Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of statutory infectious diseases in Yichang City from 2015 to 2023 and evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in infectious disease prevention and control, and to provide a basis for formulating prevention and control strategies. Methods Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze annual incidence rates. SARIMA and SARIMA intervention models were constructed to predict the incidence rates of infectious diseases. Interrupted time series analysis (ITS) was applied to assess the control effectiveness. Results The average annual incidence rate from 2015 to 2023 was 787.47/100 000, with the top five diseases being influenza, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases. The average incidence rate from 2015 to 2019 (654.31/100 000) was significantly higher than that from 2020 to 2022 (489.01/100 000) (χ²= 3 499.6, P < 0.05). The total incidence rate in 2023 (2 396.51/100 000) was significantly higher than the average annual incidence rates from 2015-2019 (χ²= 108 186.1, P < 0.05) and 2020-2022 (χ²= 112 869.4, P < 0.05). SARIMA model results indicated that the actual incidence rate from 2020 to 2022 decreased by 73.49% compared to the predicted rate without intervention, with the highest decline observed in respiratory infectious diseases (79.57%). The SARIMA-intervention model showed a 55.48% relative decrease in the total incidence rate for 2023, with the largest reduction in respiratory infectious diseases (63.28%) and a slight increase in intestinal infectious diseases (5.48%). Conclusion NPIs effectively reduce the incidence of statutory infectious diseases in the short term, especially for acute respiratory and intestinal infectious diseases. However, long-term effectiveness faces challenges, necessitating the development of differentiated prevention and control strategies.

Normal tension glaucoma （NTG） is recognized as a distinct subtype of primary open-angle glaucoma， characterized by normal intraocular pressure （IOP<21 mmHg） in conjunction with progressive optic neuropathy， retinal ganglion cell （RGC） apoptosis， and visual field defects. The pathogenesis of NTG is predominantly independent of IOP， with fundamental processes involving genetic and mitochondrial factors， including RGC degeneration， neuroinflammation， mitochondrial dysfunction， and genetic predisposition. This article systematically reviews the IOP-independent and gene-driven mechanisms underlying NTG， with a particular focus on the roles of OPTN， TBK1， FOXC1， and OPA1 in inducing RGC damage through pathways such as mitochondrial dysfunction， glial cell activation， inflammatory signaling， apoptosis， and axonal degeneration. Among these genes， OPTN and TBK1 collectively contribute to the development of NTG by disrupting autophagy-mitochondrial homeostasis， causing defects in axonal transport， and activating neuroinflammatory pathways. FOXC1 is implicated in the progression of RGC degeneration through transcriptional regulation， while mutations in OPA1 lead to mitochondria-dependent RGC apoptosis.Additionally， this article provides a comprehensive review of the epigenetic regulation of METTL23， mitochondrial DNA mutations， the role of Alcadein α in axonal transport， the correlation between genes associated with primary open-angle glaucoma （POAG） and normal-tension glaucoma （NTG）， as well as susceptibility loci identified through genome-wide association studies （GWAS）. In the realm of translational research， recent advancements in therapeutic studies encompass strategies such as targeting OPTN E50K， inhibiting CRMP2 phosphorylation， and employing gene augmentation， gene silencing， and gene editing techniques. The etiology of NTG is complex， predominantly independent of intraocular pressure （IOP）， and arises from the interplay between genetic and environmental factors. This article seeks to promote mechanism-based technological innovation， optimize neuroprotective strategies for NTG， and enhance clinical translation， ultimately aiming to achieve precise treatment and improve visual function outcomes for patients.

Objective:Utilizing the principles of mechanical vibrations dissections and low-temperature coagulation of harmonic scalpel, and combining the magnifying effect of 3D thoracoscopy and the advantage of low trauma, we used harmonic scalpel to harvest the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) under thoracoscopy, and explored the feasibility and early effect of harmonic scalpel in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG).Methods:A total of 488 patients who underwent MICABG from July 2021 to December 2023 in Dong E Hospital were collected. Among them, 347 patients was harvested using harmonic scalpel under thoracoscopy. Following anastomosis, the blood flow and pulsatility index (PI) from the graft to the target vessel were determined using a transit time flow meter (MiraQ, Medistim, Norway), and patency was checked. Data from 347 patients were analyzed.Results:All 347 patients were performed under non-extracorporeal circulation and successful graft patency was achieved in all patients. Analysis of 79 patients revealed a median time to LIMA acquisition of 32 min and a median length of acquisition of 15 cm. No graft-related events or complications occurred in any of the patients, and 2 patients died postoperatively. During a median follow-up of 12.1 months, only one patient experienced graft occlusion necessitating intervention.Conclusion:The utilization of harmonic scalpel for LIMA harvesting in MICABG is feasible and yields stable early results.

Serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type (SPINK) is a skin keratinizing protease inhibitor, which was initially found in animal serum and is widely present in plants, animals, bacteria, and viruses, and they act as key regulators of skin keratinizing proteases and are involved in the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation and inflammation, primarily through the inhibition of deregulated tissue kinin-releasing enzymes (KLKs) in skin response. This process plays a crucial role in alleviating various skin problems caused by hyperkeratinization and inflammation, and can greatly improve the overall condition of the skin. Specifically, the different members of the SPINK family, such as SPINK5, SPINK6, SPINK7, and SPINK9, each have unique biological functions and mechanisms of action. The existence of these members demonstrates the diversity and complexity of skin health and disease. First, SPINK5 mutations are closely associated with the development of various skin diseases, such as Netherton’s syndrome and atopic dermatitis, and SPINK5 is able to inhibit the activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby effectively preventing the metastasis of melanoma cells, which is important in preventing the invasion and migration of malignant tumors. Secondly, SPINK6 is mainly distributed in the epidermis and contains lysine and glutamate residues, which can act as a substrate for epidermal transglutaminase to maintain the normal structure and function of the skin. In addition, SPINK6 can activate the intracellular ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways through the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor and protease receptor-2 (EphA2), which can promote the migration of melanoma cells, and SPINK6 further deepens its role in stimulating the migration of malignant tumor cells by inhibiting the activation of STAT3 signaling pathway. This process further deepens its potential impact in stimulating tumor invasive migration. Furthermore, SPINK7 plays a role in the pathology of some inflammatory skin diseases, and is likely to be an important factor contributing to the exacerbation of skin diseases by promoting aberrant proliferation of keratinocytes and local inflammatory responses. Finally, SPINK9 can induce cell migration and promote skin wound healing by activating purinergic receptor 2 (P2R) to induce phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor and further activating the downstream ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In addition, SPINK9 also plays an antimicrobial role, preventing the interference of some pathogenic microorganisms. Taken as a whole, some members of the SPINK family may be potential targets for the treatment of dermatological disorders by regulating multiple biological processes such as keratinization metabolism and immuno-inflammatory processes in the skin. The development of drugs such as small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies has great potential for the treatment of dermatologic diseases, and future research on SPINK will help to gain a deeper understanding of the physiopathologic processes of the skin. Through its functions and regulatory mechanisms, the formation and maintenance of the skin barrier and the occurrence and development of inflammatory responses can be better understood, which will provide novel ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of skin diseases.

Primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)is the most common type of glaucoma, with common causes including variations in trabecular tissue and increased venous pressure. POAG has a certain genetic tendency, and POAG with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern is mainly caused by single gene mutations. Studies have found that the pathogenesis of POAG may be related to key pathogenic genes(MYOC, OPTN, WDR 36), as well as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and epigenetic regulation. At present, the clinical treatment options for POAG mainly include enhancing trabecular meshwork function, inhibiting aqueous humor production, neuroprotection and regeneration of retinal ganglion cells, and applying gene editing technology, all of which have achieved certain results. However, there is no unified research on the relationship between the occurrence of POAG and genes, as well as treatment plans. The article explores new targets and treatment strategies for POAG gene therapy by analyzing the role of genes in the pathogenesis of POAG, aiming to provide reference for clinical treatment of this disease.

This study investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of vanillic acid(VA) against cardiac fibrosis(CF) induced by isoproterenol(ISO) in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, VA group(100 mg·kg~(-1), ig), ISO group(10 mg·kg~(-1), sc), ISO + VA group(10 mg·kg~(-1), sc + 100 mg·kg~(-1), ig), ISO + dynamin-related protein 1(Drp1) inhibitor(Mdivi-1) group(10 mg·kg~(-1), sc + 50 mg·kg~(-1), ip), and ISO + VA + Mdivi-1 group(10 mg·kg~(-1), sc + 100 mg·kg~(-1), ig + 50 mg·kg~(-1), ip). The treatment groups received the corresponding medications once daily for 14 consecutive days. On the day after the last administration, cardiac functions were evaluated, and serum and cardiac tissue samples were collected. These samples were analyzed for serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB), cardiac troponin I(cTnI), reactive oxygen species(ROS), interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) levels, as well as cardiac tissue catalase(CAT), glutathione(GSH), malondialdehyde(MDA), myeloperoxidase(MPO), superoxide dismutase(SOD), total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) activities, and cytochrome C levels in mitochondria and cytoplasm. Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, uranium acetate and lead citrate staining were used to observe morphological and mitochondrial ultrastructural changes in the cardiac tissues, and myocardial injury area and collagen volume fraction were calculated. Flow cytometry was applied to detect the relative content and M1/M2 polarization of cardiac macrophages. The mRNA expression levels of macrophage polarization markers [CD86, CD206, arginase 1(Arg-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)], CF markers [type Ⅰ collagen(Coll Ⅰ), Coll Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)], and cytokines(IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, TNF-α) in cardiac tissues were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of Coll Ⅰ, Coll Ⅲ, α-SMA, Drp1, p-Drp1, voltage-dependent anion channel(VDAC), hexokinase 1(HK1), NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), caspase-1, cleaved-caspase-1, gasdermin D(GSDMD), cleaved N-terminal gasdermin D(GSDMD-N), IL-1β, IL-18, B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), B-cell lymphoma-xl(Bcl-xl), Bcl-2-associated death promoter(Bad), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), apoptotic protease activating factor-1(Apaf-1), pro-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3, pro-caspase-9, cleaved-caspase-9, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1(PARP-1), and cleaved-PARP-1 in cardiac tissues. The results showed that VA significantly improved cardiac function in mice with CF, reduced myocardial injury area and cardiac index, and decreased serum levels of AST, CK-MB, cTnI, LDH, ROS, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α. VA also lowered MDA and MPO levels, mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α, and mRNA and protein expressions of Coll Ⅰ, Coll Ⅲ, and α-SMA in cardiac tissues, and increased serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10, cardiac tissue levels of CAT, GSH, SOD, and T-AOC, and mRNA expressions of IL-4 and IL-10. Additionally, VA ameliorated cardiac pathological damage, inhibited myocardial cell apoptosis, inflammatory infiltration, and collagen fiber deposition, reduced collagen volume fraction, and alleviated mitochondrial damage. VA decreased the ratio of F4/80~+CD86~+ M1 cells and the mRNA expressions of CD86 and iNOS in cardiac tissue, and increased the ratio of F4/80~+CD206~+ M2 cells and the mRNA expressions of CD206 and Arg-1. VA also reduced protein expressions of p-Drp1, VDAC, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, cleaved-caspase-1, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, IL-18, Bad, Bax, Apaf-1, cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9, cleaved-PARP-1, and cytoplasmic cytochrome C, and increased the expressions of HK1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, pro-caspase-3, pro-caspase-9 proteins, as well as the Bcl-2/Bax and Bcl-xl/Bad ratios and mitochondrial cytochrome C content. These results indicate that VA has a significant ameliorative effect on ISO-induced CF in mice, alleviates ISO-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory response, and its mechanism may be closely related to the inhibition of Drp1/HK1/NLRP3 and mitochondrial apoptosis signaling pathways, suppression of myocardial cell inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition, reduction of collagen volume fraction and CollⅠ, Coll Ⅲ, and α-SMA expressions, thus mitigating CF.
Animals ; Isoproterenol/adverse effects* ; Male ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Vanillic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Dynamins/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Fibrosis/genetics* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Humans

Objective:Utilizing the principles of mechanical vibrations dissections and low-temperature coagulation of harmonic scalpel, and combining the magnifying effect of 3D thoracoscopy and the advantage of low trauma, we used harmonic scalpel to harvest the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) under thoracoscopy, and explored the feasibility and early effect of harmonic scalpel in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG).Methods:A total of 488 patients who underwent MICABG from July 2021 to December 2023 in Dong E Hospital were collected. Among them, 347 patients was harvested using harmonic scalpel under thoracoscopy. Following anastomosis, the blood flow and pulsatility index (PI) from the graft to the target vessel were determined using a transit time flow meter (MiraQ, Medistim, Norway), and patency was checked. Data from 347 patients were analyzed.Results:All 347 patients were performed under non-extracorporeal circulation and successful graft patency was achieved in all patients. Analysis of 79 patients revealed a median time to LIMA acquisition of 32 min and a median length of acquisition of 15 cm. No graft-related events or complications occurred in any of the patients, and 2 patients died postoperatively. During a median follow-up of 12.1 months, only one patient experienced graft occlusion necessitating intervention.Conclusion:The utilization of harmonic scalpel for LIMA harvesting in MICABG is feasible and yields stable early results.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between bladder mucosal smoothness (BMS) and early urinary continence recovery following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 192 prostate cancer patients who underwent LRP at Peking University Third Hospital between January 2016 and March 2020. The patients' average age was (69.1±8.0) years old, and the median pre-biopsy PSA level was 12.23 (7.45, 20.36) ng/ml. There were 69 patients (35.9%) with a Gleason score <7 and 123 patients (64.1%) with a Gleason score ≥7. Clinical staging showed that 92 patients (47.9%) were in stage T 1/T 2, and 100 patients (52.1%) were in stage T 3. All patients underwent MRI before prostate biopsy. The preoperative MRI measured the prostate volume (PV) as 35.4 (26.3, 51.1) ml, and membranous urethral length (MUL) as (13.9±3.5) mm. The intravesical prostatic protrusion length (IPPL) was <5 mm in 128 patients (66.7%) and ≥5 mm in 64 patients (33.3%). All patients completed MRI examination before biopsy, BMS was defined into four grades according to MRI: grade 0, the bladder mucosa is completely smooth; grade 1, a small amount of unevenness and bumps can be seen in the bladder mucosa; grade 2, fissures can be seen in the bladder mucosa, less than half of the bladder wall, or bladder diverticulum; grade 3, the bladder fissure exceeds half of the bladder wall, or fissure progresses to a small loss of muscularis. In this study, there were 63 patients (32.8%) with grade 0, 95 patients (49.5%) with grade 1, and 34 patients (17.7%) with grade 2-3. Postoperatively, patients were followed up monthly from the first month onwards to assess urinary continence recovery, defined as not requiring pads throughout the day. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to identify risk factors affecting early postoperative urinary continence recovery, and log-rank test was used to compare postoperative urinary continence recovery curves among different groups. Results:All surgeries were successfully completed. The complete urinary continence rates at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively were 40.1% (77/192), 57.8% (111/192), 71.9% (138/192), and 90.1% (173/192), respectively.In the univariate analysis of urinary incontinence, the proportion of urinary incontinence was lower in patients with PV <40 ml than that in patients with PV ≥40 ml [33.0% (38/115) vs. 55.8% (43/77), P<0.05]. The proportion of urinary incontinence in patients with maximum urethral length (MUL) <14 mm was higher than that in patients with MUL ≥14 mm [75.7% (56/74) vs. 21.2% (25/118), P<0.05]. The proportion of urinary incontinence in patients with the interpubic prostate length (IPPL) <5 mm was lower than that in patients with IPPL ≥5 mm [26.6% (34/128) vs. 73.4% (47/64), P<0.05]. The proportion of urinary incontinence was lower in the group with a BMS of 0 compared to those with BMS of 1 and BMS of 2-3 [23.8% (15/63) vs. 47.4% (45/95) vs. 61.8% (21/34), P<0.05]. These results indicated that the differences in urinary incontinence proportions across these indicators are statistically significant. Multivariate analysis indicated that MUL, IPPL, and BMS were independent risk factors for early postoperative urinary incontinence(all P<0.05). The log-rank test demonstrated that differences in postoperative urinary continence recovery among groups with different PV ( P<0.05), MUL, IPPL, and BMS were all statistically significant(all P<0.05). Conclusions:Higher BMS grades are an independent risk factor for early postoperative urinary incontinence. Preoperative MUL, IPPL, PV, and BMS are correlated with urinary continence recovery after LRP. These findings require further validation in larger clinical studies.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of percutaneous kidney-sparing surgery(PCKSS)for the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data and oncological characteristics of 11 cases of UTUC treated with PCKSS at our hospital from January 2018 to December 2023.After establishing a percutaneous renal working channel,a laser fiber or plasma resection device was inserted through the nephroscope to remove the tumor piece by piece along the edge of the tumor by 0.5 cm.Results All the 11 cases of PCKSS surgery were successfully completed,with 3 cases having multiple tumors.The surgical time was 75-216 min(median,150 min),and the intraoperative bleeding volume was 20-400 ml(median,150 ml).Postoperative pathological diagnosis showed 9 cases of high-grade UTUC,including 3 cases of G2 grade and 6 cases of G3 grade,with 5 cases in pTa phase and 4 cases in pT1 phase.In 2 cases with preoperative ureteroscopic biopsy showing high-grade pTa phase UTUC,no definite tumor was found during the PCKSS due to shallow sampling and obvious tissue burning.The average postoperative hospitalization time was(6.9±2.6)d.The 1 1 cases were followed up for 2-55 months(median,12 months),and there were 4 cases of recurrence,including 2 deaths,and 7 cases of recurrence free survival.Conclusions PCKSS has certain application value for treating UTUC with renal insufficiency.However,it is necessary to carefully select suitable patients before surgery,and strict and regular follow-up is required after surgery.

Objective:To investigate the postoperative renal function and oncologic outcomes of cystic renal cell carcinoma with partial nephrectomy,and to compared the single-center data on surgical out-comes with the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database.Methods:This was a retrospective study that included the patients with cystic renal cell carcinoma who underwent partial ne-phrectomy in the Department of Urology,Peking University Third Hospital(PUTH)from 2010 to 2023.The clinical data and depicting baseline characteristics were collected.Renal dynamic imaging and the Chinese Coefficients for Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration(C-CKD-EPI)formulae were used to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR).The renal function curves over time were then plotted,and the patients were followed-up to record their survival status.Cases of cystic renal cell carcinoma in the SEER database between 2000 and 2020 were included,propensity score matching(PSM)was performed to balance the differences between SEER cohort and PUTH cohort,and the cancer-specific survival(CSS)curves for both groups were plotted and statistical differences were calcu-lated by the Kaplan-Meier method.Results:A total of 38 and 385 patients were included in the PUTH cohort and SEER cohort,respectively,and 31 and 72 patients were screened in each cohort after PSM.Of the baseline characteristics,only tumor size(P=0.042)was found to differ statistically between the two groups.There was no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts in terms of CSS after PSM(P=0.556).The median follow-up time in the SEER cohort was 112.5(65,152)months and a 10-year survival rate of 97.2％,while the PUTH cohort had a median follow-up of 57.0(20,1 172)months and a 10-year survival rate of 100.0％.There was no statistically significant difference between eGFR determined by preoperative renal dynamic imaging and the results of the C-CKD-EPI formulae based on creatinine estimation(P=0.073).There was a statistically significant difference in eGFR among the preoperative,short-term postoperative,and long-term postoperative(P＜0.001),which was characterized by the presence of a decline in renal function in the short-term postoperative period and the recovery of renal function in the long-term period.Conclusion:Partial nephrectomy for cystic renal cell carcinoma is safe and feasible with favorable renal function and oncologic outcomes.