ObjectiveTo investigate the association of physical activity and balance ability with disability, and to further examine the mediating role of balance ability in the relationship between physical activity and disability. MethodsBased on data from 2021 to 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle, a multivariable Logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate the independent association of physical activity and balance ability with disability, with covariates adjusted in four steps. An interaction model was further developed to assess the multiplicative interaction between physical activity and balance ability. Mediation analysis was performed using the Baron and Kenny three-step approach to examine the mediating role of balance ability, and the proportion of the mediation effect was calculated. The significance of the mediation effect was assessed using the Delta method, and robustness was verified through the Bootstrap method with a fixed random seed. Multiple sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure the stability of the results. ResultsA total of 3 902 participants were included, with a prevalence of disability of 17.7%. Multivariable regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for all covariates, both light-intensity physical activity (LIPA) (OR = 0.489, 95%CI 0.380 to 0.629, P < 0.001) and high-intensity physical activity (HIPA) (OR = 0.493, 95%CI 0.371 to 0.656, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of disability, whereas impaired balance ability was significantly associated with an increased risk (OR = 1.579, 95%CI 1.266 to 1.970, P < 0.001). The interaction effect analysis showed that the interaction between physical activity and balance ability were not significant (P > 0.05), however, the main effect of LIPA remained robust (β = -0.597, SE = 0.221, OR = 0.550, P = 0.007), while impaired balance ability was significantly associated with an increased risk of disability (β = 0.577, SE = 0.231, OR = 1.780, P = 0.012). The mediation analysis further indicated that balance ability played a robust mediating role in the association between LIPA and disability, with a mediation proportion of 21.1%. The indirect effect (a × b) was statistically significant (P < 0.001), and the 95% confidence intervals derived from the bootstrap method did not include zero. ConclusionPhysical activity and balance ability are significantly associated with disability, and balance ability may mediate the relationship between physical activity and disability, highlighting its potential value in disability risk assessment and intervention strategies.

Objective To systematically review the studies on predictive models for delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplantation. Methods Databases including China Biology Medicine Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL were searched to collect studies on predictive models for DGF after kidney transplantation published from the establishment of each database to June 29, 2025. Two researchers screened the literatures according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, evaluated the quality of the literatures using the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST), and conducted a meta-analysis of the common predictors of the models using R software. Results A total of 12 literatures were included, involving 14 predictive models with sample sizes ranging from 103 to 24 653 cases. Donor serum creatinine level, cold ischemia time, donor age and donor body mass index were the top four common predictors. All the predictive models were at high risk of bias and low in applicability. The results of meta-analysis showed that abnormal donor body mass index, advanced donor age, prolonged cold ischemia time and elevated donor serum creatinine level were all associated with an increased risk of DGF after transplantation (all P<0.01), but there was high heterogeneity among the studies. Fixed-effect model and random-effect model were used to re-pool the effect sizes separately. The results indicated that the fixed-effect model and random-effect model had good consistency in terms of donor body mass index, donor age and cold ischemia time, while there was a significant difference in the effect sizes of the two models for donor serum creatinine level. Conclusions The predictive models for DGF risk after kidney transplantation have good predictive performance, but the overall risk of bias is high. In the future, large-sample, multicenter and high-quality prospective clinical studies should be carried out to optimize the predictive models, so as to improve their predictive ability and clinical application value.

Bone repair remains an important target in tissue engineering, making the development of bioactive scaffolds for effective bone defect repair a critical objective. In this study, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds incorporated with processed pyritum decoction (PPD) were fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing-assisted freeze-casting. The produced composite scaffolds were evaluated for their mechanical strength, physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, in vitro pro-angiogenic activity, and in vivo efficacy in repairing rabbit femoral defects. They not only demonstrated excellent physicochemical properties, enhanced mechanical strength, and good biosafety but also significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and aggregation of pro-angiogenic human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo studies revealed that all scaffold groups facilitated osteogenesis at the bone defect site, with the β-TCP scaffolds loaded with PPD markedly enhancing the expression of neurogenic locus Notch homolog protein 1 (Notch1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and osteopontin (OPN). Overall, the scaffolds developed in this study exhibited strong angiogenic and osteogenic capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. The incorporation of PPD notably promoted the angiogenic-osteogenic coupling, thereby accelerating bone repair, which suggests that PPD is a promising material for bone repair and that the PPD/β-TCP scaffolds hold great potential as a bone graft alternative.
Calcium Phosphates/chemistry* ; Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Rabbits ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Humans ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Osteogenesis ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Biomimetic Materials ; Cell Proliferation ; Angiogenesis

In a healthy human, the airway mucus forms a thin, protective liquid layer covering the surface of the respiratory tract. It comprises a complex blend of mucin, multiple antibacterial proteins, metabolic substances, water, and electrolytes. This mucus plays a pivotal role in the lungs' innate immune system by maintaining airway hydration and capturing airborne particles and pathogens. However, heightened mucus secretion in the airway can compromise ciliary clearance, obstruct the respiratory tract, and increase the risk of pathogen colonization and recurrent infections. Consequently, a thorough exploration of the mechanisms driving excessive airway mucus secretion is crucial for establishing a theoretical foundation for the eventual development of targeted drugs designed to reduce mucus production. Across a range of lung diseases, excessive airway mucus secretion manifests with unique characteristics and regulatory mechanisms, all intricately linked to mucin. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms associated with excessive airway mucus secretion in several prevalent lung diseases.
Humans ; Mucus/metabolism* ; Mucins/physiology* ; Lung Diseases/metabolism* ; Respiratory Mucosa/metabolism* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology* ; Asthma/physiopathology* ; Cystic Fibrosis/physiopathology* ; Mucociliary Clearance/physiology*

Chronic heart failure(CHF)is a common end-stage manifestation of cardiovascular disease,and the"spleen-small intestine-heart"axis is its important mechanism.Current studies have shown that the"spleen"in TCM and mitochondria function are similar,and the physiological dysfunction of the"small intestine"is also closely related to intestinal bacterial dysbiosis,and the pathology of the spleen and the small intestine will be transmitted to the heart to accelerate the occurrence and development of CHF.Based on the relevant theory of spleen-small intestine-heart,this article described the correlation between abnormal mitochondrial energy metabolism and imbalance of intestinal flora and CHF from the aspects of the spleen,small intestine and heart,and believed that the essence of CHF is a pathological condition formed by mitochondrial energy metabolism crisis and intestinal microecological disorders,which could provide theoretical references for the TCM prevention and treatment of CHF.

Objective To analyze the prevalence and risk factors of underscreening among cervical cancer screening participants in Wuxiang County,Shanxi Province in 2019,providing evidence-based support for optimizing mobilization strategies.Methods Data from cervical cancer screening programs conducted between 2019 and 2024 in Wuxiang County were retrospectively collected.The follow-up screening behaviors of women screened in 2019 were analyzed,and factors associated with underscreening were identified.Results A total of 3759 women underwent cervical cancer screening in 2019.Among them,492 women(13.09％)with abnormal primary screening results requiring follow-up in 12 months,yet only 43(8.74％)completed;2154 women(57.30％)with negative liquid-based cytology testing(LCT)results needed re-screening after 3 years,701(32.54％)completed;1113 women(29.61％)with negative HPV/combined results needed re-screening after 5 years,734(65.95％)completed.Overall,2299 women(60.69％)exhibited underscreening.Multivariate analysis showed that underscreening was more likely among community residents than rural residents(OR=2.309,P=0.018),older women(OR=1.065,P＜0.001),those in organized screening compared to opportunistic screening(OR=3.789,P＜0.001),those undergoing LCT(OR=4.607,P＜0.001)or combined screening instead of human papillomavirus testing(OR=3.624,P＜0.001),and those with abnormal screening results(OR=6.859,P＜0.001).Conclusion Substantial proportions of cervical cancer screening participants demonstrate poor adherence to guideline-recommended screening intervals,and particularly need to focus on older women and those with abnormal screening results.Implementation of electronic screening record systems and emphasizing knowledge of periodical screening in health education could enhance compliance with"70％screening coverage"target for cervical cancer prevention.

Objective:To compare postoperative inflammatory markers and surgical outcomes between open reduction and internal fixation versus double reverse traction closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation for tibial plateau fractures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the data of 229 patients with tibial plateau fracture who had been admitted to Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2023 to December 2023. There were 155 males and 74 females with an age of (48.7±10.9) years. According to the surgical methods, the patients were divided into 2 groups. A conventional group of 87 cases were treated by open reduction and internal fixation while a minimally invasive group of 142 cases treated with double reverse traction closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation. The 2 groups were compared in terms of hematological indexes [white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEUT), lymphocyte count (LYM), monocyte count (Mono), platelet count (PLT), and albumin (ALB)] and composite inflammatory indexes [neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI)] before operation and on the first day after operation, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, fracture healing time, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and incidence of thrombosis.Results:There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or treatment variables between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P > 0.05). All the 229 patients were followed up for (16.5±2.8) months. In each group, comparisons between preoperation and postoperation showed that LYM and ALB significantly decreased while WBC, NEUT, Mono, PLT, NLR, PLR, SII and SIRI significantly increased on the first day after operation ( P < 0.05). Preoperatively, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of hematological or composite inflammatory indexes ( P > 0.05). On the first day after operation, there was no significant difference in WBC, NEUT, LYM, ALB or NLR between the 2 groups ( P > 0.05), but Mono, PLT, PLR, SII and SIRI in the minimally invasive group were significantly lower than those in the conventional group ( P < 0.05). The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, fracture healing time, HSS knee score and incidence of thrombosis in the minimally invasive group were significantly better than those in the conventional group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of tibial plateau fractures, compared with conventional open reduction and internal fixation, double reverse traction closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation shows obvious advantages in reducing inflammatory indicators and leads to better surgical outcomes.

Objective:To explore the effect of combining repeated peripheral (rPMS) and central transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating upper limb motor dysfunction after a stroke.Methods:Seventy-eight patients with upper limb motor dysfunction after a stroke were randomly divided into a control group, an rTMS group and a combined magnetic stimulation group, each of 26. All three groups underwent routine rehabilitation, while the rTMS group was repeatedly given low frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation of the M1 region on the unaffected side, and the combined group also received repeated peripheral magnetic stimulation at Erb′s point on the affected upper limb. There was one treatment session a day, 5 days a week for 3 weeks. Before and after the treatment, everyone′s upper limb motor function was quantified using the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity assessment (FMA-UE) and the Wolf motor function test (WMFT). Skill in the activities of daily living was quantified in terms of a Barthel index (BI). Motor recovery of the upper limbs and hands was assessed using Brunnstrom staging. The latency and amplitude of the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in the subjects′ affected abductor pollicis brevis muscles were also recorded before and after the treatment. Pearson correlation coefficients quantified the correlation between the changes in FMA-UE scores and MEP amplitudes before and after the treatment in the three groups.Results:There were no significant differences among the three groups before the treatment. Afterward, however, the average FMA-UE, WMFT and BI scores, as well as the upper limb and hand Brunnstrom stages and the average MEP latencies and amplitudes of all the three groups had improved significantly. The combined group′s average results were then significantly better than the other two groups′ averages, except for the upper limb Brunnstrom stages. The increases in MEP amplitude were positively correlated with the increases in FMA-UE scores among the rTMS and the combined group, but there was no significant correlation between them in the control group.Conclusions:The combined application of rPMS and contralateral low frequency rTMS can effectively relieve motor dysfunction in the upper limbs in the early stages after a stroke.

Objective:To block family transmission of a small fragment copy number variation (CNV) with combined 1 Mb resolution preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and target region preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disease (PGT-M) strategies.Methods:A couple who attended the Reproductive and Genetic Medicine Center of Dalian Women and Children′s Medical Center (Group) in 2024 were selected as the study subject. Upon the woman′s two pregnancies, ultrasound examination revealed fetal abnormalities, and CNV-seq based on low-depth whole genome sequencing revealed that both fetuses had carried a maternal 17p12 microduplication of approximately 1.43 Mb. Microduplication in this region has been associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A. In view of the fact that the resolution of conventional PGT-A detection cannot meet the requirement of small fragment CNV analysis, and conventional PGT-M assay cannot directly determine the CNV, two detection schemes were adopted. On the one hand, PGT-A testing with 1 Mb resolution was performed on the embryo to directly determine whether it carries the above microduplication. At the same time, the couple and their fetus were subjected to chromosomal typing scheme for the 17p12 region to indirectly identify embryos carrying the risk chromosome for microduplication. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No: FEJT-KY-2025-51).Results:Three embryos were tested after the first PGT cycle, of which 1 was not carrying the pathogenic variant and was euploid, whilst the other 2 embryos were carrying the 17p12 microduplication, and 1 of them was aneuploid. After genetic counseling, the euploid embryo without the 17p12 microduplication was selected for transfer, and prenatal diagnosis based on amniotic fluid sample showed that the fetal chromosomal karyotype was normal and did not carry the 17p12 microduplication.Conclusion:The combined application of high-resolution PGT-A and PGT-M typing detection of the target region can effectively block family transmission of the CNVs of small fragments.

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance and inducing factors of abnormal intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) signals during surgery for cervical degenerative diseases.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 586 patients who underwent cervical degenerative disease surgery with IONM at the Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, from April 2015 to April 2024. Surgical approaches included 380 anterior spinal canal decompression and fusion procedures, 154 posterior spinal canal decompression and fusion procedures (including single-door laminoplasty, total laminectomy, and hemilaminectomy), and 52 combined anterior-posterior surgeries. The multimodal IONM protocol employed transcranial electrical stimulation motor evoked potentials (TES-MEP) and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (CSEP), combined with electromyography (EMG). Bilateral deltoid muscles, thenar/hypothenar muscles and abductor hallucis muscles were monitored in all patients. Intraoperative MEP, SEP, and EMG results were recorded to analyze the causes of abnormal signals, intraoperative response strategies, and postoperative neurological function and outcomes. Fourfold table chi-square tests were used to analyze factors possibly associated with IONM alerts.Results:Among the 586 cervical surgeries, 17 cases (2.9%) exhibited abnormal IONM signals. These included 4 cases of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), 4 cases of anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), and 2 cases of combined anterior-posterior surgeries for cervical spondylotic myelopathy; and 5 posterior surgeries and 2 anterior ACCF procedures for ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). The rate of abnormal IONM signals was significantly higher in patients with maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC)>60% (5.8%, 12/208) than in those with MSCC≤60% (χ 2=9.417, P=0.002); in patients with intraoperative hypotension during posterior surgery (mean arterial pressure reduction>20% from baseline, cumulative duration>20 min), the abnormal IONM rate was 22.2% (6/27), which was significantly higher than that in patients without intraoperative hypotension (χ 2=33.542, P<0.001); in patients who underwent calcified tissue removal during anterior surgery, the abnormal IONM rate was 9.3% (5/54), which was significantly higher than that in patients without calcified tissue removal (χ 2=13.162, P=0.003). Thus, MSCC>60%, intraoperative hypotension during posterior surgery, and calcified tissue removal during anterior surgery may be inducing factors for abnormal IONM signals. Among the 17 patients with monitoring abnormalities, 8 cases showed no significant improvement after corresponding intraoperative treatments, and 7 of these 8 cases experienced varying degrees of muscle strength decline and sensory numbness immediately after surgery; 9 cases showed partial or complete recovery of signals, among which 8 cases had no new-onset neurological impairment after surgery, and 1 case developed unilateral upper limb grip strength decline. IONM demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.8750 and specificity of 0.8889. Conclusions:Multimodal IONM can detect electrophysiological abnormalities of spinal cord nerve function during cervical degenerative disease surgery, providing real-time warning of potential nerve damage during the operation. The proportion of abnormal IONM signals is relatively high in cases with MSCC>60%, intraoperative hypotension during posterior cervical surgery, or calcified tissue removal during anterior cervical surgery.