Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2013 to 2022, so as to provide the evidence for the improvement of PTB prevention and control measures in this population. Methods: Data of PTB cases aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, population, and regional distribution characteristics of PTB cases were analyzed using the descriptive epidemiological method. Results: A total of 8 726 PTB cases aged 60 years and older were registered in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022, including 4 167 cases positive for pathogenic tests, with a positive rate of 47.75%. The registered incidence rates and the positive rates of pathogenic tests of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed downward trends from 2013 to 2022 (both P<0.05). The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB was 83.95/105, and the average annual registered incidence rate of PTB positive for pathogenic tests was 40.09/105. The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB in males was higher than that in females (138.57/105 vs. 31.76/105, P<0.05). The registered incidence rate of PTB showed an increasing trend with age (P<0.05), with the highest rate observed in the age group of 75-<80 years (110.37/105). The top three regions with the highest average annual registered incidence rates of PTB were Jiangdu District (94.34/105), Baoying County (91.61/105) and Hanjiang District (84.93/105). Conclusions The registered incidence of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed a downward trend from 2013 to 2022. Particular attention should be payed to males, residents aged 75- <80 years, and the elderly in Jiangdu District and Baoying County.

Background and objective Tumor microenvironment(TME)is one of the important factors in tu-morigenesis and progression,in which tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)play an important role in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)progression.However,the mechanism of TAMs in NSCLC progression remains unclear,so this study aimed to investigate the role of TAMs in NSCLC progression and to find potential therapeutic targets.Methods Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis(GEPIA)database was used to analyze the expression of prostaglandin E2 receptor 4(EP4)mRNA in NSCLC and normal lung tissues;the protein expression levels of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2),EP4,cluster of differentiation 86(CD86),CD163 and CD31 were detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC)in 120 NSCLC tissues and 24 paracancerous tissues specimens.The nude mouse lung adenocarcinoma cell A549 and macrophage RAW264.7 co-transplanted tumor model was established.And the samples were collected by gavage with EP4 inhibitor E7046,and then stained with hematoxylin-eosin(HE),IHC,and immunofluorescence(IF),and then detected by Western blot for the epithelial mesenchymal transformation(EMT)of the tumor tissues of the nude mice in each group.Western blot was used to detect the expressions of EMT related protiens in each group of nude mice;full-length transcriptome sequencing was used to screen the key genes causing liver me-tastasis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis was performed.Results EP4 mRNA expression level in NSCLC tissues was generally lower than that in normal lung tissues(P<0.05);COX-2,EP4,CD163,CD31 proteins were differentially expressed in NSCLC tissues and adjacent tissues,and differences were observed in many clinico-pathological parameters of NSCLC patients;RAW264.7 shortened the latency period of tumorigenesis of A549 and promoted the proliferation of tumors and liver metastasis of tumors,and E7046 could reduce tumor cell proliferation activity,tumor tissue vascular density and M2-type macrophage infiltration in nude mice;IF staining showed that macrophages were mainly distributed around the metastatic foci of tumors;Western blot results showed that compared with A549 alone transplantation group,the relative expression of E-cadherin protein in tumor tissues of mice in A549 and RAW264.7 co-transplantation group was significantly decreased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05),while the relative expression of N-cadherin protein was up-regulated,but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05);the main pathways enriched in the differ-ential genes of the full-length transcriptome were the PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling pathways.Conclusion During NSCLC development,the COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis may promote tumor progression by inducing macrophage functional activation,and EP4 may be a potential new target for tumor immunotherapy.This study provides new perspectives and ideas for in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of NSCLC development,as well as a theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for NSCLC.

Information on patients with rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was obtained from the Information System of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemic characteristics of RR-PTB patients were analyzed by using χ2 test. The average annual registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was 0.57/100 000, and the difference between the registered incidence rates in each year was statistically significant ( χ2=29.326, P<0.001). The proportion of re-treated patients (64.8%) was higher than that of newly treated patients (35.2%, χ2=50.593, P<0.001). The registered incidence rate in males (0.91/100 000) was higher than that in females (0.24/100 000, χ2=80.566, P<0.001). The age distribution showed that the highest incidence rate was in the age group≥60 years (0.96/100 000) and the lowest was in the age group 0-<45 years (0.31/100 000, χ2=55.853, P<0.001). From 2012 to 2020, Baoying County had the largest number of registered RR-PTB patients (44 cases), and its registered incidence rate (0.64/100 000) was only lower than that of Guangling District (0.98/100 000). The registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Baoying County during 2016—2020 also increased significantly compared to 2012—2015 ( P=0.001). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to the treatment outcome of RR-PTB patients. The results showed that patients aged≥60 years and those classified as the re-treatment were risk factors for successful treatment of RR-PTB patients ( P<0.05). In summary, males, people aged≥60 years, patients classified as the re-treatment, and residents of Baoying County should be the key populations for RR-PTB epidemic prevention and control in Yangzhou City.

Purpose To explore the expression of autoph-agy-related 7(ATG7)in breast cancer and its effect on the breast cancer development.Methods Immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to detect ATG7 protein expression in breast cancer tissues and the relationship between ATG7 and clinico-pathological features was analyzed.ShRNA was used to interfere with the expression of ATG7 in breast cancer cell line MCF-7.Puromycin was used to screen for stably transfected cells and Western blot was used to detect transfection efficiency.The effect of ATG7 knockdown cells on proliferation ability was de-tected by CCK8 and clone formation experiments.The effect of ATG7 knockdown cells on tumorigenicity in vivo was detected by subcutaneous tumor formation experiment in nude mice.Results IHC showed that ATG7 expression in breast cancer tissues was mainly localized in cytoplasm,and its expression was significant-ly correlated with tumor size and Ki67 expression(P＜0.05).ATG7-shRNA significantly interfered with ATG7 expression in breast cancer cells MCF-7.CCK8 and clone formation experi-ments showed that ATG7 knockdown promoted the cell prolifera-tion compared with the control group.The experiment of subcu-taneous tumor formation in nude mice showed that the tumor for-mation ability of mice was significantly increased after ATG7 knockdown compared with the control group.Conclusion ATG7 may inhibit the proliferation capacity of breast cancer and could be a potential target for breast cancer therapy.

Information on patients with rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was obtained from the Information System of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemic characteristics of RR-PTB patients were analyzed by using χ2 test. The average annual registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was 0.57/100 000, and the difference between the registered incidence rates in each year was statistically significant ( χ2=29.326, P<0.001). The proportion of re-treated patients (64.8%) was higher than that of newly treated patients (35.2%, χ2=50.593, P<0.001). The registered incidence rate in males (0.91/100 000) was higher than that in females (0.24/100 000, χ2=80.566, P<0.001). The age distribution showed that the highest incidence rate was in the age group≥60 years (0.96/100 000) and the lowest was in the age group 0-<45 years (0.31/100 000, χ2=55.853, P<0.001). From 2012 to 2020, Baoying County had the largest number of registered RR-PTB patients (44 cases), and its registered incidence rate (0.64/100 000) was only lower than that of Guangling District (0.98/100 000). The registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Baoying County during 2016—2020 also increased significantly compared to 2012—2015 ( P=0.001). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to the treatment outcome of RR-PTB patients. The results showed that patients aged≥60 years and those classified as the re-treatment were risk factors for successful treatment of RR-PTB patients ( P<0.05). In summary, males, people aged≥60 years, patients classified as the re-treatment, and residents of Baoying County should be the key populations for RR-PTB epidemic prevention and control in Yangzhou City.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a technique in which breathing and circulation are supported extracorporeally. Severe trauma may induce cardiopulmonary failure, for which ECMO can play an adjunctive role in the salvage treatment of circulatory and respiratory failure when conventional treatments are ineffective. Bypass with ECMO can rapidly improve the state such as circulatory failure and hypoxemia in critically ill patients in short term and can partially or fully replace their cardiopulmonary function in long term, winning valuable time for normal recovery of cardiopulmonary function. Because of the physical state of severe trauma patients and the ECMO equipment, there are still various complications clinically. Trauma patients show high risk of bleeding, vulnerability to wound infection and probability of combined organ injury and dysfunction, so more comprehensive measures for the prevention and treatment of complications during the use of ECMO therapy are required. The authors review the research progress in complications and corresponding prevention and treatment strategies during ECMO support for severe trauma, aiming to provide a reference to prevent and treat these complications.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for four patients suspected for Marfan syndrome (MFS). METHODS: Four male patients with suspected MFS and their family members who were treated at West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University from September 12, 2019 to March 27, 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the patients and their parents or other pedigree members for the extraction of genomic DNA. Whole exome sequencing was carried out, and candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of the variants was determined based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). RESULTS: Genetic testing revealed that all four patients have harbored variants of the FBN1 gene, including c.430_433del (p.His144fs) deletional variant in exon 5, c.493C>T (p.Arg165*) nonsense variant in exon 6, c.5304_5306del (p.Asp1768del) deletional variant in exon 44 and c.5165C>G (p.Ser1722Cys) missense variant in exon 42. According to the ACMG guidelines, the c.430_433del and c.493C>T were classified as pathogenic variants (PVS1+PM2_Supporting+PP4; PVS1+PS1+PS2+PM2_Supporting+PP4). c.5304_5306del and c.5165C>G were classified as likely pathogenic variants (PS2+PM2_Supporting+PM4+PP4; PS2_Moderate+PS1+PM1+PM2_Supporting). CONCLUSION The c.430_433del and c.5304_5306del variants of the FBN1 gene identified in this study were unreported previously. Above results have enriched the variation spectrum of the FBN1 gene and provided a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis of patients with MFS and acromicric dysplasia.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Humans ; Male ; Exons ; China ; Family ; Genetic Counseling ; Genetic Testing ; Marfan Syndrome/genetics* ; Mutation ; Fibrillin-1/genetics*

Objective:To compare and study the clinical efficacy of three different phacoemulsification incisions for cataract patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed in 120 patients (198 eyes) with type 2 diabetes cataract who underwent cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation from January 2018 to June 2019 in the First hospital of Hebei Medical University. According to the surgical incision, the patients were divided into three groups: A group (the cornea scleral marginal incision, 40 cases, 72 eyes), B group (the clear corneal incision at the top , 40 cases, 66 eyes), C group (underwent temporal clear corneal incision, 40 cases, 60 eyes). The corneal perception, dry eye symptoms, basic tear secretion test (SIt), tear film rupture time (BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (FL) and complications were compared among the three groups before and after treatment.Results:The corneal perception of B group and C group was lower than that of A group on 1 d, 7 d and 30 d after operation ( P<0.05); The scores of dry eye symptoms in C group were higher than those in A group and B group on 1 d, 7 d and 30 d after operation ( P<0.05), and the scores of dry eye symptoms in B group were higher than those in A group on 1 d and 7 d after operation ( P<0.05); The SIt value of C group was lower than that of A group on 1 d, 7 d and 30 d after operation ( P<0.05), and that of B group was lower than that of A group and group C on 1 d, 7 d and 30 d after operation ( P<0.05); The BUT value of C group was lower than that of A group at 1 d and 7 d after operation ( P<0.05), and the BUT value of B group was lower than that of A group and C group at 1 d, 7 d and 30 d after operation ( P<0.05); The FL value between A group and C group at 1 d, 7 d, 30 d and 90 d after treatment was not significant ( P>0.05). The FL value of B group returned to the level before treatment at 30 d after operation, and the FL value of B group was higher than that of A group and C group at 1 d and 7 d after operation ( P<0.05); There was little difference in the incidence of complications among the three groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The cornea scleral marginal incision can reduce the tear secretion, maintain the stability of tear film, and is more suitable for cataract patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is worthy of further promotion in clinic.

A new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been identified as the etiologic agent for the COVID-19 outbreak. Currently, effective treatment options remain very limited for this disease; therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new anti-COVID-19 agents. In this study, we screened over 6,000 compounds that included approved drugs, drug candidates in clinical trials, and pharmacologically active compounds to identify leads that target the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro). Together with main protease (M
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use* ; Binding Sites ; COVID-19/virology* ; Coronavirus Papain-Like Proteases/metabolism* ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Repositioning ; High-Throughput Screening Assays/methods* ; Humans ; Imidazoles/therapeutic use* ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Dynamics Simulation ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Naphthoquinones/therapeutic use* ; Protease Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Recombinant Proteins/isolation & purification* ; SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification*

Objective:To explore the effect of phacoemulsification through corneoscleral incision on cataract patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted to collect cataract patients with type 2 diabetes who were admitted to the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2018 to June 2019. All patients were treated with phacoemulsification. They were randomly divided into three groups: 40 cases (68 eyes) of corneoscleral incision, 40 cases (66 eyes) of upper transparent corneal incision and 40 cases (70 eyes) of temporal transparent corneal incision. The dry eye symptom scale score, corneal fluorescein staining (FL) score, tear rupture time (BUT) and Schirmer I test (SIt) were compared in three groups; The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in aqueous humor were compared among the three groups before and 7 days after operation.Results:⑴ The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in aqueous humor of the three groups were significantly lower than those before operation, especially in group A ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in aqueous humor of group B and C ( P>0.05); ⑵ The scores of dry eye symptoms in group B were significantly higher than those in group A at 1 and 7 days after operation ( P<0.05); The scores of dry eye symptoms in group C were significantly higher than those in group A and B at 1, 7 and 30 days after operation ( P<0.05); The dry eye symptom score in group A and B decreased to the preoperative level 30 days after operation ( P>0.05), and that in group C decreased to the preoperative level 90 days after operation ( P>0.05); ⑶ The postoperative 1, 7 and 30 d BUT in group A and C were significantly higher than those in group B ( P<0.05), and the level of SIt was significantly lower than that in group B ( P<0.05); At 1 and 7 days after operation, SIt in group A was significantly lower than that in group C ( P<0.05); the FLS score in group A and C was significantly lower than that in group B at 1 and 7 days after operation ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The incision of corneoscleral margin has little effect on tear film stability and ocular surface function of cataract patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated by phacoemulsification, which is worthy of clinical recommendation.