Objective:To investigate the therapeutic value of visual endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (vERAT) in pediatric patients with acute suppurative appendicitis (ASA).Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 55 ASA patients who underwent vERAT at the Pediatric Department of the Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University between November 2023 and January 2025 were selected and divided into groups based on the presence or absence of fecaliths: fecalith group and non-fecalith group. The baseline characteristics, initial treatment success rates, treatment costs, hospital stay duration, procedure time, and recurrence rates between two groups were compared. Mann-Whitney U test and χ2 test were used to evaluate group differences. Results:A total of 55 ASA patients were enrolled, including 38 males and 17 females, with the age of 11.2 (9.2, 13.1) years. Based on the presence of fecaliths, patients were divided into two groups: fecalith group (32 cases) and non-fecalith group (23 cases). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of age, gender, duration of abdominal pain, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, diameter of appendix, thickness of appendix clinical symptoms or signs (all P>0.05). The initial treatment success rates were 91% (29/32) in fecalith group and 96% (22/23) in non-fecalith group, with no statistically significant difference ( P=0.632). However, significant differences were noted in stent placement ( χ2=5.85, P=0.026) and procedure time ( Z=4.75, P<0.001). The follow-up duration time was 6.0 (2.0, 12.0) and 7.0 (2.0, 8.5) months for the fecalith and non-fecalith groups, respectively, with no significant difference ( Z=0.05, P=0.962). The recurrence rates were 14% (4/29) in fecalith group and 5% (1/22) in non-fecalith group, with no statistically significant difference ( P=0.375). Conclusions:vERAT can safely and effectively treat pediatric ASA, regardless of the presence or absence of fecaliths. It can provide a new treatment option for ASA.

Objective:To investigate the sero-conversion rate of HIV antibody and influencing factors in cross-border couples in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture(Dehong).Methods:A cohort design was used to recruit HIV-negative people in cross-border couples in Dehong in 2017. Follow-up was conducted in 2023, and questionnaire survey and HIV test were carried out to calculate the sero-conversion rate of HIV antibody. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the influence factors for HIV infections.Results:A total of 36 278 HIV-negative persons in cross-border couples were included in the 2017 baseline survey, of whom 22 438 (61.9%) were tested in follow-up in 2023. The sero-conversion rate between 2017 and 2023 was 0.51% (115/22 438). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that length of marriage <6 years, Jingpo ethnic group, education level of primary school or below, drug use, illegal marriage and HIV infected spouse were the risk factors of HIV infection in male spouses, and length of marriage <6 years, Jingpo ethnic group, illegal marriage and HIV infected spouse were the risk factors in female spouses.Conclusions:The sero-conversion rate of HIV antibody in cross-border couples in Dehong was relatively high. HIV infection was mainly caused by secondary transmission in the couples, and men might also be infected through drug use. It is necessary to strengthen the registration and management of cross-border couples, especially the couples with discordant HIV infection status, and the intervention in drug users to reduce the risk for secondary transmission of HIV in the cross-border couples.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of shortening the time of long exercise test (LET) from 120 to 60 minutes by analyzing the positive rate within 60 minutes among periodic paralysis (PP) patients who were positive in 120-minute test.Methods:The data of patients undergoing 120-minute LET from January 2015 to October 2021 in Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed, with 30%, 33%, and 40% as diagnostic cut-off values, respectively. PP patients with positive results within 120 minutes after exercise were enrolled in the study. The positive rate within 30 minutes and 60 minutes after exercise was calculated. The change rates of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude and the sensitivity and specificity of LET at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes after exercise were analyzed. The change rate of CMAP amplitude in PP patients who did not show positive results within 60 minutes was further calculated.Results:A total of 254 patients were examined, including 114 PP patients. With 30%, 33%, and 40% as diagnostic cut-off values, the results showed that there were 88, 88, and 82 positive PP patients, respectively. Under each diagnostic cut-off values, the age of positive PP patients was (32±10) years, with a male proportion of 98% (86/88), 98% (86/88), and 99% (81/82), respectively; the positive rate of PP patients within 30 minutes after exercise was 60% (53/88), 58% (51/88), and 41% (34/82), respectively; the positive rate of PP patients within 60 minutes after exercise was 91% (80/88), 86% (76/88), and 83% (68/82), respectively. At the cut-off values of 30%, 33% and 40%, the change rate of CMAP amplitude at 30 minutes [-36% (-49%, -23%), -36% (-49%, -23%), -37% (-51%, -24%)], 60 minutes [-51% (-66%, -40%), -51% (-66%, -40%), -53% (-66%, -42%)] and 120 minutes [-57% (-67%, -45%), -57% (-67%, -45%), -58% (-67%, -46%)] after exercise showed statistically significant difference among 3 time points ( H=57.764, 57.764, 59.616, respectively, all P<0.001); the further comparison between time points showed that there was statistically significant difference in the change rate of CMAP amplitude between 60 minutes ( Z=5.419, 5.419, 5.531, respectively, all P<0.001), 120 minutes ( Z=7.325, 7.325, 7.431, respectively, all P<0.001) and 30 minutes after exercise, but there was no statistically significant difference in the change rate of CMAP amplitude between 120 minutes and 60 minutes after exercise ( Z=1.906, 1.906, 1.899, respectively, all P>0.05); the sensitivity of LET for the diagnosis of PP at 60 minutes after exercise was 70.2% (80/114), 66.7% (76/114) and 59.6% (68/114), and the specificity of LET for the diagnosis of PP was 77.9% (109/140), 84.3% (118/140) and 91.4%(128/140), respectively. When 30%, 33% and 40% were used as the diagnostic cut-off values, and the change rate of CMAP amplitude at 60 minutes after exercise fell below these cut-off values but showed a decline of ≥20%, ≥22% and ≥24%, respectively, the detection time should be extended to 120 minutes. Conclusions:Whether using 30%, 33%, or 40% as diagnostic cut-off values, it is feasible to shorten the LET time from 120 minutes to 60 minutes. The 60-minute LET has good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of PP. It is recommended to extend the detection time to 120 minutes for patients with a ≥20%, ≥22%, or ≥24% decline in CMAP amplitude at 60 minutes after exercise while falling short of corresponding diagnostic cut-off values when 30%, 33%, and 40% are used as diagnostic cut-off values. This method can not only improve the examination efficiency of LET, but also minimize the missed diagnosis as much as possible.

ObjectiveTo optimize Tusizi prescription for ovarian reserve function based on the uniform design method combined with in vitro experiments and explore the underlying mechanisms of this prescription. MethodsThe uniform design method was adopted to design a 5-factor 11-level experiment on the water extract of Tusizi prescription. The cell-counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was employed to measure the viability of human ovarian granulosa cells （KGN cells） treated with Tusizi prescription extracts 1-11， and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the optimal herb ratio in this prescription. The potential targets of active ingredients in the prescription were retrieved from traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and encyclopedia of traditional Chinese medicine （ETCM）. The common targets shared by Tusizi prescription and diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） were selected and imported into search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins （STRING） to construct a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network and into gene function annotation database （DAVID） for gene ontology （GO） analysis. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure the viability of ovarian germline stem cells treated with hyperoside. The CCK-8 assay， 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EdU） staining， terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL）， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were employed to examine the proliferation， apoptosis， and estradiol （E₂） secretion of KGN cells treated with the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design. On this basis， the optimal prescription composition for maximizing the effect on ovarian reserve function was determined and preliminary insights into the underlying mechanisms of this prescription were gained. ResultsA total of 147 common targets were obtained from 278 targets of Tusizi prescription and 1 721 targets of DOR. GO analysis revealed 194 biological processes， primarily involving cellular responses to exogenous compound stimuli， negative regulation of apoptotic process， and positive regulation of cell proliferation. It identified 84 cellular components， including cell membrane， mitochondria， and neuronal cell body， as well as 144 molecular functions such as enzyme binding， estrogen response element binding， and nuclear estrogen receptor binding. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that when Tusizi prescription was composed of Cuscutae Semen， Lycii Fructus， Dioscoreae Rhizoma， Poria， and Nelumbinis Semen in a ratio of 27∶30∶17∶12∶14， the water extract of Tusizi prescription had the best effect of enhancing the viability of KGN cells. CCK-8 results showed that compared with the normal group， the hyperoside group demonstrated increased viability of ovarian germline stem cells （P<0.01）. The CCK-8， EdU， and ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the optimal prescription screened by uniform design and the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription increased the proliferation and reduced the apoptosis of KGN cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription promoted the E₂ secretion of KGN cells （P<0.05）， while the optimal prescription screened by uniform design had no significant effect on the E₂ secretion. ConclusionBoth the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 27∶30∶17∶12∶14） can improve the ovarian reserve function， and the former has better effect. Tusizi prescription can modulate biological processes （such as cell proliferation and apoptosis） and molecular functions （such as enzyme binding and estrogen response element binding） through active components like hyperoside to promote the proliferation and E₂ secretion and inhibit the apoptosis of KGN cells， thereby protecting the ovarian reserve function.

ObjectiveTo optimize Tusizi prescription for ovarian reserve function based on the uniform design method combined with in vitro experiments and explore the underlying mechanisms of this prescription. MethodsThe uniform design method was adopted to design a 5-factor 11-level experiment on the water extract of Tusizi prescription. The cell-counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was employed to measure the viability of human ovarian granulosa cells （KGN cells） treated with Tusizi prescription extracts 1-11， and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the optimal herb ratio in this prescription. The potential targets of active ingredients in the prescription were retrieved from traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and encyclopedia of traditional Chinese medicine （ETCM）. The common targets shared by Tusizi prescription and diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） were selected and imported into search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins （STRING） to construct a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network and into gene function annotation database （DAVID） for gene ontology （GO） analysis. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure the viability of ovarian germline stem cells treated with hyperoside. The CCK-8 assay， 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EdU） staining， terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL）， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were employed to examine the proliferation， apoptosis， and estradiol （E₂） secretion of KGN cells treated with the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design. On this basis， the optimal prescription composition for maximizing the effect on ovarian reserve function was determined and preliminary insights into the underlying mechanisms of this prescription were gained. ResultsA total of 147 common targets were obtained from 278 targets of Tusizi prescription and 1 721 targets of DOR. GO analysis revealed 194 biological processes， primarily involving cellular responses to exogenous compound stimuli， negative regulation of apoptotic process， and positive regulation of cell proliferation. It identified 84 cellular components， including cell membrane， mitochondria， and neuronal cell body， as well as 144 molecular functions such as enzyme binding， estrogen response element binding， and nuclear estrogen receptor binding. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that when Tusizi prescription was composed of Cuscutae Semen， Lycii Fructus， Dioscoreae Rhizoma， Poria， and Nelumbinis Semen in a ratio of 27∶30∶17∶12∶14， the water extract of Tusizi prescription had the best effect of enhancing the viability of KGN cells. CCK-8 results showed that compared with the normal group， the hyperoside group demonstrated increased viability of ovarian germline stem cells （P<0.01）. The CCK-8， EdU， and ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the optimal prescription screened by uniform design and the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription increased the proliferation and reduced the apoptosis of KGN cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription promoted the E₂ secretion of KGN cells （P<0.05）， while the optimal prescription screened by uniform design had no significant effect on the E₂ secretion. ConclusionBoth the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 27∶30∶17∶12∶14） can improve the ovarian reserve function， and the former has better effect. Tusizi prescription can modulate biological processes （such as cell proliferation and apoptosis） and molecular functions （such as enzyme binding and estrogen response element binding） through active components like hyperoside to promote the proliferation and E₂ secretion and inhibit the apoptosis of KGN cells， thereby protecting the ovarian reserve function.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the application value of genetic newborn screening (gNBS) in the Yunnan region. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted with a random selection of 3 001 newborns born in the Yunnan region from February to December 2021. Traditional newborn screening (tNBS) was used to test biochemical indicators, and targeted next-generation sequencing was employed to screen 159 genes related to 156 diseases. Positive-screened newborns underwent validation and confirmation tests, and confirmed cases received standardized treatment and long-term follow-up. RESULTS: Among the 3 001 newborns, 166 (5.53%) were initially positive for genetic screening, and 1 435 (47.82%) were genetic carriers. The top ten genes with the highest variation frequency were GJB2 (21.29%), DUOX2 (7.27%), HBA (6.14%), GALC (3.63%), SLC12A3 (3.33%), HBB (3.03%), G6PD (2.94%), SLC25A13 (2.90%), PAH (2.73%), and UNC13D (2.68%). Among the initially positive newborns from tNBS and gNBS, 33 (1.10%) and 47 (1.57%) cases were confirmed, respectively. A total of 48 (1.60%) cases were confirmed using gNBS+tNBS. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the areas under the curve for tNBS, gNBS, and gNBS+tNBS in diagnosing diseases were 0.866, 0.982, and 0.968, respectively (P<0.05). DeLong's test showed that the area under the curve for gNBS and gNBS+tNBS was higher than that for tNBS (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS gNBS can expand the range of disease detection, and its combined use with tNBS can significantly shorten diagnosis time, enabling early intervention and treatment.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Neonatal Screening ; Genetic Testing ; Female ; Male ; Follow-Up Studies ; Prospective Studies ; China

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult

Objective:To investigate the sero-conversion rate of HIV antibody and influencing factors in cross-border couples in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture(Dehong).Methods:A cohort design was used to recruit HIV-negative people in cross-border couples in Dehong in 2017. Follow-up was conducted in 2023, and questionnaire survey and HIV test were carried out to calculate the sero-conversion rate of HIV antibody. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the influence factors for HIV infections.Results:A total of 36 278 HIV-negative persons in cross-border couples were included in the 2017 baseline survey, of whom 22 438 (61.9%) were tested in follow-up in 2023. The sero-conversion rate between 2017 and 2023 was 0.51% (115/22 438). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that length of marriage <6 years, Jingpo ethnic group, education level of primary school or below, drug use, illegal marriage and HIV infected spouse were the risk factors of HIV infection in male spouses, and length of marriage <6 years, Jingpo ethnic group, illegal marriage and HIV infected spouse were the risk factors in female spouses.Conclusions:The sero-conversion rate of HIV antibody in cross-border couples in Dehong was relatively high. HIV infection was mainly caused by secondary transmission in the couples, and men might also be infected through drug use. It is necessary to strengthen the registration and management of cross-border couples, especially the couples with discordant HIV infection status, and the intervention in drug users to reduce the risk for secondary transmission of HIV in the cross-border couples.

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of Cangfu Daotan Decoction combined with ethinylestradiol and cyproterone acetate,metformin in patients with spleen deficiency phlegm-dampness type polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)accompanied by insulin resistance.Methods:80 patients with PCOS accompanied by insulin resistance who were admitted to our hospital from June 2023 to June 2024 were included.The patients were divided into control group(treated with ethinylestradiol and cyproterone acetate,metformin)and study group(treated with modified Cangfu Daotan Decoction combine with ethinylestradiol and cyproterone acetate,metformin)by the random number table method,with 40 cases in each group.The total clinical effective rate,TCM syndrome score,sex hormone levels[prolactin(PRL),estradiol(E2),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),testosterone(T),and luteinizing hormone(LH)],insulin resistance indicators[fasting insulin(FINS),fasting blood glucose(FBG),homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)],and endometrial receptivity[pulsatile index(PI),resistance index(RI),endometrial thickness(ET),ovulation rate]and the occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results:Compared with the control group after treatment,the total clinical effective rate,PRL,E2,FSH level,ET and the ovulation ratein the study group were higher,while the main symptoms,secondary symptoms,total score,T,LH levels,FBG,FINS levels,HOMA-IR,PI and RI were lower(P＜0.05).There was no difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion:Cangfu Daotan Decoction combined with ethinylestradiol and cyproterone acetate,metformin in patients with spleen deficiency phlegm-dampness type PCOS accompanied by insulin resistance,can improve the clinical symptoms,increase the total clinical effective rate,it may be related to the regulation of insulin resistance,sex hormone levels,and endometrial receptivity,it is safe and reliable.