Objective To observe the clinical effect of Xiaotan Zhitong gel on heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis.Methods A total of 72 patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis heel pain were randomly divided into observation group(36 cases)and control group(36 cases).Patients in the control group were treated with local application of diclofenac diethylamine emulgel twice a day and those in the treatment group were treated with Xiaotan Zhitong gel twice a day,with both treatments lasting for 28 d.The visual analogue scale(VAS)score of heel pain,the quantitative scale score of heel pain symptom grading,and the American Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS)ankle-hindfoot score were evaluated before and after treatment.The changes of plantar fascia thickness were examined ultrasonographically before and after treatment in the 2 groups.The effective rates of treatment and the 3-month relapse rates were observed in the 2 groups.Results Before treatment,there were no significant differences in heel pain VAS score,heel pain symptom grading quantitative scale score,AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score,or plantar fascia thickness between the 2 groups(all P＞0.05).After treatment,the above indexes were improved in both groups compared with those before treatment(all P＜0.05);and the pain VAS score,heel pain symptom grading quantitative scale total score,heel pain symptom grading quantitative scale pain score,heel pain symptom grading quantitative scale pressure score,heel pain symptom grading quantitative scale dysfunction score,and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score in the observation group were significantly improved compared with those in the control group(all P＜0.05).The thickness of plantar fascia was significantly thinner than that of the control group(P＜0.05),and the insomnia scores on the heel pain symptom grading quantitative scale were not significantly different between the 2 groups(P＞0.05).The effective rate of the observation group(80.6%,29/36)was significantly higher than that of the control group(55.6%,20/36)(P＜0.05),and the 3-month recurrence rate in the observation group(16.7%,6/36)was significantly lower than that of the control group(41.7%,15/36)(P＜0.05).Conclusion Xiaotan Zhitong gel can reduce heel pain,improve foot function,and reduce plantar fascia thickness in patients with plantar fasciitis,also with low recurrence rate after treatment.

Objective To evalute the drug resistance characteristics of tuberculosis(TB)patients of all ages in Guangdong Province during 2014-2020,and provide prevention and treatment strategies of tuberculosis.Method We used 39,048 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB)belonging to patients with confirmed TB from 2014 to 2020,from 32 TB drug-resistant surveillance sites in Guangdong Province,and we retrospectively analyzed the laboratories data of patients with drug-resistant TB,and grouped patients by age and region,to explore the trend of drug-resistance of MTB clinical isolates,the trend and incidence differences of multi-resistant TB(including monodrug-resistant TB(MR-TB),polydrug-resistant TB(PDR-TB),multidrug-resistant TB(MDR-TB)and exten-sively drug-resistant TB(XDR-TB)),and resistance characteristics of MTB clinical isolates to drugs in focus(rifam-picin and ofloxacin).Result The differences in the resistance rates of MTB clinical isolates to nine antituberculosis drugs among patients at 32 TB drug resistance surveillance sites in Guangdong Province from 2014 to 2020 were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The rates of MR-TB,PDR-TB,MDR-TB,XDR-TB,and total resistance isolates of MTB clinical isolates were 14.46%,5.16%,5.16%,4.58%,and 1.29%,respectively.he pediatric group had a higher MR rate(15.4%)than the adult and geriatric groups,while the adult and geriatric groups had higher MDR rates(5.0%and 5.0%,respectively).The geriatric group also had a higher XDR rate(2.1%),with statistically significant differences(P<0.001).The rates of MR-TB(14.8%),PDR-TB(5.3%),MDR-TB(4.7%),XDR-TB(1.4%),ofloxacin resistance(11.33%)and rifampicin resistance(6.92%)of MTB clinical isolates were higher in patients from the Pearl River Delta than in other regions of Guangdong Province,with statistically significant differ-ences(P<0.001).Conclusion According to the data from the surveillance sites,the epidemiological trend of drug-resistant TB in Guangdong Province is leveling off during the period 2014-2020.However,the incidence of drug-resistant TB is higher in specific populations(e.g.children and the elderly),and the incidence of drug-resistant TB and the rate of drug resistance to drugs in focus are higher in the Pearl River Delta than in other regions of Guang-dong Province,necessitating further investigation and the development of novel prevention and control strategies.

Inhibiting the death receptor 3(DR3)signaling pathway in group 3 innate lymphoid cells(ILC3s)pre-sents a promising approach for promoting mucosal repair in individuals with ulcerative colitis(UC).Paeoniflorin,a prominent component of Paeonia lactiflora Pall.,has demonstrated the ability to restore barrier function in UC mice,but the precise mechanism remains unclear.In this study,we aimed to delve into whether paeoniflorin may promote intestinal mucosal repair in chronic colitis by inhibiting DR3 signaling in ILC3s.C57BL/6 mice were subjected to random allocation into 7 distinct groups,namely the control group,the 2％dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)group,the paeoniflorin groups(25,50,and 100 mg/kg),the anti-tumor necrosis factor-like ligand 1A(anti-TL1A)antibody group,and the IgG group.We detected the expression of DR3 signaling pathway proteins and the proportion of ILC3s in the mouse colon using Western blot and flow cytometry,respectively.Meanwhile,DR3-overexpressing MNK-3 cells and 2％ DSS-induced Rag1-/-mice were used for verification.The results showed that paeoniflorin alleviated DSS-induced chronic colitis and repaired the intestinal mucosal barrier.Simultaneously,paeoniflorin inhibited the DR3 signaling pathway in ILC3s and regulated the content of cytokines(interleukin-17A,granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor,and interleukin-22).Alternatively,paeoniflorin directly inhibited the DR3 signaling pathway in ILC3s to repair mucosal damage indepen-dently of the adaptive immune system.We additionally confirmed that paeoniflorin-conditioned me-dium(CM)restored the expression of tight junctions in Caco-2 cells via coculture.In conclusion,paeoniflorin ameliorates chronic colitis by enhancing the intestinal barrier in an ILC3-dependent manner,and its mechanism is associated with the inhibition of the DR3 signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the application value of simultaneous amplification and testing for Myco-bacterium tuberculosis(SAT-TB)in evaluating the curative effect of initial treatment of smear-positive pul-monary tuberculosis patients.Methods A total of 62 newly treated smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis pa-tients from June 2022 to June 2023 in Guangzhou Panyu District Chronic Disease Control Station were selected as the study objects,and the curative effect was evaluated by liquid-based sandwich cup method,Roche culture method and SAT-TB detection method.All patients received the standard anti-tuberculosis treatment regimen of 2HRZE/4HR standard regimen,and sputum samples were detected by liquid-based sandwich cup method,Roche culture method,and SAT-TB detection method at the 2nd,4th,and 8th week of treatment,respectively.Results Among 62 patients,54 cases were positive and 8 cases were negative using Roche culture method,47 cases were positive and 15 cases were negative using SAT-TB detection method.60 cases were positive and 2 cases were negative by Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB)-DNA test.The positive rates of the three methods were 87.10％(54/62),75.81％(47/62)and 96.77％(60/62),respectively.Taking Roche culture method re-sults as the standard,the sensitivity of SAT-TB detection method and MTB-DNA was 97.87％(46/47)and 90.00％(54/60),and the specificity was 46.67％(7/15)and 100.00％(2/2),respectively.There were signifi-cant differences between Roche culture method and SAT-TB detection method and MTB-DNA test(x2=20.070,P＜0.05,x2=13.985,P＜0.05),the difference between the results of SAT-TB detection method and MTB-DNA test was also statistically significant(x2=8.365,P＜0.05).The negative conversion rates of MTB in sputum samples were 69.35％(43/62),29.03％(18/62)and 41.94％(26/62)at the 2nd,4 th,and 8 th weeks,respectively.77.42％(48/62),59.68％(37/62),58.06％(36/62),82.26％(51/62),79.03％(49/62),75.81％(47/62).There were significant differences in the negative conversion rates of MTB in sputum sam-ples between SAT-TB and liquid-based sandwich cup method at the 2nd and 4th weeks(x2=8.365,P＜0.05,x2=4.465,P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference between the results of Roche culture method at the 2nd,4th and 8th weeks(x2=1.726,P＞0.05,x2=0.000,P＞0.05,x2=0.046,P＞0.05).Conclusion The use of SAT-TB detection method in clinical practice to evaluate the efficacy of smear positive pulmonary tuberculo-sis patients could accurately and quickly assess the negative conversion rate and treatment effect of patients,and provide a reliable basis for guiding clinical treatment.It could be considered as an effective auxiliary diag-nosis and evaluation method of curative effect,worthy of promotion and practical application.

Objective:To validate the morphological changes of the parieto-occipital sulcus on the transcalvarial axial plane between 20 and 32 weeks of gestation, simplify grade for assessing fetal parieto-occipital sulcus development, and confirm its clinical feasibility.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study analysis that included 550 cases of normal singleton fetuses between 20 and 32 weeks of gestation, who underwent routine ultrasound examinations at Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital from September 2019 to June 2022. The morphological changes of the bilateral parieto-occipital sulci on the transcalvarial axial plane were observed. The development of the parieto-occipital sulcus was classified into 6 grades based on the developmental features of angulation, progressive closure, and curvilinear growth: straight or shallow arcuate (Grade 0), shallow and wide V-shaped (Grade 1), deep and narrow V-shaped (Grade 2), Y-shaped (Grade 3), I-shaped (Grade 4), and curvilinear (Grade 5). The gestational age at examination and pregnancy outcomes were recorded. The distribution of gestational weeks for fetuses with different grades of parieto-occipital sulci on the left and right sides was analyzed. The symmetry between bilateral parieto-occipital sulcus gradings within individuals, as well as the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability were assessed using the Weighted Kappa coefficient. The gender differences in asymmetry of parieto-occipital sulci grades between the left and right sides was analyzed. Moreover, a model for predicting the grade of the parieto-occipital sulcus based on gestational week was established.Results:Grade for the left parieto-occipital sulcus was obtained for 549 fetuses, while grade for the right was obtained for 550 fetuses. From 20 to 32 weeks of gestation, the morphology of the fetal parieto-occipital sulcus was divided into Grade 0-5, progressing from low to high with gestational development. Grade 0 showed that the sulcus was not visible or only had a slight arcuate indentation, occurring at 20-22 weeks; Grade 1 presented as a shallow and wide "V" shape with an obtuse angle at the top, appearing from 20 to 27 weeks; Grade 2 was a deep and narrow "V" shape with an acute angle at the top, appearing from 24 to 29 weeks; Grade 3 appeared as a "Y" shape with the top part partially closed and the bottom still open, occurring between 26 to 30 weeks; Grade 4 was a fully closed "I" shape, appearing at 29-32 weeks; Grade 5 presented as a curved shape, indicating the parieto-occipital sulcus was approaching maturity, appearing from 31 to 32 weeks. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of gestational weeks for bilateral parieto-occipital sulcus developmental grade ( P>0.05). Bilateral parieto-occipital sulcus grade could be assessed in 549 fetuses, of which 43 cases (7.83%) exhibited grade asymmetry with a one-grade difference between sides; such asymmetry showed no significant difference between male and female genders ( P=0.647). The weighted kappa coefficient analysis results indicated a strong consistency in the development of the parieto-occipital sulci on both sides within individuals, generally demonstrating symmetrical development ( P<0.001). The intra-observer and inter-observer weighted kappa coefficients were 0.92 and 0.75, respectively, with good consistency. Conclusions:Prenatal ultrasound via the transcalvarial axial plane enables a preliminary and rapid assessment of the development of bilateral parieto-occipital sulci, facilitating early evaluation of fetal cortical maturation.

Objective:To study the stability and morphological changes of the convexity sulci in normal fetuses between 20 and 32 weeks, and to explore the simplified grade for evaluating the convexity sulci development and analyzing its clinical significance.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional analysis. A total of 551 cases of normal singleton pregnancies between 20 and 32 weeks of gestation were retrospectively collected, who underwent routine ultrasound examinations at Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital from September 2019 to June 2022. The display of the far-field convexity sulci on the transcalvarial axial plane was observed as 0 for not displayed and 1 for displayed.Further, based on the morphology and number of convexity sulci, they were classified into five grades: no sulcus displayed (grade 0), one sulcus (grade 1), two sulci (grade 2), three sulci (grade 3), and four or more sulci (grade 4). The gestational age at examination and pregnancy outcomes were recorded. The distribution characteristics of gestational weeks for each grade of the convexity sulci were analyzed, and the gestational week distribution of the left and right convexity sulci was compared to analyze bilateral symmetry. The Weighted Kappa coefficient was used to analyze inter-observer and intra-observer consistency, and curve regression analysis was employed to establish a model for predicting grade based on gestational weeks.Results:Before 25 weeks of gestation, the convexity of the fetal cranial vertex was completely smooth.The central sulcus consistently appeared after 26 weeks, while the superior frontal sulcus, intraparietal sulcus, postcentral sulcus, and precentral sulcus consistently appeared between 28 and 31 weeks. Among these, the superior frontal sulcus had a lower display rate before 29 weeks. By 32 weeks, all convexity sulci of the cranial vertex should be visible. Three hundred and eleven fetuses were graded for the left, and 240 fetuses were graded for the right. The developmental grade of the convexity sulci increased from Grade 0 to Grade 4 as the gestational age progressed. Grade 0 appeared between 20-26 weeks, grade 1 between 25-28 weeks, grade 2 between 26-28 weeks, grade 3 between 27-30 weeks, and grade 4 between 27-32 weeks. The distribution of grade did not differ significantly between the left and right sides of grade 0, 1, 3 and 4 (all P>0.05), while there was a significant difference in the distribution of gestational age between the convexity sulci of grade 2 ( P<0.05). The Weighted Kappa coefficients for intra-observer and inter-observer consistency were 0.94 and 0.86, respectively, indicating strong consistency. Conclusions:The simplified grade for assessing the development of convexity sulci in normal fetuses on the transcalvarial axial plane via prenatal ultrasound can provide a preliminary evaluation of the maturation of convexity sulci in fetuses between 20 and 32 weeks of gestation.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become an indispensable weapon against high-risk resectable cancers, which benefits from tumor downstaging. However, the utility of chemotherapeutics alone as a neoadjuvant agent is incapable of generating durable therapeutic benefits to prevent postsurgical tumor metastasis and recurrence. Herein, a tactical nanomissile (TALE), equipped with a guidance system (PD-L1 monoclonal antibody), ammunition (mitoxantrone, Mit), and projectile bodies (tertiary amines modified azobenzene derivatives), is designed as a neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy setting, which aims at targeting tumor cells, and fast-releasing Mit owing to the intracellular azoreductase, thereby inducing immunogenic tumor cells death, and forming an in situ tumor vaccine containing damage-associated molecular patterns and multiple tumor antigen epitopes to mobilize the immune system. The formed in situ tumor vaccine can recruit and activate antigen-presenting cells, and ultimately increase the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells while reversing the immunosuppression microenvironment. Moreover, this approach provokes a robust systemic immune response and immunological memory, as evidenced by preventing 83.3% of mice from postsurgical metastasis or recurrence in the B16-F10 tumor mouse model. Collectively, our results highlight the potential of TALE as a neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy paradigm that can not only debulk tumors but generate a long-term immunosurveillance to maximize the durable benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective:To assess the ultrasonographic features and potential diseases of fetal abnormal sylvian fissure(SF), and to explore the value of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in prenatal detection.Methods:A total of 28 fetuses with a sonographic diagnosis of abnormal SF in Shenzhen Maternal and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University between October 2018 and October 2020 were prospectively included. The fetal brain was evaluated by neuroultrasound and intrauterine MRI in detail. Amniotic fluid/cord blood obtained by amniocentesis or tissue samples from umbilical cord after birth were collected for WGS. Pregnancy outcomes and postnatal MRI were recorded, and neurodevelopment of live-born infants was followed up for more than 24 months after delivery.Results:During the study period, 28 fetuses with abnormal SF were identified, with a gestational age of 21.3-30.0 (24.8±2.0) weeks. Abnormal SF presented in MCD ( n=15, 53.6%), chromosomal anomalies ( n=3, 10.7%) or single-gene genetic syndromes ( n=3, 10.7%) with the affected fetuses showing developmental delay, hydrocephalus or leukomalacia ( n=4, 14.2%), corpus callosal agenesis with large interhemispheric cysts ( n=1, 3.6%), benign subarachnoid space enlargement with arachnoid cysts ( n=1, 3.6%), and multiple malformations ( n=1, 3.6%). Among the 15 cases with MCD, the most common pathology was lissencephaly/pachygyria, followed by schizencephaly, severe microcephaly, hemimegalencephaly with paraventricular heterotopia, and polymicrogyria. Abnormal SF presented bilaterally in 23 fetuses and unilaterally in 5. All cases were categorized into six types depending on SF morphology in the transthalamic section: no plateau-like or a small insula, linear type, irregular corrugated SF, Z-shaped, and cyst occupying type. In addition to abnormal SF, associated anomalies or mild variations were identified in all fetuses. There were 17 cases underwent intrauterine MRI, and 13 cases underwent postnatal MRI examination.And 25 pregnancies were terminated; 3 were born alive, and 2 had typical syndromic changes with poor neurodevelopmental prognosis. A related pathogenic genetic variant was detected in 57.1% (16/28) fetus, and the incidence of single nucleotide variants(SNVs) was 42.9% (12/28), among which de novo SNVs accounted for 91.7% (11/12). Conclusions:Fetal abnormal SF could be classified based on the ultrasonographic features of transthalamic section. Fetal abnormal SF may indicate MCD, some chromosomal abnormalities or single-gene genetic syndromes that may lead to poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, and may be affected by extra-cortical factors. It is suggested to carry out targeted prenatal genetic diagnosis for fetuses with abnormal SF.

Objective To explore the correlation between six characteristics of perioperative hypothermia and allogeneic red blood cell(RBC)transfusions in patients who underwent abdominal surgeries.Methods Patients who underwent abdominal surgeries at West China Hospital,Sichuan University between October 2019 and July 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.A wearable wireless temperature sensor was used to continuously monitor the core body temperature of patients throughout the perioperative period.The perioperative temperature nadir,maximum temperature loss,percentage of time with hypothermia,time-weigh ted average temperature,area under the curve(AUC)at 36 ℃,and AUC at 37 ℃ were calculated for the period from entering the operation room to 24 hours after the end of anesthesia.The restricted cubic spline(RCS)and multiple logistic regression models were used to explore the correlation between these temperature characteristics and perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusions.Results A total of 3119 patients were included in the study,with an allogeneic RBC transfusion rate of 2.8％.The RCS model showed that allogeneic RBC transfusion was associated with the perioperative temperature nadir(Poverall=0.048)and AUC at 36 ℃(Poverall=0.026)and no statistical significance was found in the nonlinear test.The association between allogeneic RBC transfusions and other temperature characteristics was not statistically significant.According to the RCS model results,cut-off points were taken to form groups based on the body temperature characteristics.Multivariate logistic regression showed that the perioperative temperature nadir＜35.5 ℃(odds ratio[OR]=2.47,95％confidence interval[CI]:1.21-5.03)and AUC at 36 ℃≥100 ℃·min(OR=2.24,95％CI:1.09-4.58)were associated with increased demand for allogeneic RBC transfusion.Conclusion Hypothermia is associated with an increased need for perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusions and has a cumulative effect over time.For patients at high risk of bleeding,attention should be paid to the prevention of perioperative hypothermia and reduction in the cumulative exposure to hypothermia,thereby reducing the need for blood transfusion.