Objective To characterize the species composition and distribution patterns of ticks in 17 counties and cities of Yunnan Province, thereby furnishing fundamental data for the prediction, prevention, and control of local tick-borne diseases. Methods Tick specimens deposited in Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention (YIEDC) collected from 17 counties or cities during 1957-2024 were thoroughly trimmed and morphological identified based on diagnostic characters. Results A total of 2 923 tick specimens were taxonomically identified and classified into 18 species within 6 genera in the Ixodidae family. Specifically, the genus Haemaphysalis comprised 6 species with 154 specimens, the genus Rhipicephalus included 3 species with 2 444 specimens, the genus Ixodes consisted of 4 species with 236 specimens, the genus Amblyomma included 3 species with 49 specimens, the genus Dermacentor contained 1 species with 12 specimens, and the genus Hyalomma included 1 species with 28 specimens. A wide range of host animals were found, including livestock, wild avian species, wild mammalian species, reptiles (including pythons), and humans. Conclusions Ticks were found on a wide array of host animals within the 17 counties and cities of Yunnan Province, demonstrating high host species diversity. Our data suggest a need to strengthen the monitoring of tick-borne diseases and provide health education for the general population in Yunnan Province.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, joint destruction, and functional impairment. Angiogenesis plays a key role in the pathological progression of RA with dysfunction of endothelial cells to promote synovial inflammation, sustain pannus formation, subsequently leading to joint damage. Colquhounia Root Tablets (CRT), a Chinese patent drug, has shown a satisfying clinical efficacy in treating RA, while the underlying mechanism by which CRT inhibits RA-associated angiogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we applied a research approach combining transcriptomic data analysis, bio-network mapping, and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanisms of CRT in suppressing angiogenesis in RA. Animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (ratification number: IBTCMCACMS21-2307-06). Network analysis identified that key genes such as nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2), SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) significantly enriched in pathways related to NOD-like receptor signaling and VEGF signaling, indicating that CRT may inhibit angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial cell function with modulating angiogenesis-related pathways. In vivo data showed that CRT significantly reduced the positive expression of CD31 and VEGF in the ankle joint of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats. In vitro data further confirmed that CRT effectively inhibited VEGF-induced migration, invasion, and tube formation in HUVECs, while significantly reduced the expression of angiogenesis-related factors VEGF/CD31/Ang-1, as well as the positive expression of VEGF and CD31 in HUVECs. Furthermore, CRT markedly decreased the protein expression of NOD2, VEGFA, and SMAD3. In conclusion, these findings indicate that CRT may inhibit the RA-related angiogenesis by targeting the NOD2/SMAD3/VEGF signaling axis to improve endothelial cell function, enriching the scientific connotation of CRT in inhibiting pathological angiogenesis in RA and also offer new insights for clinical prevention and treatment of RA.

Paraplegia caused by spinal cord injury is a serious neurological complication, for which surgery is currently the main treatment method. Due to different surgical approaches, patients are usually expected to maintain a passive prone position for a long time or switch between the supine and prone positions. Affected by multiple factors such as neurogenic sensory disorders, pathological changes in muscle tone and operative duration, the risk of intraoperative acquired pressure injury (IAPI) is significantly increased. Current clinical prevention strategies for IAPI in these patients predominantly focus on localized pressure relief during positioning, lacking systematic, standardized comprehensive prevention protocols or evidence-based guidelines. To address it, Department of Nursing, Orthopedics Branch, China International Exchange and Promotive Association for Medical and Health Care, Spinal Trauma Professional Committee, Orthopedics Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Nursing Group of Spine and Spinal Cord Professional Committee of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine organized experts in relevant fields to formulate Guideline for the prevention of intraoperative acquired pressure injury in paraplegic patients with spinal cord injury ( version 2025), based on evidence-based medical evidence and latest research results and clinical practice at home and abroad. Eleven recommendations were put forward from the aspects of preoperative risk assessment, intraoperative prevention strategies, postoperative handover and monitoring, and supportive mechanisms for IAPI prevention, aiming to standardize the prevention measures and management strategies of IAPI in paraplegic patients with spinal cord injury and accelerate the recovery of patients and improve the therapeutic effect.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and molecular characteristics of monogenic diabetes in children at a single-center in Henan Province.Methods:Clinical data from children diagnosed with monogenic diabetes at the Department of Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Henan Children’s Hospital, between January 2016 and August 2023 were analyzed, alongside molecular genetic testing.Results:Of 84 children suspected of monogenic diabetes, 44 were genetically diagnosed with a 52.4% positive rate. Diagnosis included neonatal diabetes mellitus(NDM, 14 cases), maturity-onset diabetes of the young(MODY, 22 cases), and other diabetes-related genetic syndromes(8 cases). NDM patients had a younger age at onset, higher blood glucose levels at admission, and a greater incidence of being small for gestational age and diabetic ketoacidosis compared to MODY patients( P<0.001). Three novel heterozygous mutations were identified in IGF1R and GCK genes, namely IGF1R c. 2650G>T, GCK c. 572G>C, GCK c. 766G>T. Conclusions:The high molecular diagnostic rate based on clinical phenotype, birth history, and family history enhances the diagnosis, management, genetic counseling, and prognosis of monogenic diabetes in children.

Objective To explore the characteristics of fluid flow within loaded osteons under different boundary conditions.Methods The COMSOL Multiphysics software was used to establish a three-dimensional(3D)finite element model of osteons with different boundary conditions,and the variation rules of pore pressure and flow velocity of osteons under different inner wall pulsating blood pressures and outer wall elastic constraint conditions were analyzed.Results As the pulsatile blood pressure inside the osteon increased from 0 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)to 300 mmHg,the peak pore pressure within the osteon correspondingly increased from 26 kPa to 68 kPa.As the elastic constraint on the outer wall of osteons changed from being completely elastic to completely constrained,the peak pore pressure within osteons increased from 15 kPa to 26 kPa,and the peak flow velocity increased from 0.04 um/s to 0.07 um/s.Conclusions This study reveals the influence laws of changes in boundary conditions such as the pulsatile blood pressure on the inner wall and the elastic constraint on the outer wall of osteons on fluid flow characteristics within loaded osteons.These findings are conducive to a deeper understanding of the mechanical response mechanisms of bone tissues in both physiological and pathological states,and provide an important theoretical basrs for further researches on bone mechanotransduction.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of a cetyl alcohol-containing moisturizing cream (referred to as the emollient) in improving clinical symptoms and preventing disease relapse during the remission phase of mild to moderate infantile atopic dermatitis (AD).Methods:A single-center, investigator-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from February 2022 to October 2023. Sixty participants aged >28 days to ≤2 years with mild to moderate AD (Investigator′s Global Assessment (IGA) score 2 or 3) and controlled disease (IGA 0 or 1) were enrolled. Participants were randomized 1∶1 to either the experimental group (topical emollient applied twice daily combined with a moisturizing cleanser for daily bathing) or the control group (moisturizing cleanser alone). Assessments at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12 included AD relapse rates, clinical severity scores (IGA and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)), and adverse events.Results:Fifty-six participants were included in the full analysis set. The median time to relapse was 12.0 (6.0-72.0) days in the experimental group versus 8.5 (3.0-19.0) days in the control group (log-rank test: χ2=3.079, P=0.213). Relapse rates were 80.77% (21/26) in the experimental group and 95.83% (23/24) in the control group ( χ2=2.682, P=0.101). The experimental group showed significantly lower IGA scores at weeks 2 and 12 ( P<0.05) and lower EASI scores at weeks 4 and 12 ( P<0.05). Adverse event rates were 8.0% (2/25) and 7.7% (2/26) in the experimental and control groups, respectively ( χ2=0.002, P>0.05) Conclusion:The combination of the cetyl alcohol- containing moisturizing cream and moisturizing cleanser during AD remission may improve clinical symptoms and modestly delay relapse, with a low incidence of adverse events.

Objective:To explore the application effects of improved case-based learning (CBL) combined with hierarchical and progressive teaching in the standardized training of nuclear medicine resident physicians.Methods:A total of 43 resident physicians who rotated in the nuclear medicine base of our hospital between 2018 and 2023 were selected as the research subjects and divided into an experimental group ( n=22) and a control group ( n=21) according to the order of enrollment. The control group received the traditional teacher-centered teaching model and was divided into junior and senior subgroups according to the training years. The experimental group received the improved CBL combined with hierarchical and progressive teaching. First, through multidimensional evaluation (theoretical testing + standardized case analysis), the students were scientifically divided into preliminary, intermediate, and advanced levels. Subsequently, progressive teaching objectives were set for different levels, and real clinical cases embedded with hierarchical learning tasks were published. During the teaching process, a dynamic discussion mode combining homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping was adopted, and personalized guidance was provided by the teachers. Finally, dynamic hierarchical adjustment was implemented through process evaluation. After the training, the two groups were compared in terms of exit assessment performance (including professional basic theory and practical skills) and teaching satisfaction. Results:The total score of the exit assessment of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group [(86.90±6.78) vs. (75.09±8.45)], and the difference was statistically significant. In terms of practical skill assessment, the experimental group scored higher than the control group in modules such as imaging symptom description [(22.34±2.56) vs. (19.85±3.12)], localization diagnosis [(23.01±2.11) vs. (20.12±2.98)], qualitative diagnosis [(22.89±2.67 vs. 18.67±3.45)], and differential diagnosis [(21.56±2.89) vs. (17.23±3.78)] ( P<0.01). The teaching satisfaction survey showed that the satisfaction scores of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group in nine domains, including theoretical knowledge mastery, clinical thinking, image interpretation, and learning initiative ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The improved CBL combined with hierarchical and progressive teaching can effectively improve the exit assessment performance, clinical practice skills, and teaching satisfaction of nuclear medicine resident trainees, and is worthy of promotion.

Meniere's disease represents an idiopathic inner ear disorder characterized by endolymphatic hy-drops.Currently,the research methods for identifying genes associated with this disease mainly involve first-genera-tion sequencing and second-generation sequencing.This article reviews research on the genetic study of Meniere's disease,mainly summarizing the candidate genes with repeated pedigree validation in familial Meniere's disease,as well as those frequently reported in sporadic Meniere's disease.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of plasma cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6 and interferon (IFN)-γ in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 48 NHL patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University between January 2020 and December 2022 were selected as NHL group, and another 34 healthy people who underwent physical examimation during the same period were selected as the healthy control group. The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) - α and IFN-γ in the plasma of patients at first admission and healthy subjects during physical examination were detected by using flow cytometry. The differences in general data and all cytokines levels of both groups were compared. The collinearity stepwise screening was made in 7 cytokines levels, and the screened variables were included in multivariate binary logistic regression model. Plasma cytokines with independent effects on the pathogenesis of NHL were screened. Taking local biopsy, histopathological examination or immunohistochemical examination as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of individual and combined diagnosis of NHL based on the selected cytokines were drawn to judge the diagnostic effect of all indicators on NHL.Results:There were 32 males (66.7%) and 16 females (33.3%) in NHL group, with the median age [ M ( Q1, Q3)] of 56.50 (45.75, 67.50) years; there were 28 males (82.4%) and 6 females (17.6%) in the healthy control group, with the median age of 52.00 (47.50, 55.50) years. There were no statistically significant differences in age and gender composition between the 2 groups (all P > 0.05). The levels of IL-2 [1.44 (1.36, 1.85) pg/ml vs. 1.19 (0.86, 1.68) pg/ml] and TNF-α [3.46 (2.68, 4.06) pg/ml vs. 2.23 (1.52, 3.46) pg/ml] in NHL group were higher than those in the healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ levels (all P > 0.05). According to collinear stepwise screening of independent variables, IL-4 and TNF-α were excluded from 7 cytokines, and the other 5 cytokines were included in multivariate logistic regression model, and the result showed that the decreased level of IL-2 ( OR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.08-0.53, P = 0.001) and the increased levels of IL-6 ( OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.04-1.33, P = 0.009) and IFN-γ ( OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08-1.46, P = 0.003) were independent risk factors for the onset of NHL. The results showed that the area under the curve of IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ and the combination of 3 indexes for the diagnosis of NHL was 0.760 (95% CI: 0.651-0.870), 0.595 (95% CI: 0.468-0.722), 0.508 (95% CI: 0.373-0.642), 0.847 (95% CI: 0.763-0.930), and the optimal cut-off value of the combination of 3 indexes was 0.730 which was calculated by logistic regression model formula; the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 70.2% and 94.1%, respectively. Conclusions:The decreased level of IL-2 and increased levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ at initial diagnosis are risk factors for the onset of NHL. The combined detection of the 3 indexes shows a good value in the diagnosis of NHL.