BACKGROUND: Depression among older adults is an important public health issue, and air and noise pollution have been found to contribute to exacerbation of depressive symptoms. This study examined the association of exposure to air and noise pollutants with clinically-newly-diagnosed depressive disorder. The mediating role of individual pro-inflammatory markers was explored. METHODS: We linked National Health Insurance claim data with 2998 healthy community-dwellers aged 55 and above who participated in the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study between 2009 and 2013. Newly diagnosed depressive disorder was identified using diagnostic codes from the medical claim data. Pollutants were estimated using nationwide land use regression, including PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and road traffic noise. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to examine the association between pollutants and newly developed depressive disorders. The mediating effect of serum pro-inflammatory biomarkers on the relationship was examined. RESULTS: Among the 2998 participants, 209 had newly diagnosed depressive disorders. In adjusted Cox proportional hazard models, one interquartile range increase in PM_2.5 (8.53 µg/m³) was associated with a 17.5% increased hazard of developing depressive disorders. Other air pollutants and road traffic noise were not linearly associated with depressive disorder incidence. Levels of serum tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 mediated the relationship between PM_2.5 and survival time to newly onset depressive disorder. CONCLUSION PM_2.5 is related to an increased risk of newly developed depressive disorder among middle-aged and older adults, and the association is partially mediated by the pro-inflammatory marker TNF-R1.
Humans ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Longitudinal Studies ; Aged ; Incidence ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Taiwan/epidemiology* ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I/blood* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Depression/epidemiology* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Depressive Disorder/chemically induced* ; Risk Factors ; Air Pollution/adverse effects*

OBJECTIVES: To determine the pharmacological impact of hesperidin, the main component of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, on depressive behavior and elucidate the mechanism by which hesperidin treats depression, focusing on the gut-brain axis. METHODS: Fifty-four Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly allocated to 6 groups using a random number table, including control, model, hesperidin, probiotics, fluoxetine, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium groups. Except for the control group, rats in the remaining 5 groups were challenged with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 21 days and housed in single cages. The sucrose preference test (SPT), immobility time in the forced swim test (FST), and number in the open field test (OFT) were performed to measure the behavioral changes in the rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain tissue, and the histopathology was performed to evaluate the changes of colon tissue, together with sequencing of the V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA gene on feces to explore the changes of intestinal flora in the rats. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the rats in the model group showed notable reductions in body weight, SPF, and number in OFT (P<0.01). Hesperidin was found to ameliorate depression induced by CUMS, as seen by improvements in body weight, SPT, immobility time in FST, and number in OFT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Regarding neurotransmitters, it was found that at a dose of 50 mg/kg hesperidin treatment upregulated the levels of 5-HT and BDNF in depressed rats (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the colon tissue of the model group exhibited greater inflammatory cell infiltration, with markedly reduced numbers of goblet cells and crypts and were significantly improved following treatment with hesperidin. Simultaneously, the administration of hesperidin demonstrated a positive impact on the gut microbiome of rats treated with CUMS, such as Shannon index increased and Simpson index decreased (P<0.01), while the abundance of Pseudomonadota and Bacteroidota increased in the hesperidin-treated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The mechanism responsible for the beneficial effects of hesperidin on depressive behavior in rats may be related to inhibition of the expressions of BDNF and 5-HT and preservation of the gut microbiota.
Animals ; Hesperidin/therapeutic use* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Depression/drug therapy* ; Male ; Stress, Psychological/drug therapy* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Rats ; Brain-Gut Axis/drug effects* ; Chronic Disease ; Colon/drug effects*

Abdominal aortic aneurysm(AAA)is a degenerative vascular disease occurring in the lower segment of the aortic diaphragm,mainly manifested by irreversible dilatation of the entire artery,preferably in the elderly population.The pathogenesis of AAA is complex and involves multiple factors,with genetic variations and immune imbalances playing important roles.Its pathological changes mainly include inflammatory cell infiltration,degradation of stromal elastin,and smooth muscle cell death.Rupture of AAA is the most dangerous complication,with a high mortality.Surgery remains the only effective intervention,but carries certain risks and postoperative complications.Early intervention for small abdominal aortic aneurysms to slow down aneurysm expansion and achieve long-term survival is currently a focus of drug and technology research.This article reviews the pathogenesis of AAA and its intervention strategies,and summarizes the research on existing drugs and the use of new targets and technologies,so as to provide insights for better understanding and treatment of AAA.

Sarin(GB)is a typical representative of nerve agents with high toxicity,and very low amount can cause death.GB can cause water and atmospheric environment poisoning,so the detection of GB in water and air is of great significance.In this work,a colorimetric sensor array(CSA)based on GB inhibition of cholinesterase activity was constructed to detect GB with high selectivity.A 4×4 colorimetric array was constructed using acetylcholinesterase(AChE),butyryl cholinesterase(BuChE)and the corresponding substrate acetylthiocholine iodide(S-ACh),butyryl thiocholine iodide(S-BCh),acetylcholine chloride(ACh),butyryl choline chloride(BCh)and 2,6-dichloroindophenol ethyl ester(DCIE).The linear curve of the sensor was Y=131.3×lgC+271.6(R2=0.997),where Y was the array response Euclidean distance,C was the concentration of GB(mg/L),the linear range was 0.03?0.32 mg/L,and the detection limit was 27.6 μg/L.The method could effectively distinguish chemical warfare agents(CWA)such as VX,Soman(GD),mustard gas(HD),Louie reagent(L),and had high anti-interference ability,sensitivity and good repeatability.It was successfully applied to the detection of GB in simulated water and simulated air samples,and the sample recovery rate was 97.2% ?100.9%.This method would be potentially applied to the field rapid detection of nerve agents.

Objective To develop a foot pad for arch support after plantar skin grafting and evaluate its rehabilitation effect on scar tissue in the arch area of postoperative patients.Methods The foot pad for arch support after plantar skin grafting was fabricated from medical-grade silicone and comprised a pad body and an arch support component.The pad body featured shock-absorbing convex patterns on its surface,precision-cut grooves in the metatarsal region and an upwardly convex arch section;the arch support component consisted of an arch-supporting portion with heel reinforcement and a heel-supporting portion,both peripherally integrated with vibration-damping through-holes.Totally 82 burn patients undergoing grafting using plantar skin were selected and divided equally into a control group and an experimental group with the random number table method.In the control group,anti-scarring care such as applying silicone gel and pressure therapy by rehabilitation nurses was carried out immediately after the healing of the plantar skin removal site.In the experimental group,the foot pad was used for rehabilitation care besides the routine treatment in the control group.The two groups were compared in terms of scarring and adverse reactions at the plantar skin removal site.SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results Within 1 week after healing,the number of patients in the experimental group who had subcutaneous bruising and rupture was less than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).At 3 months after healing,the experimental group behaved better than the control group in scarring,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion The foot pad developed with simple structure and easy operation can be used for rehabilitation exercise of patients after plantar skinning.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):115-117]

Objective:To analyze the distribution and epidemiological characteristics of common non-bacterial pathogens in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infections(ARTI)from a multi-center study covering 4 regions in Fujian Province in 2023.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using medical record analysis.A total of 22 769 hospitalized children with ARTI were enrolled from January to December 2023 across seven regional pediatric medical centers in Fujian Province (covering four major geographical divisions of Fuzhou, Nanping, Sanming and Longyan; all selected hospitals were regional children′s medical centers).Using single-tube multiplex PCR with fragment analysis on a Sanger sequencing platform, the nucleic acids of 11 common non-bacterial respiratory pathogens were tested in nasopharyngeal swabs collected from 22 769 children. These pathogens included influenza A virus(FluA), influenza B virus(FluB), parainfluenza virus(PIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), human rhinovirus (HRV), human bocavirus (HBoV), human coronavirus (HCoV), human metapneumovirus(HMPV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP), and Chlamydia (Ch). Count data were described as [ n(%)], and the chi-square test/Fisher′s exact test was used to compare the differences in rates between groups. Epidemiological features, including positive detection rates, pathogen profiles, and correlations with region, sex, age and month, were analyzed. Results:Among 22 769 children with ARTI, pathogens were detected in 16 213 cases (71.21%), including 13 340 single infections (58.59%).The detection rates of single pathogens in descending order were human rhinovirus (HRV, 12.95%), Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP, 12.27%), respiratory syncytial virus(RSV, 11.12%), influenza A virus (Flu-A, 7.98%), parainfluenza virus(PIV, 4.66%), human metapneumovirus(HMPV, 4.60%), adenovirus(ADV, 2.70%), human bocavirus(HBoV, 0.84%), human coronavirus(HCoV, 0.82%), influenza B virus(Flu-B, 0.47%) and Chlamydia(Ch, 0.18%).Mixed infections occurred in 2 873 cases(12.62%), primarily dual infections(2 679 cases).Regional analysis revealed significant disparities:Luoyuan County Hospital (Fuzhou) exhibited the highest total detection rate(86.59%, 1 414/1 633)and mixed infection rate(23.27%, 380/1 633)(both P<0.001), with notably elevated MP (26.39%, 431/1 633);Jian′ou City Hospital(Nanping) ranked second for Flu-A(14.21%, 409/2 879), RSV(13.20%, 380/2 879) and mixed infections(17.12%, 493/2 879);Lianjiang County Hospital(Fuzhou) showed distinct prevalence of Flu-A(10.68%, 130/1 217), PIV(6.00%, 73/1 217), and HBoV(1.73%, 21/1 217); Yong′an City Hospital (Sanming) reported high MP (26.07%, 238/913) and RSV(12.38%, 113/913);Shaowu City Hospital(Nanping) was dominated by MP (18.60%, 407/2 188) and HRV(13.39%, 293/2 188); Tingzhou Hospital(Longyan) had the highest HRV (17.88%, 407/2 276) and Flu-B (0.75%, 17/2 276); and Fuzhou Children′s Hospital showed elevated ADV(3.38%, 394/11 663) and HCoV(1.08%, 126/11 663). Except for Flu-B(0.47%, 108/22 769; P=0.054) and Ch(0.18%, 40/22769; P=0.900), all pathogens and mixed infections exhibited significant regional variations ( P<0.05).Gender analysis indicated higher detection rates of HRV, RSV, Flu-A, ADV, PIV, HBoV and mixed infections in males, while MP, HMPV, Flu-B, HCoV, and Ch were more prevalent in females, with statistically significant differences for HRV and MP (both P<0.001). Age stratification showed the highest overall detection rate in the 3-<6 years group (75.48%; P<0.001): RSV and Ch peaked in infants (<1 year), HRV, PIV, ADV and HBoV in toddlers (1-<3 years), HMPV, HCoV, and mixed infections in preschool children (3-<6 years), and MP, Flu-A and Flu-B in older children (6-<18 years).Analyzing the prevalent months, the monthly prevalence trends of pathogens in various regions are similar.Seasonal trends demonstrated year-round HRV activity (peaking in spring/autumn), MP prevalence in autumn/winter, RSV surges in spring-summer (April-June) and late summer-autumn (August-October), and Flu-A predominanced in winter-spring. Conclusion:Multiplex PCR with fragment analysis demonstrated high diagnostic efficacy. The top 4 non-bacterial pathogens in Fujian Province′s ARTI-hospitalized children in 2023 were HRV, MP, RSV and Flu-A. Pathogen distribution exhibited significant regional, age and seasonal variations, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention strategies.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Totally 45 in vitro diagnostic(IVD)reagent manufacturing enterprises were investigated in terms of the use and quality control of nitrocellulose(NC)membranes.The influences of the NC membrane performance indexes on IVD reagent quality were analyzed,including the within-run stability,crawling speed,protein absorption and pore size.The defficiencies of the enterprises were pointed out in the acceptance standard of NC membrane,and some suggestions were put forward including enhancing the performance of domestic NC membrane,improving the acceptance standard,optimizing NC membrane supply chain management by the enterprises and strengthening the internal management of the enterprises.References were provided for the development of IVD industries.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(7):75-80]

Ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA)is a naturally occurring,low-toxicity,and hydrophilic bile acid(BA)in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA.Solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate,and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers.Retroperitoneal liposarcoma(RLPS)refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area.Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly down-regulated metabolites in sera of RIPS patients compared with healthy subjects.The augmentation of UDCA concentration(≥25 μg/mL)demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells.[15N2]-cystine and[13Cs]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione(GSH)synthesis.Mechanistically,UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis,leading to reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage.Furthermore,UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers(Erastin,RSL3),the murine double minute 2(MDM2)inhibitors(Nutlin 3a,RG7112),cyclin dependent kinase 4(CDK4)inhibitor(Abemaciclib),and glutaminase inhibitor(CB839).Together,UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity,and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA.More importantly,in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments,UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological and pathogenic characteristics of acute respiratory in-fection in Yangpu District of Shanghai,and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of re-spiratory tract infection.Methods A total of 1 062 patients diagnosed with acute respiratory infection in the hospital from June 2023 to June 2024 were selected as the research objects.The nucleic acid of 13 pathogens in nasopharyngeal swabs of patients was detected and the positive rate was calculated.The positive rate of differ-ent age groups and seasons was analyzed.Results Among 1 062 patients,716 cases were detected positive,the total positive rate was 67.42%,of which 577 cases were single infection,the positive rate was 54.33%.The top five positive pathogens were Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP,16.48%),human coronavirus(HCOV,9.42%),human rhinovirus(HRV,7.63%),human metapneumovirus(HMPV,5.46%)and parainfluenza vi-rus(HPIV,3.39%).A total of 139 cases were infected with multiple pathogens,with a positive rate of 13.09%.MP,HRV,and HCOV were the dominant pathogens,which were prone to multiple infections.A to-tal of 139 cases were infected with multiple pathogens,with a positive rate of 13.09%.MP,HRV,and HCOV were the dominant pathogens,which were prone to multiple infections.The total positive rate of respiratory pathogens in children was 86.38%,the positive rates of single infection and multiple infection were 65.12%and 21.26%,respectively,which were significantly higher than those in other age groups(P<0.05).Among the 577 children with single infection,MP and HRV were the main pathogens in children,MP and HCOV were the main pathogens in young and middle-aged patients,and HCOV and HRV were the main pathogens in the elderly patients.The total positive rate of pathogens was the highest in winter(69.88%),and the lowest in summer(49.54%).HRV had the highest positive rate in spring,HCOV had the highest positive rate in summer,MP had the highest positive rate in autumn,and influenza virus(including influenza A virus,influen-za A/H3N2 virus,influenza B virus)had the highest positive rate in winter(P<0.05).Conclusion MP,HCOV,HRV,HMPV and HPIV are the top five pathogens of acute respiratory tract infection in Yangpu dis-trict of Shanghai.The etiological characteristics were related to age and seasonality of patients.