Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

Anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) is one of the key enzyme in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, and its catalytic activity is important for the synthesis of plant anthocyanin. In this study, specific primers were designed according to the transcriptome data of Lonicera japonica Thunb., and the CDS, gDNA and promoter sequences of ANR genes from Lonicera japonica Thunb. and Lonicera japonica Thunb. var. chinensis (Wats.) Bak. were cloned. The results showed that the CDS sequences of LjANR and rLjANR were 1 002 bp, the gDNA sequences were 2 017 and 2 026 bp respectively, and the promoter sequences were 1 170 and 1 164 bp respectively. LjANR and rLjANR both contain 6 exons and 5 introns, which have the same length of exons and large differences in introns. The promoter sequences both contain a large number of light response, hormone response and abiotic stress response elements. Bioinformatics analysis showed that both LjANR and rLjANR encoded 333 amino acids and were predicted to be stable hydrophobic proteins without transmembrane segments and signal peptides. The secondary structures of LjANR and rLjANR were predicted to be mainly consisted of α-helix and random coil. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed that LjANR and rLjANR had high homology with Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis, Camellia sinensis and Camellia oleifera, and were closely related to them. The expression levels of LjANR and rLjANR were the highest in flower buds and the lowest in roots. The expression patterns at different flowering stages were similar, with higher expression levels in S1 and S2 stages and then gradually decreased until reaching the lowest level in S4 stage, after a slow increase in S5 stage, the expression levels decreased again. The expression levels of ANR genes in the two varieties showed significant differences in roots, S2 and S5 stages, while the differences in stems, flower buds, S1, S3 and S6 stages were extremely significant. The prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a-LjANR was constructed for protein expression. The target protein was successfully expressed of about 59 kD. This study lays a foundation for further study on the function of ANR gene and provides theoretical guidance for breeding new varieties of Lonicera japonica Thunb.

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.
Adult ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Imatinib Mesylate/adverse effects* ; Incidence ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pyrimidines/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Benzamides/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

Objective: To explore the association between chronic hepatitis B virus infection and diabetes among adults. Methods: The baseline data of China Kadoorie Biobank ( CKB ) study from Tongxiang of Zhejiang Province was used for analysis. Community residents were investigated in the study from August 2004 to May 2008, including questionnaire survey, physical measurement and biological sample test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the association of chronic hepatitis B virus infection with diabetes. Results: Totally 52 888 participants were included in the final analysis. The overall prevalence of HBsAg-positive was 3.55% ( N=1 877 ). The overall prevalence of diabetes was 5.17% ( N=2 733 ). The prevalence of HBsAg-positive in diabetic patients was 3.51% ( N=96 ). Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression models indicated that there was no association between chronic hepatitis B virus infection and diabetes（ P>0.05 ）. Conclusion No significant association has been found between chronic hepatitis B virus infection and diabetes among adults.

The aim of this study is to apply 3D printing technology to hospital drug dosing operations, and explore its feasibility and scalability. Drugs often dosed in hospitals are selected as models. The commercially available drug was ground into powder, diluted with medicinal excipients and then mixed with 75% ethanol and binder to prepare a paste for 3D printing. The dose and physicochemical properties of divided tablets were controlled by setting print parameters and printing models in computer software. Different 3D printers were employed to evaluate the impact of the device on the dosing tablet. Two drugs were dosed in this study to explore the scalability of 3D printing technology between different drugs. The drug content of the three divided dose tablets (warfarin sodium 1 mg, 2 mg, hydrochlorothiazide 5 mg) was 1.02±0.03, 1.96±0.01, 5.19±0.06 mg. The content uniformity was 1.0, 5.3, 2.6, respectively. The drug dissolution rate was (99.3±1.2)%, (101.5±0.3)%, (98.1±0.8)% in 45, 45 and 30 min. The mechanical properties of the three sub-doses and the stability within 30 days were in line with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015) requirements. At the same time, it was found that the printing parameters and prescriptions can affect the properties of the divided dose tablets. By controlling the dilution ratio of commercial drug and printing parameters, the drug release rate can be customized to achieve individualized treatment. Both different modes of 3D printers can produce qualified sub-doses, and 3D print dispensing technology was also versatile between the two drugs. 3D printing can prepare small-volume, high-precision, high-repetition dosing tablets, with all properties in compliance with pharmacopoeia regulations. Thus, this method can be used as a new and scalable sub-dosing method.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different sandblasting conditions on the metal-ceramic bonding strength of Co-Cr alloy fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) technology. METHODS: A total of 63 specimens of Co-Cr alloy fabricated by SLM were prepared and randomly divided into nine groups (n=7). Each group was treated with different powder particles (A1=50 µm, A2=100 µm, and A3=150 µm) and pressures (B1=0.2 MPa, B2=0.4 MPa, and B3=0.6 MPa) in sandblasting. One sample was randomly selected from each group for microstructure observation by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Ceramic was fired at the center of the specimens. Metal-ceramic bonding strength was measured with universal testing machine. Results were statistically analyzed with SPSS 17.0 software. RESULTS: The mean bond strengths were as follows: Group A1B1: 27.22 MPa±0.95 MPa, Group A1B2: 27.58 MPa±0.47 MPa, Group A1B3: 26.80 MPa±0.71 MPa, Group A2B1: 27.54 MPa±0.78 MPa, Group A2B2: 30.75 MPa±0.43 MPa, Group A2B3: 26.93 MPa±0.88 MPa, Group A3B1: 28.18 MPa±0.93 MPa, Group A3B2: 29.55 MPa±0.57 MPa, and Group A3B3: 28.11 MPa±0.91 MPa. The particle factor of Al₂O₃ and the pressure factor of blasting showed statistical significance (P<0.05). An interaction was observed between the factors of particle and pressure (P<0.05). Mixed fracture mode of all specimens was observed after the shear strength test. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, metal-ceramic bonding strength reaches the maximum when specimens are sandblasted with 100 µm alumina oxide at 0.4 MPa pressure.
Ceramics ; Dental Bonding ; Materials Testing ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Shear Strength ; Surface Properties

This study aimed to determine the impact of dentinal tubule orientation on dentin bond strength to provide a reference for clinical cavity preparation in resin-bonded restoration.Patients aged 13-16 years were selected,including 18 males and 21 females.Forty-eight human maxillary first premolars from orthodontic extractions were chosen to prepare the test models with the dentinal tubule orientations perpendicular and parallel to the bonding substrate.The test models in the vertical and parallel groups were divided into three groups:total-etching with 20％ phosphoric acid,total-etching with 35％ phosphoric acid and self-etching,with the dentinal tubule surfaces bonded with composite resin blocks in each group.After the standard test models of dentinal tubule-composite resin blocks were placed in distilled water and stored at 37℃ for 24 h,shearing tests were performed using a universal material testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min.The bond strength values in the vertical group were 19.33±1.59 MPa for the 20％ phosphoric acid group,21.39±2.34 MPa for the 35％ phosphoric acid group,and 16.88±1.54 MPa for the self-etching group.The bond strength values in the parallel group were 24.53±1.99MPa for the 20％ phosphoric acid group,25.16±2.88 MPa for the 35％ phosphoric acid group,and 20.83±1.99 for the self-etching group.After using same total-etching adhesive,the shear bond strength of the parallel group was higher than that of the vertical group,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).Regardless of vertical group or parallel group,the difference in the bond strength value between the total-etching groups and the self-etching group was statistically significant (P＜0.05).It was concluded that the dentin bonding substrate which was parallel to the direction of the dentin tubule achieved an improved bond strength;the total-etching adhesives achieved higher bond strengths in dentin bond than the self-etching adhesives.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of propofol on myelin basic protein (MBP) expression in oligodendrocytes of SD rats at different developmental stages.

METHODSThis study was conducted in 3?, 7?, 14? and 21?day?old SD rats (40 in each age group). In each group, the rats were randomized equally into control group and experimental group, and in the control group, the rats received an intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg/kg medium?long?chain fat emulsion followed by injections at a half dose every 20 min for 8 h; the rats in the experimental group were given injections of propofolmedium (at the initial dose of 25 mg/kg) in the same manner. The transcriptional levels of MBP and caspase?3 in the brain tissues were detected by qRT?PCR, and the protein expression of MBP was with Western blotting and immunehistochemistry.

RESULTSCompared with those in the control groups, the expression of MBP mRNA was significantly down?regulated while caspase?3 mRNA was up?regulated in 3?, 7? and 14?day?old rats in the experimental groups (P<0.05). The protein expression of MBP in 7? and 14?day?old rats was significantly decreased in the experimental groups compared with the control groups (P<0.05). The expression of caspase?3 mRNA or MBP protein in 21?day?old rats showed no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPropofol can down?regulate the expression of MBP at both the mRNA and protein levels in SD rats, especially in those at 7 and 14 days of age.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors for the development of congenital anal atresia in neonates.

METHODSA total of 70 neonates who were admitted to 17 hospitals in Foshan, China from January 2011 to December 2014 were enrolled as case group, and another 70 neonates who were hospitalized during the same period and had no anal atresia or other severe deformities were enrolled as control group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for the development of congenital anal atresia.

RESULTSThe univariate analysis revealed that the age of mothers, presence of oral administration of folic acid, infection during early pregnancy, and polyhydramnios, and sex of neonates showed significant differences between the case and control groups (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that infection during early pregnancy (OR=18.776) and male neonates (OR=9.304) were risk factors for congenital anal atresia, and oral administration of folic acid during early pregnancy was the protective factor (OR=0.086).

CONCLUSIONSInfection during early pregnancy is the risk factor for congenital anal atresia, and male neonates are more likely to develop congenital anal atresia than female neonates. Supplementation of folic acid during early pregnancy can reduce the risk of congenital anal atresia.

Objective To study the distribution of stress, strain and effective surface pressure in the knee joint. Methods Based on CT/MR scan image data and using the Mimics/ANSYS software, a three-dimensional finite element model of the knee joint (including the upper/lower knee and the meniscus) was established with the principle of reverse engineering, and the treatment of articular cartilage and ligament was ignored in this model. The mechanical responses of the three models, i.e., the healthy knee joint, the knee joint with V-shape medial meniscal tears, the knee joint with longitudinal meniscal tears under axial loading were analyzed and compared. Results Under axial loading, the healthy knee joint would transfer the majority of the compressive stress loads, which were mainly concentrated in the lateral side of the middle part of the meniscus, and the maximum contact pressure appeared in the rear area of the middle part of the meniscus. When the meniscus was torn, the maximum stress appeared at the periphery of the tear, and the contact stress distribution of the meniscus was significantly changed due to the presence of the tear. Conclusions The meniscal tears have a significant influence on the stress distribution and peak stress of the knee joint. According to the shape of the meniscus, the doctor can determine the position of the stress concentration in the meniscus, and to determine the most important point in the treatment of the meniscus tear.