The epidemiological and spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of human leptospirosis in Zhejiang Province from 2018 to 2022 were analyzed,to provide a scientific basis for formulating leptospirosis prevention and control strategies.Data on leptospirosis were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention,and analyzed with descriptive epidemiological methods.ArcMap 10.8 software was used for spatial autocorrelation analysis and visual display of the results.SaTScan 10.1.2 software was used for spatiotemporal scanning,to analyze and describe the spatiotemporal aggrega-tion characteristics of leptospirosis.A total of 255 human cases of leptospirosis were reported in Zhejiang Province from 2018 to 2022,including one death;the average annual incidence was 0.084 3/100 000,and the average annual mortality was 0.000 3/100 000.The highest incidence of leptospirosis in Zhejiang occurred from August to October.Most cases were in middle-aged and older people 45-86 years of age(221 cases,86.67％).The number of cases was highest among people 65-69 years of age(57 cases).The male to female ratio was 4.67∶1.The main occupation was farming(190 cases,74.51％).The cumulative number of cases in Wenzhou and Lishui in 3 years(201 cases)accounted for 78.82％of the total cases.The global spatial auto-correlation analysis from 2018 to 2022 showed that the incidence of leptospirosis in the province presented a positive spatial au-tocorrelation.Local spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that the"high-high"gathering areas were concentrated primarily in Wenzhou,Lishui,and Taizhou in the mountainous and hilly areas of southern Zhejiang Province.Spatiotemporal scanning anal-ysis revealed three clusters with high incidence in southern Zhejiang Province.The incidence of leptospirosis in Zhejiang Prov-ince showed clear regional clustering and seasonality,and the high incidence area was mainly in the mountainous and hilly areas of southern Zhejiang Province.The cases occurred mainly in middle-aged and older male farmers.Health education among rural resi-dents should be strengthened to prevent potential epidemic risks.

Objective:To explore the changes of large-scale functional brain networks and network topological properties in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) whose diagnosis had not changed after 5 years of follow-up.Methods:Totally 521 cases of hospitalized MDD patients were recruited from January 2012 to August 2018, and another 204 cases of gender- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. All participants completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance scanning and clinical assessment. Their diagnosis were reviewed 5 years after discharge.A total of 258 participants whose diagnosis had not changed were counted into the MDD group for analysis. The differences in large-scale brain network connectivity between the two groups were analyzed by constructing a whole-brain functional network, on the basis of which the altered topological properties of the sensorimotor network (SMN), visual network (VN) and default mode network (DMN) were further analyzed between the two groups.The SPSS 24.0 software was used for data analysis and the independent sample t-test and χ2 test were used for the data comparison of the two groups. Results:Compared with the healthy controls, the MDD group had significantly decreased network clustering, mainly involving the SMN, VN and DMN (edge P<0.001, cluster P<0.05). The MDD group had decreased functional connectivity(FC) strength within the SMN, VN and DMN networks, the FC strength between the SMN and VN networks, between the frontoparietal network (FPN) and the DAN networks were decreased(all P<0.05, FDR corrected). Graph-theory analysis showed that local efficiency, clustering coefficient, and normalized shortest path length were decreased in the MDD group, node efficiency was decreased in the left ventral medial prefrontal cortex and the middle of the bilateral insula, node centrality was decreased in the middle of the bilateral insula and occipital lobe, and the betweenness was decreased in the middle of the right insula (all P<0.05, FDR corrected). Conclusion:MDD exhibits abnormal network functional connectivity, disruption of network topological properties, diminished optimal information processing, and to some extent reflects the severity of depressive symptoms. The decreased ability of information transfer flow in the insula plays an important role for the functional abnormality of the network.

Objective:To explore the practical effect of applied talent training model based on the"Four Combinations"among students majoring in Traditional Chinese Medicine in a Medical College.Methods:The undergraduate students majoring in Traditional Chinese Medicine at a medical college from grade 2021 and 2022 were selected as the research subjects and divided into two groups.Experimental group were students who had participated in various extracurricular competitions and innovation and entrepreneurship projects,while control group were students who had not participated in any competitions or projects.The final intellectual education scores of the two groups of students were compared(excluding the scores of Marxist basic principles).A questionnaire survey was conducted on the satisfaction of talent cultivation models among the above undergraduate students,and the validity and satisfaction analysis of the survey results were conducted.Results:The experimental group had significantly higher intellectual education scores than the control group(P＜0.05).The results of factor analysis indicated that the sample suitability and the questionnaire validity seem plausible(KMO=0.874).The overall satisfaction score of students towards the"Four Combinations"talent cultivation model was 4.16±0.2(out of 5),reflecting their high recognition of the model.Conclusion:The construction of a"Four Combinations"characteristic Traditional Chinese Medicine applied talent cultivation model is beneficial for improving the quality of cultivating high-quality and composite applied talents in Traditional Chinese Medicine,so as to provide high-quality applied talents with solid theoretical foundation and practical innovation capabilities for the Liaoshen region.

Objective:The epidemiological and host animal pathogen data of leptospirosis in the population of Zhejiang Province in 2023 were analyzed, providing scientific basis for formulating prevention and control strategies of leptospirosis.Methods:The data of human leptospirosis in the population were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, and analyzed using descriptive epidemiological methods. The data on isolation, culture, and nucleic acid testing of Leptospira pathogens from mouse kidneys, frog kidneys, pig kidneys, and duck kidneys as well as duck serum antibody data were collected from Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention "Leptospirosis Surveillance Project of Zhejiang Province". The carrying and changing status of Leptospira epidemic microbiota in populations and host animals were analyzed. Results:In 2023, a total of 83 cases of leptospirosis were reported in Zhejiang Province, with a incidence rate of 0.126 2/ 100 000, aged (62.66 ± 11.31) years, including 68 males and 15 females. Leptospirosis cases were reported in 11 cities, mainly concentrated in the southern cities of Wenzhou City, Lishui City and Taizhou City(a total of 68 cases), accounting for 81.93% of the total number of cases. August to October were high incidence months for leptospirosis (a total of 70 cases), accounting for 84.34% of the total number cases. The male to female ratio of patients was 4.53 ∶ 1.00, and all were adults ≥20 years old, the middle and old people aged 45 - 79 years were the high-risk population (a total of 77 cases), accounting for 92.77% of the total number of cases. The patient's occupation was mainly farmers, with a total of 54 cases, accounting for 65.06% of the total number cases. The shortest time from onset to initial diagnosis for patients with leptospirosis was 0 day, and the longest was 13 days. The shortest time from initial diagnosis to confirmed diagnosis was 0 day, and the longest was 16 days. The 72.29% of the leptospirosis cases (60 cases) had a history of field labor or suspected contact with contaminated water within one month before the onset of the disease, and 18.07% of the leptospirosis cases (15 cases) had a history of contact with animals such as mice, frogs, pigs, cows, dogs, fish or ducks, or their excreta within one month before the onset of the disease. The average nucleic acid positive rate of host animals with leptospirosis was 5.92% (31/524) in mouse kidney, 6.74% (36/534) in frog kidney, and 0.66% (1/151) in pig kidney. The isolation and culture of leptospirosis from duck kidney, nucleic acid detection, and antibody detection in duck blood were all negative. The leptospirosis bacteria detected in human population were serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae (3 samples) and Hebdomadis (4 samples), and the bacteria group detected in host animals was serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae (3 samples). Conclusions:The outbreak of leptospirosis in Zhejiang Province mainly occurs in the summer and autumn, with the affected areas mainly concentrated in the southern region of Zhejiang Province. The affected population is mainly middle-aged and elderly males, and the population carrying Leptospira is still mainly composed of the serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae and the Hebdomadis, with the host animal being the serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae.

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL(HF-QoL) questionnaire (HF-QoL-C) in the Chinese population with hemorrhoids.Methods:From November 2021 to November 2022, a self-constructed general information questionnaire, HF-QoL-C, and the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), Goligher classification, and Giordano severity of hemorrhoid symptom questionnaire (GSQ) were used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 760 hemorrhoid patients in the anorectal department of six hospitals. The data was analyzed for reliability and validity using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 26.0 software.Results:The Cronbach's α coefficient of HF-QoL-C and its dimension ranged from 0.831 to 0.960, and the split coefficient was 0.832-0.915. Four common factors were extracted through principal component exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable structural validity( χ2/ df=8.152, RSMEA=0.097, CFI=0.881, IFI=0.881, NFI=0.867). HF-QoL-C was correlated with SF36 and GSQ( r=-0.694, 0.501, both P<0.01). There were differences in the total score and dimensional scores of HF-QoL-C between surgical and drug treated patients, different grades of Goligher classification for hemorrhoidal disease, and different ranges of hemorrhoid prolapse (all P<0.001). No ceiling effect was found in the total score and the scores of each dimension(0.3%-2.0%). There was a floor effect in both psychological function and sexual activity dimensions (16.7%, 35.1%). Conclusion:HF-QoL-C has good reliability and validity, which can be used to measure the quality of life of Chinese hemorrhoid patients.

Objective:To construct a new thrombus risk assessment model and evaluate its predictive ability for venous thromboembolism(VTE)in the patients with malignant tumors,and to provide the basis for the early predition of the malignant tumor patients with high risk for VTE.Methods:A total of 128 untreated malignant tumor patients were included,of which 40 were diagnosed with VTE within 2 months of malignant tumor diagnosis and categorized as VTE group.A total of 88 patients who did not develop VTE were categorized as non-VTE group.The clinical risk factors and laboratory indicators of the patients in two groups were compared and analyzed;the types of thrombotic events of the patients were analyzed;the diagnostic values of thrombin-antithrombin-complex(TAT),α2-plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex(PIC),D-dimer(D-dimer),and fibrin degradation products(FDP)in malignant tumors complicated by VTE were assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis;Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the correlations of the clinical risk factors and biomarkers with the malignant tumors complicated with VTE.A new thrombus risk assessment model was constructed,consisting of TAT≥0.70 μg·L-1,poor differentiation,and cardiovascular risk factors.The predictive probability of the model for malignant tumors complicated by VTE was evaluated based on the significance,goodness of fit,calibration curve,and C value of the model.The clinical application value of the new thrombus risk assessment model,COMPASS-CAT risk score(CRS),and Khorana risk score(KRS)in assessing malignant tumor patients complicated by VTE was compared using the C value and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results:The plasma levels of TAT(P＜0.001),PIC(P＜0.001),D-dimer(P＜0.05),and FDP(P＜0.01)of the patients in VTE group were higher than those in non-VTE group.Compared with the patients without cardiovascular risk factors,poor differentiation,and lymphatic metastasis,the malignant tumor patients with cardiovascular risk factors(P＜0.001),poor differentiation(P＜0.001),and lymphatic metastasis(P＜0.05)were more likely to develop VTE.Most VTE events(65％)were isolated deep vein thromboembolism(DVT).The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,and specificity of TAT and PIC were higher than those of D-dimer and FDP.TAT≥0.70 μg·L-1(P＜0.05),poor differentiation(P＜0.01),and cardiovascular risk factors(P＜0.01)were the independent risk factors for VTE in the malignant tumor patients.A new thrombus risk assessment model consisting of TAT≥0.70 μg·L-1,poor differentiation,and cardiovascular risk factors was constructed.The new risk assessment model had a high goodness of fit(P=0.805)and good predictive ability during internal validation(x2=75.266,P＜0.001).The ROC curve analysis results showed that the C values for the new thrombus risk prediction model,CRS,and KRS were 0.908,0.676,and 0.541,respectively.The DCA curve analysis results showed that the new thrombus risk assessment model had a higher net benefit rate compared with CRS and KRS.Conclusion:TAT and PIC have greater diagnostic efficiency than D-dimer in the early prediction of the malignant tumor patients with high-risk VTE.For the patients included in this study,the new thrombus risk assessment model,constructed from TAT≥0.70 μg·L-1,poor differentiation,and cardiovascular risk factors,has superior diagnostic efficiency and clinical predictive value compared with CRS and KRS.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of malignant vasovagal syncope (VVS) in children. Methods: This was a case-control study. The data of 368 VVS patients who were treated in the Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from June 2017 to December 2021 was collected and analyzed. They were divided into malignant VVS group and non-malignant VVS group according to the presence of sinus arrest, and then their demographic characteristics were compared. The children with malignant VVS and complete clinical information were recruited into the case group and were matched by age and sex (1∶4 ratio) with non-malignant VVS patients during the same period.Their clinical characteristics and lab tests were compared. Independent sample t test, Mann Whitney U or χ² test was used for comparison between groups.Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for malignant VVS in children. Results: Eleven malignant VVS and 342 non-malignant VVS met the inclusion and exclusion critera. Eleven malignant VVS and 44 non-malignant children were recruited in the case-control study. Ten patients of the 11 malignant VVS had a cardiac arrest occurring at 35 (28, 35) minutes of the head-up tilt test, and the duration of sinus arrest was (9±5) s. One patient had syncope occurring while waiting for drawing blood, and the duration of sinus arrest was 3.4 s. The children with malignant vasovagal syncope were younger than non-malignant VVS patients (9 (7, 10) vs. 12 (10, 14) years old, P<0.05), and had higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and standard deviation of the mean cardiac cycle over 5-minute period within 24 hours ((347±9) vs. (340±8) g/L, (124±9) vs. (113±28) ms, both P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that MCHC was an independent risk factor for malignant VVS in pediatric patients (OR=1.13, 95%CI 1.02-1.26, P=0.024). Conclusions: The onset age of malignant VVS was younger, with no other special clinical manifestations. MCHC was an independent risk factor for malignant VVS.
Humans ; Child ; Adolescent ; Syncope, Vasovagal/etiology* ; Case-Control Studies ; Syncope ; Risk Factors

This paper compared the differences between two kinds of Bufonis Venenum produced by Bufo gargarizans gargarizans and B. gararizans andrewsi, and verified the rationality of the market value orientation of Bufonis Venenum based on the zebrafish mo-del. Twenty batches of Bufonis Venenum from Jiangsu province, Hebei province, Liaoning province, Jilin province, and Liangshan, Sichuan province, including B. gargarizans gargarizans and B. gararizans andrewsi, were collected. The UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS combined with principal component analysis was used to compare the differences between two kinds of Bufonis Venenum. According to the limiting conditions of VIP>1, FC<0.5 or FC>2.0, and peak total area ratio>1%, 9 differential markers were determined, which were cinobufagin, cinobufotalin, arenobufagin, resibufogenin, scillaredin A, resibufagin, 3-(N-suberoylargininyl)-arenobufagin, 3-(N-suberoylargininyl)-marinobufagin, and 3-(N-suberoylargininyl)-resibufogenin. The content of 20 batches of Bufonis Venenum was determined according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition) by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the 2 batches of Bufonis Venenum, CS7(8.99% of total content) and CS9(5.03% of total content), with the largest difference in the total content of the three quality control indexes of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(bufalin, cinobufagin, and resibufogenin) were selected to evaluate their anti-liver tumor activity based on the zebrafish model. The tumor inhibition rates of the 2 batches were 38.06% and 45.29%, respectively, proving that only using the quality control indexes of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as the value orientation of Bufonis Venenum market circulation was unreasonable. This research provides data support for the effective utilization of Bufonis Venenum resources and the establishment of a rational quality evaluation system of Bufonis Venenum.
Animals ; Zebrafish ; Bufanolides/analysis* ; Bufonidae ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Quality Control ; Cell Line, Tumor

OBJECTIVES: To study new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) by analyzing the differences in blood metabolites based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and metabolomics. METHODS: Dried blood spots were collected from 21 infants with ROP (ROP group) and 21 infants without ROP (non-ROP group) who were hospitalized in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2013 to December 2016. LC-MS/MS was used to measure the metabolites, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis was used to search for differentially expressed metabolites and biomarkers. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in blood metabolic profiles between the ROP and non-ROP groups. The pattern recognition analysis, Score-plot, and weight analysis obtained 10 amino acids with a relatively large difference. Further statistical analysis showed that the ROP group had significant increases in blood levels of glutamic acid, leucine, aspartic acid, ornithine, and glycine compared with the non-ROP group (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that glutamic acid and ornithine had the highest value in diagnosing ROP. CONCLUSIONS Blood metabolites in preterm infants with ROP are different from those without ROP. Glutamic acid and ornithine are the metabolic markers for diagnosing ROP. LC-MS/MS combined with metabolomics analysis has a potential application value in the early identification and diagnosis of ROP.
Infant, Newborn ; Infant ; Humans ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Infant, Premature ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/diagnosis* ; Glutamic Acid ; Ornithine

Cholesterol is an important precursor of many endogenous molecules. Disruption of cholesterol homeostasis can cause many pathological changes, leading to liver and cardiovascular diseases. CYP1A is widely involved in cholesterol metabolic network, but its exact function has not been fully elucidated. Here, we aim to explore how CYP1A regulates cholesterol homeostasis. Our data showed that CYP1A1/2 knockout (KO) rats presented cholesterol deposition in blood and liver. The serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were significantly increased in KO rats. Further studies found that the lipogenesis pathway (LXRα-SREBP1-SCD1) of KO rats was activated, and the key protein of cholesterol ester hydrolysis (CES1) was inhibited. Importantly, lansoprazole can significantly alleviate rat hepatic lipid deposition in hypercholesterolemia models by inducing CYP1A. Our findings reveal the role of CYP1A as a potential regulator of cholesterol homeostasis and provide a new perspective for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.