Objective To observe the levels of serum NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3),cysteine protease 1(Caspase-1),and interleukin 1β(IL-1β)in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)and to explore their correlation with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types,thus to assess the significance of NLRP3,Caspase-1 and IL-1β in TCM syndrome differentiation.Methods A total of 110 cases of SLE patients who met the inclusion criteria and 30 cases of healthy physical examinee from Linhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine during October 2020 to March 2024 were enrolled into the study.The serum NLRP3,Caspase-1,IL-1β levels of the two groups were compared,and the correlation between serum NLRP3,Caspase-1,IL-1β levels and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index(SLEDAI)scores was analyzed.Moreover,the distribution of the TCM syndrome types in 110 cases of SLE patients was investigated and then the correlation between TCM syndrome types and serum NLRP3,Caspase-1,and IL-1β levels in SLE patients was explored.Results(1)The serum NLRP3 and Caspase-1 levels of patients in SLE group were lower than those of healthy control group,and the serum IL-1β level was higher than that of healthy control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the SLEDAI score was negatively correlated with both of NLRP3 and Caspase-1(r=-0.854,-0.599,P<0.01),and SLEDAI score was positively correlated with IL-1β(r=0.584,P<0.01).(2)The TCM syndrome types in 110 cases of SLE patients ranking in descending order were as follows:excessive heat toxin syndrome(33.64%)>yang deficiency of spleen and kidney syndrome(25.45%)>internal heat due to yin deficiency syndrome(24.55%)>yin deficiency of liver and kidney syndrome(16.36%).(3)The serum NLRP3 and Caspase-1 levels were in ascending order while the serum IL-1β level was in descending order in SLE patients with the TCM syndrome types of excessive heat toxin syndrome,internal heat due to yin deficiency syndrome,yang deficiency of spleen and kidney syndrome,yin deficiency of liver and kidney syndrome,respectively.And the differences were all statistically significant(P<0.05).(4)The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum NLRP3 and caspase-1 levels were negatively correlated with syndromes of yin deficiency of liver and kidney,yang deficiency of spleen and kidney,internal heat due to yin deficiency,and excessive heat toxin(P<0.05 or P<0.01),while serum IL-1β level was positively correlated with the above syndromes(P<0.05).Conclusion Serum NLRP3 and Caspase-1 levels in SLE patients are negatively correlated with the disease activity,and serum IL-1β level is positively correlated with the disease activity.There is a certain correlation between TCM syndrome types and NLRP3,Caspase-1 and IL-1β levels in SLE patients,indicating that NLRP3,Caspase-1 and IL-1β may be the potential biological indicators for TCM syndrome differentiation of SLE.

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pertussis in Baoshan District, Shanghai from 2017 to 2024, so as to provide an evidence-based reference for optimizing prevention and control strategies. MethodsData on pertussis cases were collected from the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System, Shanghai Integrated Management and Immunization Service Information System, and follow-up epidemiological investigations. Descriptive epidemiological analyses were performed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, and vaccine effectiveness. Joinpoint regression analyses were used to examine the temporal trends in incidence rates, and a Poisson model was constructed for spatiotemporal scan analyses. ResultsA total of 1 634 pertussis cases were reported in Baoshan District from 2017 to 2024, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.08∶1. More cases were observed in males than in females, with the age ranged from 20 days to 81 years. Among them, 59.92% were in the 6‒<11 years age group, and 63.34% were students. Low-level sporadic incidence persisted during 2017‒2023, followed by a sharp increase in 2024 (71.37/100 000). Starting in January 2024, the incidence rate showed an upward trend, peaking in May before declining. The majority of cases occurred between April and June. The trend in reported pertussis incidence rates in Baoshan District from 2017 to 2023 showed no statistically significant change (APC=10.039%, t=2.586, P=0.150). Incidence rate rose from January 2024, peaked in May (APC=133.641%, t=3.841, P=0.006), then declined significantly (APC=-47.816%, t=2.586, P<0.001). The 12 subdistricts of Baoshan District were divided into low, medium, and high population density areas, with an average annual reported incidence rate of 6.09/100 000, 8.19/100 000 and 11.96/100 000, respectively. The reported incidence rate increased with an increase in population density. Spatiotemporal scan analyses showed that cases clustered in the southwest and northeast of Baoshan District. Epidemiological follow-up investigations of 1 520 cases revealed that the main clinical symptoms were cough (97.63%) and sputum production (41.58%), and 98.13% of the cases were confirmed by positive nucleic-acid test results. Among the 1 475 cases with immunization records, 83.53% had completed the four-dose pertussis vaccine before onset. The complication incidence rates, from high to low, were in the 0-dose vaccination group, 1‒3-dose vaccination group and 4-dose vaccination group. The duration of cough, from long to short, was observed in the the 0-dose vaccination group, 1‒3-dose vaccination group and 4-dose vaccination group, correspondingly. ConclusionIt is recommended to improve the pertussis surveillance system in medical institutions and establish an active monitoring network, prioritizing deployment in school settings and areas with high population density. Enhancing diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination coverage among 6-year-old children and further optimizing the pertussis immunization strategies are essential to prevent and reduce the risk of pertussis among school-aged children.

Objective To explore the latent classes and influencing factors of blood glucose trajectories after transplantation in lung transplantation patients,and provide references for identifying high-risk population of post-transplant diabetes mellitus.Methods 122 lung transplantation patients who were hospitalized in a tertiary A general hospital in Hangzhou from January 2022 to March 2023 were selected conveniently as survey subjects.Socio-demographic and disease-related data were collected,and fasting plasma glucose at 1 week before surgery(T0),1 week after surgery(T1),1 month after surgery(T2),3 months after surgery(T3),6 months after surgery(T4),1 year after surgery(T5)were collected.Growth mixture model was used to identify categories of blood glucose trajectories after lung transplantation,and binary Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors.Results A total of 109 lung transplantation patients were enrolled in the study,and 2 latent classes of blood glucose trajectories were identified:high risk(23.85％)and low risk(76.15％)of post-transplant diabetes mellitus.BMI,drinking history,afternoon blood glucose and tacrolimus trough concentration were the influencing factors of latent classes of blood glucose trajectories after lung transplantation(all P＜0.05).Conclusion There are 2 latent classes of blood glucose trajectories after lung transplantation,namely high risk and low risk of post-transplant diabetes mellitus.Medical staff should pay attention to diabetes screening and assessment of lung transplantation patients who are overweight or obese,have a drinking history before transplantation,have high afternoon blood glucose in early stage of transplantation and have high tacrolimus trough concentration in stable stage of transplantation,so as to formulate a comprehensive and individualized blood glucose management program.

This paper summarizes the nursing experience of a pregnant woman with congenital heart disease who developed pulmonary artery hypertension crisis after cesarean section.Nursing key points:monitoring and management of inhaled nitric oxide therapy to reduce pulmonary hypertension;providing sequential respiratory support care and dynamically adjusting oxygen therapy regimen;precise volume regulation and alertness to serious complications;optimizing puerperal supervision strategy to reduce the risk of infection;preventing and controlling stress bleeding and implementing a stepped dietary management strategy;implementing phased rehabilitation training to accelerate the recovery process;carrying out personalized psychological care and health education.With comprehensive nursing care,the patient recovered well and was discharged smoothly after an 18-day hospital stay.

Objective This study aimed to develop and empirically evaluate a sarcopenia management program for lung transplant candidates based on the Transtheoretical Model(TTM).The objective was to improve preopera-tive muscle condition and enhance patients' tolerance to lung transplantation.Methods Using the TTM as the the-oretical framework,the sarcopenia management program was developed through a literature review and 2 rounds of expert consultations.A convenience sampling method was employed to recruit inpatients from the lung transplant department of a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province between January 2022 and January 2024.Patients admitted between February 2023 and January 2024 were assigned to an intervention group,while those admitted between January 2022 and January 2023 were allocated to a control group.The intervention group received an 8-week sar-copenia management program based on the TTM in addition to standard prehabilitation care,whereas the control group received only standard prehabilitation care.Outcome measurements included pre-and post-intervention com-parisons of the modified Strength,Assistance with Walking,Rise from a Chair,Climb Stairs,Falls,and Calf Circum-ference(SARC-CalF)score,handgrip strength,6-minute walking distance(6MWD),and upper arm circumference,as well as their respective changes before and after the intervention.Additionally,stage-based behavioral change as-sessment and adverse event incidence were compared between the 2 groups.Results A total of 8 patients from the intervention group and 9 from the control group dropped out,resulting in a final sample of 32 patients in the intervention group and 31 in the control group.Compared to the control group,the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in SARC-CalF scores,handgrip strength,6MWD,and upper arm circumference(P＜0.05).After the intervention,the intervention group had a statistically significant difference in behavioral stage tran-sition compared to the control group(P＜0.05).During the intervention process,neither group experienced any ad-verse events.Conclusion The sarcopenia management program based on the TTM effectively improved patient ad-herence,enhanced preoperative muscle condition,and demonstrated potential benefits in improving physical function and nutritional status.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between leucine-rich α2 glycoprotein (LRG) and endoscopic activity in patients with Crohn′s disease (CD), based on the assessment of inflammation in small intestinal lesion by double-balloon enteroscope (DBE).Methods:From 15 August 2022 to 22 August 2023, the clinical data of 139 patients with small bowel CD diagnosed by DBE at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were prospectively collected, which included fecal calprotectin (FC), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count, hemoglobin, albumin, Crohn′s disease activity index (CDAI), and simple endoscopic score for Crohn′s disease (SES-CD). According to the SES-CD, endoscopic activity was classified as mucosal healing (0), endoscopic remission (0 to 2), mild activity (3 to 6), moderate activity (7 to 15), and severe activity (≥16). LRG levels were detected in all patients. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between LRG, clinical biochemical parameters and endoscopic scores. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was performed to determine the optimal cut-off value of LRG for evaluating endoscopic mucosal healing. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Bonferroni corrected test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among 139 patients with small bowel CD, the LRG level was 17.3 (13.0, 25.2) mg/L, and SES-CD was 5 (1, 9); 32 patients achieved mucosal healing, 50 patients achieved endoscopic remission; 39 patients had mild activity, 40 patients had moderate activity, and 10 patients had severe activity. The SES-CD was negatively correlated with both hemoglobin and albumin ( r=-0.177 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI: -0.334 to -0.011), -0.293 (95% CI: -0.438 to -0.133)), with statistical significance ( P=0.037, <0.001). The SES-CD was positively correlated with CRP, CDAI, LRG and FC ( r=0.344 (95% CI: 0.188 to 0.482), 0.429 (95% CI: 0.282 to 0.556), 0.525 (95% CI: 0.393 to 0.636), 0.661 (95% CI: 0.556 to 0.745)), with statistical significant (all P<0.001). For the 64 small bowel CD patients with CRP in the normal reference value, SES-CD was positively correlated with CDAI, LRG and FC ( r=0.296 (95% CI: 0.054 to 0.505), 0.364 (95% CI: 0.129 to 0.559), 0.547 (95% CI: 0.348 to 0.699)), with statistical significance ( P=0.017, =0.003, <0.001). The LRG level of patients with endoscopic mucosal healing was significantly lower than that of patients with endoscopic remission (11.5 (10.1, 17.2) mg/L vs. 17.3 (13.4, 23.5) mg/L), with statistical significance ( Z=-3.25, P<0.001). ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of LRG in predicting endoscopic mucosal healing was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.73 to 0.89), with an optimal cut-off value of 15.27 mg/L. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 0.757, 0.718, 0.900 and 0.469, respectively. The accuracy of the combination of LRG and FC (AUC was 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82 to 0.94) in predicting endoscopic mucosal healing was higher than that of LRG alone (AUC was 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.89), and the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.011). Conclusion:Based on the results of DBE, LRG may be a reliable biomarker for predicting endoscopic remission and mucosal healing in patients with small bowel CD.

Objective To observe the value of T2 mapping for quantitatively evaluating the changes of junctional zone and outer myometrium caused by endometrial fibrosis.Methods A total of 73 infertility patients with endometrial fibrosis confirmed by hysteroscopy(disease group)and 33 healthy women of childbearing age(control group)were prospectively enrolled,and MR examinations were performed at the late proliferative phase of endometrium.The thickness and T2 value of junctional zone,T2 value of outer myometrium on anterior,posterior and fundus wall of midsagittal corpus uteri were measured,and the mean value of the above measurements on the three walls were calculated.Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed,the areas under the curves(AUC)were calculated to explore the efficacy of those with significant difference among the mean thickness and the mean T2 value of junctional zone,the mean T2 value of outer myometrium and their combination for evaluating endometrial fibrosis.Results The thickness and T2 value of anterior wall,posterior wall,fundus wall and the mean junctional zone in disease group were all significantly higher than those in control group(all P＜0.001).No significant difference of T2 value of anterior wall,posterior wall,fundus wall nor the mean outer myometrium was found between groups(all P＞0.05).The mean thickness and the mean T2 value of junctional zone and their combination could be used to effectively evaluate endometrial fibrosis,with AUC of 0.839,0.822 and 0.922,respectively,and their combination had the best performance(both P＜0.01).Conclusion T2 mapping could be used to quantitatively evaluate the injury of junctional zone caused by endometrial fibrosis.

Objective:To investigate the expression levels, correlation, and diagnostic efficacy of peripheral blood CD8 +T lymphocyte subsets and different immune checkpoint markers in patients with Brucellosis. Method:A case-control study was conducted on 32 patients with acute phase brucellosis (27 males and 5 females, aged 36 (30, 43) years), 38 patients with chronic phase brucellosis (30 males and 8 females, aged 40 (32, 48) years), and 30 healthy controls (24 males and 6 females, aged 39 (32, 46) years), who underwent physical examination at Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People′s Hospital from February 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. All subjects had fasting blood sampling once in the morning. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, the expression levels of CD8 +T lymphocyte surface programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1), T lymphocyte immunoglobulin receptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain containing protein 3 (TIM-3), perforin and granzyme B. The changes in these indicators during the acute and chronic phases of the disease were observed, and correlation analysis was performed using Spearman′s method. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) analysis is used to evaluate the diagnostic value of immunological indicators with differences in acute and chronic brucellosis. Results:CD3 +T lymphocyte in the chronic group (70.71%±8.78%) is significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (74.65%±7.31%) ( P<0.05), and CD4 +T lymphocyte in the acute phase group (39.52%±5.85%) is also lower than that in the healthy control group (45.10%±5.18%) ( P<0.01); while CD8 +T lymphocyte in the acute group (31.73%±5.87%) is significantly higher than that in the chronic phase group (26.75%±4.71%) ( P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference ( P<0.001) in CD8+CD28 -T lymphocyte among the acute group (69.85% (58.62%, 78.55%)), chronic group (86.46% (73.30%, 92.52%)) and healthy control group (25.39% (20.60%,32.90%)), when compared pairwise. The expression levels of immune checkpoint PD-1, TIGIT, and TIM-3 on the surface of CD8 +T lymphocytes were higher in both the acute and chronic groups than in the healthy control group ( P<0.001). The expression level of perforin secreted by CD8 +T lymphocytes in the acute and chronic groups was lower than that in the healthy control group ( P<0.05), while the expression level of granzyme B in the acute and chronic groups was higher than that in the healthy control group ( P<0.01). The proportion of CD8 +CD28 -T lymphocytes in brucellosis patients was positively correlated with the expression levels of TIGIT and TIM-3 ( r=0.624, 0.406, P<0.001). The ROC curve combined with the proportion of CD8 +CD28 -T lymphocytes and the proportion of TIGIT on the surface of CD8 +T lymphocytes can distinguish acute and chronic brucellosis. The Area Under Curve (AUC) is 0.973, which has certain implications for clinical differentiation of patients with acute and chronic diseases. Conclusion:The CD8 +T lymphocyte subsets in patients with brucellosis exhibit dynamic changes, accompanied by changes in relevant immune checkpoint molecules, and can regulate the activation and inhibition of the immune status of brucellosis patients. The synergistic effect of CD8 +CD28 -T cells and TIGIT/TIM-3 may be a key mechanism of driving chronicity, and their combined diagnosis can serve as a clinical staging marker.

Objective To find and select stable and specific identification indexes in chest CT images,to establish mathematical models and provide a systematic and scientific identification method.Methods Medical imaging analysis and processing technology were applied to compare the image indexes such as lung apical shadow,double lung texture,trachea,sternum,thoracic morphology,liver,spleen,interlobular fissure morphology,first rib,aorta and thoracic vertebrae morphology of 600 serial chest CT scans of of the same adults at different periods and 600 scans of different adults.Consistency test(Kappa analysis)was applied to determine the consistency of different identification indexes,and to screen out the image identification indexes that were not easily affected by subjective factors and had high consistency;the cumulative exclusion probability method was applied to calculate the combined identification ability of the observation indexes,and select optimal indexes to establish the identification index system.Results Five indexes-left lung texture,right lung texture,interlobular fissure of the liver,first rib on the left side,and first rib on the right side demonstrated high consistency across age groups and minimal subjective interference.A combination of any three indexes achieved＞99.99％discrimination probability for homologous versus non-homologous sources identification.Conclusion The independent or combined use of the indexes of left lung texture,right lung texture,interlobular fissure of the liver,first rib on the left side,and first rib on the right side enables individual identification in adult chest CT under different imaging conditions.

Objective:To explore the role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in monitoring prognosis after contralateral C7 nerve transfer in patients with central paralysis.Methods:The clinical data of a 56-year-old male patient with right limb motor impairment after cerebral infarction, admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery at Brain Hospital of Hunan Province in October 2023, were retrospectively analyzed. The patient had experienced right limb motor dysfunction for over 2 years following a cerebral infarction and was treated with contralateral C7 nerve transfer. Follow-ups were conducted at 2 and 6 months postoperatively. Motor function was assessed using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, while changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the lesion area and corticospinal tract were monitored via DTI.Results:Postoperative follow-up of patient showed: (1) Significant improvement in motor function: ADL scores increased from 65 preoperatively to 75 (2 months postop) and 80 (6 months postop); FMA scores increased from 46 to 58 (2 months postop) and 61 (6 months postop). Muscle tension in the affected upper limb decreased markedly, and range of motion in the right shoulder joint improved. (2) Imaging improvements: DTI revealed an increase in FA values from 0.157 to 0.174 in the lesion area and from 0.52 to 0.53 in the corticospinal tract, indicating partial restoration of neural tract integrity.Conclusions:Contralateral C7 nerve transfer can effectively improve motor function in stroke patients. DTI technology provides an objective imaging basis for clinically assessing functional recovery by quantitatively evaluating changes in neural tract integrity, demonstrating significant value in guiding rehabilitation.