Objective To evaluate the value of serum Mac-2 binding protein (M2BP) for assessment of the severity of schisto somiasis-induced liver fibrosis, so as to provide insights into non-invasive diagnosis and disease surveillance of liver fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis. Methods A total of 234 individuals with a history of Schistosoma japonicum infection were sampled from Xinhua Village, Lushan City, Jiangxi Province from 2019 to 2020, and 234 serum samples were collected from all participants. All participants received B-ultrasound examinations of the liver. Serum samples were categorized into four groups (grades 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis groups) according to B-ultrasound examination results, and then, each group was randomly divided into a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve group and an efficacy assessment group at a ratio of 7∶3. Serum M2BP concentration was measured in four groups using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and differences in serum M2BP concentrations were compared with analysis of variance and Spearman correlation analysis. Serum M2BP concentration was subjected to ROC curve analysis among individuals with different grades of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis in the ROC curve group to determine the optimal diagnostic threshold of M2BP concentration at different fibrosis grades, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance. The diagnostic accuracy was verified by comparing the accordance rate and Kappa consistency test in the efficacy assessment group. Results Among 234 serum samples, there were 79 samples with grade 0 schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis, 87 samples with Grade Ⅰ, 46 samples with Grade Ⅱ and 22 samples with Grade Ⅲ according to the B-ultrasound examinations. The mean serum M2BP concentrations were (0.40 ± 0.31) [95% confidence interval (CI): (0.33, 0.47)], (0.64 ± 0.48) [95% CI: (0.53, 0.74)], (1.76 ± 0.58) [95% CI: (1.59, 1.93)] μg/mL and (2.56 ± 0.93) [95% CI: (2.14, 2.97)] μg/mL in the four groups, respectively (F = 150.796, P < 0.001), and the severity of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis significantly positively correlated with serum M2BP concentration (rs = 0.715, P < 0. 001). The sample sizes of grades 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis sera were randomly allocated as follows: 55 versus 24, 61 versus 26, 32 versus 14, and 15 versus 7 in the ROC curve and efficacy assessment groups, respectively, and the serum M2BP concentrations were (0.39 ± 0.29) μg/mL and (0.42 ± 0.36) μg/mL (F = 0.196, P > 0.05), (0.59 ± 0.47) μg/mL and (0.75 ± 0.51) μg/mL (F = 1.967, P > 0.05), (1.73 ± 0.59) μg/mL and (1.85 ± 0.57) μg/mL (F = 0.417, P > 0.05), and (2.46 ± 0.64) μg/mL and (2.76 ± 1.41) μg/mL (F = 0.491, P > 0.05), respectively. ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal diagnostic thresholds of serum M2BP concentration were 0.347 86 μg/mL (AUC = 0.635, P < 0.05), 1.188 83 μg/mL (AUC = 0.938, P < 0.000 1) and 2.021 21 μg/mL (AUC = 0.821, P < 0.000 1) for grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis. In addition, the accordance rates between the optimal diagnostic threshold of serum M2BP and B-ultrasound examinations for predicting grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induceed liver fibrosis were 69.23%, 85.71% and 71.43% (χ2 = 1.340, P > 0.05), and the overall Kappa consistency test showed moderate consistency [Kappa = 0.608, 95% CI: (0.428, 0.788); Z = 6.609, P < 0.000 1]. Conclusions Serum M2BP may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing moderate to advanced schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis; however, its diagnostic value for early-stage schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis remains limited.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatial-temporal clustering of varicella in Changchun City from 2020 to 2024, so as to provide the evidence for formulating local varicella prevention and control measures. Methods: The individual case data of varicella were collected through the Surveillance and Reporting Management System of the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System in Changchun City from 2020 to 2024. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the population ,regional, and temporal distribution. Spatial autocorrelation and spatio-temporal scanning analyses were used to identify the spatial-temporal clustering characteristics. Results: A total of 8 850 varicella cases were reported in Changchun City from 2020 to 2024, with an average annual incidence of 19.64/105. There were 4 929 male cases and 3 921 female cases, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.26∶1. The age was mainly 0-<20 years (6 649 cases, 75.13%), and students were the predominant occupation (6 036 cases, 68.20%). The top three counties (cities, districts) with the highest number of cases were Chaoyang District (1 944 cases), Gongzhuling City (1 054 cases) and Nanguan District (987 cases), accounting for 45.03%. The peak incidence periods were from April to June and from October to December, with 2 166 and 4 226 cases, accounting for 24.47% and 47.75%, respectively. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that spatial clustering existed from 2020 to 2024. The high-high clustering areas were mainly some townships (streets) in Chaoyang District, Nanguan District, Changchun New District and Jingyue District. Spatio-temporal scanning analysis identified 6 high-risk clustering areas. The class Ⅰ clustering area was Nanhu Street in Chaoyang District, with the clustering period from September 2020 to February 2022. Conclusions Varicella cases in Changchun City were mainly males and students aged 0-<20 years from 2020 to 2024. The peak incidence was mainly in winter. Chaoyang District was a high-risk area, with obvious spatial-temporal clustering.

Objective:To explore the construction of an evaluation model for aortic root anatomy and calcium burden in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) based on deep learning (DL) algorithms.Methods:A retrospective collection of 362 BAV stenosis patients who underwent TAVR from September 2023 to May 2024 was performed. All patients underwent cardiac CT angiography. The patients were divided into training group ( n=104), internal validation group ( n=206), and external validation group ( n=52). A DL model was trained on the training dataset to assess aortic root anatomy and calcification burden. The evaluation included the segmentation accuracy of the algorithm, the measurement performance of key anatomical structures (i.e., valve leaflets and type-1 and type-2 fusion raphe), and calcification burden, as well as the measurement efficiency. Overall segmentation performance was assessed using the average Dice coefficient (ADC). The fine-scale segmentation quality was validated by the 95th-percentile Hausdorff distance (HD-95) and the average symmetric surface distance (ASSD). The consistency of the measurement results was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient ( ICC) with a two-way mixed model for absolute agreement. In addition, the total time and total mouse movement distance required for manual assessment versus the DL model on the validation datasets were recorded and compared. Results:The algorithm demonstrated excellent segmentation performance on aortic root anatomical targets, achieving outstanding consistency within both internal and external validation datasets (0.955

Aim To explore the mechanism of Con-grong Shujing granule(CSGs)in the treatment of Par-kinson's disease(PD)by network pharmacology,mo-lecular docking and parallel reaction monitoring(PRM)technology.Methods The active components of CSGs and the target genes of Parkinson's disease were obtained through the database.The intersection targets of drugs and diseases were selected to construct the"drug-active ingredient-target"and protein interac-tion network.The intersection target genes were impor-ted into David database for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis,and the main components were docked with key targets.27 SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group(n=9),model group(n=9)and treat-ment group(n=9).On day 1,7 and 14 of treatment,PRM analysis was used to detect the changes in the specific peptides of key target proteins in the substantia nigra of rats.Results The main components of CSGs wereTanshialdehyde,Baicalein,Quercetin and Kaempferol.The most important targets for the treat-ment of PD were TP53,AKT1,EGFR,HSP90 AA1 and STAT3.KEGG analysis mainly enriched MAPK,PI3K-Akt and neurotrophic factor signaling pathway.The molecular docking between core components and core targets showed that the binding of drugs and targets had good activity.PRM analysis of key proteins found that the target peptide expression levels of ASK1,JNK1 and JNK3 were different among groups(P＜0.05).Con-clusion CSGs can alleviate ERS,inhibit apoptosis and play a neural protective role through the ASK1-JNK pathway.

Objective:To explore the construction of an evaluation model for aortic root anatomy and calcium burden in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) based on deep learning (DL) algorithms.Methods:A retrospective collection of 362 BAV stenosis patients who underwent TAVR from September 2023 to May 2024 was performed. All patients underwent cardiac CT angiography. The patients were divided into training group ( n=104), internal validation group ( n=206), and external validation group ( n=52). A DL model was trained on the training dataset to assess aortic root anatomy and calcification burden. The evaluation included the segmentation accuracy of the algorithm, the measurement performance of key anatomical structures (i.e., valve leaflets and type-1 and type-2 fusion raphe), and calcification burden, as well as the measurement efficiency. Overall segmentation performance was assessed using the average Dice coefficient (ADC). The fine-scale segmentation quality was validated by the 95th-percentile Hausdorff distance (HD-95) and the average symmetric surface distance (ASSD). The consistency of the measurement results was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient ( ICC) with a two-way mixed model for absolute agreement. In addition, the total time and total mouse movement distance required for manual assessment versus the DL model on the validation datasets were recorded and compared. Results:The algorithm demonstrated excellent segmentation performance on aortic root anatomical targets, achieving outstanding consistency within both internal and external validation datasets (0.955

Objective To compare the ability of single-phase,dual-phase,and triphasic models in forecasting postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF)after pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD)using radiomics based on triphasic enhanced CT.Methods A total of 181 patients who underwent multi-phase enhanced CT prior to PD were retrospectively selected,and the collection phase included non-contrast,arterial phase(AP),and equilibrium phase(EP).3D Slicer software was utilized to segment the region of interest(ROI)for the postoperative pancreatic remnant on each phase.Radiomics feature extraction was performed using R software,followed by feature selection through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)regression with five-fold cross-validation to prevent model overfitting.The effective features selected were combined in a weighted linear manner to obtain a Radiomics score(Radscore).The patients were divided into training set and test set in a 7︰3 ratio.Logistic regression was employed to construct seven POPF prediction models(three single-phase,three dual-phase,and one triphasic models)based on different phase combinations.The diagnostic performance of the models was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC)of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,accuracy(ACC),sensitivity(SEN),and specificity(SPE).The DeLong test was applied to compare the differences in AUC among different models.Results After LASSO regression,24 effective features associated with POPF were selected from different phases.In the test set,the triphasic model exhibited the highest AUC and ACC(AUC=0.76,ACC=0.808).The calibration curve demonstrated the strongest agreement between the estimated probabilities and observed probabilities for the triphasic model.The decision curve analysis(DCA)curve indicated that the triphasic model had the largest threshold range with a higher net benefit.Conclusion Compared with single-phase and dual-phase models,the triphasic model based on enhanced CT provides better prediction of POPF after PD,aiding clinical decision-making and improve prognosis.

Objective To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of clinical isolates from elderly patients(≥65 years)in major medical institutions across China.Methods Bacterial strains were isolated from elderly patients in 52 hospitals participating in the CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program during the period from 2015 to 2021.Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out by disk diffusion method and automated systems according to the same CHINET protocol.The data were interpreted in accordance with the breakpoints recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)in 2021.Results A total of 514 715 nonduplicate clinical isolates were collected from elderly patients in 52 hospitals from January 1,2015 to December 31,2021.The number of isolates accounted for 34.3％of the total number of clinical isolates from all patients.Overall,21.8％of the 514 715 strains were gram-positive bacteria,and 78.2％were gram-negative bacteria.Majority(90.9％)of the strains were isolated from inpatients.About 42.9％of the strains were isolated from respiratory specimens,and 22.9％were isolated from urine.More than half(60.7％)of the strains were isolated from male patients,and 39.3％isolated from females.About 51.1％of the strains were isolated from patients aged 65-＜75 years.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains(MRSA)was 38.8％in 32 190 strains of Staphylococcus aureus.No vancomycin-or linezolid-resistant strains were found.The resistance rate of E.faecalis to most antibiotics was significantly lower than that of Enterococcus faecium,but a few vancomycin-resistant strains(0.2％,1.5％)and linezolid-resistant strains(3.4％,0.3％)were found in E.faecalis and E.faecium.The prevalence of penicillin-susceptible S.pneumoniae(PSSP),penicillin-intermediate S.pneumoniae(PISP),and penicillin-resistant S.pneumoniae(PRSP)was 94.3％,4.0％,and 1.7％in nonmeningitis S.pneumoniae isolates.The resistance rates of Klebsiella spp.(Klebsiella pneumoniae 93.2％)to imipenem and meropenem were 20.9％and 22.3％,respectively.Other Enterobacterales species were highly sensitive to carbapenem antibiotics.Only 1.7％-7.8％of other Enterobacterales strains were resistant to carbapenems.The resistance rates of Acinetobacter spp.(Acinetobacter baumannii 90.6％)to imipenem and meropenem were 68.4％and 70.6％respectively,while 28.5％and 24.3％of P.aeruginosa strains were resistant to imipenem and meropenem,respectively.Conclusions The number of clinical isolates from elderly patients is increasing year by year,especially in the 65-＜75 age group.Respiratory tract isolates were more prevalent in male elderly patients,and urinary tract isolates were more prevalent in female elderly patients.Klebsiella isolates were increasingly resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents,especially carbapenems.Antimicrobial resistance surveillance is helpful for accurate empirical antimicrobial therapy in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND:The age distribution of patients with distal femur fracture is bimodal,being more common in young adults with high-energy injuries and older individuals with low-energy injuries.In cases of complex distal femoral fractures,a single less invasive stabilization system or retrograde femoral nail is insufficient to provide a stable environment for fracture healing and combined fixation is often necessary.OBJECTIVE:A novel combined fixation method(less invasive stabilization system combined with retrograde tibial nail)was developed for the treatment of type A3 distal femur fractures.Using finite element analysis,the bio-mechanical properties of this method were compared with two common combined fixation methods—dual plate(less invasive stabilization system combined with locking compression plate)and nail plate combination(less invasive stabilization system combined with retrograde femoral nail).This study aims to provide a theoretical basis for the selection of clinical internal fixation methods for distal femur fracture.METHODS:CT images of a 23-year-old healthy male volunteer were utilized to reconstruct the femur three-dimensional model using Mimics and Geomagic Studio software.This model was then compared with in vitro finite element analysis data from existing literature to validate the accuracy of the femoral three-dimensional model.The three-dimensional model of type A3 distal femur fractures and internal fixation were then created using Creo 5.0 software.Three kinds of different combined fixation methods(less invasive stabilization system+retrograde tibial nail,less invasive stabilization system+locking compression plate,less invasive stabilization system+retrograde femoral nail)were assembled and subjected to Boolean operation to establish three sets of finite element models.These models were then imported into Abaqus finite element analysis software to assign material properties,apply consistent boundary conditions,and submit calculations under three loads(normal standing,slow walking,and descending stairs).The resulting stress distribution within the internal fixation as well as overall and local deformation of the femur was analyzed.Furthermore,the failure risk and anti-deformation ability of the new combined fixation method(less invasive stabilization system combined with retrograde tibial nail)were evaluated.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Although the anti-deformation ability of the less invasive stabilization system combined with retrograde tibial nail was approximately 10％lower than that of the less invasive stabilization system combined with locking compression plate,it was comparable to that of less invasive stabilization system combined with retrograde femoral nail and demonstrated good anti-deformation ability.(2)The stiffness of the femur with all three combined fixation methods remained consistent during gait,while femur displacement increased linearly with load,indicating high stability.(3)The failure risk associated with less invasive stabilization system combined with retrograde tibial nail was lower than that of the other two methods,with a 2.94％reduction in failure risk compared to less invasive stabilization system combined with locking compression plate.(4)This new combined fixation method offers distinct advantages in terms of anti-deformation ability,safety,and effectiveness,laying a theoretical foundation for further clinical application.

Objective To establish atopic dermatitis(AD)-like models in BALB/c mice using three chemical inducers,calcipotriol(MC903),2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene(DNCB),and oxazolone(OXA),and to explore the occurrence of ferroptosis in the different models.Methods Healthy 7-week-old female BALB/c mice were divided randomly into eight groups(n=8 mice per group)based on the induction site(ear/dorsal skin)and inducer:ear/dorsal control groups,MC903 ear/dorsal model groups,DNCB ear/dorsal model groups,and OXA ear/dorsal model groups.Models were established by topical application of the respective agents at specified concentrations.Mice in the MC903 ear/dorsal groups underwent continuous induction for 14 d.Mice in the DNCB and OXA ear/dorsal groups were sensitized for 3 consecutive days,4 days after the sensitization was completedand then challenged 12 times on day 8 and every other day for up to day 30.Skin lesions were observed and skin thickness was measured.Plasma levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),interleukin(IL)-4,interferon(IFN)-γ,and malondialdehyde(MDA)were detected,the skin was examined by histopathological staining and ultrastructural observation,and expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins(glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),ferritin heavy chain 1(FTH1),long-chain-fatty-acid-CoA ligase 4(ACSL4),transferrin receptor 1(TfR1))were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with each control mice,all model mice exhibited obvious redness,swelling,scratching,desquamation,and rough thickening of the skin,and skin thickness was significantly increased(P＜0.01).ROS,IFN-γ,IL-4,and MDA levels were elevated to varying extents(P＜0.05)and histopathological features,including epidermal hyperplasia,keratinocyte degeneration,dermal vascular congestion,and immune cell infiltration,were detected in model mice.Transmission electron microscopy also revealed mitochondrial membrane rupture,increased density,and cristae reduction.Expression levels of ferroptosis markers were dysregulated,including significantly decreased GPX4/FTH1(P＜0.05)and increased ACSL4/TfR1 expression(P＜0.05).Conclusions All three chemicals successfully induced AD-like phenotypes in BALB/c mice through site-specific applications.Ferroptosis is involved in the pathological process of AD,but heterogeneity exists among inducers and modeling sites.

Objective To examine the changing prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Burkholderia cepacia in 52 hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021.Methods A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were collected from 52 hospitals between January 1,2015 and December 31,2021.Antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains was tested using Kirby-Bauer method or automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems according to a unified protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released in the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)guidelines(2023 edition).Results A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were isolated from all age groups,especially elderly patients.The proportion was 11.1％(1 032 strains)in children,significantly lower than the proportion in adults.About half(46.5％,4 310/9 261)of the strains were isolated from patients at least 60 years old and 42.3％(3 919/9 261)of the strains were isolated from young adults.Most isolates(71.1％)were isolated from sputum and respiratory secretions,followed by urine(10.7％)and blood samples(8.1％).B.cepacia isolates were highly susceptible to the five antimicrobial agents recommended in the CLSI M100 document(33rd edition,2023).B.cepacia isolates showed relatively higher resistance rates to meropenem and levofloxacin.However,the resistance rates to ceftazidime,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,and minocycline remained below 8.1％.The percentage of B.cepacia strains resistant to levofloxacin was the highest compared to other antibiotics in any of the three age groups(from 12.4％in the patients＜18 years old to 20.6％in the patients aged 60 years or older).Conclusions B.cepacia is one of the clinically important non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria.Accurate and timely reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility test results and ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance are helpful for rational prescription of antimicrobial agents and proper prevention and control of nosocomial infections.