s first independently developed rhTSH agent was approved. Based on clinical experience and evidence from domestic and international studies, an expert consensus on the application of rhTSH has been developed following thorough consultations among experts. The consensus offers evidence-based recommendations to guide the appropriate use of rhTSH in clinical practice.

Objective To describe the significance of the pretreatment inflammatory indicators in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after undergoing radical radiotherapy. Methods The data of 246 ESCC patients who underwent radical radiotherapy were retrospectively collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the optimal cutoff values for platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses by using the Cox proportional risk regression model. Software R (version 4.2.0) was used to create the nomogram of prognostic factors. Results The results of the ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cutoff values of PLR, NLR, and SII were 146.06, 2.67, and 493.97, respectively. The overall response rates were 77.6% and 64.5% in the low and high NLR groups, respectively (P<0.05). The results of the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the prognosis of patients in the low PLR, NLR, and SII group was better than that of patients in the high PLR, NLR, and SII group (all P<0.05). The results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that gender, treatment modalities, T stage, and NLR were independent factors affecting the overall survival (OS). In addition, T stage and NLR were independent factors affecting the progression-free survival (PFS) (all P<0.05). The nomogram models of OS and PFS prediction were established based on multivariate analysis. The C-index values were 0.703 and 0.668. The calibration curves showed excellent consistency between the predicted and observed OS and PFS. Conclusion The pretreatment values of PLR, NLR, and SII are correlated with the prognosis of patients with ESCC who underwent radical radiotherapy. Moreover, NLR is an independent factor affecting the OS and PFS of ESCC patients. The NLR-based nomogram model has a good predictive ability.

The phase changes and quantity-quality transfer of 17 batches of Ostreae Concha(Ostrea rivularis) during the raw material-calcined decoction pieces-standard decoction process were analyzed. The content of calcium carbonate(CaCO_3), the main component, was determined by chemical titration, and the extract yield and transfer rate were calculated. The CaCO_3 content in the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction was 94.39%-98.80%, 95.03%-99.22%, and 84.58%-90.47%, respectively. The process of raw material to calcined decoction pieces showed the yield range of 96.85% to 98.55% and the CaCO_3 transfer rate range of 96.92% to 99.27%. The process of calcined decoction pieces to standard decoction showed the extract yield range of 2.86% to 5.48% and the CaCO_3 transfer rate range of 2.59% to 5.13%. The results of X-ray fluorescence(XRF) assay showed that the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction mainly contained Ca, Na, Mg, Si, Br, Cl, Al, Fe, Cr, Mn, and K. The chemometric results showed an increase in the relative content of Cr, Fe, and Si from raw material to calcined decoction pieces and an increase in the relative content of Mg, Al, Br, K, Cl, and Na from calcined decoction pieces to standard decoction. X-ray diffraction(XRD) was employed to establish XRD characteristic patterns of the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction. The XRD results showed that the main phase of all three was calcite, and no transformation of crystalline form or generation of new phase was observed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) was employed to establish the FTIR characteristic spectra of the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction. The FTIR results showed that the raw material had internal vibrations of O-H, C-H, C=O, C-O, and CO■ groups. Due to the loss of organic matter components after calcination, no information about the vibrations of C-H, C=O, and C-O groups was observed in the spectra of calcined decoction pieces and standard decoction. In summary, this study elucidated the quantity-quality transfer and phase changes in the raw material-calcined decoction pieces-standard decoction process by determining the CaCO_3 content, calculating the extract yield and transfer rate, and comparing the element changes, FTIR characteristic spectra, and XRD characteristic pattern. The results were reasonable and reliable, laying a foundation for the subsequent process research and quality control of the formula granules of calcined Ostreae Concha(O. rivularis Gould), and providing ideas and methods for the quality control of the whole process of raw material-decoction pieces-standard decoction-formula granules of Ostreae Concha and other testacean traditional Chinese medicine.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Calcium Carbonate/analysis* ; Quality Control

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xiaoji Hufei Formula in protecting children with close contact exposure to influenza， and to provide reference and evidence-based support for better clinical prevention and treatment of influenza in children. MethodsA multicenter， prospective， non-randomized， parallel， controlled trial was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 in five hospitals， including Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Confirmed influenza cases and influenza-like illness （ILI） cases were collected， and eligible children with close contact exposure to these cases were recruited in the outpatient clinics. According to whether the enrolled close contacts were willing to take Xiaoji Hufei formula for influenza prevention， they were assigned to the observation group （108 cases） or the control group （108 cases）. Follow-up visits were conducted on days 7 and 14 after enrollment. The primary outcomes were the incidence of ILI and the rate of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Secondary outcomes included traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom score scale for influenza， influenza-related emergency （outpatient） visit rate， influenza hospitalization rate， and time to onset after exposure to influenza cases. ResultsA total of 216 participants were enrolled， with 108 in the observation group and 108 in the control group. Primary outcomes： （1） Incidence of ILI： The incidence was 12.0% （13/108） in the observation group and 23.1% （25/108） in the control group， with the observation group showing a significantly lower incidence （χ²=4.6， P<0.05）. （2） Influenza confirmation rate： 3.7% （4/108） in the observation group and 4.6% （5/108） in the control group， with no statistically significant difference. Secondary outcomes： （1） TCM symptom score scale： after onset， nasal congestion and runny nose scores differed significantly between the two groups （P<0.05）， while other symptoms such as fever， sore throat， and cough showed no significant differences. （2） Influenza-related emergency （outpatient） visit rate： 84.6% （11 cases） in the observation group and 96.0% （24 cases） in the control group， with no significant difference. （3） Time to onset after exposure： The median onset time after exposure to index patients was 7 days in the observation group and 4 days in the control group， with a statistically significant difference （P<0.05）. ConclusionIn previously healthy children exposed to infectious influenza cases under unprotected conditions， Xiaoji Hufei formula prophylaxis significantly reduced the incidence of ILI. Xiaoji Hufei Formula can be recommended as a specific preventive prescription for influenza in children.

Objective To investigate the status of population dynamics and distribution changes of Aedes aegypti in Guangdong Province.Methods Continuous monitoring was conducted from May 2018 to July 2024 in Wushi Town and Qishui Town,Leizhou City,Zhanjiang City,Guangdong Province.Additionally,a survey of the distribution of Ae.aegypti along the Leizhou Peninsula coast was carried out.Results The density of Ae.aegypti in Zhanjiang showed a gradual decline from 2018 to 2024.The last detection of adult Ae.aegypti in Wushi Town was in September 2021,and the last larva was found in October 2023.No Ae.aegypti was detected in Qishui Town during surveys from 2021 to 2024.A survey of 18 coastal villages in the Leizhou Peninsula revealed no detections of Ae.aegypti.Conclusions This study provides a basis for understanding the distribution and population density fluctuations of Ae.aegypti,assessing its invasion risk,and scientifically conducting relevant prevention and control efforts.

Objective To analyze the supply situation of pharmaceutical markets in some regions of Africa,and provide medical information references for Chinese enterprises and citizens entering Africa for their business and their life. Methods A comparative analysis method was used to establish a database by Excel. The ATC codes were used as the standard, to compare the similarities and differences in pharmaceutical supply varieties in four African countries and regions. Databases such as the WHO, the World Bank, and PubMed were searched to collect characteristics of pharmaceutical supply varieties and analyze the causes. Results South Africa, with a high level of medical care, has more variety of systemic anti-infective drugs and antimicrobial drugs for diarrhea treatment, but fewer varieties of antiparasitic drugs and cardiovascular system medications. This is mainly due to the high incidence of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. In poorer French West Africa, there are many antiparasitic drugs, insecticides, and anthelmintics, but fewer antineoplastic drugs and immunomodulatory drugs, which is mainly related to the high incidence of infectious diseases such as malaria. Egypt has a slightly smaller variety of systemic anti-infective drugs, antiparasitic drugs, insecticides, and anthelmintics, which benefits from its higher economic level and better control of infectious diseases and parasitic diseases. Central Africa has more varieties of compound formulations, which was possibly related to the irregular drug registration management and lower levels of medical insurance. Conclusion The variety of drugs supplied in African regions has both commonalities and differences, which are closely related to their geographical climate environment, living and dietary habits, economic conditions, and levels of medical insurance. This suggests that when Chinese citizens enter Africa, they need to prepare according to the drug supply situations in different countries.