Background The contamination of public baths with Legionella pneumophila contamination has become a growing public health concern in recent years. However, research on its association with bacterial community characteristics in water samples remains limited. The integration of 16S rRNA sequencing and random forest modeling provides a new approach to elucidate the bacterial community characteristics of public bath water and their association with Legionella pneumophila contamination. Objective To investigate the bacterial community structure and diversity of public bath water in Shanghai, explore the association between Legionella pneumophila contamination and bacterial community characteristics, and identify key bacterial genera associated with contamination, thereby providing a scientific basis for formulating hygiene management regulations for public bath water. Methods From February to March 2023, water samples were collected from ten public baths in Shanghai which were selected based on business scale, regional distribution, and functional differences. Water quality parameters were evaluated, and the samples were categorized into Legionella-positive and Legionella-negative groups based on the detection results of Legionella pneumophila. The bacterial community structure, α-diversity, and β-diversity were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was employed to examine the relationship between physicochemical factors and bacterial community diversity. A random forest model was employed to identify key bacterial genera distinguishing the two groups, with the importance of genera being evaluated based on the mean decrease accuracy (MDA). Results The oxygen consumption in the Legionella-positive group was significantly lower than that in the Legionella-negative group (mean values: 1.85 mg·L⁻¹ vs. 6.81 mg·L⁻¹, P< 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in other physicochemical indicators. The sequencing results revealed a total of 27 bacterial phyla and 454 bacterial genera, with Proteobacteria (63.00%) being the dominant phylum. The dominant genera included Pelomonas (8.50%), Acidovorax (8.13%), Mycobacterium (7.93%), and Acinetobacter (6.59%). The α-diversity analysis indicated that bacterial community richness (Chao1 and ACE indices) was significantly higher in the Legionella-positive group than in the Legionella-negative group (P<0.01). The β-diversity analysis showed no significant difference in the bacterial community structure between the two groups (P>0.05). The RDA analysis demonstrated that the bacterial community diversity was positively correlated with pH and negatively correlated with oxygen consumption and free residual chlorine. The RDA1 and RDA2 explained 23.92% and 21.30% of the bacterial community diversity, respectively. The random forest model identified 20 key genera significantly influencing the microbial community distribution between the two groups, including unclassified_Bradyrhizobiaceae (MDA=2.42), Meiothermus (MDA=2.37), and Flavihumibacter (MDA=2.26). Conclusion The diversity of bacterial communities in public bath water is influenced by pH, oxygen consumption, and free residual chlorine. Samples contaminated with Legionella pneumophila exhibit greater microbial richness and contain characteristic key bacterial genera that contribute to community differences. Machine learning random forest technology helps identify these distinctive key bacterial genera. The findings provide a basis for carrying out risk early warning strategies in such settings.

Background A diverse cohort of patients and susceptible individuals congregate in healthcare facilities, where exposure to pathogenic microorganisms associated with respiratory infectious diseases constitutes a significant risk factor for cross-infection. Central air-conditioning ventilation systems improve some indoor environment indicators while exacerbating the risk of transmission of respiratory infectious diseases. Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of microbial communities in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems of hospitals, providing a scientific basis for the selection of microbial indicators in hygiene standards for hospital central air-conditioning ventilation systems and for hospital risk early warning systems. Methods In October 2023, two central air-conditioning ventilation systems were selected from a Grade 3A hospital in Shanghai: one was an all-air air-conditioning system serving the waiting area on the ground floor, and the other was a fan coil plus fresh air system serving the outpatient area on the third floor. Samples from four different components of the ventilation systems—air outlets, filters, surface coolers, and condensate trays—were collected for high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to analyze bacterial communities. Alpha-diversity and beta-diversity analyses were performed to investigate the microbial community composition and diversity characteristics of the hospital central air-conditioning ventilation systems. Functional analysis was conducted to determine the relative abundance of bacterial functions in these systems.Results A total of 528 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, encompassing 20 bacterial phyla, 37 classes, 79 orders, 123 families, and 240 genera. The analysis revealed that the bacterial community was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadates, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. The diversity analysis indicated that bacterial community richness and diversity were highest in the condensate trays, while no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the bacterial community composition among the air outlets, filters, and surface coolers. The functional analysis showed that the bacterial communities in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems primarily exhibited chemoheterotrophic, oxidative energy-dependent heterotrophic, and ureolytic functional characteristics. Conclusion The dominance of Proteobacteria suggests that this phylum exhibits strong adaptability in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems, possibly related to its ability to survive and reproduce under varying environmental conditions. The diversity analysis indicates that the condensate tray is a critical area for bacterial proliferation in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems. The similarity in environmental conditions among the air outlets, filters, and surface coolers result in similar bacterial community structures. The functional analysis reveals that the bacterial communities possess robust energy conversion and metabolic capabilities, potentially contributing to processes such as organic matter decomposition and nitrogen cycling within the central air-conditioning ventilation systems.

Objective To evaluate the predictive ability and clinical application value of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the benign and malignant differentiation and pathological type of pulmonary nodules, and to summarize clinical application experience. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with pulmonary nodules admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, from February 2016 to February 2025. Firstly, pulmonary nodules were divided into benign and non-benign groups, and the discriminative abilities of AI systems and clinicians were compared. Subsequently, lung nodules reported as precursor glandular lesions (PGL), microinvasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), and invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) in postoperative pathological results were analyzed, comparing the efficacy of AI systems and clinicians in predicting the pathological type of pulmonary nodules. Results In the analysis of benign/non-benign pulmonary nodules, clinical data from a total of 638 patients with pulmonary nodules were included, of which there were 257 males (10 patients and 1 patient of double and triple primary lesions, respectively) and 381 females (18 patients and 1 patient of double and triple primary lesions, respectively), with a median age of 55.0 (47.0, 61.0) years. Different lesions in the same patient were analyzed as independent samples. Univariate analysis of the two groups of variables showed that, except for nodule location, the differences in the remaining variables were statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, nodule type (subsolid pulmonary nodule), average density, spicule sign, and vascular convergence sign were independent influencing factors for non-benign pulmonary nodules, among which age, nodule type (subsolid pulmonary nodule), spicule sign, and vascular convergence sign were positively correlated with non-benign pulmonary nodules, while average density was negatively correlated with the occurrence of non-benign pulmonary nodules. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the malignancy risk value given by the AI system in predicting non-benign pulmonary nodules was 0.811, slightly lower than the 0.898 predicted by clinicians. In the PGL/MIA/IAC analysis, clinical data from a total of 411 patients with pulmonary nodules were included, of which there were 149 males (8 patients of double primary lesions) and 262 females (17 patients of double primary lesions), with a median age of 56.0 (50.0, 61.0) years. Different lesions in the same patient were analyzed as independent samples. Univariate analysis results showed that, except for gender, nodule location, and vascular convergence sign, the differences in the remaining variables among the three groups of PGL, MIA, and IAC patients were statistically significant (P<0.05). Multinomial multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the differences between the parameters in the PGL group and the MIA group were not statistically significant (P>0.05), and the maximum diameter and average density of the nodules were statistically different between the PGL and IAC groups (P<0.05), and were positively correlated with the occurrence of IAC as independent risk factors. The average AUC value, accuracy, recall rate, and F1 score of the AI system in predicting lung nodule pathological type were 0.807, 74.3%, 73.2%, and 68.5%, respectively, all better than the clinical physicians’ prediction of lung nodule pathological type indicators (0.782, 70.9%, 66.2%, and 63.7% respectively). The AUC value of the AI system in predicting IAC was 0.853, and the sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff value were 0.643, 0.943, and 50.0%, respectively. Conclusion This AI system has demonstrated high clinical value in predicting the benign and malignant nature and pathological type of lung nodules, especially in predicting lung nodule pathological type, its ability has surpassed that of clinical physicians. With the optimization of algorithms and the adequate integration of multimodal data, it can better assist clinical physicians in formulating individualized diagnostic and treatment plans for patients with lung nodules.

Objective:To explore the value of material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in predicting the recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures after operation, in order to provide reference for the evaluation of postoperative recurrence of fractures.Methods:A total of 80 cases with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) treated in the First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu, Henan Province from Jan. 2020 to Dec. 2021 were selected for pre-operative CT material separation examination and postoperative follow-up for at least 2 years. The patients were divided into recurrence group and no recurrence group according to the recurrence of fracture. The clinical data and the results of material separation technique by energy spectrum CT were compared. The relevant factors for fracture recurrence was assessed by Logistic regression analysis, and ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in the recurrence of fracture.Results:After a follow-up of at least 2 years, 26 of the 80 patients had a recurrence of the fracture. The age, calcium water and hydroxyapatite (HAP) -water values in recurrent group were higher than those in no recurrent group, and the proportion of bone cement leakage was higher ( t/ Fisher=2.57, 5.40, 3.96, - P = 0.012 < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.033) . Logistic regression analysis showed that calcium-water ( OR=2.321, 95%CI: 1.464-3.679) and HAP-water ( OR=1.784, 95%CI: 1.246-2.554) values were the factors for postoperative fracture recurrence in osteoporotic fractures ( P<0.001) . ROC curve showed that AUC, sensitivity and specificity of combined calcium-water and HAP-water values in predicting postoperative fracture recurrence were 0.868, 88.46% and 79.63%, respectively ( P<0.001) . Conclusions:The material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in predicting the recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures after operation has high clinical application value, and provides a new idea for the clinical evaluation of postoperative recurrence of fractures.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative measurement combined with serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin (BGP), and β-type I collagen carboxy-terminal peptide ( β-CTx) for the risk of fractures in patients with osteoporosis. Methods:A total of 90 patients with osteoporosis who underwent dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative detection at the First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu from Jan. 2020 to Jan. 2023 were selected as the research subjects. According to the occurrence of fractures within one year of follow-up, the patients were divided into the fracture group ( n=36) and the non-fracture group ( n=54). The clinical data, dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative parameters, and serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx levels of the two groups were compared. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for fractures in patients with osteoporosis, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative parameters combined with serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx for fractures in patients with osteoporosis. Results:There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, drinking history, or bone marrow CT value parameters between the fracture group and the non-fracture group ( χ2=0.66, t=1.86, t=1.59, χ2=0.19, χ2=0.98, t=0.40, all P > 0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in the history of fragility fractures, regular calcium supplementation, lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), calcium CT value, mixed energy image CT value, calcium concentration, fat fraction, BALP, BGP, and β-CTx ( χ2=9.73, χ2=4.17, t=3.14, t=7.06, t=7.92, t=6.50, t=3.26, t=8.12, t=12.66, t=11.37, all P < 0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that the history of fragility fractures ( OR=1.863, P=0.023), regular calcium supplementation ( OR=1.728, P=0.031), fat fraction ( OR=1.685, P=0.009), BALP ( OR=1.815, P=0.002), BGP ( OR=1.605, P=0.003), and β-CTx ( OR=1.636, P < 0.001) were risk factors for fractures in patients with osteoporosis, while lumbar bone BMD ( OR=0.456, P=0.025), calcium CT value ( OR=0.486, P=0.005), mixed energy image CT value ( OR=0.490, P < 0.001), and calcium concentration ( OR=0.509, P=0.010) were protective factors. The ROC curve showed that the sensitivity of dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative measurement parameters combined with serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx in predicting fractures in patients with osteoporosis was 94.68%, the specificity was 92.16%, the Youden index was 0.868, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.947, and the 95% confidence interval ( CI) was 0.905 to 0.982. Conclusion:Dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative parameters and serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx levels have certain predictive value for the risk of fractures in patients with osteoporosis, and the combined prediction value is higher.

Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of intraosseous regional administration (IORA) of vancomycin for preventing infection in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Methods:A total of 124 patients with knee osteoarthritis undergoing TKA between February 2024 and May 2024 at nine hospitals were enrolled. Preoperative infection prophylaxis involved either IORA (0.5 g vancomycin administered via intraosseous regional infusion before incision) or intravenous infusion (1 g vancomycin via peripheral vein). The IORA group included 15 males and 47 females with a median age of 66.5 years (range, 60.0-70.0 years), while the intravenous group included 14 males and 48 females with a median age of 66.0 years (range, 61.8-70.3 years) years. Intraoperative samples were collected including fat and synovium tissues after incision, before prosthesis placement, and after tourniquet release; distal femoral cancellous bone during femoral osteotomy; proximal tibial cancellous bone during tibial osteotomy; proximal intercondylar cancellous bone before prosthesis placement; and peripheral blood from non-infused arms at surgery initiation and after tourniquet release. Vancomycin concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Vital sign changes were recorded from admission to 5~10 minutes post-IORA (IORA group) or post-incision (intravenous group). Follow-ups were conducted on postoperative day 1 and 3, and at 1 and 3 months, to document complications including IORA-related adverse events, periprosthetic joint infections, surgical site infections, red man syndrome, acute kidney injury, deep vein thrombosis and so on.Results:Vancomycin concentrations in bone, fat, and synovial tissue samples were significantly higher in the IORA group than in the intravenous group ( P<0.05), while vancomycin concentrations in blood samples were significantly lower in the IORA group than in the intravenous group ( P<0.05). Only 7.3%(41/558) of tissue samples in the IORA group had vancomycin concentrations below 2.0 μg/g (the minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin against coagulase-negative staphylococcus), compared to 59.3%(331/558) in the intravenous group (χ 2=11.285, P<0.001). In the intravenous group, 16.9%(21/124) of blood samples had vancomycin concentrations exceeding 15.0 mg/L (the threshold associated with a significantly increased risk of nephrotoxicity), while all concentrations in the IORA group were below this threshold, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=22.943, P<0.001). There were no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05) in vital signs changes before and after vancomycin administration between the two groups. Two patients in the intravenous group experienced incision exudate, while no other related complications occurred in either group. Conclusions:Compared to the traditional intravenous infusion of 1 g vancomycin, intraosseous injection of a low dose (0.5 g) of vancomycin achieves higher local tissue concentrations in the knee joint with a lower incidence of adverse reactions and is safe for infection prophylaxis. Despite guidelines not recommending the routine use of vancomycin for preventing infection after primary TKA, intraosseous injection of 0.5 g vancomycin may be considered intraoperatively for primary TKA in the following scenarios: patients in medical institutions with a high prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, patients with potential preoperative MRSA colonization, or patients with cephalosporin allergy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.08.006.].

Objective:To summarize the surgical strategies and to evaluate the clinical outcomes of up-per urinary tract reconstruction in patients with stone-related ureteral strictures.Methods:This retro-spective study included 71 patients diagnosed with ureteral strictures secondary to urinary stones who un-derwent upper urinary tract reconstructive surgery at Peking University First Hospital between March 2014 and November 2023.Patient data were collected,including demographic characteristics,clinical presen-tation,laboratory results,imaging findings,surgical procedures,and follow-up outcomes.Ureteral stric-tures were classified according to anatomical location into upper,middle,lower,or multiple segments.Surgical procedures were carried out depending on the stricture characteristics.Surgical success was de-fined as resolution or improvement of clinical symptoms,radiographic improvement or stabilization of hy-dronephrosis,and maintenance of normal and stable renal function.Results:Among the 71 patients,36(50.7％)had strictures in the upper ureter,9(12.7％)in the middle ureter,15(21.1％)in the lower ureter,and 11(15.5％)had multifocal ureteral strictures.The median stricture length was 5.0 cm(interquartile range:3.0-15.0 cm).Surgical approach selection was individualized based on the location and extent of the stricture.For upper ureteral strictures,the most frequently employed techniques were oral mucosal graft ureteroplasty(13/36,36.1％)and appendiceal flap ureteroplasty(8/36,22.2％).Other options included ureteroureterostomy and ileal ureter replacement for longer or more complex strictures.In middle ureteral strictures,treatment was stratified by length:balloon dilation(1/9,11.1％)and ureteroureterostomy(1/9,11.1％)were applied in shorter strictures,while oral mucosal graft ureteroplasty(3/9,33.3％)and ileal ureter replacement(4/9,44.4％)were reserved for longer segments.For lower ureteral strictures,ureteral reimplantation into the bladder was the most common approach(10/15,66.7％),often combined with a psoas hitch or Boari flap when necessary.All the patients with multiple segmental strictures underwent ileal ureter replacement due to the extensive nature of the disease.The median follow-up period was 14.2 months(range:6.1-107.1 months).During follow-up,69 of 71 patients(97.2％)achieved surgical success.Conclusion:Stone-related ure-teral strictures present with considerable heterogeneity in terms of anatomical location,length,and com-plexity.Careful preoperative evaluation and individualized surgical planning are critical to successful re-construction.With appropriate selection of surgical methods,favorable long-term clinical outcomes can be achieved in the majority of patients.

Objective To investigate the expression of calumenin(CALU)in gastric cancer and its effect on metastasis and invasion of gastric cancer,and analyze its relationship with the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database was used to analyze the expression level of CALU in gastric cancer and its impact on patient prognosis.A total of 102 pairs of gastric cancer and paracancerous tissue samples were collected from 189 gastric cancer patients who underwent partial gastrectomy in First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022.The expression of CALU in gastric cancer and paracancerous tissues was detected by immunohistochemical assay,and the relationship of its expression with clinicopathological parameters was statistically analyzed.After gastric cancer cells with CALU knockdown and overexpression were constructed,and the efficiencies of knockdown and overexpression were evaluated by Western blotting as well as RT-qPCR.Transwell assay was applied to determine the effect of CALU on the migration and invasion abilities of gastric cancer cells.Results Bioinformation analysis found that CALU was significantly highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues(P<0.05),and its expression level was negatively correlated with the prognosis of patients(P<0.05).Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression level of CALU was obviously highly in gastric cancer tissues than the paracancerous tissues(P<0.01),and its level was positively correlated with the depth of infiltration(P<0.01),lymph node metastasis(P<0.01),and TNM stage(P<0.05).Statistical analysis revealed that the clinical data of 102 patients showed that CALU expression was positively correlated with the TNM stage(P=0.021)and T stage(P<0.001)and N stage(P=0.028).CALU knockdown significantly inhibited the migration and invasion abilities of gastric cancer cells(P<0.01),while over-expression obtained the opposite results.Conclusion CALU is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and promotes metastasis and invasion of gastric cancer and thus leads to poor prognosis in patients.

Objective:To investigate the longitudinal patterns and influencing factors of platelet counts among healthy adults in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2021, and to inform the establishment of region-specific reference intervals for platelet counts.Methods:This study is a retrospective study. A total of 7 808 healthy adults who underwent annual physical examinations at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, between January 2010 and December 2021 were included. All participants were permanent Chengdu residents and completed consecutive complete blood count tests. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to identify distinct trajectories of platelet count over the ten-year period. One-way analyses were then conducted to compare baseline demographic characteristics (sex and age) among the different trajectory groups.Results:Among 7 808 participants, 4 589 (58.8%) were male and 3 219 (41.2%) were female. Four platelet count trajectories were identified by GBTM: steadily increasing group [27.4% (2 139/7 808)], early increase-plateau group [44.1% (3 445/7 808)], early decrease-subsequent increase group [5.4% (422/7 808)], and steadily decreasing group [23.1% (1 802/7 808)], with an average growth rate of 3.3%, 1.6%, 0.7%, and -0.6%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in both sex and age distributions among the four trajectory groups. Sex-distribution differed significantly across the four trajectory groups ( χ2=73.3, P<0.001). The male proportions in the four trajectory groups were 59.6% (1 275/2 139), 62.8% (2 165/3 445), 48.1% (203/422), and 52.5% (946/1 802), respectively. The baseline ages were 45 (36, 55), 43 (35, 53), 50 (40, 60), and 47 (39, 58) years, respectively (H=121.0, P<0.001). Conclusions:Healthy adults in Sichuan Province exhibit four longitudinal trajectories of platelet counts: steadily increasing, early increase-plateau, early decrease-subsequent increase, and steadily decreasing. The two trajectories characterized by rising platelet counts (steadily increasing group and early increase-plateau group) exhibited higher male predominance and lower median ages, whereas the early decrease-subsequent increase group and the steadily decreasing group exhibited lower male proportions and higher median ages. Therefore, while establishing reference intervals and developing health management strategies for platelet counts, it is essential to account for the sex, age characteristics and the population′s dynamic changes.