Objective:To investigate the association of exposure to PM 2.5 and its constituents during pregnancy and fetal growth and to further identify critical windows of exposure for fetal growth. Methods:We included 4 089 mother-child pairs from the Jiangsu Birth Cohort Study between January 2016 and October 2019. Data of general characteristics, clinical information, daily average PM 2.5 exposure, and its constituents during pregnancy were collected. Fetal growth parameters, including head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length (FL), were measured by ultrasound after 20 weeks of gestation, and then estimated fetal weight (EFW) was calculated. Generalized linear mixed models were adopted to examine the associations of prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 and its constituents with fetal growth. Distributed lag nonlinear models were used to identify critical exposure windows for each outcome. Results:A 10 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 exposure during pregnancy was associated with a decrease of 0.025 ( β=-0.025, 95% CI: -0.048- -0.001) in HC Z-score, 0.026 ( β=-0.026, 95% CI: -0.049- -0.003) in AC Z-score, and 0.028 ( β=-0.028, 95% CI:-0.052--0.004) in EFW Z-score, along with an increased risk of 8.5% ( RR=1.085, 95% CI: 1.010-1.165) and 13.5% ( RR=1.135, 95% CI: 1.016-1.268) for undergrowth of HC and EFW, respectively. Regarding PM 2.5 constituents, prenatal exposure to black carbon, organic matter, nitrate, sulfate (SO 42-) and ammonium consistently correlated with decreased HC Z-score. SO 42- exposure was also associated with decreased FL Z-scores. In addition, we found that gestational weeks 2-5 were critical windows for HC, weeks 4-13 and 19-40 for AC, weeks 4-13 and 23-37 for FL, and weeks 4-12 and 20-40 for EFW. Conclusions:Our findings demonstrated that exposure to PM 2.5 and its constituents during pregnancy could adversely affect fetal growth and the critical windows for different fetal growth parameters are not completely consistent.

Background Chronic excessive exposure to fluoride can cause damage to the central nervous system and a certain degree of learning and memory impairment. However, the associated mechanism is not yet clear and further exploration is needed. Objective Using 4D unlabelled quantitative proteomics techniques to explore differentially expressed proteins and their potential mechanisms of action in chronic excessive fluoride exposure induced brain injury. Methods Twenty-four SPF-grade adult SD rats, half male and half male, were selected and divided into a control group and a fluoride group by random number table method, with 12 rats in each group. Among them, the control group drank tap water (fluorine content<1 mg·L⁻¹), the fluoride group drank sodium fluoride solution (fluorine content 10 mg·L⁻¹), and both groups were fed with ordinary mouse feed (fluoride content<0.6 mg·kg⁻¹). After 180 d of feeding, the SD rats were weighed, and then part of the brain tissue was sampled for pathological examination by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining. The rest of the brain tissue was frozen and stored at −80 ℃. Three brain tissue samples from each group were randomly selected for proteomics detection. Differentially expressed proteins were screened and subcellular localization analysis was performed, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) function analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, cluster analysis, and protein-protein interaction analysis. Finally, Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of key proteins extracted from the brain tissue samples. Results After 180 d of feeding, the average weight of the rats in the fluoride group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The brain tissue stained with HE showed no significant morphological changes in the cerebral cortex of the fluoride treated rats, and neuron loss, irregular arrangement of neurons, eosinophilic changes, and cell body pyknosis were observed in the hippocampus. The Nissl staining results showed that the staining of neurons in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats exposed to fluoride decreased (Nissl bodies decreased). The proteomics results showed that a total of 6927 proteins were identified. After screening, 206 differentially expressed proteins were obtained between the control group and the fluoride group, including 96 up-regulated proteins and 110 down-regulated proteins. The differential proteins were mainly located in cytoplasm (30.6%), nucleus (27.2%), mitochondria (13.6%), plasma membrane (13.6%), and extracellular domain (11.7%). The GO analysis results showed that differentially expressed proteins mainly participated in biological processes such as iron ion transport, regulation of dopamine neuron differentiation, and negative regulation of respiratory burst in inflammatory response, exercised molecular functions such as ferrous binding, iron oxidase activity, and cytokine activity, and were located in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum membrane, fixed components of the membrane, chloride channel complexes, and other cellular components. The KEGG significantly enriched pathways included biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbon metabolism, and microbial metabolism in diverse environments. The results of differential protein-protein interaction analysis showed that the highest connectivity was found in glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (Gpi). The expression level of Gpi in the brain tissue of the rats in the fluoride group was lower than that in the control group by Western blotting (P<0.05). Conclusion Multiple differentially expressed proteins are present in the brain tissue of rats with chronic fluorosis, and their functions are related to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbon metabolism, and microbial metabolism in diverse environments; Gpi may be involved in cerebral neurological damage caused by chronic overdose fluoride exposure.

Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) denotes a wide range of cognitive deficiencies resulting from cerebrovascular risk factors and cerebrovascular diseases. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), as a deacetylase, can mediate the deacetylation of histones and non-histone proteins. It is involved in regulating multiple pathophysiological processes of VCI, including neuroinflammation reduction, oxidative stress inhibition, cell apoptosis decrease, and blood-brain barrier protection, serving as a target for VCI treatment. This paper summarizes SIRT1 and the molecular mechanisms of targeting SIRT1 in order to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of VCI.

Objective:To investigate the study on the diagnostic value of multimodal ultrasound technique for the lesion of extensor carpi ulnaris(ECU)tendon in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods:A total of 175 RA patients who were confirmed by the department of rheumatology of Yantaishan Hospital of Yantai city from December 2021 to January 2023 were selected,and them were included into the RA group.Other 50 patients without RA but with clinical symptoms of wrist were included into the non-RA group,and 50 healthy volunteers were included into the healthy control group.All subjects underwent routine ultrasound and shear wave elastography(SWE)examination on wrist,and then,the characteristics of ultrasound images of wrists and the blood flow distribution of ECU power Doppler ultrasonography(PDUS)were recorded.SWE was used to measure ECU to obtain elastic modulus index(EI)and velocity modulus index(VI).The differences between three groups were compared,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)value of RA patients were drawn,so as to confirm the area under curve(AUC)value and optimize cutoff value.Results:There were significant differences in EI and VI of the ECU tendon among three groups(F=61.15,61.28,P<0.05),respectively.The optimal cut-off values of EI and VI were respectively 319.35 kPa and 10.55 m/s in RA patients.In RA patients,age and disease course had significant influences on EI(r=0.19,0.21,P<0.05),and age,disease course,ultrasound score of wrist joint,and grade of power Doppler ultrasonography PDUS of the ECU tendon(ECUPDUS)had significant influences on VI(r=0.19,0.15,-0.16,-0.17,P<0.05).Conclusion:SWE is able to quantitatively and non-invasively assess the stiffness information of the ECU tendon in RA patients.After the supplement of gray-scale ultrasound and PDUS,multimodal ultrasound technique can clearly judge the correlation of the lesions of ECU tendon of RA patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of postpartum hepatitis flares in pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted. Patients who met the enrollment criteria were included. Liver function and HBV virology tests were collected from pregnant women with chronic HBV infection at delivery, 6, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after delivery through the hospital information and test system. Additionally, antiviral therapy types and drug withdrawal times were collected. Statistical analysis was performed on all the resulting data.Results:A total of 533 pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria were included, with all patients aged (29.5±3.7) years old. A total of 408 cases received antiviral drugs during pregnancy to interrupt mother-to-child transmission. There was no significant difference in the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, z ?=?-1.981, P ?=?0.048), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, z ?=?-3.956, P ?

Rapid turnover of the intestinal epithelium is a critical strategy to balance the uptake of nutrients and defend against environmental insults, whereas inappropriate death promotes the spread of inflammation. PPARα is highly expressed in the small intestine and regulates the absorption of dietary lipids. However, as a key mediator of inflammation, the impact of intestinal PPARα signaling on cell death pathways is unknown. Here, we show that Pparα deficiency of intestinal epithelium up-regulates necroptosis signals, disrupts the gut vascular barrier, and promotes LPS translocation into the liver. Intestinal Pparα deficiency drives age-related hepatic steatosis and aggravates hepatic fibrosis induced by a high-fat plus high-sucrose diet (HFHS). PPARα levels correlate with TRIM38 and MLKL in the human ileum. Inhibition of PPARα up-regulates necroptosis signals in the intestinal organoids triggered by TNF-α and LPS stimuli via TRIM38/TRIF and CREB3L3/MLKL pathways. Butyric acid ameliorates hepatic steatosis induced by intestinal Pparα deficiency through the inhibition of necroptosis. Our data suggest that intestinal PPARα is essential for the maintenance of microenvironmental homeostasis and the spread of inflammation via the gut-liver axis.

Objective:The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical value of CT-guided localization of pulmonary nodules with soft wire hook-wire by trailing technique.Methods:The clinical data of 211 pulmonary nodules of 185 patients from November 2020 to March 2022 in Beijing Aerospace General Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The pulmonary nodules were localized with soft wire hook-wire by trailing technique before video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). The success rate, complications, pathological results and localization operations related data were statistically analyzed.Results:The success rate of localization was 97.63% (206/211), and the success rate of VATS removal was 99.53% (210/211). The average operation time was (7.19 ± 2.62) min, and the average time required for resection of lesions was 27 min (10 to 126 min). During the surgery, the soft wire hook-wire of two patient was found to be dislocated and retracted into the chest wall. The pulmonary nodules were successfully located and removed according traces left by puncture points on the lung surface. It was found that the hook-wire was located in the interlobar fissure in 3 patients. The pulmonary nodules were successfully removed by the hook-wire position and appropriately expanding the resection range. A minor pneumothorax occurred in 49 patients, but no closed drainage was needed; 12 patients developed intrapulmonary hematoma; 15 patients with chest pain were treated with analgesia.Conclusions:For small pulmonary nodules requiring thoracoscopic surgery, the computed tomography-guided pulmonary nodule localization with soft wire hook-wire by trailing technique is more convenient, safe and effective, and is worthy of promotion to use.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone therapy under CT guidance in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.Methods:A total of 93 patients with lumbar disc herniation who were admitted to The First Hospital of Jiaxing from January 2019 to May 2022 were included in this study. They were randomly divided into an observation group ( n = 47) and a control group ( n = 46). The control group was treated with radiofrequency ablation and the observation group was treated with radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone therapy. Efficacy was compared between the two groups at 3 months after surgery. The pain was compared between the two groups before and 7 days and 3 months after surgery. Inflammatory factors were compared between the two groups before and 7 days after surgery. The lumbar spine function was compared between the two groups before and 3 months after surgery. Results:At 3 months after surgery, the excellent and good rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [89.36% (42/47) vs. 71.74% (33/47), χ2 = 4.63, P < 0.05). At 7 days and 3 months after surgery, Visual Analogue Scale scores in the observation group were (2.91 ± 0.54) points and (1.32 ± 0.31) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than (3.76 ± 0.62) points and (2.08 ± 0.47) points in the control group ( t = 7.06, 9.22, both P < 0.001). At 7 days after surgery, serum interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the observation group were (0.24 ± 0.05) μg/L, (18.49 ± 3.47) ng/L, and (97.94 ± 17.43) ng/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than (0.37 ± 0.09) μg/L, (24.31 ± 4.12) ng/L, and (148.87 ± 20.13) ng/L, respectively in the control group ( t = 8.63, 7.37, 13.05, all P < 0.05). At 3 months after surgery, the Japanese Orthopedic Association score in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(25.68 ± 2.28) points vs. (21.17 ± 3.24) points, t = -7.78, P < 0.001], and the Oswestry Disability Index in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group [(9.84 ± 1.43) points vs. (13.46 ± 2.18) points, t = 9.49, P < 0.001]. Conclusion:Radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone therapy under CT guidance is highly effective on lumbar disc herniation. The combined therapy can reduce pain and inflammatory reactions in patients and improve lumbar function.

Objective:To explore the application of energy spectrum CT single energy combined with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-Veo (ASIR-V) for optimizing inferior vena cava imaging.Methods:Thirty patients with negative diagnosis or minimal inferior vena cava lesions who underwent CT venography (CTV) of inferior vena cava in the Second Hospital of Harbin Medical University from August 2021 to April 2022 were enrolled in the study, including 11 males and 19 females with the age of (55.4±8.8) years and the body mass index of (23.2±2.8) kg/m2. The mixed energy group images and 5 single energy groups of 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 keV images were reconstructed from the images in the inferior vena cava phase. The subcutaneous fat noise, CT values, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) for each segment of the inferior vena cava in 5 sets of single-energy images were measured and evaluated subjectively to determine the best single energy level. The images were reconstructed by combining different weight ASIR-V (20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70% and 80%) algorithms, and images from different weight groups and mixed energy groups were evaluated objectively to determine the best ASIR-V weights which was matched with the best single energy level. All images were scored subjectively by 2 senior radiologists based on image noise, uniformity of vessel filling, sharpness of vessel margins and diagnostic confidence.Results:There were significant differences in subcutaneous fat noise and objective evaluation indexes of each segment of inferior vena cava among the monoenergetic groups (all P<0.05), each objective evaluation index increased with the decrease of energy level, the maximum value was obtained in the 50 keV group. The subjective scores of the 5 groups were consistent by the 2 radiologists(all κ≥0.75). The highest subjective scores were obtained in the 60 keV group, the best single energy level is 60 keV in a comprehensive analysis. The differences in objective evaluation indicators among the 7 groups of best single energy combined with different weights ASIR-V image group and the mixed energy group were all statistically significant (all P<0.01). Image noise decreased with increasing ASIR-V weights for different weight groups, all differences among groups were statistically significant (all P<0.01), and the minimum noise was minimal in 80% weight group. There was no significant change in CT value of each segment of inferior vena cava (all P>0.05). The SNR and CNR of each segment of inferior vena cava increased, all differences among groups were statistically significant (all P<0.01), and the SNR and CNR of 80% weight group was the highest. The subjective scores of the 8 groups were consistent evaluated by the 2 radiologists (all κ≥0.75), and the subjective score of 60% weight group was the highest, 60% was the best ASIR-V weight for matching 60 keV in a comprehensive analysis. Conclusions:The study indicates that the best energy level for optimizing energy spectrum CT single energy imaging of the inferior vena cava is 60 keV, on the basis of which the best weighting for combined ASIR-V is 60%.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among freshmen in a vocational college in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, so as to provide insights into tuberculosis control in vocational colleges. Methods : All freshmen enrolled in a vocational college in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2020 were recruited and participants' demographics, life style, history of tuberculosis contacts, frequency of ventilation and disinfection in dormitories and classrooms and awareness of core tuberculosis control knowledge were collected through questionnaire surveys. LTBI was detected among freshmen by means of purified protein derivative test (PPD skin test) and chest X-ray scans, and the factors affecting LTBI were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 5 463 freshmen were screened for LTBI, with a screening rate of 100.00%, and the participants included 2 151 men and 3 312 women, with a male/female ratio of 0.65︰1, and had a mean age of (16.83±1.05) years. A total of 388 freshmen were detected with LTBI, with a detection rate of 7.10%, and no active pulmonary tuberculosis was detected. The prevalence of LTBI was 9.44% in men and 5.59% in women. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified males (OR=1.587, 95%CI: 1.281-1.965), smoking (OR=2.108, 95%CI: 1.355-3.278) and a history of tuberculosis of families (OR=2.851, 95%CI: 1.615-5.034) as risk factors for LTBI among freshmen, and knowing core tuberculosis control knowledge as a protective factor of LTBI among freshmen (OR=0.276, 95%CI: 0.218-0.350). Conclusions The risk of LTBI was associated with gender, smoking, history of tuberculosis of families and understanding of the core tuberculosis control knowledge among freshmen in this vocational college in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Health education about the core tuberculosis control knowledge is recommended to be reinforced among students in vocational colleges in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.