ObjectiveTo establish a regional risk assessment system for hospital-acquired infections in neurosurgery department of general hospital, and to evaluate its prevention and control effectiveness. MethodsFailure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) was used to identify the core risk factors for infections in neurosurgery department. The risk priority number (RPN) of each risk factor was calculated to determine the priority intervention targets. Targeted interventions were developed and continuously refined through the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycles. Data from January to June 2023 (control group) and July to December 2023 (intervention group) were collected to compare the differences in environmental hygiene monitoring qualification rate, incidence rate of hospital-acquired infections among inpatients, and detection rate of bacterial antimicrobial resistance. ResultsHigh-risk factors for hospital-acquired infections in neurosurgery department included patient-related risk factors, inadequate implementation of isolation measures for special infections, and poor compliance with surgical site infection (SSI) prevention protocols. After intervention, the environmental hygiene qualification rate significantly increased from 81.55% to 100.00% (χ²=120.49, P<0.001). The overall hospital-acquired infection rate among inpatients decreased from 2.62% to 2.45%, the infection rate of per case declined from 3.12% to 2.84%, and the detection rate of multidrug-resistant organism infections reduced from 43.72% to 36.79%. Additionally, antimicrobial utilization rate decreased from 48.75% to 42.53% (χ²=34.09, P<0.001). ConclusionThe FMEA-based risk assessment system can effectively identify critical infection risks in neurosurgery department, and targeted interventions can significantly improve infection prevention and control performance.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of imprinted differentially methylated regions (iDMRs) in placentas and their correlation with preeclampsia (PE). Methods A total of 43 healthy pregnant women (control group) and 33 pregnant women with PE (PE group) at Shanghai Putuo Maternity and Infant Hospital and International Peace Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from September 2021 to September 2023 were selected. A total of 3 362 CpG sites in 62 iDMRs were analyzed in 76 placenta and 5 maternal blood samples using BisCap targeted bisulfite resequencing (BisCap-seq) assays. The CpG sites in the CpG islands of the iDMRs were assessed for their methylation levels and methylation linkage disequilibrium (MLD). Imprinted methylation haplotype blocks (iMHBs) were constructed based on MLD. The methylation levels and variablility of CpG sites and iMHBs were compared among the healthy placenta, PE placenta and blood samples. Results The CpG sites in the CpG islands of the iDMRs exhibited intermediate methylation, with adjacent sites displaying high MLD (methylation levels: 0.35-0.65, D’ ＞ 0.8). A total of 185 iMHBs were constructed using these coupled CpG sites, 60 placenta-specific iMHBs and 38 somatic iMHBs were found to be differentially methylated in the placenta compared with maternal blood (P_adj＜0.05). Twenty-seven iMHBs were identified with differentially variable methylation patterns in the placenta. The iMHBs methylation was unchanged in the PE placentas compared to the healthy placentas. Twenty-seven differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) were identified outside the iMHBs structure, among which the methylation levels of 19 CpG sites showed statistically significant differences between the PE group and the control group (P_adj＜0.05). The quantitative results of placental compositions of maternal plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) using placenta-specific haplotype (PSH) were highly correlated with those estimated by a deconvolution methodology (r＝0.973, P＜0.01). Conclusions The genomic imprinting features in the PE placentas were obvious, and PSH could be a potential marker of the placenta to quantify the placental compositions of maternal plasma cfDNA.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of parental liver donation on early acute cellular rejection(ACR)after liver transplantation(LT)in children aged under one year.Methods:From January 2018 to January 2021, retrospective review is conducted for clinical data of living donor LT recipients and donors aged under 1 year at Tianjin First Central Hospital.Donor livers are assigned into two groups of paternal donor liver(156 cases)and maternal donor liver(206 cases)according to the source of donor liver, Clinical characteristics and postoperative ACR occurrence of two groups are analyzed.Results:The rates of ACR during early postoperative period is 14.9%(54/362), 20.5%(32/156)in paternal liver donor group and 10.7%(22/206)in maternal liver donor group.There is statistically significant difference(λ 2=6.763, P=0.009).In analysis of gender matching of donor recipients, the rates of ACR is 22.6% in paternal donor group and 10.3% in maternal donor group.There is statistically significant difference(λ 2=5.411, P=0.020).Median time of initial postoperative ACR is 13.00(8.25~20.25)day in paternal liver donor group and 17.00(9.00~28.25)day in maternal donor group.The difference is not statistically significant( P>0.05). ACR is mostly mild-to-moderate in two groups . Conclusions:In living donor LT for children aged under 1 year, the rates of early ACR is lower for maternal donor than that for paternal donor, especially in female recipients.

Most information used to evaluate diabetic statuses is collected at a special time-point, such as taking fasting plasma glucose test and providing a limited view of individual's health and disease risk. As a new parameter for continuously evaluating personal clinical statuses, the newly developed technique "continuous glucose monitoring" (CGM) can characterize glucose dynamics. By calculating the complexity of glucose time series index (CGI) with refined composite multi-scale entropy analysis of the CGM data, the study showed for the first time that the complexity of glucose time series in subjects decreased gradually from normal glucose tolerance to impaired glucose regulation and then to type 2 diabetes (P for trend < 0.01). Furthermore, CGI was significantly associated with various parameters such as insulin sensitivity/secretion (all P < 0.01), and multiple linear stepwise regression showed that the disposition index, which reflects β-cell function after adjusting for insulin sensitivity, was the only independent factor correlated with CGI (P < 0.01). Our findings indicate that the CGI derived from the CGM data may serve as a novel marker to evaluate glucose homeostasis.
Humans ; Glucose ; Blood Glucose ; Insulin Resistance/physiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnosis* ; Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring ; Time Factors ; Insulin

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the quality of care of diabetes in Shanghai, China. A total of 173 235 patients with type 2 diabetes in 2017 were included in the analysis. Profiles of risk factors and intermediate outcomes were determined. The patients had a mean age of 66.43 ± 8.12 (standard deviation (SD)) years and a mean diabetes duration of 7.95 ± 5.53 (SD) years. The percentage of patients who achieved the target level for HbA_1c (< 7.0%) was 48.6%. Patients who achieved the target levels for blood pressure (BP) < 130/80 mmHg and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) < 2.6 mmol/L reached 17.5% and 34.0%, respectively. A total of 3.8% achieved all three target levels, and the value increased to 6.8% with an adaptation of the BP target level (< 140/90 mmHg) for those over 65 years. Multivariable analysis identified the factors associated with a great likelihood of achieving all three target levels: male, young age, short diabetes duration, low body mass index, macrovascular complications, no microvascular complications, prescribed with lipid-lowering medication, and no prescription of antihypertensive medication. In conclusion, nearly 50% and one-third of the patients with diabetes met the target levels for HbA_1c and LDL-c, respectively, with a low percentage achieving the BP target level. The percentage of patients who achieved all three target levels needs significant improvement.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; China/epidemiology* ; Cholesterol, LDL/therapeutic use* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy* ; Glycated Hemoglobin A/analysis* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

The transcription factor nuclear factor of kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is expressed in brown adipocytes, but its role remains largely unknown in the cells. This issue was addressed in current study by examining NF-κB in brown adipocytes in vitro and in vivo. NF-κB activity was increased by differentiation of brown adipocytes through elevation of p65 (RelA) expression. The transcriptional activity of NF-κB was induced by the cold stimulation with an elevation in S276 phosphorylation of p65 protein. Inactivation of NF-κB in brown adipocytes made the knockout mice [uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1)-CreER-p65^f/f, U-p65-KO] intolerant to the cold environment. The brown adipocytes exhibited an increase in apoptosis, a decrease in cristae density and uncoupling activity in the interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) of p65-KO mice. The alterations became severer after cold exposure of the KO mice. The brown adipocytes of mice with NF-κB activation (p65 overexpression, p65-OE) exhibited a set of opposite alterations with a reduction in apoptosis, an increase in cristae density and uncoupling activity. In mechanism, NF-κB inhibited expression of the adenine nucleotide translocase 2 (ANT2) in the control of apoptosis. Data suggest that NF-κB activity is increased in brown adipocytes by differentiation and cold stimulation to protect the cells from apoptosis through down-regulation of ANT2 expression.

Lifestyle interventions, including dietary adjustments and exercise, are important for obesity management. This study enrolled adults with overweight or obesity to explore whether either low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) or exercise is more effective in metabolism improvement. Forty-five eligible subjects were randomly divided into an LCD group (n = 22) and an exercise group (EX, n = 23). The subjects either adopted LCD (carbohydrate intake < 50 g/day) or performed moderate-to-vigorous exercise (⩾ 30 min/day) for 3 weeks. After the interventions, LCD led to a larger weight loss than EX ( - 3.56 ± 0.37 kg vs. - 1.24 ± 0.39 kg, P < 0.001), as well as a larger reduction in fat mass ( - 2.10 ± 0.18 kg vs. - 1.25 ± 0.24 kg, P = 0.007) and waist circumference ( - 5.25 ± 0.52 cm vs. - 3.45 ± 0.38 cm, P = 0.008). Both interventions reduced visceral and subcutaneous fat and improved liver steatosis and insulin resistance. Triglycerides decreased in both two groups, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased in the LCD group but decreased in the EX group. Various glycemic parameters, including serum glycated albumin, mean sensor glucose, coefficient of variability (CV), and largest amplitude of glycemic excursions, substantially declined in the LCD group. Only CV slightly decreased after exercise. This pilot study suggested that the effects of LCD and exercise are similar in alleviating liver steatosis and insulin resistance. Compared with exercise, LCD might be more efficient for weight loss and glucose homeostasis in people with obesity.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Weight Loss

Objective To establish simple screening models for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the adult Blang population. Methods Based on the survey data of metabolic diseases in the Blang people aged 18 years or above in 2017, 2993 respondents were stratified by sex and age (at an interval of 5 years) and then randomly divided into modeling group with 1497 respondents and validation group with 1496 respondents. Related information was collected, including demographic data, smoking, drinking, family history of diseases and personal medical history, body height, body weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure, and related markers were measured, including fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose or blood glucose at 2 hours after glucose loading, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the screening model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were used to evaluate the screening performance of established models versus existing models in the study population, and the DeLong method was used for comparison of AUC. Results Three screening models for NAFLD were established based on physical and biochemical measurements, i.e., simple noninvasive model 1 (age, body mass index, and waist circumference), noninvasive model 2 with the addition of blood pressure, and model 3 with the combination of hematological parameters (diabetes and ALT/AST). In the modeling group, the three models had an AUC of 0.881 (95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 0.864-0.897), 0.892 (95% CI : 0.875-0.907), and 0.894 (95% CI : 0.877-0.909), respectively, and there was a significant difference between model 1 and models 2/3 ( P =0.004 0 and P < 0.001); in the validation group, the three models had an AUC of 0.891 (95% CI : 0.874-0.906), 0.892 (95% CI : 0.875-0.907), and 0.893 (95% CI : 0.876-0.908), respectively, and there was no significant difference between the three groups ( P > 0.05). Based on the overall consideration of screening performance, invasiveness, and cost, the simple noninvasive model 1 was considered the optimal screening model for NAFLD in this population. Model 1 had the highest Youden index at the cut-off value of 5 points, and when the score of ≥5 points was selected as the criteria for NAFLD, the model had a sensitivity of 86.5%, a specificity of 79.7%, a positive predictive value of 50.3%, and a negative predictive value of 96.1% in the modeling group and a sensitivity of 85.6%, a specificity of 80.6%, a positive predictive value of 51.7%, and a negative predictive value of 95.8% in the validation group. Conclusion The NAFLD screening models established for the adult Blang population based on age and obesity indicators have relatively higher sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value, and this tool is of important practical significance for the intervention of NAFLD and its closely related metabolic diseases in this population.

Objective:To examine associations of sex hormone levels with bone turnover markers(BTMs) among men in the Northeast region of Henan Province.Methods:From December 2015 to March 2016, 707 male subjects were selected from a National Epidemiological Survey-2014(Thyroid Disorders, Iodine status and Diabetes, TIDE)research—Henan sub-center survey by using multistage stratified cluster random sampling. Fasting venous blood was collected to determine the levels of luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH), estradiol(E 2), testosterone(T), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione(AD), sex hormone binding globulin(SHBG), dihydrotestosterone(DHT), free testosterone(FT), osteocalcin(OC), pro-collagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide(PINP), C-terminal-cross-linking telopeptide of type 1 collagen(β-CTX), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and parathyroid hormone(PTH). Results:A total of 697 men with an average age of(46.6±15.9)years were included in the study. Pearson correlation analysis showed that age was positively associated with LH, FSH, T, and SHBG, while negatively associated with E 2, DHEAS, AD, FT, β-CTX, OC, and PINP, without significant correlation with DHT, 25(OH)D, and PTH. Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression analysis showed that E 2 was negatively associated with β-CTX; T was positively associated with OC, FSH was negatively associated with OC; LH, FSH, and SHBG were negatively associated with PINP; E 2, T, FT, DHT, and AD were positively associated with PINP. After adjusting for age and BMI, linear regression analysis showed that T was still significantly positively associated with OC and PINP, with 0.302 ng/ml and 0.015 ng/ml increasing for OC and PINP every 1 ng/ml increase in T; E 2 and DHT were positively associated with PINP, with 0.250 and 0.047 ng/ml increasing for PINP every 1 pg/ml increase in E 2 and DHT. Conclusions:Age is an important factor influencing sex hormones and BTMs. Serum levels of T, E 2, and DHT are associated with bone formation and bone absorption markers.