An analysis of 24 144 norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia deposited in GenBank between 1995 and 2023 was conducted,to understand the temporal and spatial variations in norovirus genotypes in these regions.Norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia were downloaded in FASTA format from GenBank for the years 1995-2023,and analyzed in Excel,R language,and GraphPad Prism for data visualization.The number of norovirus sequences submitted to GenBank increased annually from 2004 and peaked in 2015.Notably,China and Japan contributed 62.3％of all submitted norovirus sequences.These sequences encompassed 31 capsid genotypes(C-type),with GⅠ accounting for 9％and GⅡ accounting for 90％.Additionally,49 polymerase types(P-type)were identified,along with 68 combinations of CP types;among the analyzed recombinant sequences(4 460 entries in total),approxi-mately 41％belonged to three predominant recombinant strains:GⅡ.2[P16],GⅡ.4[P31],and GⅡ.4[P16].This analysis provides valuable insights into the distribution characteristics of norovirus genotypes across Asia and Russia over time,thereby supporting vac-cine design and evaluation efforts.

AIM To investigate the protective effect of Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills against house dust mite(HDM)-induced allergic asthma in mice.METHODS Compared to the intact BALB/c mice in the blank control group,the BALB/c mice randomly assigned into the model group,the dexamethasone group(0.67 mg/kg),and the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills groups(15,30 and 60 mg/kg),were induced into acute allergic asthma models via weekly intraperitoneal sensitization with 0.1 mL HDM solution(0.5 mg/mL)for three weeks followed by three consecutive daily intranasal challenges with 10 μL HDM solution(2.5 mg/mL)starting in the third week.The drug administered continuously 7 days after the last excitation.The mice had their airway reactive Penh value detected,their pulmonary pathological changes observed by HE staining,their blood eosinophils(EOS)counted,their Th2 cytokines in lung tissue and serum IgE levels detected by ELISA,and their number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)and pulmonary Th2 cells detected by flow cytometry.Chronic allergic asthma was induced in grouped BALB/c mice through repeated intranasal challenges with 10 μL HDM solution(2.5 mg/mL)administered five times weekly for five consecutive weeks.Drug treatment continued for 14 days following the final challenge.After the final treatment,the mice had their pulmonary pathological changes observed by HE staining,and their levels of Th2 cytokines in B ALF and lung tissue and serum IgE detected by ELISA.RESULTS Compared to the blank control group,the acute allergic asthma model group exhibited increases in Penh value,EOS count and IgE level in serum,IL-4 and IL-5 levels in lung tissue(P＜0.01);obvious pulmonary inflammatory cells infiltration,and thickened airway wall;and increase in pulmonary number of Th2 cells(P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills demonstrated decreased Penh value,serum EOS count,IgE level and IL-5 level in lung tissue(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltration and alleviated airway wall thickening;and decreased number of pulmonary Th2 cells.Compared to the blank group,the chronic allergic asthma model group showed obvious pulmonary inflammatory infiltration and airway wall thickening;and increased EOS count and IgE level in serum,IL-4 and IL-13 in lung tissue and IL-14 in BALF(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with either medium-dose or high-dose Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills demonstrated reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltration;and decreased serum EOS count,IgE level,IL-13 in lung tissue and IL-14 in BALF(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills reduce Th2 cells in peripheral blood and lung tissue,suppress type 2 inflammation,and thereby alleviate allergic asthma.

[Purpose]To analyze the incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in cancer regis-tration areas of Heilongjiang Province in 2019 and the trend from 2013 to 2019.[Methods]The incidence and mortality data of malignant tumors reported by the Heilongjiang provincial cancer registries from 2013 to 2019 were collected,and the quality of data was assessed.The crude in-cidence/mortality rate,age-standardized incidence/mortality rate by Chinese standard population(ASIRC/ASMRC)and world standard population(ASIRW/ASMRW),0～74 years old cumulative rate were calculated.Joinpoint 4.6.0 software was used to calculate the average annual percentage change(AAPC)of ASIRC/ASMRC for the trend analysis from 2013 to 2019.[Results]In 2019,there were 16 732 new cases of malignant tumors in the cancer registration areas of Heilongjiang Province,including 8 639 males and 8 093 females.The crude incidence rate was 295.37/105,with an ASIRC and ASIRW of 167.10/105 and 164.18/105,respectively.There were 10 988 malig-nant tumor deaths,including 6 540 males and 4 448 females.The crude mortality rate was 193.97/105,with an ASMRC and ASMRW of 101.22/105 and 101.66/105,respectively.The inci-dence and mortality of malignant tumors increased rapidly after the age of 55,and the incidence and mortality of males were slightly higher than those of females.The top five malignant tumors of high incidence were lung cancer,female breast cancer,colorectal cancer,liver cancer and thy-roid cancer,and the top five malignant tumors of high mortality were lung cancer,liver cancer,colorectal cancer,stomach cancer and female breast cancer.From 2013 to 2019,the ASIRC of malignant tumors in cancer registration areas increased from 153.08/105 in 2013 to 167.10/105 in 2019,and the ASMRC increased from 92.22/105 in 2013 to 101.22/105 in 2019,but there was no statistical difference in the change trend.[Conclusion]The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang Province remain high.Lung cancer,female breast cancer,colorectal can-cer,liver cancer and stomach cancer should be the focus of cancer prevention and control.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

Human rhinovirus (HRV) causes the common cold and exacerbates chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite its significant impact on public health, there are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments for HRV infection. Apoptosis is the process through which cells eliminate themselves through the systematic activation of intrinsic death pathways in response to various stimuli. It plays an important role in viral infections and serves as a key immune defense mechanism in the interactions between viruses and the host. In the present study, we investigated the antiviral effects of quercetin-3-methyl ether, a flavonoid isolated from Serratula coronata, on human rhinovirus 1B (HRV1B). Quercetin-3-methyl ether significantly inhibited HRV1B replication in HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner, thereby reducing cytopathic effects and viral RNA levels. Time-course and time-of-addition analyses confirmed that quercetin-3-methyl ether exhibited antiviral activity during the early stages of viral infection, potentially targeting the replication and translation phases. Gene expression analysis using microarrays revealed that pro-apoptotic genes were upregulated in quercetin-3-methyl ether-treated cells, suggesting that quercetin-3-methyl ether enhances early apoptosis to counteract HRV1B-induced immune evasion. In vivo administration of quercetin-3-methyl ether to HRV1B-infected mice significantly reduced viral RNA levels and inflammatory cytokine production in the lung tissues. Our findings demonstrated the potential of quercetin-3-methyl ether as a novel antiviral agent against HRV1B, thereby providing a promising therapeutic strategy for the management of HRV1B infections and related complications.

Objective: To test the performance of an artificial intelligence-based computer-aided diagnosis (AI-CAD) designed for fullfield digital mammography (FFDM) when applied to synthetic mammography (SM). Materials and Methods: We analyzed 501 women (mean age, 57 ± 11 years) who underwent preoperative mammography and breast cancer surgery. This cohort consisted of 1002 breasts, comprising 517 with cancer and 485 without. All patients underwent digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and FFDM during the preoperative workup. The SM is routinely reconstructed using DBT. Commercial AI-CAD (Lunit Insight MMG, version 1.1.7.2) was retrospectively applied to SM and FFDM to calculate the abnormality scores for each breast. The median abnormality scores were compared for the 517 breasts with cancer using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Calibration curves of abnormality scores were evaluated. The discrimination performance was analyzed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity using a 10% preset threshold. Sensitivity and specificity were further analyzed according to the mammographic and pathological characteristics.The results of SM and FFDM were compared. Results: AI-CAD demonstrated a significantly lower median abnormality score (71% vs. 96%, P < 0.001) and poorer calibration performance for SM than for FFDM. SM exhibited lower sensitivity (76.2% vs. 82.8%, P < 0.001), higher specificity (95.5% vs.91.8%, P < 0.001), and comparable AUC (0.86 vs. 0.87, P = 0.127) than FFDM. SM showed lower sensitivity than FFDM in asymptomatic breasts, dense breasts, ductal carcinoma in situ, T1, N0, and hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative cancers but showed higher specificity in non-cancerous dense breasts. Conclusion AI-CAD showed lower abnormality scores and reduced calibration performance for SM than for FFDM.Furthermore, the 10% preset threshold resulted in different discrimination performances for the SM. Given these limitations, off-label application of the current AI-CAD to SM should be avoided.

Background/Aims: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the recent nationwide trends in major dietary risk factors for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. Methods: We estimated age-standardized mean intakes of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, dietary fiber, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs); and mean percentage of energy intake from protein, total fat, saturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat using nationally representative samples from the Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey 2013–2022. To assess overall diet quality, we calculated mean Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) (range 0–100, higher scores indicating greater diet quality). Results: In 2013–2022, there were overall decreasing trends in age-standardized mean KHEI score and intakes of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and dietary fiber; and overall increasing trends in mean intakes of SSBs, protein, and dietary fat among both male and female. The KHEI score increased in older adults aged ≥ 60 years, whereas it decreased among younger adults. Throughout the study period, younger adults tended to have lower intakes of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains; higher intakes of SSBs, protein, and dietary fat; and lower KHEI score. The mean KHEI score was lower in male (vs. female) and lower (vs. higher) income groups. Conclusions Our data suggest that, from 2013 to 2022, there was a trend toward an unhealthy diet in Korean adults. Our findings also suggest dietary inequalities among age, sex, and income groups, suggesting the need for more intense interventions targeting the vulnerable populations.

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) risk-adjusted model by comparing models that include clinical information and the current model based on administrative information in South Korea. Materials and Methods: The data of 53976 inpatients were analyzed. The current HSMR risk-adjusted model (Model 1) adjusts for sex, age, health coverage, emergency hospitalization status, main diagnosis, surgery status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using administrative data. As candidate variables, among clinical information, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3, present on admission CCI, and cancer stage were collected. Surgery status, intensive care in the intensive care unit, and CCI were selected as proxy variables among administrative data. In-hospital death was defined as the dependent variable, and a logistic regression analysis was performed. The statistical performance of each model was compared using C-index values. Results: There was a strong correlation between variables in the administrative data and those in the medical records. The C-index of the existing model (Model 1) was 0.785; Model 2, which included all clinical data, had a higher C-index of 0.857. In Model 4, in which APACHE II and SAPS 3 were replaced with variables recorded in the administrative data from Model 2, the C-index further increased to 0.863. Conclusion The HSMR assessment model improved when clinical data were adjusted. Simultaneously, the validity of the evaluation method could be secured even if some of the clinical information was replaced with the information in the administrative data.

Objective: To test the performance of an artificial intelligence-based computer-aided diagnosis (AI-CAD) designed for fullfield digital mammography (FFDM) when applied to synthetic mammography (SM). Materials and Methods: We analyzed 501 women (mean age, 57 ± 11 years) who underwent preoperative mammography and breast cancer surgery. This cohort consisted of 1002 breasts, comprising 517 with cancer and 485 without. All patients underwent digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and FFDM during the preoperative workup. The SM is routinely reconstructed using DBT. Commercial AI-CAD (Lunit Insight MMG, version 1.1.7.2) was retrospectively applied to SM and FFDM to calculate the abnormality scores for each breast. The median abnormality scores were compared for the 517 breasts with cancer using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Calibration curves of abnormality scores were evaluated. The discrimination performance was analyzed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity using a 10% preset threshold. Sensitivity and specificity were further analyzed according to the mammographic and pathological characteristics.The results of SM and FFDM were compared. Results: AI-CAD demonstrated a significantly lower median abnormality score (71% vs. 96%, P < 0.001) and poorer calibration performance for SM than for FFDM. SM exhibited lower sensitivity (76.2% vs. 82.8%, P < 0.001), higher specificity (95.5% vs.91.8%, P < 0.001), and comparable AUC (0.86 vs. 0.87, P = 0.127) than FFDM. SM showed lower sensitivity than FFDM in asymptomatic breasts, dense breasts, ductal carcinoma in situ, T1, N0, and hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative cancers but showed higher specificity in non-cancerous dense breasts. Conclusion AI-CAD showed lower abnormality scores and reduced calibration performance for SM than for FFDM.Furthermore, the 10% preset threshold resulted in different discrimination performances for the SM. Given these limitations, off-label application of the current AI-CAD to SM should be avoided.