ObjectiveTo investigate the potential mechanism of action of the Qufeng Tongqiao Cough-relieving Decoction （祛风通窍止咳方， QTCD） in the treatment of upper airway cough syndrome （UACS）. MethodsTwenty-four guinea pigs were randomly divided into blank group， model group， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） group， and inhibitor group， with six guinea pigs in each group. Except for the blank group， guinea pigs were sensitized with ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide via intraperitoneal injection， followed by ovalbumin nasal drops combined with smoke exposure to establish the UACS model. After modeling， the TCM group was administered QTCD 0.9 g/（100 g·d） by gavage， the inhibitor group received the transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 4 （TRPV4） inhibitor GSK2193874 1 mmol/L， 5 min by nebulisation， and the blank group and model group were given 2 ml/（100 g·d） normal saline by gavage once daily. After 7 days of treatment， a cough provocation test was performed using 0.4 mol/L citric acid. The levels of IgE in serum and inflammatory cytokines， including interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-8 （IL-8） in serum， bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF）， and nasal lavage fluid （NLF） were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Histopathological changes in lung and nasal mucosal tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein levels of TRPV4， substance P （SP）， and calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP） in lung and nasal mucosal tissues. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of TRPV4， SP， and CGRP in lung tissues. ResultsHE staining showed significant structural damage and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lung and nasal mucosal tissues in the model group， while the TCM group and inhibitor group showed improved pathological changes. Compared with the blank group， the model group showed increased cough frequency， serum IgE level， and IL-6 and IL-8 levels in serum， BALF， and NLF. The protein levels of TRPV4， SP， and CGRP in lung and nasal mucosal tissues and their mRNA expression were elevated （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the TCM group and inhibitor group showed reduced cough frequency， serum IgE level， and TRPV4 and SP mRNA expression in lung tissues. The TCM group showed reduced IL-6 and IL-8 levels in serum， BALF， and NLF， and reduced TRPV4 and CGRP protein levels in lung and nasal mucosal tissues. The inhibitor group showed reduced IL-6 and IL-8 levels in serum， BALF， and NLF， reduced IL-6 in BALF， reduced IL-8 in NLF， and decreased TRPV4， SP， and CGRP protein levels in lung tissues and SP and CGRP protein levels in nasal mucosal tissues （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the TCM group， the inhibitor group had increased serum IgE， IL-6， and IL-8 levels， increased IL-6 level in BALF， and increased IL-8 levle in NLF， but decreased SP protein level in lung tissues and increased TRPV4 and SP mRNA expression in lung tissues （P＜0.01）. ConclusionQTCD effectively reduces cough frequency in the UACS guinea pig model. Its mechanism may involve inhibiting the activation of the TRPV4 pathway， improving airway neurogenic inflammation， alleviating inflammatory responses， and reducing cough hypersensitivity.

Objective Differentially expressed genes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were subjected to bioinformatic and Mendelian randomization analyses to elucidate their prognostic significance in OSCC. Methods The TCGA database and dataset GSE138206 were used to screen the common differential genes of OSCC, and their relationship was analyzed by using Mendelian randomization. The prognostic value of differential genes was further analyzed by Cox risk regression. The biological function of genes with high prognostic value was further evaluated by single gene differential analysis. Results A total of 147 common differential genes were screened from the two databases. Results of two-sample Mendelian randomization showed that GREM2 was associated with the increased risk of OSCC. In addition, SH3BGRL2 was associated with a decreased risk of OSCC, and DKK1, CCL11, and HOXC6 were considered as independent prognostic markers of OSCC. The predicted results of DKK1 were consistent with the actual results. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated the potential involvement of DKK1 in arachidonic acid and linoleic acid metabolism. Furthermore, DKK1 showed positive correlations with Tgd and Th2 cells, while displaying negative associations with PDC, Cytotoxic cells, Mast cells, CD8 T cells, TFH cells, B cells, T cells, and Th17 cells. Conclusion GREM2 is associated with an increased risk of OSCC. DKK1 is highly expressed in OSCC and associated with poor prognosis, which may be involved in regulating the metabolism of arachidonic acid and linoleic acid and immune cell invasion in OSCC.

With the widespread use of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacterial infections have become a significant threat to human health. Finding new antibacterial strategies that can effectively control drug-resistant bacterial infections has become an urgent task. Unlike small molecule drugs that target bacterial proteins, antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) can target genes related to bacterial resistance, pathogenesis, growth, reproduction and biofilm formation. By regulating the expression of these genes, ASO can inhibit or kill bacteria, providing a novel approach for the development of antibacterial drugs. To overcome the challenge of delivering antisense oligonucleotide into bacterial cells, various drug delivery systems have been applied in this field, including cell-penetrating peptides, lipid nanoparticles and inorganic nanoparticles, which have injected new momentum into the development of antisense oligonucleotide in the antibacterial realm. This review summarizes the current development of small nucleic acid drugs, the antibacterial mechanisms, targets, sequences and delivery vectors of antisense oligonucleotide, providing a reference for the research and development of antisense oligonucleotide in the treatment of bacterial infections.

OBJECTIVE To explore the main factors influencing the blood concentration of duloxetine， and provide a scientific basis for the individualized use of duloxetine. METHODS Retrospective analysis was conducted on 434 inpatients with depressive disorders at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University， who were treated with duloxetine and underwent blood concentration monitoring between January 2022 and April 2024. The study examined the impact of various factors， including gender， age， body mass index （BMI）， gene phenotypes， combined medication， drug type （original/generic）， and genotyping results of gene single nucleotide polymorphism loci， on blood concentration and the concentration-to-dose （C/D） after dose adjustment. RESULTS The blood concentration of duloxetine was 76.65 （45.57， 130.31） ng/mL， and C/D was 0.96 （0.63， 1.60） ng·d/（mL·mg）. The blood concentration of duloxetine was positively correlated with the daily dose of administration （R2＝0.253 7， P＜0.001）. Blood concentration of duloxetine in 38.94% of patients exceeded the recommended range specified in the guidelines. Gender， age， BMI， combined use of CYP2D6 enzyme inhibitors， and CYP2D6 and CYP1A2 phenotypes had significant effects on C/D of duloxetine （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The patient’s age， gender， BMI， combined medication， and genetic phenotypes are closely related to the blood concentration of duloxetine.

With the continuous intensification of aging， chronic diseases among the elderly have become a widely concerned public health issue. In the terminal stage， they often lose the ability to express their medical care wishes autonomously， leading to a disconnect between medical decision-making and the actual needs of the patients and increasing their physical and psychological suffering. With the rapid aging process in China， the incidence of chronic diseases in the elderly is continuously rising， which has become a serious public health problem. Studies have shown that advance care planning （ACP） has achieved remarkable results in maintaining the dignity of life for terminal chronic disease patients， improving patients’ quality of life， as well as alleviating the physical， mental， and economic burdens on their families. Therefore， the implementation of ACP is crucial for elderly patients with chronic diseases. This paper reviewed the concept of ACP， as well as application effects， challenges and limitations， and corresponding recommendations and countermeasures of ACP in elderly patients with chronic diseases， with a view to providing a solid theoretical and practical basis for the application of ACP in elderly population with chronic diseases in China.

Objective To evaluate the performance of the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled snail identification system for recognition of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni and Tricula in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province. Methods Fifty O. hupensis robertsoni and 50 Tricula samples were collected from Yongbei Township, Yongsheng County, Lijiang City, a schistosomiasis-endemic area in Yunnan Province in May 2024. A total of 100 snail sample images were captured with smartphones, including front-view images of 25 O. hupensis robertsoni and 25 Tricula samples (upward shell opening) and back-view images of 25 O. hupensis robertsoni and 25 Tricula samples (downward shell opening). Snail samples were identified as O. hupensis robertsoni or Tricula by schistosomiasis control experts with a deputy senior professional title and above according to image quality and morphological characteristics. A standard dataset for snail image classification was created, and served as a gold standard for recognition of snail samples. A total of 100 snail sample images were recognized with the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system based on a WeChat mini program in smartphones. Schistosomiasis control professionals were randomly sampled from stations of schistosomisis prevention and control and centers for disease control and prevention in 18 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts, cities) of Yunnan Province, for artificial identification of 100 snail sample images. All professionals are assigned to two groups according the median years of snail survey experiences, and the effect of years of snail survey experiences on O. hupensis robertsoni sample image recognition was evaluated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Youden’s index and the area under the curve (AUC) of the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification were calculated for recognition of snail sample images. The snail sample image recognition results of AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification were compared with the gold standard, and the internal consistency of artificial identification results was evaluated with the Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. Results A total of 54 schistosomiasis control professionals were sampled for artificial identification of snail sample image recognition, with a response rate of 100% (54/54), and the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Youden’s index, and AUC of artificial identification were 90%, 86%, 94%, 0.80 and 0.90 for recognition of snail sample images, respectively. The overall Cronbach’s coefficient alpha of artificial identification was 0.768 for recognition of snail sample images, and the Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was 0.916 for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni snail sample images and 0.925 for recognition of Tricula snail sample images. The overall accuracy of artificial identification was 90% for recognition of snail sample images, and there was no significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni (86%) and Tricula snail sample images (94%) (χ² = 1.778, P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images with upward (88%) and downward shell openings (92%) (χ² = 0.444, P > 0.05), and there was a significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images between schistosomiasis control professionals with snail survey experiences of 6 years and less (75%) and more than 6 years (90%) (χ² = 7.792, P < 0.05). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system were 88%, 100%, 76% and 0.88 for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni snail sample images, and there was no significant difference in the accuracy of recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni snail sample images between the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification (χ² = 0.204, P > 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images with upward (90%) and downward shell openings (86%) (χ² = 0.379, P > 0.05), and there was a significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images between schistosomiasis control professionals with snail survey experiences of 6 years and less and more than 6 years (χ² = 5.604, P_adjusted < 0.025). Conclusions The accuracy of recognition of snail sample images is comparable between the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification by schistosomiasis control professionals, and the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system is feasible for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni and Tricula in Yunnan Province.

Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients with peripheral lung masses (PLMs), and to assess the diagnostic utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in differentiating benign and malignant PLMs. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 69 patients with PLM treated in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from January 2020 to December 2023. All patients underwent percutaneous biopsy, and were categorized into benign group (n＝36) and malignant group (n＝33). 25 patients were HIV-positive and 44 patients were HIV-negative. The clinical features and CEUS parameters in patients were compared across these groups. Results Patients with malignant masses were significantly older than those with benign masses (P＜0.05). In the malignant group, HIV-negative patients exhibited significantly larger tumor diameters compared to HIV-positive patients (P＜0.05); in the HIV-positive patients, no significant difference in tumor size was observed between benign and malignant masses. 19 patients underwent CEUS. 10 malignant masses, irrespective of HIV status (10 positive and 9 negative), commonly presented with indistinct margins, delayed enhancement, heterogeneous perfusion, and delayed peak enhancement on CEUS. 9 benign masses showed earlier peak enhancement compared to 10 malignant masses (P＜0.05); no significant differences were observed in the initiation and washout time of enhancement between benign and malignant masses. In HIV-positive patients, 5 benign masses frequently demonstrated discrepancies between CEUS findings and pathological results. Conclusions The clinical and CEUS characteristics were different between benign and malignant PLMs. However, CEUS shows limited accuracy in distinguishing benign and malignant PLMs, underscoring the need for pathological confirmation.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a congenital malformation resulting from abnormal embryonic development of the heart and great vessels, accounting for approximately 25% of all congenital malformations. Children with CHD are often complicated by short stature. Although surgical treatment can improve their growth and development to a certain extent, some children still experience growth retardation after surgery. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is the main drug for treating short stature, but its efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with concomitant CHD warrant further investigation. This article reports six cases of children with CHD and short stature who were treated with rhGH. Through a literature review, we summarize and discuss the therapeutic efficacy, follow-up experiences, and adverse reactions of rhGH treatment, aiming to provide references for clinicians in applying rhGH to treat patients with CHD and short stature.

BACKGROUND:The treatment of early knee osteoarthritis can be achieved through two knee preservation treatments:Unicondylar knee arthroplasty and high tibial osteotomy.However,further exploration is needed to determine whether there are differences in knee joint recovery between the two knee preservation surgeries at different stages after surgery. OBJECTIVE:To compare the efficacy and related complications of unicondylar knee arthroplasty and high tibial osteotomy in the treatment of varus osteoarthropathy of the knee,and to provide a reference for clinical decision. METHODS:A total of 103 patients with varus osteoarthritis of the knee underwent surgical treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from September 2018 to September 2022 were selected.Among them,86 patients were followed up for more than 1 year.According to different surgical methods,the patients were divided into unicondylar knee arthroplasty group(49 cases)and high tibial osteotomy group(37 cases).Knee function,pain,and line of force correction were evaluated before surgery,4 weeks,3 months,6 months,and 1 year after surgery in both groups.Hospital for special surgery knee score,functional score of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index,changes of lateral space of the knee joint,range of motion,proprioception(position sense),and postoperative activity recovery speed were evaluated comprehensively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)There were no significant differences in preoperative hospital for special surgery knee score,Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score and lateral knee compartment size between the two groups.(2)The hospital for special surgery knee score of patients undergoing unicondylar knee arthroplasty was better than that of patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy within 4 weeks after surgery(P<0.05).At 3 and 6 months after surgery,compared with the improvement of the two groups,the hospital for special surgery knee score in the unicondylar knee arthroplasty group was lower than that in the high tibial osteotomy group,and the difference was significant(P<0.05).The range of motion flexion value and position perception of patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy were significantly better than those undergoing unicondylar knee arthroplasty 6 months after surgery(P<0.05).(3)The unicondylar knee arthroplasty group was better than the high tibial osteotomy group in terms of the speed of knee movement recovery(P<0.05).(4)However,there was no significant difference between the two groups in the change of hospital for special surgery knee score,range of motion,and the width of lateral knee space during 1-year follow-up.(5)All patients were followed up for more than 1 year,and no adverse complications were found during the follow-up.(6)It is indicated that the short-term effect of knee functional recovery in patients with high tibial osteotomy is better than that in patients with unicondylar knee arthroplasty,but there is no significant difference in medium-and long-term efficacy between the two kinds of surgery for medial knee arthritis.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections impose a significant burden on antibiotic usage, healthcare expenditures, and morbidity. Therefore, it is crucial to revise policies to minimize such losses. This nationwide survey aimed to evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) components in healthcare facilities and encourage improvements in acute care hospitals with inadequate infection prevention settings. This study aims to enhance the infection control capabilities of healthcare facilities. Methods: From December 27, 2021, to May 13, 2022, we conducted a survey of 1,767 acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. A survey was conducted to evaluate the infection control components in 1,767 acute care hospitals. Infection control officers provided direct responses to a systematically developed questionnaire. Subsequently, 10% of the respondents were randomly selected for the site investigation. Results: Overall, 1,197 (67.7%) hospitals responded to the online survey. On-site investigations were conducted at 125 hospitals. Hospitals with ≥ 150 beds are advised to have an IPC team under Article 3 of the Medical Service Act; however, only 87.0% (598/687) of hospitals with ≥ 100 beds had one. Conversely, 22.7% (116/510) of hospitals with < 100 beds had an IPC team. Regulations for hand hygiene, waste management, healthcare worker protection and safety, environmental cleaning, standard precautions, and prevention of the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens were present in 84.2%, 80.1%, 77.4%, 76.2%, 75.8%, and 63.5% of the hospitals, respectively. Hospitals with < 100 beds had low availability of all categories of standard operating procedures. Conclusion This study is the first national survey of acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The data presented in the current study will improve the understanding of IPC status and will help establish a survey system. Our survey provides a basis for improving policies related to IPC in healthcare facilities.