A 51-year-old male presented with nasal obstruction, followed by progressive hearing loss and blurred vision. Imaging identified space-occupying lesions in the paranasal sinuses, orbits, and paraspinal regions, while laboratory tests confirmed positive anti-proteinase 3 anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(PR3- ANCA) immunoglobulin G (IgG)and markedly elevated serum IgG4. Despite treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and radiotherapy, the patient exhibited steroid dependency with relentless disease progression. Following multidisciplinary consultation, a diagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) coexisting with ANCA- associated vasculitis (AAV) was favored, though IgG4-related disease remained a critical differential. Ultimately, profound immunosuppression precipitated a severe herpesvirus infection, leading to disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. This case underscores the rarity and diagnostic complexity of concurrent IMT and AAV, highlights the therapeutic dilemma of balancing primary disease control against fatal opportunistic infections, and emphasizes the critical role of multidisciplinary collaboration in the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases.

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of patients with hepatitis C in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province from 2005 to 2023, so as to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of hepatitis C. MethodsThe data on patients with hepatitis C, as well as whose current address is in Jinhua City, from 2005 to 2023 were collected from the infectious disease surveillance system of the China Disease Control and Prevention Information Management System. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the temporal, spatial and demographic distribution characteristics of hepatitis C. ResultsA total of 2 326 cases of hepatitis C were reported in Jinhua from 2005 to 2023, including 2 death cases, with an average annual incidence rate of 2.19/100 000, showing a trend which rose first and then declined and then rose again. Hepatitis C was reported all the year round without significant seasonal pattern. In terms of the number of reported cases and the average annual incidence rate, Yiwu City ranked the first place. From 2005 to 2023, a total of 1 438 (61.82%) male cases and 888 (38.18%) female cases were reported, and the reported incidence rate was higher for males (2.62/100 000) than that for females (1.74/100 000), showing a statistically significant difference (χ²=92.937, P<0.001). Most cases aged between 30 to <50 years old (1 175, 50.52%), and the incidence rate of hepatitis C among the age group of 40‒<50, 50‒<60, 60‒<70 years old was showing an upward trend, with farmers (1 024, 44.02%) as the main occupation . ConclusionThe prevalence of hepatitis C in Jinhua City is generally at a low level, with an incidence rate of increasing and then decreasing, but rise up again after 2019. Therefore, epidemic surveillance and health education among the male, middle-aged and elderly people and farmers, as well as the key regions where the migrant workers flows in should be enhanced.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinically isolated Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021,and provide evidence for rational use of antimicrobial agents.Methods Data of H.influenzae and M.catarrhalis strains isolated from 2015 to 2021 in CHINET program were collected for analysis,and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion method or automated systems according to the uniform protocol of CHINET.The results were interpreted according to the CLSI breakpoints in 2022.Beta-lactamases was detected by using nitrocefin disk.Results From 2015 to 2021,a total of 43 642 strains of Haemophilus species were isolated,accounting for 2.91％of the total clinical isolates and 4.07％of Gram-negative bacteria in CHINET program.Among the 40 437 strains of H.influenzae,66.89％were isolated from children and 33.11％were isolated from adults.More than 90％of the H.influenzae strains were isolated from respiratory tract specimens.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 53.79％in H.influenzae strains.The H.influenzae strains isolated from children showed higher resistance rate than the strains isolated from adults.Overall,779 strains of H.influenzae did not produce β-lactamase but were resistant to ampicillin(BLNAR).Beta-lactamase-producing strains showed significantly higher resistance rates to these antimicrobial agents than the β-lactamase-nonproducing strains.Of the 16 191 M.catarrhalis strains,80.06％were isolated from children and 19.94％isolated from adults.M.catarrhalis strains were mostly susceptible to both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefuroxime,evidenced by resistance rate lower than 2.0％.Conclusions The emergence of antibiotic-resistant H.influenzae due to β-lactamase production poses a challenge for clinical anti-infective treatment.Therefore,it is very important to implement antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae and guide rational antibiotic use.All local clinical microbiology laboratories should actively improve antibiotic susceptibility testing and strengthen antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty with the assistance of arterio-venous circuit.Methods From January 2015 to October 2022,a total 25 patients[19 females,6 males;age(61.60±9.00)years]were included,who were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and severe mitral stenosis.A transseptal puncture was performed to establish a femoral arterio-venous circuit,followed by graded dilation with Inoue balloon(diameters:22.00 mm to 28.00 mm).The target was a mitral valve area≥1.50 cm2 with mild or less regurgitation.Results The arterio-venous circuit was established,and mitral balloon valvuloplasty was successfully completed in all 25 patients.Among them,20 patients experienced difficulty with transvalvular crossing using the balloon catheter with conventional methods,16 patients had valvular severe calcification,and 3 patients presented with a left atrial appendage thrombus despite of more than 6-month anticoagulation therapy with warfarin.The mean balloon diameter was(25.00±1.40)mm.The mitral valve area increased from(0.91±0.15)cm2 preoperatively to(1.70±0.14)cm2 postoperatively(P＜0.001).Mean left atrial pressure decreased from(27.00±7.50)mmHg to(16.36±4.07)mmHg(P＜0.001),and mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from(40.84±13.81)mmHg to(25.00±7.12)mmHg(P＜0.001).All patients showed significant symptom improvement with no complications.Conclusions Arterio-venous circuit for percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty is safe and feasible.This technique can serve as an alternative to standard technique for patients with complex mitral stenosis.

Depression is a highly heterogeneous psychiatric disorder with complex pathogenesis influenced by the interplay of biological,psychological,and social-environmental factors.Based on the 2021 edition of the Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Depressive Disorders,which explicitly identify gender as a significant risk factor for depression onset,this paper systematically reviews the gender-differentiated pathogenesis and therapeutic advances in depression from both traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medical perspectives.In Western medicine,a large number of studies have demonstrated the sex-specific mechanism of estrogen/testosterone fluctuations and monoamine transmitter system regulation.While in TCM,although the constitution theory proposes that there are significant gender differences in congenital constitution and that qi depression and qi deficiency are associated with susceptibility to depression,current evidence primarily relies on cross-sectional surveys and lacks validation through high-quality RCTs.Compared with Western medicine,the direct research on gender-differentiated antidepressant effects in TCM remains relatively underdeveloped.In future study,it may be possible to deepen and improve the research on anti-depression in TCM from the biological markers of particular constitutions in the gender dimension.This paper advocates establishing a bio-psycho-social integrated intervention model,advancing mechanistic exploration through prospective cohort studies and multi-omics technologies,and promoting precision diagnosis and treatment systems based on gender differences,and to form a three-dimensional diagnosis and treatment and research system that covers biomarkers,social role assessment,and TCM constitution identification,in order to provide a new theoretical framework and a practical pathway for the precise medical treatment of depression.

AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum Th1-type cytokine levels and extraocular muscle-related parameters in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO).METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 45 patients diagnosed with TAO in our hospital from January 2023 to December 2024, and 20 normal volunteers during the same period as controls. Venous blood samples of the patients were collected to detect the concentrations of Th1-type cytokines [interferon-γ(IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-2(IL-2), and interleukin-12(IL-12)] in the serum. Additionally, the end diastolic velocity(Ved), velocity maximum(Vmax), resistance index(RI)of the central retinal artery, as well as the thickness and left-right diameter of the medial rectus muscle were measured. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of TAO, and receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)was adopted to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of each index for the occurrence of TAO.RESULTS: The general information of the two groups was comparable. Compared with the normal control group, the serum concentrations of IFN-γ and TNF-α in TAO patients were significantly increased, Ved and Vmax were lower than those in the control group, and RI and the thickness of the medial rectus muscle were higher than those in the control group(all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that serum IFN-γ concentration, Ved, Vmax, and the thickness of the medial rectus muscle were all risk factors for TAO. ROC curve analysis indicated that the AUCs of serum IFN-γ concentration, Ved, Vmax, and the thickness of the medial rectus muscle for the diagnostic efficacy of TAO were 0.756, 0.769, 0.732, and 0.642, respectively. The combined detection of IFN-γ, Ved, Vmax, and the thickness of the medial rectus muscle had an AUC of 0.840 and a Youden index of 0.59, which was superior to the detection of a single indicator.CONCLUSION: The levels of serum Th1-type cytokines and extraocular muscle-related ultrasound indicators have certain value in the diagnosis of TAO. The combination of IFN-γ, Ved, Vmax, and the thickness of the medial rectus muscle has better diagnosis efficiency in TAO, which can provide a certain reference for the early diagnosis of TAO.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection into the external urethral sphincter in combination with sacral neuromodulation (SNM) for the treatment of idiopathic non-obstructive urinary retention (INOUR). Methods A total of 57 INOUR patients treated in our hospital during May 2022 and May 2024 were enrolled. Patients were divided into the BTX (n=30) and combined groups (n=27) according to whether they chose SNM after BTX-A injection. The baseline, postoperative 1-month and 6-month consecutive 3-day voiding diaries, quality of life score (QoL), and post-void residual (PVR), preoperative and postoperative 1-month urodynamic results, and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results One month after surgery, the average number of voiding frequency per day and PVR were lower in both groups than those before surgery (P<0.05), while the average daily urine volume and maximum flow rate (MFR) were higher (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the maximum detrusor pressure during micturition in both groups before and after surgery (P>0.05). One month after surgery, the average number of voiding frequency per day, average daily urine volume, PVR, QoL, MFR, bladder compliance (BC), and maximum cystometric capacity (MCC) were better in the combined group than in the BTX group (P<0.05), and the efficiency was higher in the combined group (88.9% vs.63.3%, P<0.05). Six months after surgery, the efficacy of the BTX group returned to the baseline level with no statistically significant difference, whereas the efficacy of the combined group was stable (not different from the postoperative 1-month indicators, but better than the baseline level). During the follow-up, there was no difference in the incidence of complications between the BTX group and combined group [43.3% (13/30) vs. 48.1% (13/27), P>0.05]. Conclusion BTX-A injection into the external urethral sphincter combined with SNM improves the short-term outcomes of INOUR patients and maintains the efficacy 6 months postoperatively, which is a safe and reliable treatment option.

Polygonati Rhizoma demonstrates significant potential for addressing both chronic and hidden hunger. The supply of high-quality seedlings is a primary factor influencing the development of the Polygonati Rhizoma industry. Warm water soaking is often used in agriculture to promote the rapid germination of seeds, while its application and molecular mechanism in Polygonati Rhizoma have not been reported. To rapidly obtain high-quality seedlings, this study treated Polygonatum kingianum var. grandifolium seeds with sand storage at low temperatures, warm water soaking, and cultivation temperature gradients. The results showed that the culture at 25 ℃ or sand storage at 4 ℃ for 2 months rapidly broke the seed dormancy of P. kingianum var. grandifolium, while the culture at 20 ℃ or sand storage at 4 ℃ for 1 month failed to break the seed dormancy. Soaking seeds in 60 ℃ warm water further increased the germination rate, germination potential, and germination index. Specifically, the seeds soaked at 60 ℃ and cultured at 25 ℃ without sand storage treatment(Aa25) achieved a germination rate of 78. 67%±1. 53% on day 42 and 83. 40%±4. 63% on day 77. The seeds pretreated with sand storage at 4 ℃ for 2 months, soaked in 60 ℃ water, and then cultured at 25 ℃ achieved a germination rate comparable to that of Aa25 on day 77. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that warm water soaking might promote germination by triggering reactive oxygen species( ROS), inducing the expression of heat shock factors( HSFs) and heat shock proteins( HSPs), which accelerated DNA replication, transcript maturation, translation, and processing, thereby facilitating the accumulation and turnover of genetic materials. According to the results of indoor controlled experiments and field practices, maintaining a germination and seedling cultivation environment at approximately 25 ℃ was crucial for the one-year seedling cultivation of P. kingianum var. grandifolium.
Germination ; Seedlings/genetics* ; Water/metabolism* ; Seeds/metabolism* ; Polygonatum/genetics* ; Temperature ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Plant Dormancy