Objective:To investigate the current situation of water-borne endemic fluorosis in Anhui Province, and provide basic data for the adjusting the prevention and control measures.Methods:Using cross-sectional survey method, all villages in the water-borne endemic fluorosis areas were investigated in Anhui Province from 2019 to 2022. In water-borne endemic fluorosis village, the situation of water improvement project and the fluoride level of drinking water were investigated, and dental fluorosis of all children aged 8 - 12 was examined. The criteria for determining the achievement of control targets for water-borne endemic fluorosis in affected counties were based on the "Evaluation Measures for Control and Elimination of Key Endemic Diseases (2019 Edition)".Results:From 2019 to 2022, the rate of water improvement village in water-borne endemic fluorosis areas were 88.47% (1 527/1 726), 100% (1 726/1 726), 100% (1 726/1 726) and 100% (1 726/1 726), respectively. The qualified proportion of water fluoride in water-borne endemic fluorosis villages was 33.84% (584/1 726), 63.09% (1 089/1 726), 70.74% (1 221/1 726) and 74.33% (1 283/1 726), respectively. The prevalence rates of dental fluorosis in children aged 8 - 12 were 25.48% (45 461/178 440), 15.78% (27 959/177 200), 13.68% (23 505/171 880) and 12.66% (23 315/184 200), respectively. The proportion of affected counties that had achieved the control target of water-borne endemic fluorosis was 16% (4/25), 60% (15/25), 36% (9/25) and 40% (10/25), respectively.Conclusions:The water-borne endemic fluorosis areas in Anhui Province have improved the water fluoride qualification rate and reduced the incidence of fluorosis in children through prevention and control measures such as water improvement and fluoride reduction. However, the prevention and control efforts in key areas and counties need to be further improved.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with primary ureteral sarcomatoid carcinoma, thereby enhancing the understanding of the clinical context surrounding this disease.Methods:We report a case of primary ureteral sarcomatoid carcinoma in an elderly patient diagnosed through postoperative pathology at the Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army.Additionally, a literature review was conducted to analyze articles related to primary ureteral sarcomatoid carcinoma published both domestically and internationally up to July 2024.This review summarizes and analyzes information regarding the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis associated with this condition.Results:A total of 20 articles were reviewed, encompassing 24 cases of primary ureteral sarcomatoid carcinoma.Among the patients, 17 were older than 60 years, and when combined with the cases presented in this review, a total of 18 cases involved patients over the age of 60.Of these, 66.7%(12/18)were male, with a median age at diagnosis of 65 years.The reported cases often exhibited no clinical manifestations in the early stages; however, as the disease progressed, common urinary symptoms emerged, including frequency, urgency, pain, or painless hematuria, occurring throughout the ureteral course.The lesions were predominantly located in the left ureter(17 cases), which frequently exhibited dilation with effusion.Pathologic examination revealed the presence of microscopic spindle cells.Surgical treatment was administered to 20 patients, of whom 9 did not experience recurrence or metastasis during the follow-up period, while 7 cases resulted in mortality.Conclusions:Primary ureteral sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the ureter.Its clinical manifestations are generally regarded as non-specific, making pathological examination the gold standard for diagnosis.Immunohistochemical and imaging studies can assist in the diagnostic process.The current preferred treatment modality is surgical resection, while first-line therapies that combine chemotherapy with immunotherapy and targeted therapy have been shown to enhance tumor control.

Objective To develop a three-compartment kinetic fatigue model for the isometric muscle endurance of the hip,knee,and ankle joints at 50％IPT(isometric peak torque),so as to provide a theoretical basis for simulation-based assessments and load evaluations in biomechanics and sports science.Methods The IPT of the hip,knee,and ankle joints was measured in 40 male university students.Isometric endurance tests were then performed on all three joints at 50％IPT until exhaustion.Electromyography data and endurance time(ET)of major lower limb muscles were collected concurrently.The differences between ETs predicted by models based on previously recommended F and R parameters and actual ETs were analyzed.Subsequently,experimental ETs were used in a grid search to optimize Fand R parameters,allowing for the development of an accurate three-compartment kinetic model.Results The ET of the hip and ankle joints was significantly longer than that of the knee joint(P＜0.001).Models using previously recommended Fand R parameters overestimated ET,with significantly higher predicted values than experimentally measured ET(P＜0.001),as well as elevated root mean squared error(RMSE)and mean relatvie error(MRE)values.The grid search successfully identified Fand R parameters for the three-compartment model in isometric endurance tests of lower limb joints,with no statistical difference between model-predicted ET and experimental ET(P＞0.05).Conclusions The developed model in this study can serve as an indirect measurement tool for evaluating load in similar activities.

Objective:To adapt and validate the Chinese version of the Supervisory Relationship Questionnaire(SRQ)and evaluate its psychometric properties among supervisees.Methods:Item analysis,exploratory factor anal-ysis(EFA)and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)were conducted on data from 888 supervisees recruited via on-line platform.Test-retest reliability over a four-week interval was examined in a randomly selected subset of 70 su-pervisees.An additional sample of 367 supervisees completed the Supervisory Relationship Scale(SRS)to evaluate criterion validity.Results:The revised SRQ contained 65 items and 6 factors.Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported six-factor structure(safe base,structure,commitment,reflective education,role model and formative feedback),explaining 66.52％of the variance,with factor loadings of the items ranging from 0.58 to 0.83.The revised SRQ had six factors with good fit indices(x2/df=1.31,GFI=0.81,NFI=0.87,CFI=0.97,TLI=0.90,IFI=0.91,RMSEA=0.03,SRMR=0.05).The scores of the revised SRQ were positively correlated with the scores of SRS(ICC=0.96,P＜0.01).The Cronbach α coefficient of the revised SRQ was 0.97,and the test-retest reliability coefficient(ICC)was 0.74.Conclusion:The SRQ-C demonstrates sound psy-chometric properties,including structural validity,criterion-related validity,internal consistency,and temporal stabil-ity.It is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing supervisory relationships from the supervisee perspective.

Objective: To investigate the urban and rural differences in adverse outcomes of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis-diabetes mellitus comorbidity (PTB-DM), so as to provide insights into improving the prevention and treatment measures for PTB-DM. Methods: Patients with PTB-DM who were admitted and discharged from 14 designated tuberculosis hospitals in Hangzhou City from 2018 to 2022 were selected. Basic information, and history of diagnosis and treatment were collected through hospital information systems. The adverse outcomes of PTB were defined as endpoints, and the proportions of adverse outcomes of PTB in urban and rural patients with PTB-DM were analyzed. Factors affecting the adverse outcomes of PTB were identified using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: A total of 823 patients with PTB-DM were enrolled, including 354 (43.01%) urban and 469 (56.99%) rural patients. There were 112 (13.61%) patients with adverse outcomes of PTB. The proportions of adverse outcomes of PTB in urban and rural patients were 14.41% and 13.01%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis identified first diagnosed in county-level hospitals or above (HR=2.107, 95%CI: 1.181-3.758) and drug resistance (HR=3.303, 95%CI: 1.653-6.600) as the risk factors for adverse outcomes of PTB in urban patients with PTB-DM, while the treatment/observed management throughout the process (HR=0.470, 95%CI: 0.274-0.803) and fixed-dose combinations throughout the process (HR=0.331, 95%CI: 0.151-0.729) as the protective factors for adverse outcomes in rural patients with PTB-DM. Conclusions There are differences in influencing factors for adverse outcomes of PTB in urban and rural patients with PTB-DM. The adverse outcomes of PTB are associated with first diagnosed hospitals and drug resistance in urban patients, and are associated with the treatment/observed management and fixed-dose combinations throughout the process in rural patients.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is a lethal malignancy prone to gemcitabine resistance. The single-strand selective monofunctional uracil DNA glycosylase (SMUG1), which is responsible for initiating base excision repair, has been reported to predict the outcomes of different cancer types. However, the function of SMUG1 in pancreatic cancer is still unclear. METHODS: Gene and protein expression of SMUG1 as well as survival outcomes were assessed by bioinformatic analysis and verified in a cohort from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Subsequently, the effect of SMUG1 on proliferation, cell cycle, and migration abilities of SMUG1 cells were detected in vitro . DNA damage repair, apoptosis, and gemcitabine resistance were also tested. RNA sequencing was performed to determine the differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways, followed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting verification. The cancer-promoting effect of forkhead box Q1 (FOXQ1) and SMUG1 on the ubiquitylation of myelocytomatosis oncogene (c-Myc) was also evaluated. Finally, a xenograft model was established to verify the results. RESULTS: SMUG1 was highly expressed in pancreatic tumor tissues and cells, which also predicted a poor prognosis. Downregulation of SMUG1 inhibited the proliferation, G1 to S transition, migration, and DNA damage repair ability against gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells. SMUG1 exerted its function by binding with FOXQ1 to activate the Protein Kinase B (AKT)/p21 and p27 pathway. Moreover, SMUG1 also stabilized the c-Myc protein via AKT signaling in pancreatic cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS SMUG1 promotes proliferation, migration, gemcitabine resistance, and c-Myc protein stability in pancreatic cancer via protein kinase B signaling through binding with FOXQ1. Furthermore, SMUG1 may be a new potential prognostic and gemcitabine resistance predictor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Forkhead Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation/physiology* ; Mice ; Uracil-DNA Glycosidase/genetics* ; Female ; Male ; Gemcitabine ; Mice, Nude ; Apoptosis/physiology* ; Deoxycytidine/analogs & derivatives* ; Cell Movement/genetics*

Objective:To propose a functional method for locating the shoulder joint center of rotation aimed at rapid estimation of the upper limb reachable domain envelope, thereby informing ergonomic design and task optimization.Methods:In March 2024, shoulder kinematics during gait were recorded from ten adults using a three-dimensional motion-capture system. Assuming the existence of a point near the glenohumeral joint that maintains a fixed spatial relationship to the humerus and the acromion, we estimated both static and dynamic centers of rotation. Localization accuracy was quantified by the standard deviation of distance residuals to upper-arm markers. Upper-limb joint angles and anthropometric parameters were modeled via regression; combined with maximal joint ranges of motion, these were used to infer the reachable domain envelope.Results:The static center of rotation was located approximately twenty-two millimeters medial to the acromial landmark in the coronal plane and thirty-seven millimeters inferior to it. The standard deviation of the residuals for the distances from the dynamic shoulder joint center of rotation to upper-arm markers averaged 1.02 mm, which was 47.42% lower than that of the static center of rotation and 66.56% lower than that of the acromion. Moreover, the trajectory of this dynamic center showed a strong correlation with upper-limb joint angles ( R2>0.7) . Conclusion:The proposed method enables rapid and accurate estimation of the upper limb reachable domain envelope to support ergonomic design and may help reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

BACKGROUND:Surface electromyography has been extensively utilized for monitoring muscle fatigue. However,traditional electromyographic metrics typically focus on individual muscles and fail to assess the variations in a muscle group during the fatigue process. OBJECTIVE:To establish a muscle functional network to extract complex network parameters and investigate the topological property changes of the muscle functional network under different levels of fatigue,aiming to provide theoretical and methodological foundations for fatigue monitoring and prevention. METHODS:Eleven participants performed single-leg leg press exercise at 50％ of one-repetition maximum until exhaustion. Simultaneously,electromyographic signals of seven muscles (rectus femoris,vastus lateralis,vastus medialis,biceps femoris,tibialis anterior,lateral gastrocnemius,and medial gastrocnemius),electrocardiographic signals,and Borg CR-10 scale scores were collected. The Borg CR-10 scale was used to categorize three fatigue stages:mild,moderate,and severe. Heart rate and heart rate variability were calculated to validate the effective division of fatigue stages. Using the coherence of muscle signals,a muscle functional network was constructed with the seven muscles as nodes,and four complex network parameters (clustering coefficient,average weighted degree,global efficiency,and eigenvector centrality) were extracted. Additionally,four electromyographic indices (root mean square,median frequency,instantaneous mean frequency,and co-activation ratio) were extracted and compared under the three levels of fatigue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Differences in heart rate and heart rate variability were observed across three fatigue stages,indicating the effectiveness of fatigue stage delineation. (2) Electromyographic indicators for different muscles under three levels of fatigue:root mean square and co-activation ratio showed no differences;however,median frequency exhibited robust fatigue trends in vastus lateralis,vastus medialis,and biceps femoris,while instantaneous mean frequency demonstrated robust fatigue trends in rectus femoris,vastus lateralis,vastus medialis,and biceps femoris. Instantaneous mean frequency outperformed median frequency and root mean square,yet all three indicators showed robust trends only for the major working muscle groups,unaffected by fatigue factors,unlike the co-activation ratio. (3) The connectivity strength between vastus lateralis and vastus medialis,vastus lateralis and biceps femoris,vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius medialis,and vastus medialis and biceps femoris gradually increased,showing significant differences in average weighted degree,clustering coefficient,and global efficiency post-fatigue,significantly correlated with fatigue levels. To conclude,changes in connectivity strength reflect the synergy and complementarity among muscles during fatigue. Clustering coefficient,average weighted degree,and global efficiency serve as fatigue markers reflecting overall muscle changes.

Olfactory diagnosis refers to the method of diagnosing diseases by smelling the odor emitted from the patient's body,secretions and excreta,and the odor of the sick room.It is one of the important diagnostic methods under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)theory,and is included in the"inquiry and olfaction"of TCM.In recent years,there has been rapid development in medical-engineering integration,artificial intelligence,big data,and other interdisciplinary fields.This has been promoting the TCM gradually to develop towards accurate,efficient and personalized medical treatment,which has opened a new era of"Smart TCM".In this paper,the ancient literature related to olfactory diagnosis was systematically reviewed,the developmental characteristics of olfactory diagnosis theories in various periods was sorted out,and the different views of TCM specialists on the odors emitted by the human body in physiological and pathological states was summarized.The paper is to explore the origin of TCM olfactory diagnosis and its periodization,clarify the diagnosis of abnormal odors,corresponding to the nature,etiology and prognosis of the disease,and clarify the development of TCM olfactory diagnosis.It provides a theoretical source and literature basis for promoting the research of"smart olfactory diagnosis of TCM"and facilitating the development of objectivity,standardization and intelligence of olfactory diagnosis in TCM.

Background and purpose:The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor(MITF)plays a complex role in melanoma pathogenesis and progression.It is known to regulate multiple processes both in melanocytes and melanoma cells.While numerous studies have explored MITF in cutaneous melanoma(CM),research in acral melanoma(AM)is still limited.This study retrospectively analyzed the correlation between MITF expression and clinical,pathological characteristics and prognosis in AM patients,providing a basis for prognosis evaluation and personalized treatment plan formulation for patients.Methods:Patients who underwent primary resection of AM at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from March 2008 to February 2022 were included.All surgical samples were diagnosed by clinical histopathology and used to construct the tissue microarray(TMA).This study was approved by the medical ethics committee of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center(approval number:2203-ZZK-69-3).Cutting complete tissue microarray and evaluating MITF expression levels by immunohistochemistry(IHC)staining were carried out.The results were independently assessed and scored by three pathologists.Clinical and pathological data were collected from the hospital's electronic medical record system,and each patient's data was matched to their corresponding tissue sample on the chip.Patients were stratified into two groups based on MITF expression levels.Statistical analyses were performed to assess differences in clinical,pathological characteristics and survival outcomes between these two groups.Results:A total of 137 AM patients were included.MITF expression was significantly associated with T stage,N stage,American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC)stage,clark level,sentinel lymph node status,and presence of ulceration.Among these,N stage and ulceration were independent risk factors for high expression of MITF after adjusting for confounding factors.Survival analysis showed that AM patients with high MITF expression or higher T stage were associated with shorter disease-free survival(DFS).Patients with high MITF expression showed no significant difference in overall survival(OS)between observation or cytokine therapy and adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor(ICI)therapy,whereas those with low MITF expression derived significant survival benefits from ICI treatment.Conclusion:A higher N stage or the presence of ulceration indicates high MITF expression in tumor cells,with high MITF levels serving as a warning signal for early recurrence,metastasis,and even death.Patients with low MITF expression could receive improved OS with early adjuvant ICI therapy.MITF could not only serve as an auxiliary diagnostic marker for melanoma but also provide a basis for clinical prognosis assessment and the formulation of personalized treatment plans.