ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of long COVID and to investigate its main influencing factors by examining individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 between March and June 2022 in two communities in Shanghai, to lay the foundation for further research on the mechanism and clinical treatment of long COVID, and to provide the basis for the development of inexpensive, convenient, and feasible prevention and intervention strategies. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 6 410 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey. The incidence and common symptoms of long COVID were analyzed, along with their associations with demographic characteristics, medical history, and behavioral factors. A logistic regression model was used to identify the major factors associated with the development of long COVID symptoms. ResultsThe overall incidence rate of long COVID among the study population was 13.9%. The most commonly reported symptoms included fatigue (65.1%), attention disorders (23.1%), and cough (16.9%). The analysis showed that having underlying chronic diseases (OR=2.580, 95%CI: 2.165‒3.074), a history of allergies (OR=1.418, 95%CI: 1.003‒1.971), current smoking (OR=1.461, 95%CI: 1.013‒2.079), ever smoking (OR=2.462, 95%CI: 1.687‒3.551), a greater number of symptoms during the acute phase [1 symptom (OR=1.778, 95%CI: 1.459‒2.162), 2 symptoms (OR=2.749, 95%CI: 2.209‒3.409), ≥3 symptoms (OR=7.792, 95%CI: 6.333‒9.593)] and aggravated symptoms during the acute phase (OR=1.082, 95%CI: 1.070‒1.094) were factors associated with a higher risk of developing long COVID symptoms. Additionally, individuals who had consumed alcohol in the past year (OR=1.914, 95%CI: 1.344‒2.684) were more prone to objective long COVID symptoms. Among individuals under 50 years of age, females (OR=1.427, 95%CI: 1.052‒1.943) were more likely to develop objective long COVID symptoms. ConclusionThis study has identified the diversity of long COVID symptoms, which involve multiple organs and systems, including fatigue, attention disorders, cough, and joint pain. It has also revealed associations between long COVID and various demographic factors (e.g., age, gender), personal medical history (e.g., underlying chronic diseases, history of allergies), acute-phase characteristics (e.g., number and severity of symptoms), and behavioral factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption). These findings highlight the need for further research and ongoing surveillance of long COVID and may inform the development of more targeted health management strategies for specific populations.

Objective: To investigate the trend in disease burden of injuries among children and adolescents in China from 1990 to 2021, so as to provide a basis for formulating prevention and control strategies and reducing this disease burden. Methods: Data on mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate, incidence, and prevalence of injuries among children and adolescents aged <20 years in China from 1990 to 2021 were collected from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database. All rates were standardized using the GBD 2021 world standard population. The trend in incidence of disease burden of injuries among children and adolescents across differents genders and ages from 1990 to 2021 was evaluated using average annual percent change (AAPC). Results: From 1990 to 2021, the standardized mortality (AAPC=-5.435%), standardized DALY rate (AAPC=-5.311%), standardized incidence (AAPC=-0.466%), and standardized prevalence (AAPC=-0.810%) of injuries among children and adolescents in China showed downward trends (all P<0.05). Among these, the standardized mortality of animal contact (AAPC=-9.138%) and the standardized DALY rate of medical side effects (AAPC=-8.389%) decreased at a relatively fast pace, while the standardized incidence of falls (AAPC=0.083%) and the standardized prevalence of exposure to natural forces (AAPC=2.656%) showed upward trends (all P<0.05). The standardized mortality, standardized DALY rate, standardized incidence and standardized prevalence of injuries were higher in males than in females. The trend in males showed a downward trend (all P<0.05), consistent with the total population. The crude incidence of injuries in the group aged 15-<20 years showed an upward trend (AAPC=0.391%, P<0.05), while the trend in the group aged 10-<15 years was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The crude incidence of injuries in the groups aged 5-<10 years and <5 years showed downward trends (AAPC=-0.488% and -2.275%, both P<0.05). In 2021, the <5 years age group had the highest crude mortality and crude DALY rate of injuries, at 13.94/100 000 and 1 257.26/100 000, respectively. The 15-<20 years age group exhibited the highest crude incidence and crude prevalence, at 4 874.05/100 000and 4 050.35/100 000, respectively. Drowning and falls were major components of the disease burden across all age groups. Conclusions From 1990 to 2021, the disease burden of injuries among children and adolescents in China showed an overall downward trend. The disease burden was consistently higher in males than in females. Children aged <5 years face a high risk of fatality and disability, while adolescents aged 15-<20 years experience a high incidence and frequency of injuries. Drowning and falls were key priorities for prevention and control.

Astragali Radix (AR), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against various diseases, including cardiovascular conditions, over centuries of use. While doxorubicin serves as an effective chemotherapeutic agent against multiple cancers, its clinical application remains constrained by significant cardiotoxicity. Research has indicated that AR exhibits protective properties against doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC); however, the specific bioactive components and underlying mechanisms responsible for this therapeutic effect remain incompletely understood. This investigation seeks to identify the protective bioactive components in AR against DIC and elucidate their mechanisms of action. Through network medicine analysis, astragaloside IV (AsIV) and formononetin (FMT) were identified as potential cardioprotective agents from 129 AR components. In vitro experiments using H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes revealed that the AsIV-FMT combination (AFC) effectively reduced doxorubicin-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner, with optimal efficacy at a 1∶2 ratio. In vivo, AFC enhanced survival rates and improved cardiac function in both acute and chronic DIC mouse models. Additionally, AFC demonstrated cardiac protection while maintaining doxorubicin's anti-cancer efficacy in a breast cancer mouse model. Lipidomic and metabolomics analyses revealed that AFC normalized doxorubicin-induced lipid profile alterations, particularly by reducing fatty acid accumulation. Gene knockdown studies and inhibitor experiments in H9c2 cells demonstrated that AsIV and FMT upregulated peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) and PPARα, respectively, two key proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism. This research establishes AFC as a promising therapeutic approach for DIC, highlighting the significance of multi-target therapies derived from natural herbals in contemporary medicine.
Animals ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Saponins/administration & dosage* ; Isoflavones/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Cardiomyopathies/prevention & control* ; Mice ; Fatty Acids/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Triterpenes/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Cardiotonic Agents/administration & dosage* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cell Line ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; Astragalus propinquus

ObjectiveTo provide a reference for the diagnosis of amyloidosis in experimental animals through the pathological diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis in a case of a New Zealand white rabbit. MethodsIn a 6-month repeated ocular toxicity study, an abnormal finding was noted during the routine gross anatomical examination of one New Zealand white rabbit. Its organs were prepared as paraffin sections and stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Congo red staining. The histopathological features were observed under optical and polarized light microscopy. ResultsGross anatomical examination of the animal revealed an enlarged spleen and changes in the color and texture of the lung. HE staining showed that the splenic tissue structure was destroyed, the white pulp of the spleen was surrounded by dense amyloid deposition in the form of nodular rings, along with pressure atrophy of the white pulp. Amyloid deposits were also observed in the submandibular lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph nodes, ileum, sacculus rotundus, vermiform appendix, jejunum, cecum, and rectum. Congo red staining showed that the amyloid deposition in the affected organs appeared salmon-pink, and exhibited characteristic apple green birefringence under polarized light microscopy.Conclusion The histo-pathological features of the New Zealand white rabbit are consistent with the diagnostic characteristics of systemic amyloidosis.

Continuing medical education for general practitioners is an important measure to upgrade the quality of primary health care services in China, which is still facing various challenges and need to be further developed and improved. This article analyzes the status quo and existing problems of continuing medical education for general practitioners in China, and proposes suggestions based on the concept of people centered and integrated health care (PCIC), including faculty development, training contents, assessment methods, and experience learning, to provide references for the improvement of continuing medical education for general practitioners.

ObjectiveTo explore the metabolic changes during the development of Tupaia belangeri breast tumors, to investigate the close relationship between the changes of serum metabolic substances and the occurrence and progression of tumors, and to screen for biomarkers reflecting the progression of breast tumors. MethodsBreast tumors in Tupaia belangeri were induced by orally administering 7,12-dimethylbenzoanthracene (DMBA) three times, with a 15-day interval between each administration, along with a high-fat and high-sugar diet. The DMBA-induced breast cancer group and the DMBA-inducedwithout breast cancer group were compared with the control group. Untargeted determination of serum metabolites was performed using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) in DMBA-induced Tupaia belangeri with breast cancer, DMBA-induced without breast cancer and the control group. Multidimensional statistical analysis including unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares analysis (OPLS-DA) were conducted. Furthermore, t-test was used for intergroup differential comparison. Differential metabolites were screened under VIP>1 and P<0.05 conditions, and significantly changing differential metabolites were identified using the HMDB online database. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database was utilized to enrich metabolic-related gene regulatory pathways. ResultsThe incidence of breast tumors was 40% in DMBA-induced Tupaia belangeri. Compared with the control group, 30 metabolic differential products were detected in the serum of the group with breast cancer, with 18 down-regulated and 12 up-regulated (VIP>1, P<0.05). KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant changes in four metabolic pathways: glutamate metabolism, glyceride metabolism, citric acid cycle, and alanine metabolism. Compared with the group without breast cancer, 18 metabolic differential products were detected, with 7 down-regulated and 11 up-regulated (VIP>1, P<0.05). KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant changes in the citric acid cycle and glutamate metabolism. Compared with the control group, 31 metabolic differential products were detected in the serum of the groups without breast cancer, with 14 down-regulated and 17 up-regulated (VIP>1, P<0.05). KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant changes in three metabolic pathways: glutamate metabolism, glyceride metabolism, and citric acid cycle. ConclusionMetabolomics analysis can reveal the characteristics of changes in metabolites in the serum of breast tumors. The results suggest that glutamate metabolism, glyceride metabolism, citric acid cycle, and alanine metabolism pathways are associated with the occurrence and development of DMBA-induced breast tumors in Tupaia belangeri. It provides a foundation for further research into the biological mechanism of breast cancer.

The incidence of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fracture (OTLVF) in the elderly is gradually increasing. The kyphotic deformity caused by various factors has become an important characteristic of OTLVF and has received increasing attention. Its clinical manifestations include pain, delayed nerve damage, sagittal imbalance, etc. Currently, the definition and diagnosis of OTLVF with kyphotic deformity in the elderly are still unclear. Although there are many treatment options, they are controversial. Existing guidelines or consensuses pay little attention to this type of fracture with kyphotic deformity. To this end, the Lumbar Education Working Group of the Spine Branch of the Chinese Medicine Education Association and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized the experts in the relevant fields to jointly develop Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fractures with kyphotic deformity in the elderly ( version 2024), based on evidence-based medical advancements and the principles of scientificity, practicality, and advanced nature, which provided 18 recommendations to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To understand and summarize the clinicopathological characteristics and differential diagnosis of lymphoepithelial sialadenitis(LESA)-like thymic hyperplasia.Methods The clinicopathological data of patients with LESA-like thymic hyperplasia diagnosed in our hospital from October 1,2019 to September 1,2023 were collected,and the related literatures on their epidemiological characteristics,clinicopathological features,treatments and prognosis were reviewed.Results There were 2 female patients with LESA-like thymic hyperplasia included,at an onset age of 51 and 52 years,respectively.Imaging examination revealed an anterior mediastinal mass in both patients,with the largest diameter of 7.5 and 12.0 cm,respectively.Microscopic morphology and immunophenotype analysis showed there were florid lymphoid follicles with germinal centers.Reticular or nested thymic epithelial,thymic corpuscles and lymphoepithelial lesions without dysplasia were seen in the interfollicular areas as well.Focal cystic changes,cholesterol crystals and the formation of cholesterol granuloma were observed.Our results were similar to the pathological morphology and immunohistochemical phenotype of 46 cases with LESA-like thymic hyperplasia reported in the literature.They had favorable prognosis,except 5 patients progressed to lymphoma.Conclusion LESA-like thymic hyperplasia is a benign disease with unique morphological characteristics and of favorable prognosis.But rare patients can progress to lymphoma,therefore regular and close follow-up is still required.

Herb-induced liver injury (HILI) is a type of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) caused by Chinese herb medicines, natural medicines or their related preparations. With the increasing number of reports on HILI events in recent years, traditional Chinese medicine is facing great challenges and controversies. Compared to other types of DILI, HILI is more complicated in terms of diagnosis and risk factors.This article reviews the current research status on the herb-induced liver injury.

Objective:To investigate the clinical benefit and application value of the Da Vinci robotic surgical system through bilateral axillary areolar approach in cervical lymph node dissection in obese thyroid carcinoma patients.Methods:The clinical data of 117 patients with thyroid cancer admitted to the thyroid and breast surgery Department of the 960th Hospital of the Chinese PLA Joint Logistic Support Force from January 2018 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 55 males and 62 females, aged from 17 to 64 years, with an average age of (36.05±8.77) years. According to body mass index (BMI), patients were divided into normal group (18.5 kg/m 2≤BMI< 24 kg/m 2, n=60) and obese group (BMI≥28 kg/m 2, n=57). Gender, age, BMI, operation time, postoperative drainage fluid volume, tumor diameter, central lymph node dissection and number of metastasis, cervical lymph node dissection and number of metastasis, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative aesthetic satisfaction score and surgical complications of the two groups were analyzed. SPSS 26.0 statistical software was used to analyze the data. Results:All of patients completed the operation successfully, and neither group was transferred to open surgery. The BMI of obese group was higher than that of normal group [(31.35±3.08) kg/m 2vs (22.53±0.82) kg/m 2, t=20.97, P<0.05]. The maximum tumor diameter in the obese group was greater than that in the normal group [(13.81±10.70) mm vs (10.42±5.53) mm, t=2.17, P<0.05]. There were no significant differences in operation time, number of central lymph node dissection and metastasis, number of cervical lymph node dissection and metastasis and postoperative complications between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Utilization of the Da Vinci robotic surgical system via the BABA approach demonstrates both safety and feasibility in obese patients with thyroid carcinoma undergoing lateral cervical lymph node dissection. Importantly, this technique does not increase the risk of surgical complications, thus providing a novel alternative for lateral cervical lymph node dissection in obese thyroid carcinoma patients.