Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and spatial-temporal clustering trend of scarlet fever in Nantong from 2009 to 2023, and to provide a scientific basis for scarlet fever prevention and control. Methods The incidence data of scarlet fever in Nantong from 2009 to 2023 were analyzed. Descriptive analysis, seasonal index method and Joinpoint 5.2.0 software were used to analyze epidemiological characteristics. Spatial-temporal clustering was assessed with SaTScan 10.2.5 software. Results The average annual incidence of scarlet fever in Nantong from 2009 to 2023 was 6.54/100 000. The overall morbidity rate of scarlet fever in Nantong had an increasing trend from 2009 to 2019 with an average annual percentage change of 14.55% (t=3.36，P<0.05). The cases mainly occurred during late spring to early summer and late autumn to early winter. Students, preschool children and scattered children were the main scarlet fever population. The average annual incidence of males was significantly higher than that of females (χ²=7.00, P<0.05). Rugao City, Chongchuan District and Tongzhou District were identified as high-incidence areas, accounting for 76.51% of all reported cases. Spatial-temporal scan analysis indicated that Rugao City and Chongchuan District were primary cluster areas, spanning from 2015 to 2021 (RR=3.77, LLR=1 308.07, P<0.05). Conclusion The number of reported cases of scarlet fever in Nantong City from 2009 to 2023 shows epidemic and spatial clustering, mainly concentrated in the central urban area and adjacent counties (cities). It is necessary to strengthen health education and disease surveillance in high-incidence areas, as well as in key institutions and key populations before epidemic peaks.

Objective:To analyze the expression of long-chain non-coding RNA U73166 in lung cancer tissues and its relationship with patients′ prognosis, and to explore the effects of silencing U73166 on proliferation and invasion of lung cancer H1299 cells and its regulatory mechanism. Methods:The expression level of U73166 in lung cancer tissues and normal tissues, as well as its correlation with lung cancer patients′ overall survival, were analyzed using the gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) database. After culturing, H1299 cells were divided into a control group and a transfection group based on treatment conditions, and were transfected with 25 μmol/L of U73166 negative control and U73166 inhibitor, respectively. The effects of silencing U73166 on the relative expression of U73166 and microRNA-618 ( miR-618) genes in H1299 cells were assessed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR method. A cell counting kit-8 assay was used to evaluate the impact of silencing U73166 on the viability of H1299 cells. A transwell invasion assay was performed to detect the invasive ability of H1299 cells. The Linc2GO database and a dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to predict and verify the binding site between U73166 and miR-618. Western blotting was used to analyze the relative expression of phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 (p-JAK2), phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3), and phosphorylated signal-transducing adaptor molecule 1 (p-STAM1) in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway to evaluate the effects of silencing U73166 on this pathway in H1299 cells. Data were analyzed by an independent sample t test or one-way analysis of variance. Results:Analysis of the GEPIA database revealed that U73166 relative expression level in lung cancer tissues ( n=383) was significantly higher than that in normal tissues ( n=347) ( P<0.01). The overall survival of lung cancer patients with low U73166 expression [(245±2) months] was longer than that of patients with high U73166 expression [(167±2) months] ( P<0.05). The relative expression of U73166 were 7.81±0.99 in the control group and 1.01±0.26 in the transfection group, respectively, and the relative expression of miR-618 were 1.03±0.20 in the control group and 4.83±1.27 in the transfection group, respectively. Silencing U73166 significantly downregulated its expression ( t=6.66, P<0.01) and upregulated the relative expression of miR-618 ( t=2.96, P<0.01) in H1299 cells. After silencing U73166, the absorbance values of H1299 cells in the transfection group on days 2, 3, 4, and 5 (0.36±0.04, 0.74±0.05, 1.07±0.09, and 1.18±0.10) were significantly lower than those in the control group (0.55±0.03, 1.20±0.08, 1.63±0.07, and 1.90±0.07) ( P<0.05, 0.01). The number of invasive cells in the control and transfection groups were 52.03±6.08 and 19.92±3.78, respectively. There were significantly fewer invasive cells in the transfection group ( t=4.49, P<0.01). After transfection with wild-type U73166, the relative luciferase activity in the miR-618 group (0.32±0.05) was significantly lower than that in the miR-negtive control group (0.96±0.15) ( t=4.02, P<0.01). However, after transfection with mutant U73166, there was no statistically significant difference in relative luciferase activity between the miR-618 group (1.01±0.15) and the miR-negtive control group (1.03±0.11) ( t=0.09, P>0.05). The relative expression of p-JAK2, p-STAT3, and p-STAM1 proteins in the transfection group were 2.08±0.21, 1.36±0.20, and 0.55±0.12, respectively. These values were significantly lower than those in the control group (3.72?±?0.29, 5.56?±?0.19, and 4.38±0.17) (all P<0.01). Conclusions:U73166 is highly expressed in lung cancer tissues and lung cancer cells, and its expression is related to lung cancer patients′ overall survival. Silencing U73166 can target miR-618, which inhibits the proliferation and invasion of H1299 cells.

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 analyze the influencing factors of mood state of common rheumatic (rheumatoid arthritis; systemic lupus erythematosus; ankylosing spondylitis) patients and find out the common characteristics of patients with negative emotions, so as to identify and treat rheumatic patients with anxiety and depression in clinical practice.Methods:A total of 205 patients with rheumatism (83 with rheumatoid arthritis, 74 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 48 with ankylosing spondylitis) admitted to the Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University from April to May 2023 were included. The general condition and POMS of patients were collected. All patients were divided into 3 groups of low-TMD/ middle-TMD/ high-TMD(TMD≤90 scores; 90 scores105 scores). The χ2 test was used for categorical variables, and the continuous variables were tested for normal distribution. If they followed a normal distribution, the independent sample t test (for homogeneous variance) or the Welch′s t test (for unequal variance) was used for comparison between the two groups, and one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups; if they did not follow a normal distribution, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between groups. Patients with TMD>90 scores were defined as the negative emotion group. Gender, age, education level, economic income status, and TMD were included in the two-step cluster analysis (TCA) to obtain three cluster groups and analyze the differences between the groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors. Results:The study found that patients with rheumatic diseases with low serum albumin levels ( F=6.26, P=0.003), low education level ( χ2=8.36, P=0.015), low economic level ( χ2=15.59, P<0.001), short disease course ( H=28.01, P<0.001), and high disease activity ( χ2=56.93, P<0.001) had higher TMD scores, which was not related to the type of disease ( χ2=4.81, P=0.090). The negative mood group had a higher proportion of females (57.6% vs. 73.4%, χ2=5.16, P=0.023), a shorter course of disease [24(12, 48) months vs. 48(24, 93) months, Z=13.58, P<0.001], and a lower serum albumin [(42.2±4.0) g/L vs. (44.0±3.4)g/L, t=-14.09, P=0.002], low level of education ( χ2=9.04, P=0.029), low level of income ( χ2=10.29, P=0.036), high disease activity ( χ2=61.91, P<0.001). The results of cluster analysis indicated that the above factors were significantly different among the three cluster groups except the course of disease. It is noteworthy that age ( F=19.25, P<0.001) and serum albumin ( F=5.64, P=0.004) had the lowest value and the highest TMD score ( F=5.64, P<0.001). Regression analysis showed that gender, disease course and disease activity were related factors to the occurrence of negative emotions, and high disease activity was a risk factor [ OR(95% CI) =26.58(4.53, 156.09), P<0.001]. Men [ OR(95% CI)=0.20 (0.08, 0.50), P=0.001) and the course of [ OR(95% CI)=0.99 (0.98, 1.00), P=0.007) as the protective factors. Conclusion:Male, serum albumin level, education level, income level, disease course and disease activity were the main factors affecting the mood state of patients with rheumatism, in which high disease activity was the risk factor, male and long disease course were the protective factors.

After ischemic stroke,intracranial cells experience stress due to ischemic and hypoxic injury,leading to a series of aseptic immune response processes.The oxidative stress process in microglias triggers the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome,which promotes the release of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β and IL-18,contributing to the inflammatory reaction caused by isch-emic stroke.In addition,NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the polarization,pyroptosis and autophagy of microglias,regulating the prognosis of ischemic stroke.This review summarizes the specific mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome in regulating microglial status and its involvement in ischemia-reperfusion injury.It also discusses the associated treatment strategies,identifies the current research focus and blanks,and provides some guidance and ideas for future research.

The ribosomal protein S11(RPS11)from Enterococcus faecalis is was heterologously ex-pressed using the Pichia pastoris system.The RPS11 gene sequence was optimized to match the yeast codon preference,and the recombinant expression vector pPIC9K-RPS11 was constructed.Electroporation was used to transform the vector into the Pichia pastoris GS115 strain,and high-copy recombinant strains were selected through G418 resistance screening.Protein expression was induced with methanol,and the expression was verified by SDS-PAGE.The recombinant protein was applied in a mouse melanoma treatment model to evaluate its therapeutic effects.The results showed that the recombinant expression vector pPIC9K-RPS11 successfully expressed the target protein with an approximate molecular weight of 14 kDa in Pichia pastoris.The optimal fermenta-tion conditions were determined to be an induction temperature of 30 ℃,induction time of 72 h,and methanol concentration of 1％.Analysis using a mouse peritoneal macrophage trained immuni-ty model revealed that recombinant RPS11 possessed biological activity capable of inducing trained immunity.Additionally,therapeutic experiments in a mouse melanoma model demonstrated that recombinant RPS11 significantly inhibited tumor growth.These findings suggest that the recombi-nant RPS11 secreted by Pichia pastoris not only possesses biological activity in inducing trained immunity but also inhibits tumor cell growth in a mouse melanoma model,providing theoretical support for the heterologous expression and potential applications of recombinant RPS11.

The ribosomal protein S11(RPS11)from Enterococcus faecalis is was heterologously ex-pressed using the Pichia pastoris system.The RPS11 gene sequence was optimized to match the yeast codon preference,and the recombinant expression vector pPIC9K-RPS11 was constructed.Electroporation was used to transform the vector into the Pichia pastoris GS115 strain,and high-copy recombinant strains were selected through G418 resistance screening.Protein expression was induced with methanol,and the expression was verified by SDS-PAGE.The recombinant protein was applied in a mouse melanoma treatment model to evaluate its therapeutic effects.The results showed that the recombinant expression vector pPIC9K-RPS11 successfully expressed the target protein with an approximate molecular weight of 14 kDa in Pichia pastoris.The optimal fermenta-tion conditions were determined to be an induction temperature of 30 ℃,induction time of 72 h,and methanol concentration of 1％.Analysis using a mouse peritoneal macrophage trained immuni-ty model revealed that recombinant RPS11 possessed biological activity capable of inducing trained immunity.Additionally,therapeutic experiments in a mouse melanoma model demonstrated that recombinant RPS11 significantly inhibited tumor growth.These findings suggest that the recombi-nant RPS11 secreted by Pichia pastoris not only possesses biological activity in inducing trained immunity but also inhibits tumor cell growth in a mouse melanoma model,providing theoretical support for the heterologous expression and potential applications of recombinant RPS11.

After ischemic stroke,intracranial cells experience stress due to ischemic and hypoxic injury,leading to a series of aseptic immune response processes.The oxidative stress process in microglias triggers the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome,which promotes the release of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β and IL-18,contributing to the inflammatory reaction caused by isch-emic stroke.In addition,NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the polarization,pyroptosis and autophagy of microglias,regulating the prognosis of ischemic stroke.This review summarizes the specific mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome in regulating microglial status and its involvement in ischemia-reperfusion injury.It also discusses the associated treatment strategies,identifies the current research focus and blanks,and provides some guidance and ideas for future research.

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 analyze the influencing factors of mood state of common rheumatic (rheumatoid arthritis; systemic lupus erythematosus; ankylosing spondylitis) patients and find out the common characteristics of patients with negative emotions, so as to identify and treat rheumatic patients with anxiety and depression in clinical practice.Methods:A total of 205 patients with rheumatism (83 with rheumatoid arthritis, 74 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 48 with ankylosing spondylitis) admitted to the Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University from April to May 2023 were included. The general condition and POMS of patients were collected. All patients were divided into 3 groups of low-TMD/ middle-TMD/ high-TMD(TMD≤90 scores; 90 scores105 scores). The χ2 test was used for categorical variables, and the continuous variables were tested for normal distribution. If they followed a normal distribution, the independent sample t test (for homogeneous variance) or the Welch′s t test (for unequal variance) was used for comparison between the two groups, and one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups; if they did not follow a normal distribution, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between groups. Patients with TMD>90 scores were defined as the negative emotion group. Gender, age, education level, economic income status, and TMD were included in the two-step cluster analysis (TCA) to obtain three cluster groups and analyze the differences between the groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors. Results:The study found that patients with rheumatic diseases with low serum albumin levels ( F=6.26, P=0.003), low education level ( χ2=8.36, P=0.015), low economic level ( χ2=15.59, P<0.001), short disease course ( H=28.01, P<0.001), and high disease activity ( χ2=56.93, P<0.001) had higher TMD scores, which was not related to the type of disease ( χ2=4.81, P=0.090). The negative mood group had a higher proportion of females (57.6% vs. 73.4%, χ2=5.16, P=0.023), a shorter course of disease [24(12, 48) months vs. 48(24, 93) months, Z=13.58, P<0.001], and a lower serum albumin [(42.2±4.0) g/L vs. (44.0±3.4)g/L, t=-14.09, P=0.002], low level of education ( χ2=9.04, P=0.029), low level of income ( χ2=10.29, P=0.036), high disease activity ( χ2=61.91, P<0.001). The results of cluster analysis indicated that the above factors were significantly different among the three cluster groups except the course of disease. It is noteworthy that age ( F=19.25, P<0.001) and serum albumin ( F=5.64, P=0.004) had the lowest value and the highest TMD score ( F=5.64, P<0.001). Regression analysis showed that gender, disease course and disease activity were related factors to the occurrence of negative emotions, and high disease activity was a risk factor [ OR(95% CI) =26.58(4.53, 156.09), P<0.001]. Men [ OR(95% CI)=0.20 (0.08, 0.50), P=0.001) and the course of [ OR(95% CI)=0.99 (0.98, 1.00), P=0.007) as the protective factors. Conclusion:Male, serum albumin level, education level, income level, disease course and disease activity were the main factors affecting the mood state of patients with rheumatism, in which high disease activity was the risk factor, male and long disease course were the protective factors.