Objective:To analyze the results of detection and determinants of thyroid nodules among civil pilots, and to provide evidence for health management and aeromedical support.Methods:The results of health examination and flight data of 2 451 pilots at Xiamen Airlines Co., Ltd. collected between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 was retrospectively analyzed. These pilots were divided into a non-nodule group and a nodule group based on thyroid ultrasound findings. Gender,age, flying hours, body mass index, prevalence of hypertension, blood routine parameters, lipid profiles, liver and kidney function, fasting plasma glucose, and long-haul flight frequency were compared between the 2 groups. Multivariate Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for thyroid nodules.Results:Among the 2 397 civil pilots, 2 301 were in the non-nodule group and 96 in the nodule group, with a detection rate of 4.01%. Most of these nodules were solitary and small (<1 cm in diameter, 52.08%), and classified as Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 (likely benign, 53.13%). Detection rates of nodules were significantly higher among clivil pilots of older age or with longer flying hours ( χ2=25.17,36.86,both P<0.001). Overweight/obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, and frequent long-haul flights were also associated with higher prevalence of thyroid nodules ( χ2=14.81, 6.17, 10.86, 11.57, 4.12, P<0.001,=0.013, 0.001, 0.001,0.042). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis pointed to the following independent risk factors: flying hours of 10 001-15 000 ( OR=4.005, 95% CI: 1.952-8.216) and over 15 000 ( OR=5.220, 95% CI: 2.415-11.285), overweight/obesity ( OR=1.646, 95% CI: 1.052-2.576) and hyperuricaemia ( OR=1.838, 95% CI: 1.204-2.804). Conclusions:The detection rate of thyroid nodules among civil pilots is relatively low. The occurrence is linked to advanced age, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and long-haul flight frequency, with cumulative flying hours, overweight/obesity and hyperuricemia as key risk factors. Aviation healthcare providers and medical examiners should provide targeted guidance and interventions related to modifiable risk factors to safeguard clivil pilots′ occupational health.

Objective:To analyze the results of detection and determinants of thyroid nodules among civil pilots, and to provide evidence for health management and aeromedical support.Methods:The results of health examination and flight data of 2 451 pilots at Xiamen Airlines Co., Ltd. collected between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 was retrospectively analyzed. These pilots were divided into a non-nodule group and a nodule group based on thyroid ultrasound findings. Gender,age, flying hours, body mass index, prevalence of hypertension, blood routine parameters, lipid profiles, liver and kidney function, fasting plasma glucose, and long-haul flight frequency were compared between the 2 groups. Multivariate Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for thyroid nodules.Results:Among the 2 397 civil pilots, 2 301 were in the non-nodule group and 96 in the nodule group, with a detection rate of 4.01%. Most of these nodules were solitary and small (<1 cm in diameter, 52.08%), and classified as Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 (likely benign, 53.13%). Detection rates of nodules were significantly higher among clivil pilots of older age or with longer flying hours ( χ2=25.17,36.86,both P<0.001). Overweight/obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, and frequent long-haul flights were also associated with higher prevalence of thyroid nodules ( χ2=14.81, 6.17, 10.86, 11.57, 4.12, P<0.001,=0.013, 0.001, 0.001,0.042). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis pointed to the following independent risk factors: flying hours of 10 001-15 000 ( OR=4.005, 95% CI: 1.952-8.216) and over 15 000 ( OR=5.220, 95% CI: 2.415-11.285), overweight/obesity ( OR=1.646, 95% CI: 1.052-2.576) and hyperuricaemia ( OR=1.838, 95% CI: 1.204-2.804). Conclusions:The detection rate of thyroid nodules among civil pilots is relatively low. The occurrence is linked to advanced age, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and long-haul flight frequency, with cumulative flying hours, overweight/obesity and hyperuricemia as key risk factors. Aviation healthcare providers and medical examiners should provide targeted guidance and interventions related to modifiable risk factors to safeguard clivil pilots′ occupational health.

Objective:To investigate the level of functional fitness of elderly hypertensive patients in the community and to analyze its influencing factors.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was used from November 2021 to September 2022, questionnaire survey and Senior Functional Fitness Test (SFT) were conducted on 189 elderly hypertensive patients in the community by convenience sampling method, multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of SFT in elderly hypertensive patients in the community.Results:Totally 189 cases of community-aged hypertensive patients completed the investigation, 88 cases were male and 101 were female. The total SFT score of community-aged hypertensive patients was (58.61 ± 16.07). Single factor analysis showed that there were significant differences in SFT scores among patients with different gender, age and education ( t=-2.57, F=6.24, 7.54, all P<0.05). Multifactorial analysis revealed that age ( t=-5.55), gender ( t=2.63), and literacy ( t=5.69) were influential factors in the total SFT scores of community-dwelling elderly hypertensive patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Age, gender, and literacy level are the main factors affecting the total SFT scores of elderly hypertensive patients in the community, and community caregivers should pay close attention to the above elderly hypertensive population.

Objective:To evaluate the detective effect of double inversion recovery (DIR) sequence on cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in patients with acute ischemic stroke, and compare with those of T2WI and FLAIR sequences.Methods:Seventy-three acute ischemic stroke patients with WMH within 14 d of onset, admitted to Department of Neurology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University from November 2018 to March 2021, were chosen. MRI T2WI, FLAIR and DIR sequences were used to detect WMH. According to Fazekas scale, patients with periventricular white matter hyperintensities (PVWMH) or deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH) were divided into mild group (score of 0-1) and moderate to severe group (scores≥2); the differences in WMH volume detected by T2WI, FLAIR and DIR sequences, and signal intensity, cross-sectional area and contrast of isolated lesions were compared.Results:(1) Seventy-three patients were with PVWMH (36 into the mild group and 37 into the moderate to severe group); in patients from the moderate to severe group, PVWMH volume detected by FLAIR sequence was statistically larger compared with that by DIR sequence, and PVWMH volume detected by T2WI sequence was significantly smaller compared with that by FLAIR sequence ( P<0.05). Fifty-seven patients were with DWMH (44 into the mild group and 13 into the moderate to severe group); the DWMH volume detected by FLAIR and T2WI sequences was significantly larger than that by DIR sequence ( P<0.05). (2) A total of 60 isolated lesions were detected, ranged 5.0-9.1 mm in length; isolated lesions enjoying significantly larger cross-sectional area, higher signal intensity, and lower contrast detected by FLAIR and T2WI sequences compared with those by DIR sequence ( P<0.05); isolated lesions enjoying significantly higher signal intensity and contrast detected by T2WI sequence compared with those by FLAIR sequence ( P<0.05). Conclusion:DIR sequence enjoys better effect in detecting WMH than FLAIR and T2WI sequences; the mismatch area of DIR sequence with FLAIR or T2WI sequences suggests WMH penumbra.

Objective To develop engineered bacterial membrane biomimetic nanoparticles,Angiopep-2 E.coli membrane(ANG-2 EM)@PDA-PEI-CpG(ANG-2 EM@PPC),for efficient targeted drug delivery in the treatment of glioma,and to provide theoretical and technical support for targeted glioma therapy.Methods The expression of inaX-N-angiopep-2 engineered bacteria was constructed in the laboratory,and ANG-2 EM was obtained through lysozyme treatment and ultrafiltration centrifugation.ANG-2 EM@PPC was prepared by ultrasonication of bacterial membranes.Western blotting,agarose gel electrophoresis,and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)were used to verify the preparation.Particle size and Zeta potential were measured to investigate the stability of ANG-2 EM@PPC.Regarding cell experiments,CCK-8 assay was performed to determine the effect of ANG-2 EM@PPC on the survival rate of neutrophils.A flow chamber model was designed and constructed,and the uptake efficiency of neutrophils was measured by flow cytometry to investigate the hitchhiking efficiency of ANG 2 EM@PPC on neutrophils in inflammatory environment.Neutrophil death patterns were characterized by fluorescence microscopy,and flow cytometry and Western blotting were performed to examine neutrophil apoptotic bodies and the proportion of apoptotic bodies produced.Regarding animal experiments,a mouse model of in situ glioma was established and the inflammatory environment of tumor tissue was verified.The tumor model mice were divided into three groups,including DiR group,EM@PPC group,and ANG-2 EM@PPC group(all n=3),which were injected with DiR,ANG-2 EM@PDA-PEI-CpG,and EM@PDA-PEI-CpG via the tail vein,respectively(all at 10 mg/kg).Fluorescence images of organs and the brain were used to examine the distribution of the three formulations in vivo and in the brain.The tumor model mice were further divided into PBS group,PDA group,PC group,PPC group,EM@PPC group,and ANG-2 EM@PPC group(all n=4),which were injected with PBS,PDA,PC,PPC,EM@PPC,and ANG-2 EM@PPC injected via the tail vein,respectively(all at 10 mg/kg).Imaging was performed in vivo to observe tumor regression,and the survival rate and body mass of mice were measured to evaluate in vivo pharmacodynamics.TUNEL staining(brain tissue)and HE staining(brain,heart,liver,spleen,lung and kidney tissues)were performed to evaluate the therapeutic effect.Results The results of TEM showed successful preparation of engineered bacterial membrane biomimetic nanoparticles,with PPC exhibiting a distinct shell-core structure and a shell thickness of about 8.2 nm.Due to the coating of ANG-2 EM,the shell thickness of ANG-2 EM@PPC increased to about 9.6 nm,with a clear bacterial membrane layer on the surface.Stability was maintained for at least one week.ANG-2 EM@PPC had no significant effect on the activity of neutrophils according to the findings from the CCK-8 assay.Flow cytometry showed that ANG-2 EM@PPC uptake is enhanced in activated neutrophils and hitchhiking on neutrophils was more efficient in the stationary state than that in the flowing condition.Compared with the EM@PPC group,the neutrophil hitchhiking ability of the ANG-2 EM@PPC group was enhanced(uptake efficiency 24.9%vs.31.1%).Fluorescence microscopy showed that ANG-2 EM@PPC changed the death pathway of neutrophils from neutrophil extracellular traps-osis(NETosis)to apoptosis.Western blot confirmed the production of neutrophil apoptotic bodies,and flow cytometry showed that the production rate was as high as 77.7%.Animal experiments showed that there was no significant difference in the distribution of engineered bacterial membrane biomimetic nanoparticles in the organs(heart,liver,spleen,lungs,and kidney)in the DiR group,the EM@PPC gropu,and the ANG-2 EM@PPC group(P＞0.05),but there was higher distribution in the brain tissue in EM@PPC and ANG-2 EM@PPC groups compared to the DiR group(P＜0.05).Engineered bacterial membrane biomimetic nanoparticles crossed the blood-brain barrier(BBB),and exhibited high affinity to and internalization by neutrophils located in brain tumors.Compared with PBS,PDA,PC,and PPC groups,the survival rate and body mass of mice in the EM@PPC group were improved,tumor fluorescence intensity was weakened,and apoptotic cells were increased.These trends were even more prominent in the ANG-2 EM@PPC group.No abnormality was found in the HE staining of any group.Conclusion An ANG-2 EM@PPC nanodelivery system with inflammation response characteristics was successfully prepared,capable of crossing BBB and targeting the tumor inflammatory microenvironment to improve the anti-glioma efficacy.This study provides a new drug delivery strategy for glioma treatment and offers a new idea for targeted drug delivery in the non-invasive inflammatory microenvironments in other central nervous system diseases.

This study aims to establish a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatography method for simultaneous determination of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E6 and L1 protein concentrations. The amount of lanthanide microsphere-labeled antibodies, the concentration of coated antibodies, and the reaction time were optimized, and then a test strip for the simultaneous determination of the protein concentrations was prepared. The performance of the detection method was evaluated based on the concordance of the results from clinical practice. The optimal conditions were 8 μg and 10 μg of HPV16 L1 and E6-labeled antibodies, respectively, 1.5 mg/mL coated antibodies, and reaction for 10 min. The detection with the established method for L1 and E6 proteins showed the linear ranges of 5-320 ng/mL and 2-64 ng/mL and the lowest limits of detection of 1.78 ng/mL and 1.09 ng/mL, respectively. There was no cross reaction with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), treponema pallidum (TP), or HPV18 E6 and L1 proteins. The average recovery rate of the established method was between 97% and 107%. The test strip prepared in this study showed the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of 97.46%, 90.57%, and 95.32%, respectively, in distinguishing patients with cervical cancer and precancerous lesions from healthy subjects, with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.980 1 and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of 0.956 5 to 1.000 0. The time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatography combined with the test strips prepared in this study showed high sensitivity, high accuracy, simple operation, and rapid reaction in the quantitation of HPV16 E6 and L1 proteins. It thus can be used as an auxiliary method for the diagnosis and early screening of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions and the assessment of disease course.
Oncogene Proteins, Viral/immunology* ; Humans ; Chromatography, Affinity/methods* ; Female ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Repressor Proteins/immunology* ; Capsid Proteins/immunology* ; Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis* ; Fluorescence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/virology*

Objective:To explore the abnormal features of cortical thickness of brain regions in patients with alcohol dependence (PADs) after acute detoxication and the correlation with clinical features of PADs.Methods:In this study, male inpatients with alcohol dependence (patient group, n=33) and healthy controls (control group, n=35) matched with age and education were enrolled during the period of Apr 2017 to Apr 2018. Brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, general demographic and clinical information were collected. FreeSurfer software was used to process the MRI data and compute the bilateral cortical thickness across 74 brain regions. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to analyse the differences of cortical thickness in different brain regions between the two groups, and the correlation between the cortex thickness and their clinical features in PADs was explored by using correlation analysis. Results:Compared with HCs, PADs showed significantly decreased cortical thickness of brain regions in the left middle and pole occipital, right superior occipital gyri, bilateral superior and inferior parietal gyri, and right intraparietal sulcus (all P<0.000 34, after Bonferroni correction). Positive correlation was found between the thickness of left superior parietal gyrus (SPG) and initial drinking age ( r=0.428, P=0.024) in PADs. Conclusion:The cortex thickness reduction of bilateral posterior parietal cortex might be a more characteristic injury in PADs. Furthermore, the initial drinking age may have a more obvious effect on the cortex of the left SPG.

Objective:To explore the abnormal features of cortical thickness of brain regions in patients with alcohol dependence (PADs) after acute detoxication and the correlation with clinical features of PADs.Methods:In this study, male inpatients with alcohol dependence (patient group, n=33) and healthy controls (control group, n=35) matched with age and education were enrolled during the period of Apr 2017 to Apr 2018. Brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, general demographic and clinical information were collected. FreeSurfer software was used to process the MRI data and compute the bilateral cortical thickness across 74 brain regions. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to analyse the differences of cortical thickness in different brain regions between the two groups, and the correlation between the cortex thickness and their clinical features in PADs was explored by using correlation analysis. Results:Compared with HCs, PADs showed significantly decreased cortical thickness of brain regions in the left middle and pole occipital, right superior occipital gyri, bilateral superior and inferior parietal gyri, and right intraparietal sulcus (all P<0.000 34, after Bonferroni correction). Positive correlation was found between the thickness of left superior parietal gyrus (SPG) and initial drinking age ( r=0.428, P=0.024) in PADs. Conclusion:The cortex thickness reduction of bilateral posterior parietal cortex might be a more characteristic injury in PADs. Furthermore, the initial drinking age may have a more obvious effect on the cortex of the left SPG.

Collectively migrating tumor cells have been recently implicated in enhanced metastasis of epithelial malignancies. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), v integrin is a crucial mediator of multicellular clustering and collective movement ; however, its contribution to metastatic spread remains to be addressed. According to the emerging therapeutic concept, dissociation of tumor clusters into single cells could significantly suppress metastasis-seeding ability of carcinomas. This study aimed to investigate the anti-OSCC potential of novel endostatin-derived polypeptide PEP06 as a cluster-dissociating therapeutic agent . Firstly, we found marked enrichment of v integrin in collectively invading multicellular clusters in human OSCCs. Our study revealed that metastatic progression of OSCC was associated with augmented immunostaining of v integrin in cancerous lesions. Following PEP06 treatment, cell clustering on fibronectin, migration, multicellular aggregation, anchorage-independent survival and colony formation of OSCC were significantly inhibited. Moreover, PEP06 suppressed v integrin/FAK/Src signaling in OSCC cells. PEP06-induced loss of active Src and E-cadherin from cell-cell contacts contributed to diminished collective migration of OSCC . Overall, these results suggest that PEP06 polypeptide 30 inhibiting v integrin/FAK/Src signaling and disrupting E-cadherin-based intercellular junctions possesses anti-metastatic potential in OSCC by acting as a cluster-dissociating therapeutic agent.