ObjectiveThis study aimed to elucidate the mechanistic role of Staphylococcus aureus in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by pruritus and barrier dysfunction. A key focus was screening traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) active components with dual antibacterial and antipruritic efficacy, followed by systematic evaluation of their in vitro antibacterial activity. Additionally, a novel drug delivery system was constructed to enable localized efficient drug delivery, inhibiting S. aureus proliferation and alleviating its induced pruritus, thereby providing new strategies for targeted AD therapy. MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks (body weight 18-22 g) were used to establish an AD model via repeated oxazolone sensitization. On day 14, microbial samples were collected from the lesional area (1 cm²) using sterile cotton swabs, followed by vortex mixing, serial dilution, and plating on 5% sheep blood agar plates (incubated at 37°C for 24 h). Single colonies with complete transparent β-hemolytic zones were isolated and identified as vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) via 16S rRNA sequencing. An S. aureus mono-infection animal model was then established by applying gauze saturated with bacterial suspension (McFarland turbidity 0.1) to the nape and back skin of mice. The pruritic phenotype and inflammatory cell infiltration induced by S. aureus were evaluated using comprehensive approaches including behavioral assays (e.g., scratching frequency recording), hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and toluidine blue staining. The in vitro antibacterial efficacy of the TCM monomer pseudolaric acid B (PAB) and double network hydrogel (DN) was separately assessed by disk diffusion assay, while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PAB was determined via broth dilution method. Further validation of the pharmacodynamic characteristics of the composite system (PAB@DN, composed of PAB and DN) was conducted through behavioral assays, HE staining, and dermatitis scoring, with its drug release profile evaluated by mass spectrometry analysis. Based on scratching behavioral analysis and dermatitis scoring, the optimal ratio and concentration of PAB@DN were optimized. ResultsThe S. aureus load in AD lesional tissues was significantly higher than in normal skin ((5.3±0.33)×10⁶ CFU vs. (3.6±0.26)×10⁷ CFU, P<0.001). In the S. aureus mono-infection group, mice exhibited a 6.7-fold increase in scratching frequency compared to the control group. HE staining revealed marked epidermal thickening ((10.4±2.39) μm vs. (85.6±1.95) μm, P<0.000 1), and toluidine blue staining showed a 23-fold increase in mast cell degranulation. Pseudolaric acid B exhibited a significant concentration-dependent inhibitory effect onS. aureus growth, with its in vitro antibacterial effect being 57% that of the antibiotic cefepime (inhibition zone diameter: PAB (1.885±0.036) cm vs. cefepime (3.636±0.005) cm, P<0.000 1) and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1 g/L. The carrier double network hydrogel (DN) itself lacked direct antibacterial activity (no significant difference in inhibition zone diameter compared to the control) but effectively ameliorated the dry symptoms of AD-like lesions. The PAB@DN composite system demonstrated a synergistic effect compared to individual components, resulting in a 50% reduction in scratching behavior, an 86% decrease in dermatitis score, and a 60% reduction in epidermal thickening. It also reduced the S. aureus load in mouse skin by approximately 34%, with the optimal effective formulation being PAB at 1 g/L loaded onto DN. ConclusionS. aureus colonization plays a critical driving role in the onset and progression of AD. Using an S. aureus infection model, this study confirmed that the pseudolaric acidB-hydrogel composite delivery system (PAB@DN) can effectively alleviate S. aureus-induced pruritus and skin damage, providing experimental evidence for microbiota-targeted therapy of AD.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

Objective To design a new type of elastic gloves for burn scar rehabilitation to solve the problems of conventional elastic gloves in pressure distribution,elasticity maintenance and absorption of sweat stains.Methods The new elastic gloves was made of non-woven fabric by spandex material,which was composed of external and internal parts.The main body of the external part was used as the primary structure of the gloves,which was provided with a sealing strip,a storage bag,a drawstring,etc.The internal part consisted of a bonding sheet,an elastic band,a fiber sheet,an absorbent sponge,some breathable holes,etc.Results The new elastic gloves designed could be used for the pressure therapy for the scars on the opisthenar,palm side,finger web and purlicue with scar proliferation inhibitted effectively,and the breathable hole and absorbent sponge contributed to the absorption of the sweat of the patient.Conclusion The new type of elastic gloves gains advantages in elasticity,wearing comfort and effectiveness of the pressure therapy for purlicue and finger web,and can be used for the pressure therapy to inhibit proliferative scarring after burns.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(8):118-120]

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the sequential mediating roles of body pain and self-reported health in the association between sleep duration and self-reported life satisfaction among elderly Chinese adults. METHODS: Data from the fifth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) were used to analyse the relationships between sleep duration and body pain, self-reported health, and life satisfaction through logistic regression and Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) analyses. The sequential mediation effects of body pain and self-reported health status were examined via chain mediation analysis. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed that sleeping fewer than 6 hours or 6-7 hours was linked to higher risks of body pain, poor health, and dissatisfaction with life compared to sleeping 7-8 hours (all P < 0.05). Additionally, those sleeping more than 9 hours also had increased risks of poor health and dissatisfaction with life compared to those sleeping 7-8 hours (all P < 0.05). Chain mediation analysis showed that body pain and self-reported health status sequentially mediated 46.15% of the association between sleep duration and life satisfaction. CONCLUSION Body pain and self-reported health may shape the relationship between sleep duration and life satisfaction in elderly Chinese adults.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Personal Satisfaction ; Sleep ; Health Status ; Self Report ; China ; Middle Aged ; Longitudinal Studies ; Pain/psychology* ; Sleep Duration

Objective To assess the blood pressure control and its influencing factors among hypertensive patients in communities in different time periods by 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring(24 h ABPM)and provide reference for optimizing the health management services for hypertension in communities. Methods A total of 765 hypertensive patients registered in the hypertension management project of national essential public health services in Sanxiang Town,Zhongshan City from October 2022 to September 2023 were identified as target subjects.The 24 h ABPM devices were distributed for blood pressure monitoring and a questionnaire survey was conducted to analyze the influencing factors of blood pressure control. Results Of all the participants,16.5% did not monitor blood pressure regularly,and 59.2% monitored blood pressure 1-2 times per week.The patients who were not on night shifts/staying up late had higher mean rates of achieving the target blood pressure and the circadian rhythm of blood pressure during 24 h,nighttime,and early morning than those who were on night shifts/staying up late(all P<0.05).The patients who never drank alcohol had higher rate of achieving the target blood pressure in early morning than those who drank alcohol(P=0.012).The average blood pressure during daytime,nighttime,and 24 h were different by sex(all P<0.05).The average blood pressure during nighttime was different by age and job types(all P<0.05).The average blood pressure during daytime,nighttime,and 24 h were different in patients with different body weight types(all P<0.05).The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that uncontrolled blood pressure during daytime was more likely to occur in male patients(OR=1.394,95%CI=1.045-1.858,P=0.024),and that during nighttime was more likely to be associated with male patients(OR=1.573,95%CI=1.088-2.275,P=0.016)and night shifts(OR=2.467,95%CI=1.198-5.077,P=0.014).It was difficult to achieve blood pressure control in early morning for the patients who drank alcohol for more than three times per week(OR=4.567,95%CI=1.629-12.807,P=0.004),woke up at night(OR=1.800,95%CI=1.125-2.878,P=0.014),and had night shifts(OR=1.579,95%CI=1.102-2.465,P=0.044).The patients on night shifts were more likely to have abnormal circadian rhythm of blood pressure(OR=1.753,95%CI:1.018-3.018,P=0.043). Conclusions The personal characteristics and lifestyle of hypertensive patients significantly affect the blood pressure control in different time periods(daytime,nighttime,and early morning)and the circadian rhythm of blood pressure.The family doctor team of community healthcare institutions can implement targeted and precise intervention measures for hypertensive patients according to the influencing factors of blood pressure control in different time periods,so as to achieve better management effects.
Humans ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Circadian Rhythm ; Blood Pressure ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Adult ; Aged ; Time Factors

In this study, the reductive amination method was used to label IR783 on Astragalus polysaccharides(APS) for the first time, which was verified by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Quantitative analysis methods of APS-IR783 in plasma and various tissue were established using a multifunctional microplate reader. The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of APS-IR783 in mice were investigated after a single intravenous injection of 30 mg·kg~(-1) APS-IR783, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using DAS 2.0 software. The results showed that the APS used had a mass fraction of 93.69%, a relative molecular weight of 1.55×10~5, and a polydispersity index(PDI, M_w/M_n) of 1.73, close to a homogeneous polysaccharide. The IR783 labeling yield reached 86.50%, and the content of IR783 in APS-IR783 was 0.72%. After a single intravenous injection of 30 mg·kg~(-1), the pharmacokinetic parameters of APS in mouse plasma were as follows: T_(max) was(0.67±0.26) h; C_(max) was(1 599.29±159.30) mg·L~(-1); T_(1/2α) and T_(1/2β) were(2.29±3.06) h and(0.44±0.05) h, respectively; AUC_(0-t) was(23 398.91±2 907.03) mg·h·L~(-1); AUC_(0-∞) was(27 710.55±3 506.55) mg·h·L~(-1); MRT_(0-∞) was(34.38±12.59) h; CL was 0.001 L·h~(-1)·kg~(-1); V_z was(0.042±0.017) L·kg~(-1). The in vivo biodistribution study demonstrated that the in vivo exposure ratios of APS in different tissue were in the following order: spleen > liver > kidney > lung > heart > small intestine > muscle > large intestine > brain > stomach, where the top five tissue accounted for 87.54% of the total area under the curve(AUC). This study successfully labeled APS with a water-soluble near-infrared fluorescent probe of IR783 for the first time and revealed the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of APS in mice. The paper provides detailed in vivo behavior of APS after intravenous injection, which lays the foundation for the development and utilization of APS and related natural medicines.
Animals ; Mice ; Polysaccharides/chemistry* ; Tissue Distribution ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Fluorescent Dyes/pharmacokinetics* ; Female

Objective:To explore the differences in bacterial communities within tissues during the process of oral mucosal carcinogenesis, and analyze the relationship between the high-abundance species Prevotella intermedia (Pi) and the occurrence and development of oral mucosal carcinogenesis. Methods:Fresh tissue samples were collected from patients diagnosed with oral leukoplakia (OLK), oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and healthy controls (HC) at Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, from January 2022 to November 2024, following strict inclusion criteria. Bacterial DNA was extracted from these specimens, and the 2bRAD sequencing for microbiome (2bRAD-M) was employed to analyze and compare the α and β diversity, as well as the community composition of bacteria within tissues, aiming to identify specifically expressed bacteria. Subsequently, paraffin-embedded clinical specimens were collected: 15 cases in the OLK group (including 4 cases of simple hyperplasia, 6 cases of mild dysplasia, and 5 cases of moderate to severe dysplasia), 12 cases in the OSCC group, and 5 cases in the HC group. A 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO)-induced OLK progression mouse model was also constructed. Mice were randomly divided into three groups using a random number table, with six in each group. The negative control group was given distilled water to drink; Group 1 was given distilled water containing 4NQO to drink until week 12, while Group 2 was given distilled water containing 4NQO to drink until week 22. After the mice were sacrificed, their tongue tissue were collected and fixed. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with specific probes was used to validate the presence of Pi in human and mouse tissue sections, analyzing the correlation between histopathological grading and the invasion depth of Pi.Results:The 2bRAD-M microbial analysis revealed that the relative abundance of Pi in OSCC tissues (10.80%) was significantly higher than in the HC group (0.50%) ( P=0.001) and OLK group (0.70%) ( P=0.002). FISH probe detection showed that the fluorescence intensity of Pi in human OSCC tissues [123.50 (101.00, 142.30)] was higher than in the HC group [0.00 (0.00, 28.50)], simple hyperplasia OLK [0.00 (0.00, 35.25)], and mild dysplasia OLK [24.50 (0.00, 55.50)] groups, with statistically significant differences respectively ( P=0.002, P=0.003, P=0.005). However, there was no significant difference compared to moderate to severe dysplasia OLK [56.00 (28.00, 62.50)] ( P=0.210). The fluorescence area of Pi in human OSCC tissues [8 615.00 (7 439.00, 11 084.00)] was significantly larger than in the HC group [0.00 (0. 00, 45.00)], simple hyperplasia OLK group [0.00 (0.00, 81.00)], mild dysplasia [49.00 (0.00, 151.00)], and moderate to severe dysplasia groups [1 450.00 (454.00, 2 892.00)], with highly significant differences ( P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between the invasive depth of Pi and the degree of histopathological grading ( P<0.001). In mice, the fluorescence intensity of Pi in OSCC tissues [120.00 (110.00, 127.00)] was significantly higher than in the HC group [0.00 (0.00, 12.25)] ( P<0.01), but showed no significant difference compared with the OLK group [50.00 (0.00, 58.00)] ( P>0.05). The fluorescence area of Pi in mice OSCC tissues [11 020.00 (6 790.00, 12 102.00)] was significantly larger than in the HC group [0.00 (0.00, 56.75)] and the OLK group [0.00 (0.00, 751.50)] ( P=0.006, P=0.043). There is a significant correlation between the depth of invasion of Pi and the degree of histopathological grading ( P<0.01). Conclusions:This study suggests that Pi in oral mucosal tissue may be a potential biomarker for early detection of OSCC and play an important role in the carcinogenesis process of oral mucosa.

Forensic medicine has been designated as a first-level discipline,presenting new opportunities and challenges for the development of forensic medicine.Since the 1980s,the establishment of foren-sic medicine discipline and the cultivation of high-level forensic talents have become hot topics in the development of forensic medicine in China.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan,the forensic team of Shanxi Medical University has been aiming at the forefront,proposing the development goals of"Five First-class"and the discipline development path"Six Major Achievements".It has selected benchmark disci-plines,identified gaps in disciplinary development,unified thoughts,formulated completion timelines,concentrated superior resources,assigned tasks to individuals,and created an"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"forensic medicine discipline construction model with the characteristics of the new era.The construction model of forensic medicine has achieved good results in the goals,discipline frame-work,scientific research,talent cultivation,discipline team and platform construction,forming a rela-tively complete discipline construction and management system,and accumulating valuable experience for the construction of first-level discipline and high-level talent cultivation of forensic medicine.

Objective To conduct a quantitative risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes(LM)in prepackaged,non-vacuum sealed,short shelf-life,ready-to-eat meat products in Chengdu using the@Risk software.Methods Based on monitoring data of LM contamination in pre-packaged,non-vacuum sealed,refrigerated ready-to-eat meat products in Chengdu obtained from a previous study,a risk assessment model was established.The risk of LM infection caused by consuming cooked meat products in different groups of people was quantitatively assessed.In addition,the growth of LM in cooked meat products,from retail to consumption,was also taken into consideration in the assessment.Results In Chengdu,the numbers of potential cases of listeriosis caused by consumption of prepackaged,non-vacuum sealed,refrigerated ready-to-eat meat products were 0.01(95％confidence interval[CI]:0-1.71 × 10-2)per year per million in healthy individuals aged 5-＜65 years old,0.22(95％CI:0-2.67 × 10-1)in healthy individuals aged 65 and above,and 2.88(95％CI:3.85 × 10-8-4.35)in pregnant women.According to the results of the sensitivity analysis,the initial pollution level of LM in the retail stage was the most important factor affecting the prevalence(R=0.25),followed by retail temperature(R=0.08),retail time(R=0.07),and amount of consumption per meal(R=0.07).Conclusions For pre-packaged,non-vacuum sealed,cooked meat products,the most important measure to reduce the prevalence of listeriosis is to control the initial contamination level,which requires food processing plants to regularly clean and strictly disinfect the processing environment and equipment to minimize LM contamination at the source.Retail delicatessens should strictly maintain a storage temperature below 5.0℃ and strictly adhere to product shelf-life recommendations.As for consumers,they should consume these meat products as soon as possible after purchase or store them under refrigerated conditions and shorten the storage time.Pregnant women should thoroughly heat the meat products before eating to reduce the risk of listeriosis.