Objective To assess the situation and influencing factors of occupational burnout among the staff at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Sichuan Province. Methods A total of 1 038 CDC staff members in Sichuan Province were selected as the study subjects using the stratified random sampling method. Occupational burnout of the staff was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey via an online questionnaire. Results The detection rate of occupational burnout was 42.3% (439/1 038). Binary logistic regression analysis result showed that, after controlling for confounding factors such as education level and alcohol consumption, CDC staffs aged at 20-<31, 31-<41, and 41-<51 years were at higher risk of occupational burnout compared with those ≥51 years (all P<0.05). CDC staffs with 5-<10 or ≥10 years of service had higher occupational burnout risk compared with those with <5 years (both P<0.05). CDC staffs with poor or fair health status, irregular diet, and poor sleep quality had higher risk of occupational burnout compared with those healthy, have regular diet, and good sleep quality (all P<0.05). The risk of occupational burnout increased with higher overtime frequency (all P<0.05). Conclusion Occupational burnout among CDC staffs in Sichuan Province is relatively high. Age, years of service, health status, diet, sleep quality, and overtime frequency are key influencing factors.

Liver transplantation (LT) has become a standard treatment for end-stage liver diseases, and graft injury is intricately associated with poor prognosis. Granzyme B (GZMB) plays a vital role in natural killer (NK) cell biology, but whether NK-derived GZMB affects graft injury remains elusive. Through the analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data obtained from human LT grafts and the isolation of lymphocytes from mouse livers following ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), we demonstrated that 2NK cells with high expression of GZMB are enriched in patients and mice. Both systemically and liver-targeted depletion of NK cells led to a notable reduction in GZMB⁺ cell infiltration, subsequently resulting in diminished graft injury. Notably, the reconstitution of Il2rg ^-/- Rag2 ^-/- mice with purified Gzmb-KO NK cells demonstrated superior outcomes compared to those with wild-type NK cells. Crucially, global knockout of GZMB and pharmacological inhibition exhibited remarkable improvements in liver function in both mouse IRI and rat LT models. Moreover, a phosphorylated derivative of FDA-approved vidarabine was identified as an effective inhibitor of mouse GZMB activity by molecular dynamics, which could provide a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention. Therefore, targeting NK cell-derived GZMB during the LT process suggests potential therapeutic strategies to improve post-transplant outcomes.

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

Background::Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was often associated with dyslipidemia among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. This study aimed to assess treatment-na?ve adult male patients with HIV/AIDS who initiated ART with either co-formulated bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) or lamivudine, efavirenz, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (3TC+EFV+TDF), monitoring at weeks 4, 12, 24, and 48.Methods::A case-control retrospective study was conducted. The newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals attending the sexual transmission disease (STD)/AIDS clinic of Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January to December 2021. The patients were divided into BIC/FTC/TAF group or 3TC+EFV+TDF group. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) at different time points over 48 weeks between two groups were compared. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to identify relevant influencing factors for the population at high risk of increased LDL-C.Results::A total of 870 participants, with 510 in BIC/FTC/TAF group and 360 in 3TC+EFV+TDF group. There were no statistically significant differences in median age, baseline CD4/CD8 ratio, median body mass index (BMI) between the two groups. In both two groups, levels of TG, TC, and LDL-C were higher at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks of treatment (all P <0.05), and there were no statistically significant differences at 48 weeks compared to those at baseline (all P >0.05). In addition, the differences in average changes of the level of TG, TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C from weeks 4, 12, 24, and 48 to baseline between two groups were not statistically significant (all P >0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional risk model analysis showed that initiating ART with HIV RNA ≥10 5 copies/mL (compared with <10 5 copies/mL) was associated with an increased risk of elevated LDL-C (hazard ratio = 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-1.48, P = 0.005). Conclusions::Transient elevations in blood lipid levels (TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C) were observed in treatment-na?ve adult male HIV/AIDS patients with BIC/FTC/TAF at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks of treatment. However, these levels did not differ significantly from baseline after 48 weeks of treatment, regardless of whether patients were in the BIC/FTC/TAF or 3TC+EFV+TDF group.

Objective To study the brain functional connectivity(FC)changes in patients with normal tension glau-coma(NTG)and healthy volunteers using FC technique of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)based on V1 region seed point(ROI),so as to explore the pathogenesis and early diagnosis of NTG.Methods Fourteen NTG patients(NTG group)who met the inclusion criteria and 14 healthy controls(HCs group)were enrolled.The clinical data of all subjects were collected,and rs-fMRI was performed in both groups.The magnetic resonance data was pre-pro-cessed by software,and bilateral A1 regions were taken as the ROI to analyze their correction with the whole brain voxel time series and obtain the FC value between the ROI and the whole brain by comparison of FC values in resting state be-tween the groups.Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between FC value in the brain regions with significant differences with the ROI and clinical variables in the NTG group.Results Compared with the subjects in the HCs group,there were no statistically significant differences in age,gender,body weight,cup-disc ratio and 24 h mean intraocular pressure of patients in the NTG group(all P＞0.05),and there were statistically significant differences in the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)of both eyes and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(RNFLT)(all P＜0.05).The Pearson correlation analysis showed that FC value of the brain regions with abnormal FC to V1 region were cor-related with RNFLT in the NTG group(P＜0.05).ROI1-left superior frontal gyrus,ROI1-right superior frontal gyrus,ROI2-left cingulate gyrus and ROI2-right middle frontal gyrus were significantly positively correlated with RNFLT(all P＜0.05).Compared with the HCs group,the brain regions with reduced FC to the right ROI in the NTG group were the left superior frontal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus;the brain regions with reduced FC to the left ROI were the left cingulate gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus.Conclusion Compared to healthy individuals,NTG patients have significant changes in the functional connections between certain specific brain regions and V1 region,including bilateral superior frontal gyrus,left cingulate gyrus,and middle frontal gyrus.The changes in brain functional activity may be caused by visual dysfunction caused by NTG,leading to functional impairment of the visual and cognitive emotion processing brain regions,which may be one of the potential neuropathological mechanisms in NTG patients.

Objective:To compare the mechanical properties between our self-designed axially controlled compression spinal rod (ACCSR) and conventional spinal rod (CSR) for lumbar spondylolysis (LS).Methods:This study selected 36 ACCSRs (the ACCSR group) and 36 CSRs (the CSR group), both of which were in a diameter of 6.0 mm and manufactured in the same batch. They were subjected respectively to biomechanical tests of spinal rod and pedicle screw-rod internal fixation system. In spinal rod tests: the stiffness and yield load of the spinal rods were calculated using four-point bending tests ( n=7) and comparisons were made between the 2 groups; spinal rod fatigue tests ( n=8) recorded the successful compression loads after 2.5 million cycles of loading and compared them with the maximum force at the isthmus of a normal adult's unilateral lumbar spine (198.72 N). In tests of the pedicle screw-rod internal fixation system, the axial compression tests ( n=7) measured the axial gripping capacity, the axial torsion tests ( n=7) the torsional gripping capacity, and the lateral compression tests ( n=7) the stiffness and yield load of pedicle screws in the 2 groups respectively. Results:The stiffness [(1,543.37±61.41) N/mm] and yield load [1,338.57 (1,282.00, 1,353.80) N] of ACCSR group were significantly smaller than those of CSR group [(3,797.63±156.15) N/mm and 4,059.95 (3,813.80, 4,090.89) N] ( P<0.05). The spinal rod fatigue tests showed that the respective loads of CSR and ACCSR passing the 2.5 million fatigue tests were 640.00 N and 320.00 N, both larger than the maximum force at the unilateral lumbar isthmus of a normal adult (198.72 N). There were no significant differences between the ACCSR group and the CSR group in the axial gripping capacity and torsional gripping capacity, as well as in stiffness and yield load of screws between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:In fixation of LS, although the yield load, stiffness and fatigue resistance of ACCSR are inferior to those of CSR, the biomechanical properties of the two sets of pedicle screw-rod internal fixation system are comparable. The fatigue resistance of ACCSR can meet the stress requirements of the normal human isthmus.

The probiotic strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) with high biocompatibility and susceptibility to genetic modification is often applied in bacterial therapies for cancer. However, most studies have used plasmids as vectors to construct engineering strains from EcN. Plasmid-based expression systems suffer from genetic instability, and they need antibiotic selective pressure to maintain high copy number. This study aimed to employ EcN for synthesizing the photosensitizer 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Firstly, the key genes of 5-ALA synthesis, hemA^M and hemL, were integrated into the EcN genome by the phage integration technique. Then, chemically inducible chromosomal evolution (CIChE) was adopted to increase the copy number of hemA^M and hemL and thus improved the stable synthesis of 5-ALA. The in vitro cell experiments verified that the constructed engineering strain can deliver stably synthesized 5-ALA to tumor cells and inhibit their growth. This study provided a basis for applying the engineering strains of EcN in the photodynamic therapy for tumors.
Escherichia coli/metabolism* ; Aminolevulinic Acid/metabolism* ; Photosensitizing Agents/pharmacology* ; Plasmids/genetics* ; Chromosomes, Bacterial/genetics* ; Genetic Engineering ; Humans ; Probiotics ; Photochemotherapy

Objective:To study the effect and mechanism of angiotensin type 1 receptor (AGTR1) blocker olmesartan (OMS) on the apoptosis of human Tenon capsule fibroblasts (HTF).Methods:Tenon capsule tissues were obtained from patients during strabismus surgery in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University.Primary HTF were cultured by explant culture.Primary cells were identified by vimentin immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.The fibrosis model of HTF was established using 10 ng/ml transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2). The cells were divided into normal control group cultured in culture medium, TGF-β2 group in culture medium containing TGF-β2, TGF-β2+ OMS group in culture medium containing TGF-β2 and OMS, and OMS group in culture medium containing OMS, and were cultured for 48 hours.Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry with annexin V/PI staining.The early apoptosis, late apoptosis, and total apoptosis rates were analyzed.The protein expression of procaspase-9, cleaved caspase-9, bax and bcl-2 in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was detected by Western blot.The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was detected by colorimetry.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University (No.2019-014).Results:Primary HTF were successfully isolated and cultured.The cultured cells were long spindle-shaped and positive for vimentin.The expression rate of vimentin in the primary cells was greater than 99%.A statistically statistical difference was found in the early apoptosis rate, late apoptosis rate, and total apoptosis rate among the four groups ( F=24.92, 3.96, 41.82; all at P<0.05). The early and total apoptosis rates were significantly higher in TGF-β2+ OMS group than normal control group and TGF-β2 group, and the late apoptosis rate in TGF-β2+ OMS group was significantly higher than that of normal control group (all at P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in cleaved caspase-9/procaspase-9, bax, and bax/bcl-2 among the four groups ( F=4.40, 7.98, 4.61; all at P<0.05). The bax/bcl-2 expression was significantly increased in TGF-β2+ OMS group in comparison with normal control group, and the expressions of cleaved caspase-9/procaspase-9, bax, and bax/bcl-2 were significantly elevated in TGF-β2+ OMS group compared with TGF-β2 group (all at P<0.05). LDH activity in the normal control group, TGF-β2 group, TGF-β2+ OMS group and OMS group was (783.99±79.97), (913.16±196.86), (2 529.06±240.21), and (2 134.29±138.96) μmol/(min·L), respectively, showing a statistically significant difference ( F=24.95, P<0.05). Compared with normal control group and TGF-β2 group, LDH activity in TGF-β2+ OMS group was increased, and the differences were statistically significant (both at P<0.05). SOD activity in the normal control group, TGF-β2 group, TGF-β2+ OMS group and OMS group was (50.35±0.97), (41.61±4.56), (28.88±3.26), and (37.61±4.83) μmol/(min·L), respectively, showing a statistically significant difference ( F=5.71, P<0.05). SOD activity was reduced in TGF-β2+ OMS group compared with normal control group and TGF-β2 group, reduced in OMS group compared with normal control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:AGTR1 blocker OMS can promote the apoptosis of HTF effectively.Mitochondrial apoptosis pathway mediated by bax/bcl-2/caspase-9 and oxidative stress pathway are the potential mechanisms that OMS regulates the apoptosis of HTF.

The acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults have a higher rate of neurological injury and early death compared with atlas or axial fractures alone. Currently, the diagnosis and treatment choices of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults are controversial because of the lack of standards for implementation. Non-operative treatments have a high incidence of bone nonunion and complications, while surgeries may easily lead to the injury of the vertebral artery, spinal cord and nerve root. At present, there are no evidence-based Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults. To provide orthopedic surgeons with the most up-to-date and effective information in treating acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field of spinal trauma to develop the Evidence-based guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults ( version 2023) by referring to the "Management of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults" published by American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) in 2013 and the relevant Chinese and English literatures. Ten recommendations were made concerning the radiological diagnosis, stability judgment, treatment rules, treatment options and complications based on medical evidence, aiming to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults.