Introduction::The triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, a novel biomarker for metabolic syndrome (MetS), has been validated in the general population as being significantly correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, its capabilities to predict CVD in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLWH) remain underexplored.Methods::We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 16,081 PLWH who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen (China) from 2005 to 2022. The baseline TG/HDL-C ratio was calculated as TG (mmol/L) divided by HDL-C (mmol/L). We employed a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to assess the association between the TG/HDL-C ratio and CVD occurrence, using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests to compare survival distributions. The increase in prediction risk upon the addition of the biomarker to the conventional risk model was examined through the assessment of changes in net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Nonlinear relationships were investigated using a restricted cubic spline plot, complemented by a two-piecewise Cox proportional hazards model to analyze threshold effects.Results::At the median follow-up of 70 months, 213 PLWH developed CVD. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a significant association between the increased risk of CVD and a higher TG/HDL-C ratio (log-rank P <0.001). The multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression model indicated that the CVD hazard ratios (HR) (95% confidence intervals [95% CIs]) for Q2, Q3, and Q4 versus Q1 of the TG/HDL-C ratio were 2.07 (1.24, 3.45), 2.17 (1.32, 3.57), and 2.20 (1.35, 3.58), respectively ( P <0.05). The consideration of the TG/HDL-C ratio in the model, which included all significant factors for CVD incidence, improved the predictive risk, as indicated by the reclassification metrics (NRI 16.43%, 95% CI 3.35%-29.52%, P = 0.014). The restriction cubic spline plot demonstrated an upward trend between the TG/HDL-C ratio and the CVD occurrence ( P for nonlinear association = 0.027, P for overall significance = 0.009), with the threshold at 1.013. Significantly positive correlations between the TG/HDL-C ratio and CVD were observed below the TG/HDL-C ratio threshold with HR 5.88 (95% CI 1.58-21.88, P = 0.008), but not above the threshold with HR 1.01 (95% CI 0.88-1.15, P = 0.880). Conclusion::Our study confirms the effectiveness of the TG/HDL-C ratio as a predictor of CVD risk in PLWH, which demonstrates a significant nonlinear association. These findings indicate the potential of the TG/HDL-C ratio in facilitating early prevention and treatment strategies for CVD among PLWH.

Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis(N.pseudobrasiliensis)is a new taxon constituting an emerging species of human pathogenic Nocardia.Few clinical cases of N.pseudobrasiliensis infection have been reported.Here,we discuss the morpho-logical features,identification methods,clinical manifestations,clinical diagnosis,and treatment of N.pseudobrasiliensis,de-scribing experience in the isolation and identification of this pathogen.The case information and diagnostic process in a patient with pyothorax caused by N.pseudobrasiliensis who received treatment in Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital was analyzed retrospec-tively.The relevant literature was analyzed,and experience in diagnosis and treatment is discussed.The treating physician promptly changed the treatment from meropenem to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole combined with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,on the basis of test results and drug sensitivity information.The patient was discharged early with symptomatic relief af-ter treatment.The reporting of this case is aimed at increasing clinicians'awareness of the disease,decreasing misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis,and supporting timely diagnosis and treatment of patients with lung diseases caused by N.pseudobrasiliensis,particularly pyothorax.

High flow nasal cannula（HFNC）is a novel oxygen therapy developed in recent years，and has been successfully used in pediatric diseases such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.Although there has been a lack of clinical application guidelines in pediatrics，it has been increasingly applied to the treatment of exacerbations of bronchial asthma.This review focused on efficacy，application timing，complications and parameters adjustment of HFNC in children with asthma exacerbation，so as to further guide the clinical use.

The maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is a complex process involving numerous cell-extrinsic and -intrinsic regulators. The first member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family of inhibitors to be identified, p21, has been reported to perform a wide range of critical biological functions, including cell cycle regulation, transcription, differentiation, and so on. Given the previous inconsistent results regarding the functions of p21 in HSCs in a p21-knockout mouse model, we employed p21-tdTomato (tdT) mice to further elucidate its role in HSCs during homeostasis. The results showed that p21-tdT+ HSCs exhibited increased self-renewal capacity compared to p21-tdT- HSCs. Zbtb18, a transcriptional repressor, was upregulated in p21-tdT+ HSCs, and its knockdown significantly impaired the reconstitution capability of HSCs. Furthermore, p21 interacted with ZBTB18 to co-repress the expression of cKit in HSCs and thus regulated the self-renewal of HSCs. Our data provide novel insights into the physiological role and mechanisms of p21 in HSCs during homeostasis independent of its conventional role as a cell cycle inhibitor.
Animals ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21/genetics* ; Mice ; Cell Self Renewal ; Repressor Proteins/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Humans ; Gene Expression Regulation

AIM: To investigate the changes in retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)and macular retinal thickness(MRT)in children with refractive abnormalities and amblyopia, and their predictive value of outcome.METHODS: A total of 168 children with myopic refractive abnormalities and monocular amblyopia admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to October 2022 were selected as the observation group, with 118 cases of mild to moderate amblyopia and 50 cases of severe amblyopia, and 168 children with normal vision were included as the control group in a 1:1 ratio during the same period. The changes of RNFL and MRT in two groups of children were statistically counted, and the correlation between the severity of refractive abnormalities and RNFL and MRT in children with amblyopia was analyzed. Additionally, the observation group was divided into effective subgroup and ineffective subgroup based on the therapeutic effect. The general information, as well as RNFL and MRT of the effective subgroup and the ineffective subgroups before and after treatment were compared. Logistic was used to analyze the factors influencing efficacy, and ROC curves was plotted to analyze the predictive value of RNFL and MRT alone or in combination for efficacy.RESULTS: RNFL and MRT of cases of severe amblyopia were higher than those of the mild to moderate amblyopia and the control groups(all P<0.05); the severity of amblyopia in children with refractive abnormalities is positively correlated with RNFL and MRT(rs=0.745 and0.724, both P<0.001); among patients of mild to moderate and severe, there were statistically significant differences between the effective and ineffective subgroups in terms of initial treatment age, fixation form, treatment compliance, as well as RNFL, MRT, and their differences before and 1mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). Logistic analysis showed that initial treatment age, fixation nature, treatment compliance, RNFL and MRT before and 1mo postoperatively were all factors influencing the therapeutic effect of amblyopia with refractive abnormalities in children(all P<0.05); after 1mo of treatment, the combined prediction of RNFL and MRT was significantly better than that of single prediction in children with mild to severe amblyopia.CONCLUSION:There are differences in RNFL and MRT in children with abnormal refractive amblyopia, and they are closely related to the different degrees and curative effects of children. The combination of RNFL and MRT after 1mo of treatment has certain value in predicting children with different degrees of abnormal refractive amblyopia.

Objectives: To investigated the safety and efficacy of treating patients with acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and elevated levels of N-terminal pro-hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with levosimendan within 24 hours of first medical contact (FMC). Methods: This multicenter, open-label, block-randomized controlled trial (NCT03189901) investigated the safety and efficacy of levosimendan as an early management strategy of acute heart failure (EMS-AHF) for patients with NSTEMI and high NT-proBNP levels. This study included 255 patients with NSTEMI and elevated NT-proBNP levels, including 142 males and 113 females with a median age of 65 (58-70) years, and were admitted in the emergency or outpatient departments at 14 medical centers in China between October 2017 and October 2021. The patients were randomly divided into a levosimendan group (n=129) and a control group (n=126). The primary outcome measure was NT-proBNP levels on day 3 of treatment and changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline on day 5 after randomization. The secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in NT-proBNP levels from baseline, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization and at 6 months after hospitalization, safety during the treatment, and health economics indices. The measurement data parameters between groups were compared using the t-test or the non-parametric test. The count data parameters were compared between groups using the χ² test. Results: On day 3, the NT-proBNP levels in the levosimendan group were lower than the control group but were statistically insignificant [866 (455, 1 960) vs. 1 118 (459, 2 417) ng/L, Z=-1.25,P=0.21]. However, on day 5, changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline in the levosimendan group were significantly higher than the control group [67.6% (33.8%,82.5%)vs.54.8% (7.3%,77.9%), Z=-2.14, P=0.03]. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in the NT-proBNP levels on day 5 between the levosimendan and the control groups [77.5% (100/129) vs. 69.0% (87/126), χ²=2.34, P=0.13]. Furthermore, incidences of MACE did not show any significant differences between the two groups during hospitalization [4.7% (6/129) vs. 7.1% (9/126), χ²=0.72, P=0.40] and at 6 months [14.7% (19/129) vs. 12.7% (16/126), χ²=0.22, P=0.64]. Four cardiac deaths were reported in the control group during hospitalization [0 (0/129) vs. 3.2% (4/126), P=0.06]. However, 6-month survival rates were comparable between the two groups (log-rank test, P=0.18). Moreover, adverse events or serious adverse events such as shock, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia were not reported in both the groups during levosimendan treatment (days 0-1). The total cost of hospitalization [34 591.00(15 527.46,59 324.80) vs. 37 144.65(16 066.90,63 919.00)yuan, Z=-0.26, P=0.80] and the total length of hospitalization [9 (8, 12) vs. 10 (7, 13) days, Z=0.72, P=0.72] were lower for patients in the levosimendan group compared to those in the control group, but did not show statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Early administration of levosimendan reduced NT-proBNP levels in NSTEMI patients with elevated NT-proBNP and did not increase the total cost and length of hospitalization, but did not significantly improve MACE during hospitalization or at 6 months.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Simendan/therapeutic use* ; Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Peptide Fragments ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Biomarkers ; Prognosis

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the clinical characteristics of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia and improve the diagnosis and treatment skills of clinicians on this disease. Methods The clinical data of thirty-nine Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia cases detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) from September 2020 to January 2022 at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Results There was a history of poultry exposure in 89.7%(35 cases) of the patients. The most common clinical manifestations were high fever (92.3%, 36), cough (76.9%,30), muscle soreness (48.7%,19), headache (38.5%,15), etc. Laboratory examinations showed 76.9% of patients had a normal leukocyte count, and 76.9% had decreased lymphocyte count, often accompanied by elevated C-reactive protein (100%), procalcitonin (97.4%), interleukin-6 (95.8%), interleukin-10 (95.8%), alanine aminotransferase (74.4%), and aspartate aminotransferase (84.6%). Univariate analysis indicated that there were statistically significant differences in the levels of aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin between severe pneumonia patients and non-severe pneumonia patients（P<0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that an elevated blood urea nitrogen (OR=4.899) had guiding significance for predicting the occurrence of severe pneumonia. Bronchoscopy examination showed no abnormalities in 53.6% of the patients. The imaging manifestations of pulmonary lesions were mainly lobar pneumonia (61.5%) and air bronchograms (94.9%). Therapeutically, it was sensitive to tetracyclines, macrocyclic lactones, and fluoroquinolones. A total of 84.6%(33 cases) of the patients were cured and discharged from the hospital at the end of the treatment. Conclusion Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia is a zoonotic disease that can be detected by mNGS. An elevated blood urea nitrogen level has guiding significance for predicting the occurrence of severe pneumonia. Empirically-selected regimens based on doxycycline are effective for the treatment of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia.

Abstract： Objective　To analyze the species distribution of microorganisms in culture tubes reported positive byBACTEC™ MGIT960 (hereafter referred to as "MGIT960") after species identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight massspectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique. Methods　From 2021 to 2022, a total of 2 662 positive tubes reported by the MGIT 960 instrument at Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory of Tianjin Center for Tuberculosis Control were collected. Liquid cultures were independently inoculated to blood plate and neutral L-J medium, and the resulting isolate strains were identified using the MALDI-TOF MS method. According to the MALDI-TOF MS results, the non-repetitive results of the same patient on the same culture medium were analyzed for the composition ratio of strain distribution. For the strains not identified by MALDI-TOF MS, 38 strains were selected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results　A total of 605 isolates were obtained from blood plates, and 501 of those were analyzed. Among them, Mycobacterium accounted for 17.76% (89/501), predominant by Mycobacterium abscess 10.18% (51/501) and Mycobacterium fortuitum 3.19% (16/501). Bacteria other than Mycobacterium accounted for 68.06% (341/501), with the main ones being Nocardia farcinica 15.57% (78/501), Gordonia sputa 9.38% (47/501) and Gordonia bronchialis 7.58% (38/501). There were 71 unidentifiable strains, making up 14.17% (71/501). A total of 2 378 strains were isolated from neutral L-J mediums, 1 748 of which were used in the incoming analysis. Among these, 78.72% (1 376/1 748) were Mycobacterium, 60.53% (1 058/1 748) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), 4.69% (82/1 748) were Mycobacterium chimaer intracellulare group and 3.55% (62/1 748) were Mycobacterium Lentiflavum. Bacteria other than Mycobacterium accounted for 17.11% (299/1 748) in neutral L-J medium isolates, with Nocardia farcinica 4.35% (76/1 748), Gordonia sputa 2.69% (47/1 748) and Gordonia bronchialis 2.12% (37/1 748) as the main species. There were 73 strains that couldn't be identified, comprising 4.18% (73/1 748). The 38 strains that not identified by MALDI-TOF MS were all found to be Actinobacteria and Firmicutes by sequencing. Conclusions　A variety of nontuberculous Mycobacterium and bacteria other than Mycobacterium were found in the positive culture tubes reported by the MGIT960 instrument, most of which could be quickly identified by mass spectrometry. Bacteria other than Mycobacterium are mainly Nocardia and Gordonia, which should be paid attention to in differential diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) and its risk factors in very preterm infants (VPIs) during hospitalization in China. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was performed on the medical data of 2 514 VPIs who were hospitalized in the department of neonatology in 28 hospitals from 7 areas of China between September 2019 and December 2020. According to the presence or absence of EUGR based on the evaluation of body weight at the corrected gestational age of 36 weeks or at discharge, the VPIs were classified to two groups: EUGR group (n=1 189) and non-EUGR (n=1 325). The clinical features were compared between the two groups, and the incidence of EUGR and risk factors for EUGR were examined. RESULTS: The incidence of EUGR was 47.30% (1 189/2 514) evaluated by weight. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher weight growth velocity after regaining birth weight and higher cumulative calorie intake during the first week of hospitalization were protective factors against EUGR (P<0.05), while small-for-gestational-age birth, prolonged time to the initiation of total enteral feeding, prolonged cumulative fasting time, lower breast milk intake before starting human milk fortifiers, prolonged time to the initiation of full fortified feeding, and moderate-to-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia were risk factors for EUGR (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is crucial to reduce the incidence of EUGR by achieving total enteral feeding as early as possible, strengthening breastfeeding, increasing calorie intake in the first week after birth, improving the velocity of weight gain, and preventing moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia in VPIs.
Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gestational Age ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: On the basis of sodium hyaluronate eye drops, to observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture on dry eye and explore the effect mechanism of ocular surface protection. METHODS: A total of 80 patients with dry eye were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine cleaning of eyelid margin, hot compress of eyes with warm towel, and external application of sodium hyaluronate eye drops for 5 weeks. On the basis of the treatment as the control group, the observation group was treated with acupuncture at Jingming (BL 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Chengqi (ST 1), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc., once a day, 6 times a week for 5 weeks (30 times totally). Before and after treatment, SchirmerⅠtest (SⅠT), breaking up time (BUT), corneal fluorescent (FL) score, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score, and the contents of IL-6 and TNF-α in tears were evaluated and the therapeutic effect was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, SⅠT and BUT after treatment in the observation group were prolonged (P<0.05), the scores of FL and OSDI and the contents of IL-6 and TNF-α in tears were decreased (P<0.05). After treatment, SⅠT and BUT in the observation group were longer than the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of FL and OSDI and the contents of IL-6 and TNF-α in tears in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 87.5% (35/40), which was higher than 45.0% (18/40) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION On the basis of sodium hyaluronate eye drops, acupuncture could improve the clinical symptoms of dry eye, promote the secretion of tears, prolong the tear film breaking up time, and reduce corneal damage, and effect mechanism may be related to the reduction of inflammatory response.
Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Interleukin-6 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Dry Eye Syndromes/therapy* ; Ophthalmic Solutions