Aim To explore the effect of C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 6(CTRP6)on cardio-myocyte pyroptosis in rats with acute myocardial infarc-tion(AMI)inhibited by quercetin(Que)and the un-derlying mechanism.Methods A rat model of AMI was established by ligation of the left anterior descend-ing coronary artery.Firstly,the rats were divided into the sham operation group(Sham),AMI group,low-dose quercetin group(Que-L,25 mg·kg-1),high-dose quercetin group(Que-H,100 mg·kg-1),fosino-pril sodium tablet group(fosinopril,4 mg·kg-1),with 10 rats in each group.Each group was orally ad-ministered with the corresponding drug dose or physio-logical saline once a day for 14 consecutive days.Doppler ultrasonography was used to detect the changes of cardiac function,the pathological changes of rat myo-cardial tissue were observed,and Western blot was used to detect the myocardial tissue pyroptosis-related proteins and CTRP6 expression.The optimal dosage of Que was determined through the screening of the above experimental indicators.Subsequently,the experiment was divided into the Sham,AMI,Que(100 mg·kg-1),Que+si-NC group,Que+si-CTRP6,with 10 rats in each group.After 14 days of intervention,myo-cardial infarction,myocardial injury indicators,pyropto-sis,CTRP6,and PI3K/Akt pathway protein expression were detected.Results Compared with the Sham group,the LVEDV and LVESV significantly increased,the EF and FS significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the myocardial tissue had obvious pathological damage,the degree of fibrosis increased,the myocardial infarction area,LDH,CK-MB,cTnI levels,TUNEL positive cell ratio increased,NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1,GSDMD-N,IL-1 β,IL-18 expression increased,and CTRP6 expres-sion,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Akt ratio decreased in the AMI group(P＜0.05).Compared with the AMI group,Que-L and Que-H rats showed reduced cardiac function indicators and pathological damage to myocar-dial tissue,decreased myocardial infarction area,LDH,CK-MB,cTnI levels,decreased TUNEL positivity rate(P＜0.05),decreased expression of pyroptosis related proteins,and increased expression of CTRP6 and PI3K/Akt pathway proteins(P＜0.05),all of which were dose-dependent.Compared with the Que group,the changes in the above indicators in the Que+si-CTRP6 group rats were significantly reversed.Conclu-sions Que can inhibit cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and improve myocardial infarction in AMI rats,and its mechanism is related to up-regulating CTRP6 expres-sion and promoting the activation of PI3 K/Akt signa-ling pathway.

Objective:To develop a post competence assessment scale for nurses in the health management (physical examination) center and assess its reliability and validity.Methods:This study adopted an empirical approach. A total of 801 nurses from the health management (physical examination) center were recruited to participate in this study. A research team was formed in August 2024. This team transformed the previously constructed core competence evaluation index system for health management specialist nurses in the health management (physical examination) center (comprising 6 first-level indicators and 70 third-level indicators) into a preliminary post competence assessment scale. Seven experts evaluated the content validity of the scale. In September 2024, a pilot survey was conducted among 27 nurses from the health management (physical examination) center of Sichuan Provincial People′s Hospital using convenience sampling. From October to November 2024, the first main survey was administered to 385 nurses of health management (physical examination) center across 54 cities in China using both convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods, followed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Subsequently, utilizing the refined scale obtained after eliminating certain items, a second main survey was conducted among 389 nurses in the health management (physical examination) center, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability of the final scale was assessed using Cronbach′s α coefficient, split-half reliability, composite reliability, and test-retest reliability.Results:The finalized scale for nurses′ post competency in health management (physical examination) center comprises five dimensions—basic nursing service competency, health management practice competency, knowledge integration competency, professional development competency, and professional attitude—with a total of 57 items. The item level content validity index (I-CVI) of the items of the content validity display scale ranged from 0.857 to 1.000, and the content validity index of each dimension ranged from 0.984 to 1.000. The scale-level Content Validity index/average (S-CVI/Ave) was 0.995. The contribution rate of the 6 factors extracted by EFA was 74.07%. After group discussion and CFA, the scale of the 5-factor structural equation model was constructed. The total Cronbach′s α coefficient of the scale was 0.986, the split-half reliability was 0.865, the composite reliability was 0.960-0.980, the total table test-retest reliability was 0.762, and the test-retest reliability of each dimension was 0.681-0.731.Conclusion:The developed assessment scale for assessing the post competence of nurses in the health management (physical examination) center demonstrates excellent reliability and validity.

Objective:To analyze the attributable burden of active smoking on the deaths of cancer in inhabitants aged 30 years and above in Zhejiang Province.Methods:Comparative risk assessment approach in the Global Burden of Disease Study was used with the data from Zhejiang Adult Tobacco Surveillance System and Death Monitoring Surveillance System in 2020, and population attributable fraction (PAF), years of life lost (YLL), work of potential years of life lost (WPYLL) attributed to smoking on the deaths of cancer in inhabitants aged 30 years and above in Zhejiang Province were calculated with a linear regression model.Results:In 2020, there were 81 536 cancer deaths aged 30 years and above in the surveillance areas of Zhejiang Province, of which 24 518 were attributed to active smoking (PAF: 30.07%, attributable mortality rate: 55.04/100 000). The YLL was 553 078 person-years, with a standardized YLL rate of 12.40‰, and the WPYLL was 56 606 person-years. Among various cancer types, laryngeal cancer had the highest smoking-attributable PAF (44.75%), while lung cancer accounted for the most significant number of attributable deaths and life loss, with an age-standardized YLL rate of 4.65‰.Conclusions:Active smoking is a significant risk factor for cancer mortality in Zhejiang Province, with lung cancer posing the most significant disease burden. It is urgent to advance tobacco control legislation, strengthen targeted interventions, and promote early cancer screening to reduce the disease burden associated with smoking-related cancers effectively.

Non-ketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea associated with non-ketotichy perglycemia(HC-NH)is a syndrome of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus without diabetic ketoacidosis and cerebrovascular disease that manifests as involuntary choreographic movements of the lateral limbs.This article reports a middle-aged case of HC-NH.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.030.].

Osteoarthritis (OA) causes chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life, with current treatments often proving insufficient and accompanied by adverse effects. Recent research has identified the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and its resident macrophages as crucial mediators of chronic OA pain through neuroinflammation driven by macrophage polarization. We present a novel injectable thermo-sensitive hydrogel system, KAF@PLEL, designed to deliver an anti-inflammatory peptide (KAF) specifically to the DRG. This biodegradable hydrogel enables sustained KAF release, promoting the reprogramming of DRG macrophages from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies, we evaluated the hydrogel's biocompatibility, effects on macrophage polarization, and therapeutic efficacy in chronic OA pain management. The system demonstrated significant capabilities in preserving macrophage mitochondrial function, suppressing neuroinflammation, alleviating chronic OA pain, reducing cartilage degradation, and improving motor function in OA rat models. The sustained-release properties of KAF@PLEL enabled prolonged therapeutic effects while minimizing systemic exposure and side effects. These findings suggest that KAF@PLEL represents a promising therapeutic approach for improving outcomes in OA patients through targeted, sustained treatment.

Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Dental Enamel/pathology* ; Tooth Demineralization/etiology* ; Tooth Remineralization

OBJECTIVES: To study the impact of family socioeconomic status on children's reading fluency and the chain mediation effect of family reading environment and children's living and learning styles in this relationship. METHODS: A total of 473 children from grades 2 to 6 in two primary schools in Nanjing were selected through stratified random sampling. The children's reading fluency was assessed, and a questionnaire was used to collect information on family socioeconomic status, family reading environment, and children's living and learning styles. The mediation model was established using the Process macro in SPSS, and the Bootstrap method was employed to test the significance of the mediation effects. RESULTS: Family socioeconomic status, family reading environment, and children's living and learning styles were significantly positively correlated with reading fluency (P<0.001). The family reading environment and children's living and learning styles mediated the relationship between family socioeconomic status and children's reading fluency. Specifically, the independent mediation effect of family reading environment accounted for 11.02% of the total effect, while the independent mediation effect of children's living and learning styles accounted for 10.79%. The chain mediation effect of family reading environment and children's living and learning styles accounted for 7.41% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS Family socioeconomic status can affect children's reading fluency through three pathways: family reading environment, children's living and learning styles, and the chain mediation effect of family reading environment and children's living and learning styles.
Humans ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Reading ; Learning ; Social Class ; Family