OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of children with SIL-TAL1-positive T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( SIL-TAL1⁺ T-ALL). METHODS: The clinical data of 110 children with newly diagnosed T-ALL admitted to the pediatric department of our hospital from January 2010 to December 2018 were reviewed to compare the clinical characteristics, treatment response and prognosis between SIL-TAL1⁺ group and SIL-TAL1^-group. RESULTS: Among the 110 children with T-ALL, 25 cases (22.7%) were in the SIL-TAL1⁺ group and 85 cases (77.3%) in the SIL-TAL1^- group. The white blood cell (WBC) count in the SIL-TAL1⁺ group was significantly higher than that in the SIL-TAL1^- group (P < 0.05), while the other clinical characteristics and treatment response were not significantly different between the two groups. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of SIL-TAL1⁺ group and SIL-TAL1^- group were 80.0% and 75.5%, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 76.0% and 72.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences in OS rate and DFS rate between the two groups ( P >0.05). In children aged < 10 years, the 5-year OS rate of SIL-TAL1⁺ group and SIL-TAL1^- group was 100% and 75.1%, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Although the WBC level is significantly higher in children with SIL-TAL1⁺ T-ALL than that in those with SIL-TAL1^- T-ALL, the treatment efficacy is similar between the two groups. In children aged < 10 years, the longterm survival rate is superior in the SIL-TAL1⁺ group.
Humans ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Survival Rate ; T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Protein 1 ; Child, Preschool ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; Leukocyte Count

Cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1(CYFRA21-1)is a new biomarker which has received much attention in recent years for cancer screening,and has shown great potentials for screening and diagnosis of various cancers,especially non-small cell lung cancer.CYFRA21-1 level in human serum has important clinical significance in the diagnosis,prognosis and treatment of lung cancer.Recently,a variety of detection techniques have been established to effectively enrich the detection technology system of CYFRA21-1,such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,chemiluminescence,fluorescence,immunochromatography,electrochemical method,and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy,etc.These techniques provide technical support for early diagnosis of lung cancer.However,the research progress of CYFRA21-1 detection methods is rarely reported.In this paper,CYFRA21-1 and its clinical significance were briefly introduced,and the progress of detection technology in recent ten years was reviewed,which was expected to provide reference for developing more sensitive,accurate,fast and convenient detection methods.

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

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

Guided by the concept of quality by design(QbD), this study optimizes the calcination and quenching process of calcined Magnetitum and establishes the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of quality standards. Based on the processing methods and quality requirements of Magnetitum in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the critical process parameters(CPPs) identified were calcination temperature, calcination time, particle size, laying thickness, and the number of vinegar quenching cycles. The critical quality attributes(CQAs) included Fe mass fraction, Fe~(2+) dissolution, and surface color. The weight coefficients were determined by combining Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP) and the criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC) method, and the calcination process was optimized using orthogonal experimentation. Surface color was selected as a CQA, and based on the principle of color value, the surface color of calcined Magnetitum was objectively quantified. The vinegar quenching process was then optimized to determine the best processing conditions. X-ray diffraction(XRD) was used to establish the characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, and methods such as similarity evaluation, cluster analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were used to evaluate the quality of the spectra. The optimized calcined Magnetitum preparation process was found to be calcination at 750 ℃ for 1 h, with a laying thickness of 4 cm, a particle size of 0.4-0.8 cm, and one vinegar quenching cycle(Magnetitum-vinegar ratio 10∶3), which was stable and feasible. The XRD characteristic spectra analysis method, featuring 9 common peaks as fingerprint information, was established. The average correlation coefficient ranged from 0.839 5-0.988 1, and the average angle cosine ranged from 0.914 4 to 0.995 6, indicating good similarity. Cluster analysis results showed that Magnetitum and calcined Magnetitum could be grouped together, with similar compositions. OPLS-DA discriminant analysis identified three key characteristic peaks, with Fe_2O_3 being the distinguishing component between the two. The final optimized processing method is stable and feasible, and the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum was initially established, providing a reference for subsequent quality control and the formulation of quality standards for calcined Magnetitum.
X-Ray Diffraction/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Particle Size

Many triterpenoid compounds have been successfully heterologously synthesized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To increase the yield of triterpenoids, various metabolic engineering strategies have been developed. One commonly applied strategy is to enhance the supply of precursors, which has been widely used by researchers. Squalene, as a precursor to triterpenoid biosynthesis, plays a crucial role in the synthesis of these compounds. This study primarily investigates the effect of different squalene levels in chassis strains on the synthesis of triterpenoids(oleanolic acid and ursolic acid), and the underlying mechanisms are further explored using real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR) analysis. The results demonstrate that the chassis strain CB-9-5, which produces high levels of squalene, inhibits the synthesis of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. In contrast, chassis strains with moderate to low squalene production, such as Y8-1 and CNPK, are more conducive to the synthesis of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. The qPCR analysis reveals that the expression levels of ERG1, βAS, and CrCYP716A154 in the oleanolic acid-producing strain CB-OA are significantly lower than those in the control strains C-OA and Y-OA, suggesting that high squalene production in the chassis strains suppresses the transcription of certain genes, leading to a reduced yield of triterpenoids. Our findings indicate that when constructing S. cerevisiae strains for triterpenoid production, chassis strains with high squalene content may suppress the expression of certain genes, ultimately lowering their production, whereas chassis strains with moderate squalene levels are more favorable for triterpenoid biosynthesis.
Squalene/analysis* ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics* ; Triterpenes/metabolism* ; Metabolic Engineering ; Oleanolic Acid/biosynthesis* ; Ursolic Acid

Bovine rotavirus(BRV)is an important pathogen causing diarrhea in calves.To understand the genomic charac-teristics and genetic variations in bovine rotavirus,and to further enrich data on the biological characteristics of rotavirus,we aimed to amplify 11 gene segments of the isolated and cultured G6P[1]bovine rotavirus BLL strain,perform whole genome se-quencing,and analyze the molecular characteristics.MEGA7.0 and DNAMAN software were used for homology and typing a-nalysis,and the whole genome phylogenetic tree was constructed to analyze genetic evolution relationships.The complete geno-type of the BLL strain was G6-P[1]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3-N2-T6-E2-H3.Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 and VP4 genes of the BLL strain showed that the VP7 gene had the highest homology with RVA/Cow-wt/HB01/China/2021,and the VP4 gene of the BLL strain was in the same branch as RVA/Human-tc/ISR/Ro8059/1995.From the sequence alignment of VP8*amino acids,the sialic acid domain of the BLL strain was found to be similar to that in other P[1]strains,but different from those in other types of strains,except for residue 189,which was the same as that in Ro8059 but different from that in other strains.The results suggested that the BLL strain might potentially infect humans.Therefore,continued monitoring and study of the biological characteristics of this strain are necessary to provide more information and evidence supporting further research on the cross-species transmission of group A rotavirus in China.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and multi-slice spiral computed tomography(CT)imaging features of acute appendicitis in soldiers who have been living in plateau for a long time.Methods:The clinical features and imaging data of 56 cases of acute appendicitis in soldiers who have been living in plateau for a long time confirmed by surgery from February 2022 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:In 56 cases with acute appendicitis in soldiers who have been living in plateau for a long time,the appendectomy position results showed:anterior ileum 4 cases(7.14％),lower ileum 10 cases(17.86％),posterior cecum 16 cases(28.57％),lower cecum 9 cases(16.07％),lateral cecum 2 cases(3.58％),posterior ileum 6 cases(10.71％),high(subhepatic)9 cases(16.07％),and left lower abdominal 0 cases,retroperitoneal appendicitis 0 cases,which was suggested that the anatomical position variation of appendicitis in soldiers with acute appendicitis who have been living at high altitude for a long time was relatively large.The direct manifestations of multi-slice spiral CT showed:appendectomy enlarged diameter＞6 mm in 49 cases(87.50％),appendicular wall thickening＞2 mm in 42 cases(75.00％),ppendiceal dilation lumen and effusion in 29 cases(51.79％),appendix indistinctness in 3 cases(5.36％),lppendix fecalith:27 cases(48.21％),gas in the appendix in 16 cases(28.57％).Indirect findings of multi-slice spiral CT showed that,periappendiceal exudation with shadow in 32 cases(57.14％),appendiceal cellulitis with peripheral abscess in 9 cases(16.07％),peritonitis and ascites in 13 cases(23.21％),ileocecal intestinal wall thickening in 22 cases(39.29％),mesenteric lymph node enlargement in 16 cases(28.57％),reflexive intestinal stasis in ileocecal region was observed in 19 cases(33.93％).Conclusion:In the officers and soldiers with acute appendicitis who lived at high altitude for a long time,multi-slice spiral CT showed the direct manifestations of appendiceal thickening,tube wall thickening,lumen dilatation,fluid accumulation,etc.,and the indirect manifestations were periappendiceal exudation with shadow,appendiceal cellulitis with peripheral abscess,ileocecal intestinal wall thickening,reflexes of small intestine and mesenteric lymph node enlargement.Multi-slice spiral CT has the advantages of clear and intuitive,high safety,high resolution and simple operation in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of common pathogens isolated from cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)in CHINET program from 2015 to 2021.Methods The bacterial strains isolated from CSF were identified in accordance with clinical microbiology practice standards.Antimicrobial susceptibility test was conducted using Kirby-Bauer method and automated systems per the unified CHINET protocol.Results A total of 14 014 bacterial strains were isolated from CSF samples from 2015 to 2021,including the strains isolated from inpatients(95.3％)and from outpatient and emergency care patients(4.7％).Overall,19.6％of the isolates were from children and 80.4％were from adults.Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 68.0％and 32.0％,respectively.Coagulase negative Staphylococcus accounted for 73.0％of the total Gram-positive bacterial isolates.The prevalence of MRSA was 38.2％in children and 45.6％in adults.The prevalence of MRCNS was 67.6％in adults and 69.5％in children.A small number of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium(2.2％)and linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis(3.1％)were isolated from adult patients.The resistance rates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to ceftriaxone were 52.2％and 76.4％in children,70.5％and 63.5％in adults.The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant E.coli and K.pneumoniae(CRKP)was 1.3％and 47.7％in children,6.4％and 47.9％in adults.The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(CRPA)was 74.0％and 37.1％in children,81.7％and 39.9％in adults.Conclusions The data derived from antimicrobial resistance surveillance are crucial for clinicians to make evidence-based decisions regarding antibiotic therapy.Attention should be paid to the Gram-negative bacteria,especially CRKP and CRAB in central nervous system(CNS)infections.Ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance is helpful for optimizing antibiotic use in CNS infections.