1.Epidemiological investigation of one imported cholera epidemic in Shenzhen in 2024
ZHANG Sheng ; MA Ziqi ; MA Zhifeng
China Tropical Medicine 2025;25(2):253-
Objective To conduct an epidemiological investigation and analysis on one imported cholera case in Shenzhen in 2024, providing a reference for cholera prevention and control. Methods A cholera case and 86 close contacts in 2024 were investigated using methods of field epidemiological investigation. Real-time RT-PCR was employed for Vibrio cholerae nucleic acid detection and typing of collected specimens, followed by isolation culture, whole genome sequencing and analysis. Results One severe cholera case was confirmed in an Indian businessman, who recovered and was discharged after rescue and rehabilitation. The pathogen was identified as the toxigenic strain of Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa, and genetic evolution analysis showed that it had a very close genetic relationship with Vibrio cholerae isolated from multiple countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan. Among the 86 close contacts under medical observation, no abnormalities were found. A total of 75 close contact specimens and 38 environment smear specimens from epidemic sites were collected, all testing negative. Conclusion This is an imported cholera epidemic originating from India. The sensitivity of medical institutions to monitoring key infectious diseases such as cholera needs to be improved.
2.Prediction of hypertension risk by Chinese visceral adiposity index
BAI Kaizhi ; ZHANG Guangming ; WU Xiaohong ; WANG Xiaohong ; XU Zelin ; PANG Zhifeng
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(11):1119-1123
Objective:
To investigate the value of the Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) in predicting hypertension risk, so as to provide a tool for the early assessment of hypertension risk.
Methods:
Health examination individuals aged ≥18 years were selected from four medical institutes in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province in 2022. Data on basic information, lifestyle, disease history, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood biochemical indicators were collected through questionnaire surveys and physical examinations. CVAI was calculated to assess levels of visceral fat accumulation, divided by quartiles into Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups. The relationship between CVAI and hypertension was analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model, and their dose-response relationship was examined using a restricted cubic spline model. The value of CVAI in predicting hypertension risk was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.
Results:
A total of 23 791 individuals were enrolled, with a median age of 68.00 (interquartile range, 14.00) years. Among them, 10 178 (42.78%) were males and 13 613 (57.22%) were females. The median CVAI was 111.40 (interquartile range, 48.23). Hypertension was identified in 15 563 cases, with a prevalence of 65.42%. After adjusting for lifestyle, disease history, and blood biochemical indicators, the multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that hypertension risk in the CVAI Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were 2.012 (95%CI: 1.865-2.170), 3.059 (95%CI: 2.826-3.311), and 5.099 (95%CI: 4.672-5.565) times that of the Q1 group, respectively. The restricted cubic spline model revealed a non-linear relationship between CVAI and hypertension risk (Pnon linearity<0.05). Hypertension risk increased more rapidly when the CVAI was ≥81.03. The area under the ROC curve for CVAI in predicting hypertension risk was 0.691, with an optimal cutoff value of 106.01, which falls within the Q2 group.
Conclusions
There was a nonlinear dose-response relationship between CVAI and hypertension. CVAI can predict the risk of hypertension, and 106.01 can serve as an early warning threshold for risk screening.
3.Interpretation of the Nursing Principles Section in the 2024 EAUN Evidence-Based Guidelines for Best Practices in Adult Indwelling Catheterization
Wenwen JIA ; Beibei ZHANG ; Xiaoli ZHANG ; Feijie WANG ; Lijie HUANG ; Zhifeng WANG ; Jinpeng ZHANG ; Xiaohui MIAO
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2025;41(32):2542-2547
Indwelling urinary catheterization is one of the most widely used invasive procedures in clinical practice, playing a critical role in disease diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. In 2024, the European Association of Urology Nurses (EAUN) released the Best Practice Guidelines for Indwelling Urinary Catheterization in Adults-Transurethral and Suprapubic Catheterization (hereinafter referred to as the Guideline), aiming to provide evidence-based clinical guidance and health education information for healthcare professionals. This article interprets the section on "Nursing Principles" within the Guideline, which spans the entire process of catheter management. Key aspects covered include pre-insertion preparation, catheter insertion procedure, catheter maintenance and securement, observation of urine color, prevention of constipation, and catheter removal. The aim is to help urology nurses and related healthcare personnel gain an in-depth understanding of the recommendations in the Guideline, promote its standardized application in clinical practice, improve the quality of indwelling catheter care, and ensure patient safety.
4.Application of endoscopic healing index in monitoring the activity of Crohn′s disease
Yuan FENG ; Zhuo ZHANG ; Zhifeng LIU
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2025;40(2):142-145
Crohn′s disease (CD) is a chronic, nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease involving the whole digestive tract with unknown etiology.The international inflammatory bowel disease organization recently proposed that the long-term goals of CD treatment are endoscopic remission, mucosal healing, and return to normal quality of life.Therefore, how to monitor disease activity to achieve long-term treatment goals faces severe challenges.As a new method, endoscopic healing index is of great significance for monitoring the activity of CD.In this paper, the concept of endoscopic healing index, the efficacy of monitoring endoscopic motion, the application in disease diagnosis and treatment, the challenges and opportunities are reviewed.
5.EGR2 maintains neuropathic pain by promoting microglial phagocytosis.
Caiyun XI ; Jianxi ZHANG ; Zhifeng HUANG ; Liqiong HE ; Kailu ZOU ; Xiaoping XU ; Qulian GUO ; Bei SUN ; Changsheng HUANG
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2025;50(4):586-601
OBJECTIVES:
Neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the most common forms of chronic pain, yet current treatment options are limited in effectiveness. Peripheral nerve injury activates spinal microglia, altering their inflammatory response and phagocytic functions, which contributes to the progression of NP. Most current research on NP focuses on microglial inflammation, with relatively little attention to their phagocytic function. Early growth response factor 2 (EGR2) has been shown to regulate microglial phagocytosis, but its specific role in NP remains unclear. This study aims to investigate how EGR2 modulates microglial phagocytosis and its involvement in NP, with the goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets.
METHODS:
Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of the sciatic nerve. Pain behaviors were assessed on days 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14 post-surgery to confirm successful model induction. The temporal and spatial expression of EGR2 in the spinal cord was examined using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) was used to overexpress EGR2 in the spinal cord, and behavioral assessments were performed to evaluate the effects of EGR2 modulation of NP. CCI and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) models were established in animals and microglial cell lines, respectively, and changes in phagocytic activity were measured using RT-qPCR and fluorescent latex bead uptake assays. After confirming the involvement of microglial phagocytosis in NP, AAV was used to overexpress EGR2 in both in vivo and in vitro models, and phagocytic activity was further evaluated. Finally, eukaryotic transcriptome sequencing was conducted to screen differentially expressed mRNAs, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses to identify potential downstream effectors of EGR2.
RESULTS:
The CCI model successfully induced NP. Following CCI, EGR2 expression in the spinal cord was upregulated in parallel with NP development. Overexpression of EGR2 via spinal AAV injection enhanced microglial phagocytic activity and increased pain hypersensitivity in rats. Both animal and cellular models showed that CCI or LPS stimulation enhanced microglial phagocytosis, which was further amplified by EGR2 overexpression. Transcriptomic analysis of spinal cord tissues from CCI rats overexpressing EGR2 revealed upregulation of numerous genes associated with microglial phagocytosis and pain regulation. Among them, Lag3 emerged as a potential downstream target of EGR2.
CONCLUSIONS
EGR2 contributes to the maintenance of NP by enhancing microglial phagocytosis in the spinal dorsal horn.
Animals
;
Microglia/metabolism*
;
Phagocytosis/physiology*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Neuralgia/physiopathology*
;
Early Growth Response Protein 2/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Rats
;
Spinal Cord/metabolism*
;
Sciatic Nerve/injuries*
6.Facilitation of mucosal healing by estrogen receptor β in ulcerative colitis through suppression of branched-chain amino acid transport and subsequent triggering of autophagy in colonic epithelial cells.
Yilei GUO ; Yanrong ZHU ; Jing ZHANG ; Yue HE ; Mianjiang ZHAO ; Haochang LIN ; Zhifeng WEI ; Yufeng XIA ; Yue DAI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):168-187
Colonic mucosal healing is the ultimate goal of ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment, but it remains difficult to realize. Given the higher incidence of UC in males and the beneficial effect of estrogen on UC, we conducted this study to examine the therapeutic potential of estrogen receptor β (ERβ), the primary ER subtype in colon, on mucosal healing in UC. Our study is the first to report that ERβ activation degree was positively correlated with mucosal healing in patients with UC. Furthermore, ERβ activation enhanced mucosal healing in mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced and biopsy-induced colonic injuries. Mechanistically, ERβ activation promoted autophagy of colonic epithelial cells by inhibiting branched-chain amino acid transport, leading to focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation. Activated FAK promoted focal adhesion turnover and colonic epithelial cell migration, ultimately facilitating mucosal healing. ERβ -/- colitis mice exhibited impaired mucosal healing compared to wild-type littermates, highlighting the crucial effect of ERβ. Importantly, combination with ERβ-agonist diarylpropionitrile enhanced the amelioration of 5-aminosalicylic acid, a standard UC treatment agent, against mouse colitis. These findings attest to the crucial role of ERβ activation in colonic mucosal healing and may further inform the development of novel strategies for UC treatment.
7.Meta-analysis of sealants versus fluoride varnishes for the prevention of occlusal surface caries in children's first permanent molars.
Jingya HAN ; Yajun ZHANG ; Mengzhen JI ; Jingfei SUN ; Shuhan JIA ; Zhifeng WANG
West China Journal of Stomatology 2025;43(3):383-394
OBJECTIVES:
To assess the effectiveness of the comparison between pit and fissure sealants and fluoride varnishes, as well as various types of sealants, in preventing caries on the occlusal surface of children's first permanent molars (FPM).
METHODS:
Conduct a comprehensive search of literature published between January 1, 1988, and May 30, 2024, in the following databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, China Science Periodical Database and China Biology Medicine database. Meta-analysis and subgroup analyses were performed on the literature that met the inclusion criteria.
RESULTS:
A total of 5 618 pieces of literature were retrieved, resulting in the inclusion of 14 in the study. Meta-analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the efficacy between varies pit and fissure sealants compared to fluoride varnishes, and between varies types of sealants in preventing caries on the occlusal surface of children's first permanent molars within 24 months post-surgery (P>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Within 24 months, there was no significant difference in the effectiveness of using resin-based or glass iomomer pit and fissure sealants compared with fluoride varnishes in preventing occlusal caries in FPM in children; within 24 months, there was no significant difference in the effectiveness of using resin-based sealants compared with ART sealants in preventing occlusal caries in FPM in children. ART sealants are recommended over resin-based sealers for children who have no conditions for chair-side manipulation or who are poorly co-operative.
Humans
;
Pit and Fissure Sealants/therapeutic use*
;
Dental Caries/prevention & control*
;
Molar
;
Child
;
Fluorides, Topical/therapeutic use*
;
Dentition, Permanent
8.Mechanical properties of solid-liquid biphase fiber-reinforced cartilage in developmental dysplasia of hip patients
Yongchang GAO ; Pengfei CHEN ; Zhenxian CHEN ; Jing WEI ; Zhe DONG ; Hui LI ; Zhifeng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(21):4439-4444
BACKGROUND:Developmental dysplasia of hip causes groin pain in patients with prolonged activity or standing due to the presence of deformities of the acetabulum and femoral head in terms of structure,size and orientation,and if not effectively treated,patients' normal activities will be severely limited.OBJECTIVE:Finite element model of the hip joint of solid-liquid biphase fiber reinforced cartilage based on FEBio was established to explore the biomechanical properties of the cartilage for patients with developmental dysplasia of hip and the normal hip joint.METHODS:A patient with developmental dysplasia of hip and a normal volunteer were chosen to build their left hip models including left pelvis,left femur,and cartilage attached thereto. The solid-liquid biphase fiber reinforced cartilage of normal hip was verified to be effective. The cartilage equal contact stress,fluid pressure,solid effective stress,and fluid support rate differences between the developmental dysplasia of hip patients hip and the normal one in the case of one leg of static load (2130 N) were compared after establishing finite element models of developmental dysplasia of hip patients.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Compared with the finite element results of the normal hip model,the cartilage contact position of developmental hip dysplasia patient hip showed obvious edge contact,the peak contact stress (3.86 Mpa) and peak fluid pressure (3.76 Mpa) were both higher than normal hip model. (2) After 1500 s (stable load-bearing capacity),peak contact stress and peak fluid pressure in both models decreased,but the cartilage contact position of developmental hip dysplasia patient hip moved from the edge of cartilage to the center,and fluid support rate decreased from 97.41% to 91.08%. The fluid support rate in normal hip was decreased by 0.58% from 95.24% to 94.66%. (3) It is indicated that under the physiological load of standing on one leg,the cartilage of developmental dysplasia of hip patients showed obvious edge load,and the decrease of peak contact stress,fluid pressure,and fluid formation rate was greater than that of normal cartilage. Considering the solid-liquid biphasic fiber reinforcement characteristics of cartilage,it is of great clinical significance to evaluate the biomechanical properties of hip cartilage in developmental dysplasia of hip patients,to understand the pathophysiological mechanism of developmental dysplasia of hip,and make preoperative plan.
9.Study on the mechanism of PPARγ-Targeted intervention in abnormal lipid Metabolism-Induced dysfunction in placental trophoblast cells in preeclampsia and its clinical relevance
Jingrui LI ; Yaoyu SUO ; Tian TIAN ; Ping CAO ; Zhifeng DONG ; Nan JIANG ; Huiping ZHANG ; Kai WU ; Qing SHI ; Guizhong LI
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(16):2489-2497
Objective To investigate the causal relationship between abnormal placental lipid metabolism and trophoblast dysfunction in patients with preeclampsia(PE),and to explore the regulatory effects of PPARγ on trophoblast function under hypoxic conditions.Methods Placental tissues were collected from 30 patients with PE and 30 individuals with normal pregnancies at the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University between October 2020 and November 2021 for the analysis of lipid deposition.A rat model of PE was established,comprising a sham-operated(Sham)group and a reduced uterine perfusion pressure(Rupp)group,with six rats in each group(n=12 total).Human trophoblast cells(HTR-8/SVneo)were cultured in vitro and randomly assigned to four experimental groups:normoxic control,hypoxia,hypoxia+PPARγ agonist(Rosiglitazone),and hypoxia+PPARγ antagonist(T0070907).The expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes and transcription factors(FASN,FABP4,PPARγ,LXRα)were assessed using RT-qPCR.Western blotting was performed to determine the protein expression levels of PPARγ.Cell migration and invasion capacities were evaluated using scratch wound healing and Transwell assays,respectively.Results Placental lipid deposition in the PE group was significantly higher than that in the control group,particularly in the Rupp model mice(P<0.001).Under hypoxic conditions,the expression levels of FASN and FABP4 were upregulated in trophoblast cells(P<0.001),whereas the expression of PPARγ and LXRα was downregulated(P<0.001).Furthermore,treatment with the PPARγ antagonist T0070907 exacerbated the inhibitory effects of hypoxia on cell function(P<0.001),significantly reducing cell invasion and migration capacity(P<0.001).Additional siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments confirmed that PPARγ deficiency further aggravated hypoxia-induced impairments in cell migration and invasion,and this detrimental effect could not be reversed by Rosiglitazone.Conclusions Abnormal placental lipid metabolism in PE is closely linked to PPARγ-mediated enhancement of lipid synthesis and metabolic dysregulation under hypoxic conditions,which may subsequently impair trophoblast invasion and migration.
10.A case of PLCZ1 complex heterozygous mutation underwent ICSI combined assisted oocyte activation and literature review
Yueyue HU ; Qianyi WANG ; Xu YAN ; Zhifeng SUN ; Xin ZHANG ; Ying ZHANG ; Changjun ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(6):618-622
The treatment process of multiple fertilization failure and salvage fertilization in a male infertile patient was retrospectively analyzed. The patient underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in another hospital for 3 cycles, all of which had fertilization abnormalities. The complex heterozygous mutation of PLCZ1 gene was detected by infertility gene paneland confirmed by Sanger sequencing in the Reproductive Medicine Center of Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, and the gene mutation was derived from both parents. No abnormal mutations were found in the woman's genetic testing. The woman underwent progestin-primed ovarian stimulation, resulting in the retrieval of 9 oocytes. ICSI combined with 10 μmol/L ionomycin assisted oocyte activation (AOA) was applied to all mature eggs,resulting in 7 normal fertilized oocytes and 7 cleavage embryos, 2 high-quality cleavage embryos were frozen. Two months later, the woman underwent frozen-thawed embryo transfer to obtain biochemical pregnancy. Simultaneously, we reviewed the literature on PLCZ1 gene mutations and AOA related literature at home and abroad. From this case we can draw the following conclusions: 1) When no fertilization or polyspermia occurs in an IVF cycle and total fertilization fails in ICSI, genetic testing of both spouses is required to find genetic factors. 2) The mutation of PLCZ1 gene mainly leads to fertilization failure. ICSI combined with AOA is an effective method to rescue fertilization failure. Ionomycin has a significant effect on oocyte activation, and has no effect on embryo formation. However, we still need to accumulate case data to verify the safety of ionomycin AOA.


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