Objective: To investigate the microbial mechanisms of Banxia Xiexin Decoction (半夏泻心汤, BXXXD) in the treatment of esophageal precancerous lesions. Methods: A total of 30 specific pathogen-free (SPF) grade female C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 6) and a 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO)-exposed group (n = 24). Esophageal precancerous lesions were induced by providing the 4-NQO-exposed group with 4-NQO in drinking water (100 μg/mL) for 17 consecutive weeks, whereas control group received sterile drinking water. After model establishment, the mice in 4-NQO-exposed group were further randomized into model group and three BXXXD-treated groups: low-dose (BXXXD-L, 3.7 g/kg), medium-dose (BXXXD-M, 7.4 g/kg), and high-dose (BXXXD-H, 14.8 g/kg) groups (n = 6 per group). During the subsequent intervention period, mice in control and model groups were gavaged with sterile water, while mice in BXXXD groups were gavaged once daily with the corresponding dose of BXXXD aqueous extract for 4 weeks. Histopathological changes in esophageal tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The fecal and esophageal microbiota were profiled via 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing to evaluate bacterial diversity, community structure, and co-occurrence networks. BXXXD chemical fingerprints were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole QExactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS). Serum short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) level was quantified by targeted metabolomics using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Transcriptomic analysis of esophageal tissues was performed to assess gene expression profiles. Results: Compared with model group, BXXXD-M group exhibited reduced mucosal hyperplasia and more orderly epithelial cell arrangement, with superior therapeutic effects in comparison with both BXXXD-L and BXXXD-H groups (P < 0.01). Microbiota analysis revealed that BXXXD increased the abundance of beneficial Enterococcus and reduced pathogenic Escherichia-Shigella in the esophagus. In the gut, BXXXD elevated the relative abundance of beneficial taxa, including Lactobacillus, Dubosiella, Bacteroides, and Faecalibacterium. Targeted metabolomics showed that BXXXD significantly reduced total serum SCFA level (P < 0.01). Transcriptomic analysis indicated that BXXXD downregulated the expression of genes associated with the progression, migration, and invasion of esophageal cancer, which were identified as kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (Klk6), defensin beta 4 (Defb4), family with sequence similarity 3 member B (Fam3b), carboxypeptidase A4 (Cpa4), serum amyloid A1 (Saa1), and chitinase-like 1 (Chil1) (P < 0.05). Conclusion BXXXD may reduce the expression levels of esophageal cancer-related genes and improve esophageal precancerous lesions through modulation of the gut microbiota and metabolites.

Objective To investigate the cognition level and behavior compliance of blood pressure measurement in community residents and analyze the related influencing factors, and to provide evidence for community health management and blood pressure control. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate 4470 community patients. Questionnaires included basic personal information，blood pressure measurement cognition, and blood pressure measurement behavior related issues. SPSS 19.0 was used to analyze the basic information, blood pressure measurement cognition, and pressure measurement behavior of the survey subjects. Logistic regression was performed to analyze relevant factors affecting blood pressure measurement cognition and behavior compliance. Results The overall cognitive compliance rate for blood pressure measurement among the visiting community patients was 31.52%. Age, education level, and chronic disease had a statistically significant impact on the cognitive knowledge (P<0.05). The overall behavior compliance rate of blood pressure measurement among the community patients was 23.69%. The cognition, age and education had a statistically significant impact on the overall behavior compliance rate of blood pressure measurement (P<0.05). Conclusion The cognitive level and standardized behavior of blood pressure measurement of community patients need to be improved. More attention should be paid to the elderly, low education level residents and community residents without chronic diseases, to promote community residents to form correct and standardized behavior of blood pressure measurement through health education.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of mumps in Shanxi Province from 2014 to 2023, so as to provide scientific evidence for targeted prevention strategies. Methods: Mumps case data in Shanxi Province were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Prevention and Control. Descriptive epidemiological analysis and age-period-cohort (APC) analysis were carried out on the reported incidence of mumps from 2014 to 2023. Results: A total of 44 360 mumps cases were reported in Shanxi Province from 2014 to 2023, with an average annual incidence rate of 11.78/100 000. The incidence rates were high during 2017-2019, which were 21.00/100 000, 16.76/100 000, and 19.51/100 000, respectively. Males had a higher incidence rate (13.50/100 000) than females (9.98/100 000). Children aged 5-9 years were the most affected group, accounting for 47.29% of total cases. In 2017 and 2019, incidence rates among the 5-15-year-old group were particularly high, reaching 155.08/100 000 and 131.78/100 000, respectively. The APC model age effect, period effect and cohort effect of the reported incidence rate in the high-incidence population aged 0-20 years all had statistical significance ( P <0.05). The age-relative risk ( RR ) decreased from 1.75 in the 0-year-old group to 0.33 in the 20-year-old group, and the birth cohort RR decreased from 2.58 in 1994 to 0.26 in 2023. The morbidity risk of the population aged 0-20 years showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing over time, among which it was the highest in 2017 ( RR =1.23) and the lowest in 2023 ( RR =0.29). Conclusions Shanxi exhibits cyclical mumps epidemics, with school-aged children as the high-risk population. School health management work should be carried out, and the surveillance of mumps in high-risk areas and the routine vaccination of two doses of mumps-containing vaccines for eligible children should be strengthened.

Objective To investigate the association of liver radiodensity with the degree and progression of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB).Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 114 CHB patients who were hospitalized in The First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January to December 2019,and related clinical data were collected,including laboratory tests and abdominal CT.The metabolic characteristics of the patients were assessed,and liver radiodensity was measured.An analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between three groups,and the Kruskal-Wallis H rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between three groups;the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between three groups.A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for the degree of liver fibrosis,and the Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for the progression of liver fibrosis in CHB.Results Among the 114 patients enrolled,43(37.72％)had no liver cirrhosis,30(26.32％)were suspected of liver cirrhosis,and 41(35.96％)had liver cirrhosis,with a median follow-up time of 538.5(322.75-1 031.50)days.Liver radiodensity on plain scan(odds ratio[OR]=0.81,95％confidence interval[CI]:0.68-0.97,P=0.025),liver radiodensity on contrast-enhanced scan(OR=0.95,95％CI:0.90-0.99,P=0.037),and liver volume(OR=0.99,95％CI:0.98-0.99,P<0.001)were independent influencing factors for the degree of liver fibrosis.The univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the low level of HDL(hazard ratio=2.81,95％CI:1.04-7.54,P=0.041)was associated with the progression of liver fibrosis in CHB patients,and the degree of liver fibrosis,liver volume,and liver radiodensity showed no significant association with the progression of liver fibrosis(all P>0.05).Conclusion In CHB patients,liver radiodensity is an independent influencing factor for the degree of liver fibrosis,and low HDL has a marked influence on the progression of liver fibrosis.

Pregabalin, a structural analog of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), has been widely prescribed since its approval in 2004 for treating various neuropathic pain conditions. In Western countries, it is also approved for managing anxiety disorders. However, concerns about its potential for abuse and dependence have led to its reclassification as a second-line treatment in recent years. Although pregabalin addiction has been reported in international studies, there have been no such reports within China. This article presents a case of addiction stemming from pregabalin abuse to manage anxiety symptoms. The patient experienced withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing the drug, which were successfully treated. The development of pregabalin addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and the OD(overdose) pattern of drug abuse in this case should draw the attention of clinicians in China.

BACKGROUND:The pathogenesis of osteoporosis is closely related to the immune system.A comprehensive and in-depth study of the relationship between immunity and osteoporosis is crucial for understanding and treating the disease.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of immune cells in osteoporosis using single-cell sequencing technology.METHODS:Femoral head tissue samples from osteoporosis and non-osteoporosis patients were downloaded from GEO database and analyzed using single-cell sequencing.Data analysis,including cell clustering,functional enrichment,pseudotime trajectory,and cell interaction analyses,was performed using R4.3.0 and software packages such as Seurat v.4.3,monocle(2.28.0),and CellChat.The femoral head tissues of patients with femoral neck fracture who underwent artificial hip replacement surgery were obtained,including two cases of osteoporosis patients and two cases of non-osteoporosis patients.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the protein expression of CCL13 and CCL18.qPCR was used to detect the immunoglobulin heavy constant γ-4,immunoglobulin λ constant 3,human class Ⅱ major histocompatibility complex DRβ1,and CD83 mRNA expression.Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of receptor-type tyrosine protein phosphatase C,CD22,and CD99.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Transcriptomic analysis identified 10 cell clusters,including osteoclasts,myeloid cells,T cells,osteoblasts,macrophages,monocytes,erythrocytes,B cells,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,and mast cells.There was an increase in the ratio of osteoclasts to T cells and a decrease in the ratio of osteoblasts to B cells in the femoral head tissue of the osteoporosis group.Among the B-cell subpopulations,the proportion of B-cells of taxa 1,3(BC1,BC3)in the femoral head tissue of the osteoporosis group was higher than that of the non-osteoporosis group,and the proportion of B-cells of taxa 2(BC2)was less than that of the non-osteoporosis group.BC1 was enriched significantly for labels such as regulation of adaptive immune response,somatic recombination of immune receptors,and modulation of lymphocyte-mediated immunity,while BC3 was enriched significantly for labels such as regulation of immunoglobulin production,response to type Ⅱ interferon,apoptotic processes involving cysteine endopeptidases,and cytotoxicity.The communication intensity between B-cell subtype BC1 and osteoblasts in the femoral head tissue of the osteoporosis group was higher than that of the non-osteoporosis group,while the communication intensity between BC3 and BC1 was also increased.The communication between BC3 and BC1 was significantly enriched in the CD22-receptor-type tyrosine protein phosphatase C pathway;the communication between BC1 and osteoblasts was mainly enriched in the CD99-CD99 pathway;and the communication between BC3 and osteoblasts was also highly enriched in the CD99-CD99 pathway.Protein expression of CCL13,CCL18,receptor-type tyrosine protein phosphatase C,CD22,CD99,immunoglobulin heavy constant γ-4,immunoglobulin λ constant 3,human class Ⅱ major histocompatibility complex DRβ1,and CD83 mRNA were higher in femoral tissues of the osteoporosis group than those of the non-osteoporosis group(P＜0.05).To conclude,specific B cell subpopulations can influence the differentiation and apoptosis of osteoblasts in the femoral tissue of osteoporosis patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of nasal pleomorphic adenoma and to share clinical insights into its diagnosis and treatment.Methods:This was a case series study. Clinical data of 12 patients with nasal pleomorphic adenoma, confirmed by histopathology, admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from 2014 to 2023, were retrospectively analyzed. This cohort included 3 males and 9 females, aged 12-84 years old. The pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, imaging features, pathological features, treatment methods and prognosis were analyzed.Results:Among the 12 patients with nasal pleomorphic adenoma, the most common symptom was nasal obstruction (8 cases), and the most common site was nasal septum (7 cases). Of the 12 patients, 9 had benign tumors, and 3 had malignant tumors. Postoperative follow-up ranged from 10 months to 9 years. One benign case recurred at 5 years after surgery and was left untreated after recurrence. The remaining 11 cases had shown no recurrence to date.Conclusions:Nasal pleomorphic adenoma is rare in clinical practice, typically occurring in the nasal septum. The primary symptom is nasal obstruction. Diagnosis is primarily based on histopathology, and surgical resection is the primary treatment.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) on postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in mice and its association with the excitability of parvalbumin (PV) neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).Methods:Twenty-four specific pathogen-free healthy male C57BL/6 mice, aged 8 weeks, weighing 18-24 g, in which adeno-associated virus (AAV) for labeling PV neurons was injected into the mPFC using stereotaxic surgery, were used in this study. Three weeks later, the mice were divided into 3 groups ( n=8 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), POCD group (group P) and cTBS group. Group C received no treatment. A mouse model of POCD was established by performing tibial fracture surgery under sevoflurane anesthesia and the mice received sham stimulation from postoperative day 0 to day 4 in group P. Group cTBS underwent POCD model establishment and received cTBS stimulation from postoperative day 0 to day 4. Cognitive function was assessed using contextual fear conditioning, Y-maze and novel object recognition tests on postoperative day 5. The spontaneous firing frequency of PV neurons in the mPFC was then measured using ex vivo patch-clamp electrophysiology. Results:The results of contextual fear conditioning test showed that compared to group C, the percentage of freezing time was significantly increased in group P ( P<0.05); compared to group P, the percentage of freezing time was significantly decreased in group cTBS ( P<0.05). The results of Y-maze test showed that compared to group C, the alternation accuracy was significantly decreased in group P ( P<0.05); compared to group P, the alternation accuracy was significantly increased in group cTBS ( P<0.05). The results of novel object recognition test showed that compared to group C, the percentage of time spent exploring the novel object was significantly decreased in group P ( P<0.05); compared to group P, this percentage of time spent exploring the novel object was significantly increased in group cTBS ( P<0.05). The results of ex vivo patch-clamp electrophysiology showed that compared to group C, the spontaneous firing frequency of PV neurons in the mPFC was significantly decreased in group P ( P<0.05); compared to group P, the spontaneous firing frequency of PV neurons in the mPFC was significantly increased in group cTBS ( P<0.05). Conclusions:cTBS can ameliorate POCD in mice, and the mechanism is related to the restoration of excitability of PV neurons in the mPFC.

Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations, pathological features, and genetic variant characteristics of children with glycogen storage disease type Ⅸa (GSD Ⅸa).Methods:A retrospective case series analysis was conducted to collected and analyzed the medical history, biochemical markers, liver ultrasound results, liver histopathological findings, genotypes, treatment regimens, and follow-up data of 4 pediatric patients diagnosed with GSD IXa in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Xiamen Children′s Hospital from January 2018 to May 2024. All patients were confirmed by genetic testing.Results:All 4 pediatric patients diagnosed with GSD Ⅸa were male. The ages of onset were 8 months, 2 years, 3 years and 3 months, 1 year and 5 months, respectively, with initial presentations including chronic diarrhea (Case 1), incidentally detected transaminase elevation during routine examinations (Cases 2 and 3), and delayed motor development (Case 4). Diagnosis was confirmed at ages 10 months, 3 years, 3 years 4 months and 1 year 6 months, respectively.At diagnosis, anthropometric parameters and biochemical profiles revealed:Height: 68 cm (< P3), 96 cm ( P25-50), 94 cm ( P3-10), and 94 cm ( P3-10).Weight: 7 kg (< P3), 17 kg ( P90-97), 14.4 kg ( P25-50), and 10.5 kg ( P25-50).Alanine aminotransferase: 299, 500, 271, and 313 U/L (reference range 0-40 U/L).Aspartate aminotransferase: 285, 543, 337 and 357 U/L (reference range 0-40 U/L).Fasting glucose: 2.80, 3.67, 2.98, and 3.66 mmol/L (reference range 3.90-6.10 mmol/L).Lactate: 4.3, 2.1, 1.3, and 2.6 mmol/L (reference range 0.5-2.2 mmol/L).Triglycerides: 5.22, 1.38, 1.32, and 1.88 mmol/L (reference range 0.56-1.70 mmol/L).Case 1 exhibited poor adherence to uncooked cornstarch therapy during initial treatment, with no significant improvement in biochemical parameters. Follow-up imaging at age 4 revealed hepatic adenoma. Subsequent improvement in therapeutic compliance led to biochemical normalization, reduced hepatic adenoma size, and growth parameters of 113 cm ( P10-25) and 26 kg ( P90-97) at 6 years 2 months. Cases 2-4 demonstrated biochemical improvement with regular uncooked cornstarch therapy and no evidence of hepatic adenoma.Liver histopathology in Cases 1-3 confirmed glycogen accumulation consistent with GSD, without cirrhotic changes. Genetic analysis identified PHKA2 variations in all cases: 2 missense variants, 1 frameshift variant and 1 nonsense variant. The c.2839dup and c.3267G>A variants represent novel pathogenic mutations. Conclusions:GSD Ⅸa in pediatric patients is predominantly characterized by hepatomegaly, hepatic dysfunction, and hypoglycemia. While uncooked cornstarch therapy typically yields favorable prognoses, a subset of patients may develop hepatic adenomas. Notably, children with hepatic adenoma exhibited younger age of onset, significant growth retardation, and more severe metabolic disturbances, suggesting that hepatic adenoma development may be closely linked to the severity of metabolic dysregulation.

Objective:Using the impact of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) on overall survival after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as an example, this study aims to introduces and critically appraises five statistical approaches for handling time-dependent events in survival analysis.Methods:This study was based on data from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) GV18-03 study. A total of 4361 patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome were included, who were aged ≥40 years and had received an HLA 8/8 matched sibling donor transplant between 2008 and 2017. Five analytical approaches were used, treating cGVHD as: ① a baseline fixed covariate, ② a time-dependent covariate, ③ a time-dependent event via landmarking analysis, ④ a transitional event in a multi-state model, and ⑤ an exposure in the parametric g-formula. For each approach, we presented its core concept and results, and elaborated on its rationale, strengths, limitations, and applicable scenarios.Results:The five approaches showed significant differences in bias control, modeling flexibility, and clinical interpretability. Method 1 was prone to immortal time bias. Method 2 partially corrected this bias but was vulnerable to informative censoring and estimation instability due to insufficient sample sizes in the early-onset cGVHD group. Method 3 was straightforward but dependent on a predefined landmark time point and unable to account for cGVHD occurring after this point. Method 4 allowed for a comprehensive description of the impact of time-dependent events on survival prognosis by modeling dynamic clinical transitions. Method 5 could simultaneously handle both time-dependent events and confounders, making it suitable for estimating population-level effects of specific exposure strategies.Conclusion:Researchers should select the appropriate method based on their specific study objectives to ensure that the estimation of the impact of time-dependent events on outcomes is both statistically valid and clinically meaningful.