Background: Autoimmune mechanisms have important roles in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA). Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the exact biological and clinical importance of immunogenes in AA patients using bioinformatic methods. Methods: Five AA scalp gene expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) between AA and control groups were identified. An immune-related gene diagnostic signature (IRGDS) was established by protein-protein interaction network analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 102 immune-related DEGs were identified. We developed an IRGDS composed of CD8A, CSF1R and CXCL10 for AA molecular pathological assessment and diagnosis (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]=0.962). We also validated the diagnostic value of the IRGDS in an external cohort (AUC=0.955). Patients with high IRGDS scores presented with a higher abundance of immune cell infiltration and expression of genes associated with immune recruitment and immune activation, suggesting adverse biological alterations. Conclusion In our study, an IRGDS model with accurately diagnostic capacity for AA was established, and biological alterations were deciphered in AA. The IRGDS may be used as an auxiliary diagnostic marker for AA.

Objective To analyze the association of 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)and methionine synthase reductase(MTRR)gene mutations with the severity of coronary artery stenosis in coronary heart disease pa-tients.Methods In all,135 coronary heart disease patients admitted to cardiology department of People's Hospital of Hulunbuir from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected as the study subjects,and the patients were divided into control group(Gensini score＜30 points)and observation group(Gensini score≥ 30 points).The polymorphism of MTHFR677,MTHFR1298 and MTRR66 gene was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and the gene mutation was compared be-tween two groups.The correlation between gene polymorphism,serum Hcy level and Gensini score was analyzed.Results There were three genotypes(CC,CT and TT)for MTHFR gene 677,three genotypes(AA,AC and CC)for MTHFR gene 1298,and three genotypes(AA,AG and GG)for MTRR gene 66.The T allele frequency(67.81％vs.54.03％)and TT genotype fre-quency(46.58％vs.25.81％)of MTHFR677 locus in the observation group were higher than those in the control group.The C allele frequency(11.64％vs.22.58％)and CC genotype frequency(0.00％vs.9.68％)of MTHFR1298 locus in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the allele frequency and gen-otype frequency of MTRR locus 66 between the two groups(P＞0.05).There was a statistically significant difference in serum Hcy levels among patients with MTHFR677 and MTHFR1298 genotypes.Among them,TT genotype in MTHFR677 gene was significantly higher than CC and CT,while AC+CC genotype in MTHFR1298 gene was significantly lower than AA genotype(all P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in serum Hcy levels among MTRR66 gene genotypes(P＞0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis showed that MTHFR677 was positively correlated with Gensini score,MTHFR1298 was negatively correlated with Gensini score(P＜0.05),and MTRR66 was not significantly correlated with Gensini score(P＞0.05).Conclusion MT H FR gene C677 T and A1298 C mutations are strongly associated with severity of coronary artery stenosis,which could be potential predictive indicators for coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND:Autophagy has become a rapidly developing research hotspot in the biomedical fields.Many researchers are actively exploring the molecular regulatory mechanism of autophagy in a variety of diseases.However,the role of autophagy in hair growth is still unknown. OBJECTIVE:To review the current research progress and application value of autophagy in hair growth and regeneration,to understand the role of autophagy in hair growth,to explore the pathogenesis of autophagy in pathological hair loss,and to provide new ideas for the study of drugs for hair loss. METHODS:Using"hair follicle growth,hair growth,hair regeneration,autophagy associated proteins,autophagy activity,autophagy associated genes,autophagy"as Chinese search terms and"hair growth,hair follicle,hair regeneration,autophagy"as English search terms,PubMed and CNKI databases were searched.The research progress on autophagy,hair growth and the role of autophagy in hair growth in and outside China in recent years was reviewed and summarized.Articles incompatible with the subject content of the paper were excluded.Finally,78 articles were included for the result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Autophagy is a normal metabolic process in eukaryotes with complex molecular mechanisms and functional properties,which is beneficial to cell survival and cell death.(2)Alopecia-related diseases are associated with changes in autophagy activity,which can regulate hair growth cycle.Knockout or overexpression of autophagy-related genes can change the state of hair growth.Multiple autophagy related signaling pathways have been found to be related to hair follicle growth.Activators or inhibitors of autophagy can be used to treat or prevent hair loss.

Objective:To analyze the status quo and hot topics in research on venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention during the perioperative period and provide references for future research and clinical practice.Methods:Journal articles related to perioperative VTE prevention were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database up to June 30, 2023. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using CiteSpace 6.2.R4.Results:A total of 1 079 articles were included, showing an overall upward trend in the publication volume of perioperative VTE prevention research from 1999 to 2023. Research themes mainly focused on high-risk populations for VTE, high-risk types of surgery, risk factors and assessment, perioperative prevention, and nursing care. Current hot topics include "risk assessment" "anticoagulation therapy" "guidelines" "aspirin" and "rivaroxaban".Conclusions:Perioperative VTE prevention has increasingly garnered the attention of medical and nursing professionals. Future efforts should emphasize international exchange and cooperation to explore strategies for VTE prevention at different stages of the perioperative period and leverage information technology to enhance the quality of perioperative VTE prevention and management.

Objective:To analyze the clinical data of adult patients with brucellosis and provide scientific basis for treatment of brucellosis.Methods:The medical records of 1 279 adult brucellosis patients treated in the Brucellosis Department of Hulunbuir People's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2020 were selected. Epidemiological characteristics, clinical characteristics, laboratory examination, complications and curative effect were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Among the 1 279 cases of brucellosis, there were 797 males and 482 females, with an average age of (39 ± 15) years. There were 464 cases in acute stage, 815 cases in chronic stage, and 1 221 cases contacted with animal fur such as cattle, sheep and sheep skin. The main clinical manifestations were fatigue (974), fever (819), hyperhidrosis (674) and joint and muscle pain (752). Spleen enlargement was the most common sign, with 151 cases in sequence. There were 623 complications in 1 279 patients with brucellosis. Bone and joint damage, blood system damage and liver damage were more common, with 563, 298 and 264 cases, respectively. Some patients even had multiple system damage. The titer range of in vitro agglutination test (SAT) in 1 279 patients with brucellosis was 1 ∶ 50++ to 1 ∶ 1 600++; 198 cases were positive for Brucella in blood culture; SAT was positive in 8 cases of cerebrospinal fluid and 4 cases of pleural effusion. There were 114 cases of leucopenia, 51 cases of leucopenia, 158 cases of thrombocytopenia, 93 cases of decreased hemoglobin, 205 cases of elevated alanine aminotransferase, 198 cases of elevated aspartate aminotransferase and 143 cases of elevated creatinine in 1 279 patients with brucellosis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate increased in 587 cases and C-reactive protein increased in 563 cases. After treatment with two or three antibiotics for at least 12 weeks, the total effective rate was 98.3% (1 257/1 279). Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of brucellosis are varied. Clinicians should highly suspect brucellosis if the patient has a history of epidemiological exposure to brucellosis and has symptoms such as fever, sweating, joint muscle pain and fatigue. Early diagnosis and standardized treatment should be carried out to prevent the disease from becoming chronic and affecting the quality of life. The occupational population should strengthen physical examination and education for brucellosis.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of brucellosis complicated with rash.Methods:The medical records of 13 patients diagnosed with brucellosis complicated with rash diagnosed at the Hulunbuir People's Hospital from January 2017 to January 2022 were collected. Patient general information, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests and treatment results were analyzed by retrospective investigation.Results:Among the 13 patients with brucellosis complicated with rash, 10 were females and 3 were males, the youngest age was 39 years, and the oldest age was 62 years. All patients had fever, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as chills, fatigue, hyperhidrosis, arthralgia, headache and other symptoms. Among the 13 patients, 12 had scattered red or dark red macules/papules/maculopapules on the trunk and limbs, and 1 had red macules on both lower limbs, ranging in size from 2 to 10 mm, with no itching or pain symptoms, and the rash did not fade under pressure. All patients tested positive for rose bengal plate agglutination test (RBT) and in vitro serum agglutination test (SAT). Brucella was isolated and cultured from blood samples of 4 patients. All patients showed elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), with detection values ranging from 27.1 to 146.4 mg/L and 22 to 79 mm/hr, respectively. Platelet and hemoglobin decreased in 1 case, 64 × 10 9/L and 96 g/L, respectively. Seven patients showed elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and/or aspartate aminotransferase (AST), with detection values ranging from 51 to 204 and 45 to 210 U/L, respectively. Creatinine increased in 2 patients, and the detection values ranged from 92.6 to 125.3 μmol/L. Three patients had abnormal urine routine; bone damage was found in 1 patient. After 12 weeks or more of combined, full dose and full course of drug treatment, 12 cases were cured and 1 case improved, with a treatment effectiveness rate of 100%. Conclusions:The incidence of brucellosis complicated with rash is low. When the patient has a history of epidemiological contact with brucellosis, and has symptoms of fever and rash, combined with laboratory test results, brucellosis can be considered, and early treatment could lead to a good prognosis.

Background Long-term exposure to hand-transmitted vibration can lead to hand-arm vibration syndrome, one manifestation of which is impaired peripheral blood circulation in the arms. Altered expressions of prostacyclin I₂ (PGI₂) and thromboxane A₂ (TXA₂) in blood may be one of the important mechanisms of vibration-induced hand-arm vibration syndrome. Objective To reveal the effects of rat tail vibration on the expressions of PGI₂ and TXA₂ in plasma, and to establish the correlation between the change of rat plasma PGI₂ to TXA₂ ratio and rat tail vibration. Methods Fifty SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, 1 d exposure group, 3 d exposure group, 7 d exposure group, and 14 d exposure group, with 10 rats in each group. The rats were placed in rat immobilizes on a immobilization table, and the rats' tails were connected to a shaker and fixed with medical tape. There was no overlap between the immobilizes and between the rats' tails by no contact between the immobilization table and the shaker. The exposure dose was 125 Hz, 5.9 m·s⁻², 4 h·d⁻¹, and the vibration direction was linear vertical vibration. Abdominal aortic blood was taken at the end of vibration exposure, and the expressions of PGI₂, TXA₂, and their hydrolysates 6-keto-prostaglandin F_1α (6-keto-PGF_1α) and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the 6-keto-PGF_1α/TXB₂ values were calculated. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze whether the expression of vascular factors correlated with the accumulated time of vibration. Results The expression levels of plasma 6-keto-PGF_1α were (896.12±124.37), (1068.13±119.41), (1215.26±122.64), and (1317.94±106.54) ng·L⁻¹ in the 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d groups of rats, respectively, which were higher than that in the control group, (830.60±109.47) ng·L⁻¹ (P<0.001). The PGI₂ expression levels were (86.49±2.40), (107.90±2.65), (114.02±2.16), and (126.95±1.94) ng·L⁻¹ in the 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d groups of rats, respectively, all higher than (60.09±2.11) ng·L⁻¹ in the control group (P＜0.001). The expression levels of TXB₂ were (132.14±4.10), (145.52±4.09), (179.91±4.98), and (204.10±3.22) ng·L⁻¹ in the 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d groups of rats, respectively, which were higher than that in the control group, (106.08±3.26) ng·L⁻¹ (P<0.001). The expression levels of plasma TXA₂ were (211.99±3.24), (236.33±3.88), and (245.45±4.23) ng·L⁻¹ in rats in the 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d groups, respectively, which were all elevated compared with (174.79±4.19) ng·L⁻¹ in the control group (P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the 6-keto-PGF_1α/TXB₂ values were decreased in the 7 d and 14 d groups (P<0.05). The 6-keto-PGF_1α, PGI₂, TXB₂, and TXA₂ expressions were positively correlated with vibration accumulation time (r=0.84, 0.84, 0.80, 0.84, P<0.001) and the 6-keto-PGF_1α/TXB₂ values were negatively correlated with vibration accumulation time (r=-0.24, P=0.003). Conclusion Local exposure of rat tail to vibration could increase the expressions of PGI₂ and TXA₂ in blood, and the elevated expressions show a dose-effect relationship with the duration of vibration exposure, but the PGI₂/TXA₂ tends to decrease with the accumulation of vibration exposure.

Background The metabolites and metabolic pathways of hand-arm vibration syndrome have not yet been elucidated. Objective To investigate the effect of local vibration on endogenous metabolites in rat serum by metabolomic analysis, to preliminarily explore the potential metabolic pathway of endogenous metabolites, so as to provide evidence for further research on the mechanism of hand-arm vibration syndrome. Methods Thirty-two SPF male SD rats, (211.3±11.1) g, 7−8 weeks of age, were selected and randomly divided into three groups: control group (14 rats, without vibration), 7 d vibration group (9 rats, continuously vibration for 7 d), and 14 d vibration group (9 rats, continuous vibration for 14 d). The vibration rats were vibrated every day for 4 h, the frequency weighted acceleration was 4.9 m·s⁻², the vibration frequency was 125 Hz, and the vibration direction was one-way vertical vibration. The control group had the same conditions except not contacting vibration. After the vibration exposure, the blood samples taken from the abnormal aorta of rats were collected, and the changes of rat serum metabolome were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to explore changes in rat serum metabolic profile, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to screen out differential metabolites. Combined with online databases, a metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of differential metabolites was performed. Results The PCA analysis showed that compared with the control group, the rat serum metabolic profiles in the 7 d group and the 14 d group were clearly differentiated, and the rat serum metabolic profiles in the 7 d group and the 14 d group partially overlapped. The OPLS-DA analysis showed significant differences between groups. The main parameters were: model interpretation rate R²Y=0.914, model predictive ability Q²=0.58. The OPLS-DA analysis screened out 26 and 119 differential metabolites from the 7 d group and the 14 d group respectively, and there were 24 common differential metabolites between the 7 d group and the 14 d group. The metabolomic pathway analysis showed that local vibration-induced changes in rat serum metabolism were mainly related to arachidonic acid metabolism in the 14 d group, among which the metabolites with significant effects were arachidonic acid, prostaglandin E₂, and prostaglandin D₂. Conclusion Local vibration could affect the normal metabolism in rats, and the metabolic pathway with significant influence is arachidonic acid metabolism after a 14 d exposure and the involved metabolites are arachidonic acid, prostaglandin E₂, and prostaglandin D₂.

Objective:To understand the prevention knowledge of brucellosis among permanent residents in the agricultural area of Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and to provide a scientific basis for formulating brucellosis prevention strategies and measures.Methods:From May to December 2018, Daur Autonomous Banner of Morin Dawa and Arun Banner in the agricultural area of Hulunbuir City were selected as the survey sites. Three townships were selected from each banner, and one administrative village from each township was selected as the survey village. The permanent residents aged ≥14 who had lived in the survey village for at least one year were selected as the survey subjects. Serum was separated by the examiner and the rose-bengal plate agglutination test (RBPT) was conducted. The positive sera were further tested by tube agglutination test (SAT).Questionnaires were conducted by investigators in the form of face-to-face case interview, including general demographic information, family information, brucellosis prevention knowledge awareness status, epidemiological contact history, prevention status, general behavior, etc., to calculate the awareness rate of brucellosis prevention knowledge.Results:A total of 880 sera were isolated, of which 185 were positive for RBPT. Further examination of SAT showed that the positive rate of SAT was 17.27% (152/880). The overall awareness rate of brucellosis prevention knowledge was 46.73% (16 450/35 200). The awareness rates of males and females were 47.82% (8 473/17 720) and 45.64% (7 977/17 480), respectively. The 21 - 40 years old group had the highest awareness rate [60.94% (3 705/6 080)]. The awareness rates of primary school and below, junior high school, senior high school and above were 45.96% (11 969/26 040), 48.79% (3 962/8 120) and 49.90% (519/1 040), respectively. The awareness rate of people with livestock raising behavior in the year before the survey was 47.35% (8 011/16 920), while the awareness rate of people without such behavior was 46.17% (8 439/18 280).Conclusions:The overall awareness rate of brucellosis prevention knowledge among permanent residents in the agricultural area of Hulunbuir City is low. It is necessary to strengthen the training of relevant knowledge and strengthen the publicity and education of people with low awareness rate.

Objective:To understand the clinical characteristics of Brucella epididym-orchitis (BEO). Methods:The clinical data of married male patients with brucellosis in acute stage admitted to Hulunbuir People's Hospital from September 2017 to October 2019 were collected and divided into BEO group and non-BEO group, with 46 and 50 cases, respectively. The clinical manifestations, laboratory examination and treatment effect were analyzed and evaluated.Results:The frequency of lower abdominal pain, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation in BEO group were higher than those in non-BEO group [26.1% (12/46) vs 8.0% (4/50), 89.1% (41/46) vs 12.0% (6/50), and 28.3% (13/46) vs 6.0% (3/50), χ 2 = 5.643, 57.037, 8.548, P < 0.05]. In laboratory examination, the incidence of increased leukocyte (WBC) count in BEO group was significantly higher than that in non-BEO group [23.9% (11/46) vs 8.0% (4/50), χ 2 = 4.602, P < 0.05]. In terms of sperm function, the incidence of decreased sperm dens (DENS) in BEO group was significantly higher than that in non-BEO group [21.7% (10/46) vs 2.0% (1/50), χ 2 = 9.201, P < 0.05]. After 2 - 7 d of treatment, the pain and/or tenderness of scrotum were relieved in all patients with BEO. After 3 - 5 d of treatment, the symptoms of BEO patients with lower abdominal pain and dysuria were relieved. After 12 weeks of treatment, 97.8% (45/46) of BEO patients had normal scrotal and testicular ultrasonography; 95.1% (39/41) of BEO patients had normal erectile function, 76.9% (10/13) of BEO patients had no premature ejaculation, and DENS returned to normal in 80.0% (8/10) of patients with DENS decreased. Five cases' sperm motility (PRNPPER) returned to normal of 6 patients with PRNPPER decreased. Conclusion:BEO patients have the clinical characteristics of lower abdominal pain, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and spermatogenic dysfunction, and the overall prognosis is good after treatment.