Objective:To observe the improving effect of acupuncture and Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)combined with Ba Duan Jin(Eight-brocade Exercise)on motor function in patients with Parkinson disease(PD)in the early and middle stages.Methods:Seventy patients with early-or middle-stage PD were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group,with 35 patients in each group.The control group was given conventional treatment such as oral levodopa hydrochloride tablets;the observation group was treated with acupuncture,Tuina,and Ba Duan Jin in addition to the control group's treatment.Acupuncture and Tuina were administered twice a week,and Ba Duan Jin was performed five times a week.Each course of treatment lasted 4 weeks,and a total of 3 courses were completed.The changes in the unified Parkinson disease rating scale Ⅲ(UPDRS Ⅲ)score,Berg balance scale(BBS)score,15-meter walking speed,and 6-minute walk distance were compared between the two groups.Results:The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.6%,which was significantly higher than 45.7%in the control group(P<0.01).After 4,8,and 12 weeks of treatment,the UPDRS Ⅲ score in the observation group was significantly lower than the previous score(P<0.05);the BBS score was significantly higher than the previous score(P<0.05),and the 6-minute walk distance also significantly increased compared to the previous result(P<0.05).After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment,the 15-meter walking speed in the observation group was significantly higher than that before treatment and the previous measurement(P<0.05).In comparison with the control group,the observation group showed significantly lower UPDRS Ⅲ scores after 8 and 12 weeks of treatment(P<0.05).Additionally,after 4,8,and 12 weeks of treatment,the observation group had significantly higher BBS scores,15-meter walking speed,and the 6-minute walk distance than the control group(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in the above indicators before and after treatment in the control group(P>0.05).Conclusion:The addition of acupuncture,Tuina,and Ba Duan Jin to Western medication treatment can effectively improve motor function,balance ability,and walking ability in patients with early-or middle-stage PD.

Objective:To investigate the application value of 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT targeting CXC subfamily receptor 4 (CXCR4) in the subtyping and precise localization of primary aldosteronism (PA). Methods:Thirty-three patients with PA confirmed by clinical examination and undergoing 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT and adrenal vein sampling (AVS) in the Second Xiangya Hospital between July 1st 2022 and July 1st 2023 were prospectively enrolled (24 males, 9 females, age (49.6±10.3) years). Patients with a dominant side identified by PET/CT or AVS underwent unilateral adrenalectomy, while those without a dominant side received medical treatment. According to the standard of PA surgical outcome (PASO), patients underwent surgery were divided into unilateral PA (UPA) and bilateral PA (BPA) based on the pathological and follow-up results. Those who received medical treatment were BPA. The diagnostic efficacy of 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT for UPA was calculated. The ROC curve was constructed to analyze the accuracy and optimal threshold of SUV max, the ratio of lesion SUV max to contralateral adrenal tissue SUV mean (LCR), and the ratio of lesion SUV max to liver SUV mean (LLR) in the diagnosis of PA subtype. The correlation between the quantitative parameters and the clinical features and lesion width of the patients was evaluated by Spearman rank correlation analysis. The differences of LCR and LLR between different efficacy groups were compared by the independent-sample t test. Results:A total of 20 patients underwent unilateral adrenalectomy. Nineteen patients were finally diagnosed with UPA and 14 with BPA. The agreement rate of PET/CT and AVS was 81.8%(27/33), and both methods independently detected UPA that was negative in the other examination. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT visual diagnosis of UPA were 18/19, 14/14, and 97.0%(32/33), respectively. ROC curve showed that the AUC of LLR for subtype diagnosis was 0.944, with the optimal threshold of 3.1. SUV max, LCR, and LLR were positively correlated with aldosterone concentration ( rs values: 0.35, 0.47, and 0.36, all P<0.05) and lesion width ( rs values: 0.43, 0.49, and 0.58, all P<0.05). The LCR (3.9±2.2 vs 1.6±0.3; t=2.00, P=0.041) and LLR( 8.7±4.1 vs 4.2±1.3; t=2.06, P=0.045) of the dominant side lesions in patients who achieved complete biochemical and clinical cure were higher than those in patients with partial improvement. Conclusions:68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT imaging can be used in the diagnosis and precise localization of PA subtype. It also can detect patients with PA which can be surgically cured but not detected by AVS, and the quantitative analysis may be valuable for prognosis prediction.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a specific form of post-translational modification (PTM) predominantly triggered by the activation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). However, the role and mechanism of PARylation in the advancement of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain undetermined. Here, we demonstrated the significant upregulation of PARP1 and its associated PARylation in murine models of AKI, consistent with renal biopsy findings in patients with AKI. This elevation in PARP1 expression might be attributed to trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Furthermore, a reduction in PARylation levels mitigated renal dysfunction in the AKI mouse models. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that PARylation mainly occurred in receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), thereby facilitating its subsequent phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylation of RACK1 enhanced its dimerization and accelerated the ubiquitination-mediated hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) degradation, thereby exacerbating kidney injury. Additionally, we identified a PARP1 proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC), A19, as a PARP1 degrader that demonstrated superior protective effects against renal injury compared with PJ34, a previously identified PARP1 inhibitor. Collectively, both genetic and drug-based inhibition of PARylation mitigated kidney injury, indicating that the PARylated RACK1/HIF-1α axis could be a promising therapeutic target for AKI treatment.

Empathy is a cornerstone in cultivating medical ethics.This article delves into the profound significance of empathy and underscores the importance of promoting it among medical students and practitioners.It also details methods for strengthening empathy and capacity building concerned in students through oral medicine instruction,with the goal of nurturing oral healthcare professionals who provide compassionate care.

Objective:To investigate the current status of occupational stress among electronic manufacturing workers in Qingdao and analyze its effect on depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms.Methods:From July to September 2022, a cluster random sampling method was employed to select frontline workers from 14 electronic manufacturing enterprises in Qingdao as the study subjects. A total of 1134 questionnaires were distributed, with 1000 valid questionnaires collected, yielding an effective response rate of 88.18%. The Core Occupational Stress Scale (COSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were adopted to assess occupational stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyze influencing factors of occupational stress and its effects on depressive and anxiety symptoms.Results:The detection rates of occupational stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were 15.1% (15/1000), 7.9% (79/1000), and 13.8% (138/1000), respectively. The influencing factor analysis of occupational stress revealed that female gender ( OR=0.621, 95% CI: 0.434-0.890) and weekly working hours of 45-48 hours ( OR=0.537, 95% CI: 0.309-0.935) were protective factors ( P<0.05), while weekly working hours ≥55 hours ( OR=2.176, 95% CI: 1.290-3.670) and shift work ( OR=2.038, 95% CI: 1.412-2.940) were risk factors ( P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the COSS score was positively related with the PHQ-9 score and the GAD-7 score ( rs=0.438, 0.289, P<0.01). Workers judged with occupational stress had 3.596 times (95% CI: 2.181-5.931, P<0.001) and 3.121 times (95% CI: 2.046-4.761, P<0.001) higher risks of detecting depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to those without occupational stress. Conclusion:Electronic manufacturing workers in Qingdao experience a certain level of occupational stress, which may increase the risk of developing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Enterprises should implement appropriate interventions to promote workers' mental health.

Objective:To investigate the current status of occupational stress among electronic manufacturing workers in Qingdao and analyze its effect on depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms.Methods:From July to September 2022, a cluster random sampling method was employed to select frontline workers from 14 electronic manufacturing enterprises in Qingdao as the study subjects. A total of 1134 questionnaires were distributed, with 1000 valid questionnaires collected, yielding an effective response rate of 88.18%. The Core Occupational Stress Scale (COSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were adopted to assess occupational stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyze influencing factors of occupational stress and its effects on depressive and anxiety symptoms.Results:The detection rates of occupational stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were 15.1% (15/1000), 7.9% (79/1000), and 13.8% (138/1000), respectively. The influencing factor analysis of occupational stress revealed that female gender ( OR=0.621, 95% CI: 0.434-0.890) and weekly working hours of 45-48 hours ( OR=0.537, 95% CI: 0.309-0.935) were protective factors ( P<0.05), while weekly working hours ≥55 hours ( OR=2.176, 95% CI: 1.290-3.670) and shift work ( OR=2.038, 95% CI: 1.412-2.940) were risk factors ( P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the COSS score was positively related with the PHQ-9 score and the GAD-7 score ( rs=0.438, 0.289, P<0.01). Workers judged with occupational stress had 3.596 times (95% CI: 2.181-5.931, P<0.001) and 3.121 times (95% CI: 2.046-4.761, P<0.001) higher risks of detecting depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to those without occupational stress. Conclusion:Electronic manufacturing workers in Qingdao experience a certain level of occupational stress, which may increase the risk of developing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Enterprises should implement appropriate interventions to promote workers' mental health.

Objective:To explore the influencing of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18F-FDG PET/CT) indicators on microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma and to construct a nomogram for predicting MVI. Methods:The data of 125 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT from January 2012 to March 2024 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were retrospectively collected and analyzed. There were 108 males and 17 females, with the age of (51.8±7.6) years. The 125 patients were divided into MVI negative group ( n=51) and MVI positive group ( n=74) according to whether MVI was positive. The two groups were compared in terms of liver cirrhosis, aspartate transaminase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase, carbohydrate antigen 125, Ki-67, maximum tumor diameter, tumor capsule, combined portal vein tumor thrombus, and 18F-FDG PET/CT indicators maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), tumor metabolic volume, total glycolysis of lesions, tumor-liver ratio (TLR), and tumor-mediastinum ratio. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of MVI, and a nomogram MVI prediction model was constructed. Results:Cirrhosis, AST >40 U/L, γ-glutamyltransferase >60 U/L, carbohydrate antigen 125>35 U/ml, Ki-67 >20%, maximum tumor diameter, tumor capsule, combined portal vein tumor thrombus, SUVmax >6.30, tumor metabolic volume >45.48, total glycolysis of lesions >253.22, TLR >2.39, tumor-mediastinum ratio >4.27 were associated with MVI in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that combined portal vein tumor thrombus ( OR=40.244, 95% CI: 5.276-306.986), SUVmax >6.30 ( OR=3.920, 95% CI: 1.841-8.346), tumor metabolic volume>45.48 ( OR=6.482, 95% CI: 2.914-14.415), TLR>2.39 ( OR=7.250, 95% CI: 3.247-16.188) were influencing factors of MVI in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (all P<0.05). A nomogram for predicting MVI was constructed based on the multivariate results. Conclusion:18F-FDG PET/CT index SUVmax, tumor metabolic volume, and TLR are influencing factors for MVI of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Based on these influencing factors, a nomogram model for predicting MVI can be constructed.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated anemia (CKD-anemia) is associated with poor survival, and hemoglobin targets are often not achieved with current therapies. Phase 3 trials have demonstrated the treatment efficacy of roxadustat for CKD-anemia. This phase 4 study aims to evaluate the long-term (52-week) safety and effectiveness of roxadustat in a broad real-world patient population with CKD-anemia with and without dialysis in China. METHODS: This Phase 4 multicenter, open-label, prospective study, conducted from 24 November 2020 to 11 November 2022, evaluated the long-term safety and effectiveness of roxadustat for CKD-anemia in China. Patients aged ≥18 years with CKD-anemia with or without dialysis were included. The initial oral dose was 70-120 mg (weight-based followed by dose adjustment) over 52 weeks. The primary endpoint was safety based on adverse events (AEs). The secondary endpoints were hemoglobin changes from baseline and the proportion of patients who achieved mean hemoglobin ≥100 g/L. Effectiveness evaluable populations 1 (EE1) and EE2 included roxadustat-naïve and previously roxadustat-treated patients, respectively. The safety analysis set (SAF) included all patients who received ≥1 occasion. RESULTS: The EE1, EE2, and SAF populations included 1804, 193, and 2021 patients, respectively. In the SAF, the mean age was 50 ± 14 years, and 1087 patients (53.8%) were male. Mean baseline hemoglobin was 96.9 ± 14.0 g/L in EE1 and 100.3 ± 12.9 g/L in EE2. In EE1, the mean (95% confidence interval) hemoglobin changes from baseline over weeks 24-36 and 36-52 were 14.2 (13.5-14.9) g/L and 14.3 (13.5-15.0) g/L, respectively. Over weeks 24-36 and 36-52, 83.3% and 86.1% of patients in EE1 and 82.7% and 84.7% in EE2 achieved mean hemoglobin ≥100 g/L, respectively. In the SAF, 1643 (81.3%) patients experienced treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs). Overall, 219 (10.8%) patients experienced drug-related TEAEs. Thirty-eight (1.9%) patients died of TEAEs (unrelated to the study drug). Vascular access thrombosis was uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: Roxadustat (52 weeks) increased hemoglobin and maintained the treatment target in Chinese patients with CKD-anemia with acceptable safety, supporting its use in real-world settings. REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( www.chictr.org.cn ) ChiCTR2100046322; CDE ( www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn ) CTR20201568.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Anemia/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications* ; Glycine/adverse effects* ; Isoquinolines/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Adult ; Hemoglobins/metabolism* ; Treatment Outcome ; China ; Registries ; East Asian People

Objective:To evaluate the risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in schools and the protective effect of tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect data on 15 school outbreaks that occurred in Guangdong Province from 2017 to 2021. Baseline information on tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release test (IGRA) was obtained during contact surveys, as well as baseline information such as TPT. The incidence of PTB between 2017 and 2022 was queried using the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Information System. Poisson regression analysis was used to compare the incidence risk of PTB in the LTBI population under different TST states at baseline. Current cases, new cases and all cases (the sum of the two) were used as dependent variables. Cox regression models were used to analyze various risk factors affecting the risk of PTB in the LTBI population and evaluate the protective effect of TPT.Results:A total of 6 550 contacts were included in this study, of which 409 received TPT. Within 0-3 months after baseline survey, 119 cases were diagnosed as current cases [19.4‰, 119/(6 550-409)]. A total of 17 221.65 person-years of follow-up were conducted, during which 71 new cases were diagnosed (4.1/1 000 person-years, 71/17 221.65). The incidence density of PTB was 47.7/1 000 person-years, 6.6/1 000 person-years, 1.4/1 000 person-years, and 0.9/1 000 person-years, respectively, in TST strong/IGRA positive, TST moderate positive, TST generally positive, and TST and IGRA negative populations. The difference in PTB incidence density was statistically significant [likelihood ratio test LRT=153.16, P<0.001]. TPT was performed for individuals with strong TST or IGRA positivity, and the protection rate could reach 93% ( HR=0.07, 95% CI: 0.02-0.23). Conclusion:After the outbreak of the school epidemic, individuals with strong TST/IGRA positivity have a higher risk of developing PTB in the future. Targeted implementation of TPT can achieve better protection effects. In addition, the risk of developing PTB in individuals with moderate TST positivity is also worth noting.