Degenerative cervical myelopathy(DCM)is a group of diseases caused by cervical spine degeneration that compresses the spinal cord.It is a major cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults,and its incidence is increasing globally.In the late stage,DCM could lead to paralysis due to spinal cord injury,which makes rapid,effective,and accurate medical diagnosis clinically significant.Deep learning(DL)technology can assist physicians in the rapid and accurate diagnosis of DCM by analyzing and processing a large amount of imaging data to extract features of the affected regions.In recent years,DL algorithm models have been leveraged for DCM-related research,which has become a focal point of intelligent medical development.In this review,domestic and international literature is surveyed,and the research progress and application of DL technology in the auxiliary diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of DCM are systematically summarized,aiming to provide a reference for intelligent diagnosis in clinical practice.

Objective To construct an evidence-based practice program of discharge preparation services for hip replacement patients based on the best evidence,and to evaluate its clinical effects,aiming to provide references for the implementation of relevant interventions.Methods Knowledge to Action Framework was used as a guide to summarise the best evidence on discharge preparation services for hip replacement patients and to select services based on clinical context.We selected 38 hip replacement patients and 17 healthcare professionals from the De-partment of Orthopaedic Surgery at a tertiary A hospital in Shanghai in September-October 2023 to conduct a baseline review,identify facilitating and hindering factors,and develop a practice protocol.We also selected 38 hip replacement patients and 17 healthcare professionals from November-December 2023 on this ward for evidence-based practice.Nurses'rates of completion of review indicators,levels of knowledge of discharge preparation ser-vices,and discharge planning competencies were compared before and after practice.Patients'readiness for dis-charge,hip function,and unplanned readmissions were also compared before and after the practice.Results After evidence-based practice,nurses'completion rates of review indicators,knowledge of discharge preparation services,and discharge planning competencies were higher than baseline levels(P＜0.05).Hip replacement patients showed a significant improvement in readiness for discharge and hip function(P＜0.001).Conclusion The implementation of an evidence-based practice program of discharge preparation services improves nurses'knowledge and skills,and also contributes to the discharge readiness and hip function of hip replacement patients.

Objective To explore the feasibility and corresponding implementation methods of constructing a sample resource bank based on individual-level data of completed clinical trials and using it to construct external controls for drug/device clinical trials.Methods Taking the pre-marketing clinical trial of transcatheter active valve replacement(TAVR)for the treatment of aortic valve stenosis as an example,the individual-level databases of multiple trials were standardized to form a sample bank.The original data of any trial in the sample bank were selected as the experimental group,and the remaining samples were selected as the control group.The potential confounding was handled by using the propensity score matching and stratification methods to clarify the process of constructing external controls based on the sample bank of individual-level data of clinical trials.Results This study included individual-level data of single-group trials of 4 TAVR devices,with a total of 569 subjects(59.2%male).The number of subjects in Trials 1 to 4 was 120,120,163,and 166,respectively.Propensity score matching enabled the matching of 113,117,125,and 147 subjects with comparable or similar characteristics from individual-level data from other trials,respectively,demonstrating a high matching success rate.The PS score distribution plot after stratification showed that the proportions of subjects in the experimental and control groups in strata 1 to 5 in scheme 1 were 4/103,11/103,22/92,32/87,and 51/64,respectively.For all constructed external controlled trials,a certain number of control samples with similar baseline characteristics to the experimental groups were distributed within each propensity score stratum.The results of the simulation test also reflected the potential differences between different devices in the 12-month all-cause mortality rate.Conclusions The sample bank constructed with individual-level data from clinical trials,as a high-quality data source,can serve as a source of external control for single-arm trials in the same field,and as a useful supplement to the external control scenario of real-world evidence to support drug and device development.At the same time,targeted research on research methods and bias control measures in related fields is also needed.

Residual formaldehyde(FA)in environmental water samples,certain aquatic products,vegetables,and other food items poses a severe threat to environmental safety and human health.Therefore,the rapid,sensitive and selective detection of FA is very essential for food safety and environmental protection.In this work,a new 1,8-naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe NIPh for FA detection was synthesized by using hydrazide group as a reactive site for FA and naphthalimide as a fluorophore.Based on the photoinduced electron transfer(PET)process,the prepared probe NIPh showed a remarkable fluorescence lighting-up response towards FA in aqueous medium with high selectivity,fast response(within 4 min)and a low limit of detection(0.16 μmol/L).Further,the probe NIPh was also successfully applied as optical probe to detection of FA in cabbage,enoki mushroom,pond and tap water samples,with recoveries over 96%,and relative standard deviations less than 4%,demonstrating tremendous potential in FA monitoring in the field of food industry and environment.

OBJECTIVE: Poxviruses are zoonotic pathogens that infect humans, mammals, vertebrates, and arthropods. However, the specific role of ticks in transmission and evolution of these viruses remains unclear. METHODS: Transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic raw data from 329 sampling pools of seven tick species across five continents were mined to assess the diversity and abundance of poxviruses. Chordopoxviral sequences were assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis to trace the origins of the unblasted fragments within these sequences. RESULTS: Fifty-eight poxvirus species, representing two subfamilies and 20 genera, were identified, with 212 poxviral sequences assembled. A substantial proportion of AT-rich fragments were detected in the assembled poxviral genomes. These genomic sequences contained fragments originating from rodents, archaea, and arthropods. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that ticks play a significant role in the transmission and evolution of poxviruses. These viruses demonstrate the capacity to modulate virulence and adaptability through horizontal gene transfer, gene recombination, and gene mutations, thereby promoting co-existence and co-evolution with their hosts. This study advances understanding of the ecological dynamics of poxvirus transmission and evolution and highlights the potential role of ticks as vectors and vessels in these processes.
Animals ; Poxviridae/physiology* ; Ticks/virology* ; Phylogeny ; Transcriptome ; Evolution, Molecular ; Poxviridae Infections/virology* ; Genome, Viral

Objective:To establish a fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR assay based on N_sgRNA of SARS-CoV-2 and preliminarily apply it on real samples.Methods:Recombinant plasmid, specific primers and probes of N_sgRNA were designed and synthesized based on Wuhan-Hu-1/2019_MN908947 and synthesis mechanism of subgenomic RNA (sgRNA). Using recombinant plasmid as amplification templates, the optimal reaction conditions and reaction system were screened according to the Ct value, fluorescence intensity, and shape of amplification curve and was evaluated for sensitivity, reproducibility, and specificity. Meanwhile, the possibility of practical application of the method was explored by testing 172 clinical samples and 256 municipal wastewater samples. Results:A qRT-PCR assay for N_sgRNA in SARS-CoV-2 was initially established. The detection limit of the assay was 20 copies/mL, and the variation coefficients of in-batch (0.002%~0.767%) and batch to batch repetition (0.016%~0.752%) were less than 1%. Only N_sgRNA recombinant plasmid was detected in the specificity assay. So the method is more highly sensitive, specific and reproducible. The RatiosgRNA/ gRNA of clinical samples HK.3, EG.5.1, JN.1 and their sub-lineages and their corresponding urban sewage samples in epidemic period were significantly different ( P<0.05). There is a strong correlation between the median of RatiosgRNA/ gRNA in clinical samples and sewage samples in the same period (correlation coefficient r=1.000, P=0.010). Conclusions:In this study, a qRT-PCR method for detecting N_sgRNA of SARS-CoV-2 was established and the method has the characteristics of higher sensitivity, stronger specificity and better repeatability, and it can be used to detect SARS-CoV-2 infectivity.

Objective:This study aims to investigate the effect of exercise prescription based on cardiopulmonary ex-ercise test(CPET)on symptom improvement and quality of life in patients with arrhythmia.Methods:This ran-domized controlled study enrolled 152 arrhythmic patients admitted in Second Affiliated Hospital of Chinese PLA Air Force Military Medical University between September 2020 and May 2022.They were divided into control group(n=76)and intervention group(n=76).Both groups were given amiodarone anti-arrhythmic therapy at admis-sion.After recovering to sinus rhythm,patients in control group received routine exercise training,compared to those in intervention group receiving CPET-based exercise prescription training,both groups were trained for 12 weeks.Oxygen metabolism,cardiopulmonary function,clinical symptoms,quality of life and total satisfaction were compared between two groups.Results:Compared with participants in control group,those in intervention group had significant higher maximal oxygen uptake(VO2max)[(1.56±0.42)ml·kg-1·min-1 vs.(1.29±0.42)ml·kg-1·min-1],proportion of VO2max in predicted VO2 ratio(VO2max/VO2pred％)[(72.35±12.68)％vs.(65.32±11.74)％],metabolic equivalent(MET)[(4.65±1.29)ml·kg-1·min-1 vs.(3.82±1.12)ml·kg-1·min-1],peak oxygen pulse(Peak VO2/HR)[(13.05±3.48)ml·kg-1·beat-1 vs.(10.24±2.65)ml·kg-1·beat-1],forced vital capacity(FVC)[(3.51±0.82)L vs.(3.02±0.56)L],maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV)[(95.35±6.49)L/min vs.(87.12±9.48)L/min],peak cardiac output(Peak CO)[(11.24±2.67)L/min vs.(9.24±1.52)L/min],score of short form 12 health survey(SF-12)[(77.93±15.41)points vs.(65.18±13.48)points]and total satisfaction(96.05％vs.85.53％),and significant lower score of visual analogue scale(VAS)[(7.28±2.31)points vs.(13.65±3.62)points](P＜0.05 or＜0.01).Conclusion:Exercise prescription based on CPET can improve oxygen metabolism,cardiopulmonary function,clinical symptoms,quality of life and total satisfaction in arrhythmic patients.

AIM:To observe the effect of continuous light on the structure and differential metabolites of gut microbiota in mice.METHODS:The mice were randomly divided into normal light(light/dark,LD)group and 24-hour continuous light(light/light,LL)group.The body weight,fasting blood glucose,serum free fatty acids,serum triacylglycerol and serum total cholesterol levels of each group of mice were measured after 10 weeks.Fresh feces were collected,and 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to study the effect of continuous light on the diversity,structure,and species composition of gut microbiota in mice.Additionally,liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)analysis was per-formed to observe the effect of continuous light on the metabolites in mice.RESULTS:Compared with the LD group,the body weight,fasting blood glucose and lipid levels of the LL group were increased(P＜0.05).At the phylum level,the proportion of Firmicutes in the LL group increased,while the proportion of Bacteroidetes decreased.At the class level,the abundance of norank_f_Muribaculaceae and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 in the LL group decreased significantly,while the abundance of Lactobacillus,Turicibacter and Odoribacter increased significantly.Non-targeted metabolomics analysis iden-tified 65 and 73 differential metabolites under positive and negative modes,involving six major metabolic pathways,in-cluding ABC transporters,purine metabolism,pyrimidine metabolism,secondary bile acid biosynthesis,protein digestion and absorption,and choline metabolism in cancer.CONCLUSION:The structure and metabolites of gut microbiota in mice exposed to continuous light are relatively specific,and inosine may be a key biomarker and potential therapeutic tar-get for biological clock disorders.

In recent decades, the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout has increased dramatically due to lifestyle changes. The drugs currently recommended for hyperuricemia are associated with adverse reactions that limit their clinical use. In this study, we report that berberine (BBR) is an effective drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia, with its mechanism potentially involving the modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolite, succinic acid. BBR has demonstrated good therapeutic effects in both acute and chronic animal models of hyperuricemia. In a clinical trial, oral administration of BBR for 6 months reduced blood uric acid levels in 22 participants by modulating the gut microbiota, which led to an increase in the abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Clostridium sensu stricto_1. Furthermore, Bacteroides fragilis was transplanted into ICR mice, and the results showed that Bacteroides fragilis exerted a therapeutic effect on uric acid similar to that of BBR. Notably, succinic acid, a metabolite of Bacteroides, significantly reduced uric acid levels. Subsequent cell and animal experiments revealed that the intestinal metabolite, succinic acid, regulated the upstream uric acid synthesis pathway in the liver by inhibiting adenosine monophosphate deaminase 2 (AMPD2), an enzyme responsible for converting adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to inosine monophosphate (IMP). This inhibition resulted in a decrease in IMP levels and an increase in phosphate levels. The reduction in IMP led to a decreased downstream production of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid. BBR also demonstrated excellent renoprotective effects, improving nephropathy associated with hyperuricemia. In summary, BBR has the potential to be an effective treatment for hyperuricemia through the gut-liver axis.

Quality control is a key link in the modernization process of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Studies have shown that the effects of active components in TCM depend on not only their chemical composition but also their suitable physical forms and states. The physical phase structures, such as micelles, vesicles, gels, and nanoparticles, can improve the solubility, delivery efficiency, and targeting precision of active components. These structures significantly enhance the pharmacological activity while reducing the toxicity and side effects, demonstrating functional activity surpassing that of active components and highlighting the key effects of "structures" on "functions" of active components. Taking the physical phase structure as a breakthrough point, this paper outlines the common types of TCM physical phase structures. Furthermore, this paper explores how to realize the quality upgrading of TCM through the precise regulation of physical phase structures based on the current applications and potential of TCM physical phase structures in processing to increase the efficacy and reduce the toxicity, compounding and decocting processes, drug delivery systems, and quality control, aiming to provide novel insights for the future quality control of TCM.
Quality Control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Drug Delivery Systems