ObjectiveTo investigate the status of tooth loss in people aged 50 and above, so as to understand their oral health status and provide scientific evidences for promoting oral health of middle-aged and elderly people. MethodsA total of 400 patients who visited the department of stomatology at Sijing Hospital in Songjiang District of Shanghai were performed oral health examinations and their information was collected according to the national epidemiological survey standards for oral health. ResultsThere were statistically significant differences in tooth loss among people aged 50 and above with different ages, educational levels, occupations, types of medical insurance and chronic diseases (P<0.05), but gender and monthly income had no statistically significant correlations with tooth loss (P>0.05). Among lifestyle factors, smoking, alcohol consumption and tea drinking had no statistically significant impacts on the number of remaining teeth (P>0.05), but toothbrushing frequency, flossing frequency, toothpick use frequency, toothbrush replacement frequency, and tooth loosening were statistically associated with the number of remaining teeth (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that a total of 7 related factors including age, educational level, occupation, medical payment type, chronic disease, tooth loosening and toothpick use frequency were significantly associated with the number level of remaining teeth in individuals aged 50 and above. ConclusionAge, chronic disease, and tooth loosening were influencing factors affecting the number of teeth left in people aged 50 and above. It is recommended to strengthen oral health education and improve healthcare awareness to reduce the risk of tooth loss in people aged 50 and above.

OBJECTIVES: To report the development, validation, and findings of the Multi-dimensional Attention Rating Scale (MARS), a self-report tool crafted to evaluate six-dimension attention levels. METHODS: The MARS was developed based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). Totally 202 highly educated healthy adult participants were recruited for reliability and validity tests. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability. Structural validity was explored using principal component analysis. Criterion validity was analyzed by correlating MARS scores with the Toronto Hospital Alertness Test (THAT), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), and the Attention Network Test (ANT). RESULTS: The MARS comprises 12 items spanning six distinct dimensions of attention: focused attention, sustained attention, shifting attention, selective attention, divided attention, and response inhibition.As assessed by six experts, the content validation index (CVI) was 0.95, the Cronbach's alpha for the MARS was 0.78, and the test-retest reliability was 0.81. Four factors were identified (cumulative variance contribution rate 68.79%). The total score of MARS was correlated positively with THAT (r = 0.60, P < 0.01) and ACS (r = 0.78, P < 0.01) and negatively with ANT's reaction time for alerting (r = -0.31, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS The MARS can reliably and validly assess six-dimension attention levels in real-world settings and is expected to be a new tool for assessing multi-dimensional attention impairments in different mental disorders.
Humans ; Adult ; Male ; Attention/physiology* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Young Adult ; Psychometrics

Tailored lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) nanomedicines show promise in treating liver disease, such as acute liver injury (ALI) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, constructing LNPs that address biosafety concerns, ensure efficient delivery, and target specific hepatic subcellular fractions has been challenging. To evade above obstacles, we develop three novel self-degradable "gemini-like" ionizable lipids (SS-MA, SS-DC, SS-MH) by incorporating disulfide bonds and modifying the length of ester bond and tertiary amino head. Our findings reveal that the disulfide-bond-bridged LNPs exhibit reduction-responsive drug release, improving both biosafety and siRNA delivery efficiency. Furthermore, the distance of ester bond and tertiary amino head significantly influences the LNPs' pK _a, thereby affecting endosomal escape, hemolytic efficiency, absorption capacity of ApoE, uptake efficiency of hepatocytes and liver accumulation. We also develop the modified-mannose LNPs (M-LNP) to target liver macrophages specifically. The optimized M-MH_LNP@TNFα exhibits potential in preventing ALI by decreasing tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) levels in the macrophages, while MH_LNP@DGAT2 could treat NASH by selectively degrading diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) in the hepatocytes. Our findings provide new insights into developing novel highly effective and low-toxic "gemini-like" ionizable lipids for constructing LNPs, potentially achieving more effective treatment for hepatic diseases.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.

Background::Heterotaxy (HTX) is a thoracoabdominal organ anomaly syndrome and commonly accompanied by congenital heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to analyze rare copy number variations (CNVs) in a HTX/CHD cohort and to examine the potential mechanisms contributing to HTX/CHD.Methods::Chromosome microarray analysis was used to identify rare CNVs in a cohort of 120 unrelated HTX/CHD patients, and available samples from parents were used to confirm the inheritance pattern. Potential candidate genes in CNVs region were prioritized via the DECIPHER database, and PNPLA4 was identified as the leading candidate gene. To validate, we generated PNPLA4-overexpressing human induced pluripotent stem cell lines as well as pnpla4-overexpressing zebrafish model, followed by a series of transcriptomic, biochemical and cellular analyses. Results::Seventeen rare CNVs were identified in 15 of the 120 HTX/CHD patients (12.5%). Xp22.31 duplication was one of the inherited CNVs identified in this HTX/CHD cohort, and PNPLA4 in the Xp22.31 was a candidate gene associated with HTX/CHD. PNPLA4 is expressed in the lateral plate mesoderm, which is known to be critical for left/right embryonic patterning as well as cardiomyocyte differentiation, and in the neural crest cell lineage. Through a series of in vivo and in vitro analyses at the molecular and cellular levels, we revealed that the biological function of PNPLA4 is importantly involved in the primary cilia formation and function via its regulation of energy metabolism and mitochondria-mediated ATP production. Conclusions::Our findings demonstrated a significant association between CNVs and HTX/CHD. Our data strongly suggested that an increased genetic dose of PNPLA4 due to Xp22.31 duplication is a disease-causing risk factor for HTX/CHD.

Objective:To study positive rates and typing of oligoclonal bands (OCB) in patients with neurological disorders, and to reveal the clinical significance and applicational value of OCB test.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the detection results of 3 217 patients with neurological disorders who undertook both serum and cerebrospinal fluid OCBs in the First Hospital of Peking University from January 2012 to August 2022. According to the final diagnosis, the patients were divided into 13 groups including multiple sclerosis (479 cases), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (935 cases), autoimmune encephalitis (192 cases), viral encephalitis (94 cases), nervous system complication after HSCT (232 cases), Guillain-Barré syndrome (644 cases), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (157 cases), etc. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum OCBs were detected using isoelectric focusing electrophoresis combining immunofixation, then classified into Ⅰ-Ⅴ types according to the morphology. Consequently, positive rates and types were analyzed for each group. χ2 test was used for comparison between groups. Results:The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid OCB in multiple sclerosis, nervous system complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), autoimmune encephalitis, viral encephalitis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy were respectively 66.8% (320/479), 48.7% (113/232), 46.4%(89/192), 19.1% (18/94), 17.6% (165/935), 9.9% (64/644), 5.1% (8/157). For patients with multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, viral encephalitis, and autoimmune encephalitis, Type Ⅱ bands took the majority of cerebrospinal fluid OCB-positive cases with the rates of 94.1% (301/320), 78.7% (70/89), 77.8% (14/18), and 77.6% (128/165) respectively, indicating intrathecal IgG synthesis; for patients with nervous system complication after HSCT, Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, type Ⅳ bands took the majority of cerebrospinal fluid OCB-positive cases with the rates of 94.7% (107/113), 82.8% (53/64) and 100% (8/8), indicating no obvious intrathecal IgG synthesis. The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands were significantly different among all groups (χ 2=1 268.31, P<0.001). Conclusion:The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands are different among different neurological disorders, in which the positive rate of cerebrospinal fluid OCB is higher with type Ⅱ bands as the majority type in multiple sclerosis, which indicates that the detection and typing of cerebrospinal fluid OCB are helpful for the diagnosis of various neurological diseases, especially for multiple sclerosis.

Objective:To establish a rapid and accurate method for the detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) carbapenemase gene based on recombinase aided amplification (RAA)-CRISPR-Cas13a (CRISPR-Cas13a) technology. Methods:Twenty-five clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and five carbapenem-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae (CSKP) strains preserved in 2020-2021 in Beijing Chuiyangliu Hospital were randomly collected, and the total DNA samples of the strains was extracted. RAA primers specific for KPC DNA and CRISPR RNA (crRNA) were designed to establish a rapid and accurate method for the detection of KPC carbapenemase gene based on RAA-CRISPR-Cas13a technology. The method was evaluated by plasmids and clinical sample strains, and the detection was also performed by Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method to compare the detection rate and consistency of the two methods. Results:The RAA-CRISPR-Cas13a method can detect KPC plasmids and samples with a sensitivity of 1 copy/μl, which is higher than that of qPCR (10 1 copies/μl). Among the 30 clinical strains (including 25 CRKP strains and 5 CSKP strains), 23 strains were detected to carry KPC gene by both RAA-CRISPR-Cas13a method and qPCR method, and 7 strains were not detected with KPC gene. The detection rate of KPC gene in the 25 CRKP strains was 92% (23/25). The positive coincidence rate of the two methods was 100% (23/23). Conclusions:This study combined RAA amplification technology with CRISPR-Cas13a technology to establish a rapid and accurate method for detecting KPC carbapenemase gene. The method is useful for accurate screening of KPC carbapenemase-producing strains. It has a wide application prospect in drug resistance monitoring and infection control.

Objective This study aims at establishing a teaching catalog and content for breast rare dis-eases and developing the syllabus for the breast rare disease using integrated multimodality of case-/problem-/resource-based learning(CBL+PBL+RBL).Methods By conducting bibliometrics co-occurrence analysis,we collected 6291 articles on breast rare disease published from January,1975 to June,2024.Additionally,we re-trieved the Textbook on Rare Diseases,the Catalog of Chinese Rare Disease,and Second Batch of Rare Dis-ease Catalog and then decided the teaching content.Results From 16,387 keywords,1000(6.1％)keywords were identified through co-occurrence analysis,including 50(0.3％)candidate diseases.These were classified into three categories:rare primary breast diseases,rare genetic mutation-related diseases associated with breast cancer,and rare systemic multi-system diseases involving the breast.From the candidate list,20(0.1％)rare primary breast diseases were further selected for their notable clinical teaching significance,and significant multi-systemic diseases affecting the breast,whether related to gene mutations or not.Teaching plans were draf-ted using a diversified parallel teaching approaches,taking into account the characteristics of different diseases and the focus of different teaching methods.Conclusions This study initiated the development of the teaching content for breast rare diseases and developed the teaching syllabus using the CBL+PBL+RBL integrated multi teaching model and targeting each rare breast disease for the critical point for teaching.

Calcium-activated chloride channels(CaCCs)are a class of channel proteins that trans-port chloride ions activated by intracellular calcium,which play a crucial role in regulating membrane potential,intracellular calcium balance,and cell excitability,particularly in neurons and muscle cells.In the Anoctamin(Ano)family,Ano1 is the most classic CaCC.Targeted modulators of Ano1 have poten-tial therapeutic effects against such diseases as cancer,cystic fibrosis,hypertension,diarrhea,and asthma.Since the discovery of Ano1 in 2008,several methods for screening CaCC-specific modulators have emerged including high-throughput primary screening of fluorescent proteins,electrophysiological patch clamp technique and virtual screening,and identification of small molecule modulators with diverse pharmacological effects.This paper summarizes the principles,advantages and disadvantages of the mainstream screening methods,and reviews the chemical structures and potential applications of Ano1-specific modulators discovered to date.

The increasing prevalence of metabolic diseases poses a significant threat to public health,high-lighting the urgent need to identify effective therapeutic targets.Humanin(HN),a 24-amino acid linear peptide synthe-sized from mitochondrial DNA,has been previously acknowledged for its neuroprotective properties.Recent research indi-cates that HN can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism and has shown promise in treating metabolic disorders in animal models using either HN or its analogs.This review outlines the fundamental biological functions and signal transduction mechanisms of HN,and comprehensively evaluates its role and therapeutic potential in type 2 diabetes mellitus,nonalco-holic fatty liver disease,atherosclerosis and polycystic ovary syndrome,aiming to examine the potential of HN as a target for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.