Objective: To investigate whether membrane vesicles (MVs) of Streptococcus mutans （S.mutans） contain autoinducer-2 (AI-2) and to preliminarily explore the effects of these MVs on the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. Methods: MVs were isolated from the S. mutans UA159 strain using differential centrifugation. The isolated MVs were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis for particle size and concentration and observed by transmission electron microscopy. The presence of AI-2 was identified using the Vibrio harveyi BB170 bioluminescence assay: the BB170 diluent was supplemented with AB medium (control group), MV extract (MVs group), pre-ultrafiltration supernatant (Sup group), or post-ultrafiltration supernatant (Sup-af group). The effects of MVs on growth and biofilm formation were assessed using the S.mutans UA159 strain or a luxS deletion mutant as the control group, compared with experimental groups stimulated with gradient concentrations of MVs (MVs-2.0E+7, MVs-2.0E+8, and MVs-2.0E+9 groups). Growth curves, MTT assay, and colony-forming unit (CFU) counts were used to determine changes in growth capacity. Biofilm formation was evaluated using crystal violet staining, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the anthrone method for polysaccharide quantification. Results: Enriched S. mutans MVs were successfully obtained, with an average particle size of approximately 94.19 nm and a concentration of 1.87E+11 particles/mL. The bioluminescence assay showed that the luminescence intensity of the Sup group was higher than that of the Sup-af group, and the MVs group exhibited higher intensity than the control group. Assessments via growth curves, MTT assay, and CFU counts indicated no significant differences in the growth capacity of the various S. mutans strains after treatment with different concentrations of MVs. Crystal violet staining quantification and confocal laser scanning microscopy observations revealed that high-concentration MV treatment (2.0E+9 particles/mL group) resulted in lower biofilm mass compared to the control. The anthrone method showed that the production of both water-soluble and water-insoluble polysaccharides was significantly lower in the high-concentration MV group than in the control. Conclusion S. mutans MVs contain the quorum sensing signal molecule AI-2. These MVs do not significantly affect the growth of S. mutans, but they can regulate biofilm formation and exhibit an inhibitory effect at high concentrations.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of individualized intermittent catheterization (IC) guided by 24-hour dynamic urine volume monitoring on bladder function and urinary tract infection complications in patients with neurogenic bladder (NB). MethodsA total of 50 NB patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from August, 2025 to June, 2026 were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 25) and experimental group (n = 25). The control group received routine timed/empirical IC, and the experimental group adopted dynamic urine volume-guided individualized IC, for a week. Urine leukocyte positive rate, urine bacterial positive rate, frequencies of single catheterized volume > 400 mL, 24-hour catheterization and 24-hour urine leakage were recorded before and after intervention. ResultsAfter intervention, the positive rates of urine leukocytes and urine bacteria were lower in the experimental group than in the control group (χ² > 5.094, P < 0.05), while the frequencies of single catheterized volume > 400 mL, 24-hour catheterization and 24-hour urine leakage were less (t > 2.078, P < 0.05). ConclusionThe individualized IC guided by 24-hour dynamic urine volume monitoring can accurately match individual urine secretion rhythm, reduce over-distension of bladder and unnecessary catheterization, and lower the incidence of urine leakage and urinary tract infection.

Biofilm formation is one of the key reasons that bacterial infections are difficult to treat.So it is of great significance to develop effective strategies to resist bacterial biofilms.Although antibiotics are important clinical tools for the treatment of bacterial infections,their therapeutic efficacy is often unsatisfactory when targeting bacterial biofilm-associated diseases.In this study,exopolysaccharides(EPS)from Escherichia coli(E.coli)were extracted and purified.It was demonstrated that the obtained E.coli EPS had the ability to inhibit methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)biofilm formation and disperse a mature biofilm.To improve the anti-biofilm effect of vancomycin(VAN),E.coli EPS was used in combination with VAN.The combination increased the inhibition rate of MRSA biofilm and increased the dispersion rate of mature biofilm from 10%to 80%.When combined with E.coli EPS,the number of bacterial colonies within the MRSA biofilm remarkably decreased by 88%,resulting in a significant improvement over the use of VAN alone at an equivalent concentration.Meanwhile,E.coli EPS could down-regulate the expression of MRSA biofilm-related genes.E.coli EPS showed good anti-biofilm effect,and E.coli EPS/VAN combination could provided a potential strategy for treatment of MRSA biofilm infections.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites with diverse subtypes of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. METHODS: A novel predicting risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs PREVENT equation was used to estimate the 10-year diverse subtypes of CVD risk, and their associations with PAH metabolites were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models, the weighted quantile sum (WQS) model, the quantile g-computation (qgcomp) model, and a stratified analysis of subgroups. RESULTS: For this study, six thousand seven hundred and forty-five participants were selected, and significant positive associations were observed between PAHs, naphthalene (NAP), and fluorene (FLU), and the risks of total CVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and heart failure (HF). NAP and FLU were the primary contributors to the effects of PAH mixtures, and their associations with total CVD, ASCVD, and HF risk were significant in younger participants (30 ≤ age < 50 years); however, the associations of phenanthrene (PHEN) with ASCVD, HF, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke were dominant in aging participants (age ≥ 50 years). Notably, pyrene (PYR) was negatively associated with the risk of ASCVD, HF, CHD, and stroke. Similarly, negative associations of PYR with the four CVD subtypes were noticeable in aging participants. CONCLUSION Different PAHs metabolites had different impacts on each CVD subtype among different age groups. Notably, the protective effects of PYR on ASCVD, HF, CHD, and stroke were noticeable in aging individuals.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases/chemically induced* ; Middle Aged ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/metabolism* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology*

Nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF), predominantly affecting the elderly, can lead to intractable pain, vertebral collapse, progressive kyphotic deformity, and neurological impairment, significantly compromising patients′ quality of life. There exists considerable debate on diagnosis and management of OVF, encompassing key issues such as clinical diagnosis and staging criteria for nonunion, surgical indications and procedure selection, and postoperative rehabilitation planning. Currently, there lacks standardized clinical guideline and expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of OVF nonunion in China. To address this gap, Minimally Invasive Surgery Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association, Osteoporosis Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for Osteoporosis of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Branch of China Association for Geriatric Care jointly organized domestic experts in spinal surgery, endocrinology, and rehabilitation to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment for nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures ( version 2025), based on existing literature and clinical experience and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and practicality. The guideline provided 13 evidence-based recommendations encompassing diagnosis and treatment of OVF nonunion, aiming to standardize its clinical management.

Objective:This study investigated the independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis（LNM）in high-risk prostate cancer（HRPCa）patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy（RARP），and constructed a nomogram model based on clinical data to improve the accuracy and clinical practicality of preoperative prediction of LNM.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 218 HRPCa patients who received RARP treatment at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from January 2020 to March 2025 as the modeling group. The age of the modeling group was（66.91±6.94）years old. 75 cases（34.40%）had a history of smoking，and 48 cases（22.02%）had a history of drinking. There were a body mass index（BMI）of 25.55（23.58，27.00）kg/m 2，a total prostate-specific antigen（tPSA）of 20.59（10.42，30.61）ng/ml，a free prostate-specific antigen（fPSA）of 1.87（1.04，3.26）ng/ml，a prostate volume（PV）of（41.19±21.00）ml，a prostate-specific antigen density（PSAD）of 0.52（0.30，0.84）ng/ml 2. Among the patients，60 cases（27.52%）had a preoperative biopsy Gleason score >8，and the percentage of positive biopsy cores（PPBC）was 50%（31%，80%）. Thirty-one patients（14.22%）were staged clinically as >T 2c. The diagnostic criteria for high-risk prostate cancer（HRPCa）were defined as meeting any one of the following：PSA >20 ng/ml，Gleason score on prostate biopsy ≥8，or clinical stage ≥T 3. Among the 218 patients in the modeling cohort，67 cases（30.73%）met two of the criteria，and 7 cases（3.21%）met all three criteria. All 218 patients underwent RARP，and based on postoperative pathology，they were divided into the LNM group and the non-LNM group. The relationship between the number of diagnostic criteria met and the occurrence of LNM was analyzed. An external validation cohort included 42 HRPCa patients who underwent RARP at the Third，Fifth Medical Centers of the PLA General Hospital between January 2023 and May 2025. Their mean age was（66.79±5.92）years. Eighteen patients（42.86%）had a smoking history，and nine（21.43%）had a history of alcohol consumption. The median BMI was 26.00（23.80，27.13）kg/m 2. The median tPSA level was 17.34（8.97，27.30）ng/ml. The median fPSA was 1.51（0.83，2.52）ng/ml，and the median PV was（35.57 ± 15.25）ml. The median PSAD was 0.57（0.23，0.87）ng/ml 2，and the median PPBC was 58%（36%，71%）. Three patients（7.14%）had a clinical stage >T 2c，and 12 patients（28.57%）had a Gleason score >8 on preoperative biopsy. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for LNM，and a nomogram model was constructed based on these factors. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curves and calibration plots，and the model was validated in the external cohort. Result:According to postoperative pathology，45 patients were classified into the LNM group，and 173 into the non-LNM group. The probability of LNM increased proportionally with the number of diagnostic criteria met for HRPCa（meeting two criteria： OR = 4.762，95% CI 2.323-9.761， P < 0.01；meeting three criteria： OR = 10.667，95% CI 2.187-52.025， P=0.003）. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age（ OR=0.913，95% CI 0.859-0.971， P = 0.004），tPSA（ OR=1.039，95% CI 1.018-1.061， P<0.01），PPBC（ OR = 5.656，95% CI 1.101-29.056， P = 0.038），and clinical T stage（T 2c stage： OR=2.945，95% CI 0.888-9.769， P=0.077；>T 2c stage OR = 18.351，95% CI 4.790-70.306， P < 0.01）were independent risk factors for postoperative LNM in HRPCa patients after RARP. The ROC curve of the nomogram model based on these factors showed an area under the curve（AUC）of 0.853（95% CI 0.790-0.917）. In the external validation cohort，the nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.743（95% CI 0.556-0.929）. The calibration plots demonstrated good agreement between the predicted probabilities and actual observations. Conclusions:Age，tPSA，PPBC，and clinical T stage were independent predictors of postoperative LNM in HRPCa patients undergoing RARP. The greater the number of HRPCa diagnostic criteria met，the higher the likelihood of postoperative LNM. The nomogram developed in this study could effectively predict the risk of LNM in HRPCa patients after RARP.

Ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA)is a naturally occurring,low-toxicity,and hydrophilic bile acid(BA)in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA.Solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate,and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers.Retroperitoneal liposarcoma(RLPS)refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area.Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly down-regulated metabolites in sera of RIPS patients compared with healthy subjects.The augmentation of UDCA concentration(≥25 μg/mL)demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells.[15N2]-cystine and[13Cs]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione(GSH)synthesis.Mechanistically,UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis,leading to reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage.Furthermore,UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers(Erastin,RSL3),the murine double minute 2(MDM2)inhibitors(Nutlin 3a,RG7112),cyclin dependent kinase 4(CDK4)inhibitor(Abemaciclib),and glutaminase inhibitor(CB839).Together,UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity,and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA.More importantly,in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments,UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF), predominantly affecting the elderly, can lead to intractable pain, vertebral collapse, progressive kyphotic deformity, and neurological impairment, significantly compromising patients′ quality of life. There exists considerable debate on diagnosis and management of OVF, encompassing key issues such as clinical diagnosis and staging criteria for nonunion, surgical indications and procedure selection, and postoperative rehabilitation planning. Currently, there lacks standardized clinical guideline and expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of OVF nonunion in China. To address this gap, Minimally Invasive Surgery Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association, Osteoporosis Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for Osteoporosis of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Branch of China Association for Geriatric Care jointly organized domestic experts in spinal surgery, endocrinology, and rehabilitation to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment for nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures ( version 2025), based on existing literature and clinical experience and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and practicality. The guideline provided 13 evidence-based recommendations encompassing diagnosis and treatment of OVF nonunion, aiming to standardize its clinical management.

Objective:To analysis the current utilization of nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment equipments in Gansu province, evaluate the fairness of its distribution and provide a theoretical basis for government decision-making and the allocation of nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment resources.Methods:In May 2023, Basic data were collected through questionnaires from the "Occupational Radiation Disease Monitoring" and "Radiation Protection Monitoring in Medical and Health Institutions" projects undertaken by Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.The Gini coefficient and Theil index were calculated using STATA SE software to evaluate the equity of clinical nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment resource allocation. Simultaneously, personal dose monitoring was conducted for nuclear medicine personnel. The fairness of clinical nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment resource allocation was evaluated using the Gini coefficient and Theil index.Results:As of December 31, 2023, a total of 12 medical institutions in Gansu Province engaged in nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment, employing 137 nuclear medicine radiation workers. Throughout the province, there were a total of 3 PET/CT scanners, 13 SPECT scanners and 3 medical cyclotrons available. In addition, 33712 nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures and 9365 various types of nuclear medicine treatments were administered over the year, resulting in a diagnostic frequency of 1.35 procedures per thousand population and a treatment frequency of 0.37 procedures per thousand population. The Gini coefficients for nuclear medicine personnel, equipment and diagnostic and treatment applications calculated per capita were 0.50, 0.53 and 0.61, respectively. The corresponding Theil indices were 0.0672, 0.0669 and 0.1277. In 2023, the average annual effective dose from external exposure for nuclear medicine workers was 0.37 mSv per person, while the average annual effective dose from internal exposure to thyroid 131I for nuclear medicine workers was 1.41 mSv. Conclusion:The distribution of nuclear medicine health resources and applications in Gansu Province is uneven. Greater emphasis should be placed on strengthening the adjustment of nuclear medicine resource allocation between regions, continuously promoting coordinated development within regions, and improving dose monitoring for nuclear medicine personnel.

Objective:This study investigated the independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis（LNM）in high-risk prostate cancer（HRPCa）patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy（RARP），and constructed a nomogram model based on clinical data to improve the accuracy and clinical practicality of preoperative prediction of LNM.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 218 HRPCa patients who received RARP treatment at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from January 2020 to March 2025 as the modeling group. The age of the modeling group was（66.91±6.94）years old. 75 cases（34.40%）had a history of smoking，and 48 cases（22.02%）had a history of drinking. There were a body mass index（BMI）of 25.55（23.58，27.00）kg/m 2，a total prostate-specific antigen（tPSA）of 20.59（10.42，30.61）ng/ml，a free prostate-specific antigen（fPSA）of 1.87（1.04，3.26）ng/ml，a prostate volume（PV）of（41.19±21.00）ml，a prostate-specific antigen density（PSAD）of 0.52（0.30，0.84）ng/ml 2. Among the patients，60 cases（27.52%）had a preoperative biopsy Gleason score >8，and the percentage of positive biopsy cores（PPBC）was 50%（31%，80%）. Thirty-one patients（14.22%）were staged clinically as >T 2c. The diagnostic criteria for high-risk prostate cancer（HRPCa）were defined as meeting any one of the following：PSA >20 ng/ml，Gleason score on prostate biopsy ≥8，or clinical stage ≥T 3. Among the 218 patients in the modeling cohort，67 cases（30.73%）met two of the criteria，and 7 cases（3.21%）met all three criteria. All 218 patients underwent RARP，and based on postoperative pathology，they were divided into the LNM group and the non-LNM group. The relationship between the number of diagnostic criteria met and the occurrence of LNM was analyzed. An external validation cohort included 42 HRPCa patients who underwent RARP at the Third，Fifth Medical Centers of the PLA General Hospital between January 2023 and May 2025. Their mean age was（66.79±5.92）years. Eighteen patients（42.86%）had a smoking history，and nine（21.43%）had a history of alcohol consumption. The median BMI was 26.00（23.80，27.13）kg/m 2. The median tPSA level was 17.34（8.97，27.30）ng/ml. The median fPSA was 1.51（0.83，2.52）ng/ml，and the median PV was（35.57 ± 15.25）ml. The median PSAD was 0.57（0.23，0.87）ng/ml 2，and the median PPBC was 58%（36%，71%）. Three patients（7.14%）had a clinical stage >T 2c，and 12 patients（28.57%）had a Gleason score >8 on preoperative biopsy. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for LNM，and a nomogram model was constructed based on these factors. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curves and calibration plots，and the model was validated in the external cohort. Result:According to postoperative pathology，45 patients were classified into the LNM group，and 173 into the non-LNM group. The probability of LNM increased proportionally with the number of diagnostic criteria met for HRPCa（meeting two criteria： OR = 4.762，95% CI 2.323-9.761， P < 0.01；meeting three criteria： OR = 10.667，95% CI 2.187-52.025， P=0.003）. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age（ OR=0.913，95% CI 0.859-0.971， P = 0.004），tPSA（ OR=1.039，95% CI 1.018-1.061， P<0.01），PPBC（ OR = 5.656，95% CI 1.101-29.056， P = 0.038），and clinical T stage（T 2c stage： OR=2.945，95% CI 0.888-9.769， P=0.077；>T 2c stage OR = 18.351，95% CI 4.790-70.306， P < 0.01）were independent risk factors for postoperative LNM in HRPCa patients after RARP. The ROC curve of the nomogram model based on these factors showed an area under the curve（AUC）of 0.853（95% CI 0.790-0.917）. In the external validation cohort，the nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.743（95% CI 0.556-0.929）. The calibration plots demonstrated good agreement between the predicted probabilities and actual observations. Conclusions:Age，tPSA，PPBC，and clinical T stage were independent predictors of postoperative LNM in HRPCa patients undergoing RARP. The greater the number of HRPCa diagnostic criteria met，the higher the likelihood of postoperative LNM. The nomogram developed in this study could effectively predict the risk of LNM in HRPCa patients after RARP.