Background: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness. Results: Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986). Conclusions KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.

Background: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness. Results: Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986). Conclusions KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.

Background: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness. Results: Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986). Conclusions KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.

Background: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness. Results: Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986). Conclusions KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.

Objective:To survey the cognition of general practice residency training and the willingness of teaching among specialists.Methods:A questionnaire survey was conducted among 221 specialists from 24 departments in Nantong First People's Hospital from May 2021 to June 2021 to investigate the their cognition of general practice residency training program and the teaching willingness.Results:Total 221 questionnaires were distributed and 185 valid ones were retrieved with a response rate of 83.70%. The results showed that 49 specialists (26.49%) well knew the national general practice training policy, 70 (37.84%) knew the most, 52 (28.11%) knew basically, 11 (5.95%) knew little, and 3 (1.62%) did not know at all. Meanwhile, 44 specialists (23.78%) well knew the hospital incentive policies about general practice education, 62 (33.51%) knew the most, 57 (30.81%) knew basically, 18 (9.73%) knew little, and 4 (2.16%) did not know at all. Whether they holding the teaching certificate of general practice was significantly associated with the cognition of national general practice training policy (χ2=14.28, P=0.003) and with their knowledge of residency training program (χ2=16.79, P=0.001), but not associated with knowing the hospital-level incentive policy (χ2=8.18, P=0.075). A total of 170 (91.89%) participants were willing to be clinical teachers of general practice. The reasons for the willingness of teaching were as following: learning more from the teaching in 161 participants (94.71%), expanding sources of patients from rural areas in 102 (60.00%), facilitating promotion in 77 (45.29%), and others in 30 (17.60%). Among 62 specialists holding teaching certificate, 60 (96.77%) were willing to teach general practice residents; while among 123 specialists without teaching certificate, 110 (89.43%) were willing to teach (χ2=4.92, P=0.027). In all hospital incentive policies, promotion of professional titles was most attractive one (82, 44.32%), followed by performance appraisal (63, 34.05%), priority for in-service training (25, 13.51%), and appraisal for excellence award (15, 8.11%). Conclusions:Strengthening trainings for general practice the faculty is helpful to improve their cognition of the general practice residency training programs. And rational hospital incentive policies can enhance the willingness of specialists to teach general practice residency.

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between the euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase (G9a) and sodium-dependent activation of potassium channel (Slack) in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of rats with neuropathic pain (NP).Methods:Forty-eight clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 1 month, weighing 100-120 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=12 each) by a random number table method: sham operation group (S group), vector plus sham operation group (VS group), vector plus NP group (VN group), and G9a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout plus NP group (GN group). Sham operation was performed at the age of 2 months in group S. In group VS, AAV5 1 μl was microinjected into L 4 and L 5 DRG at the age of 1 month, and sham operation was performed at the age of 2 months.In VN group and GN group, AAV5 and G9a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout plasmid 1 μl were microinjected into L 4 and L 5 DRG at the age of 1 month, and NP model was established by spinal nerve ligation (SNL) at the age of 2 months.Six rats in each group were selected to measure the mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) before microinjection (T 0), before SNL (T 1), and at 3, 5 and 7 days after SNL (T 2-4). The animals were sacrificed after the last behavioral testing, the DRGs of lumbar segment (L 4, 5) were removed for determination of the expression of G9a, dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9(H3K9me2) and Slack (by Western blot). At 7 days after establishing the model, 6 rats from each group were selected to culture the primary DRG neurons.The frequency and amplitude of Slack current in DRG neurons and miniature excitatory post-synaptic currents (mEPSCs) in the spinal dorsal horn were measured by whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Results:Compared with group S, the TWL was significantly shortened and the MWT was decreased at T 2-4, the expression of G9a and H3K9me2 in the spinal dorsal horn was up-regulated, the expression of Slack was down-regulated, the amplitude and frequency of Slack currents in DRG neurons were decreased, and the frequency of mEPSCs was increased in group VN ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group VS ( P>0.05). Compared with group VN, the TWL was significantly prolonged and the MWT was increased at T 2-4, the expression of G9a and H3K9me2 in the spinal dorsal horn was down-regulated, the expression of Slack was up-regulated, the amplitude and frequency of Slack currents in DRG neurons were increased, and the frequency of mEPSCs was decreased in group GN ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The mechanism of NP is related to up-regulating the expression of G9a in DRG, thus inhibiting the expression and opening of Slack channels in rats.

Objective To investigate the relationship between (serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin,sNGAL) and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD).Methods 300 patients with CKD were divided into two groups according to the level of sNGAL:high sNGAL group (n=158) and low sNGAL group (n=142).The incidence of cardiovascular events and cumulative survival rate were analyzed by ROC curve,and the correlation between sNGAL and cardiovascular risk factors,cardiovascular events in patients with chronic renal disease was analyzed.Influencing factors of cardiovascular events in CKD patients was analyzed.Results There were significant differences in the data about BMI,diabetes proportion,CKD staging,eGFR,hsCRP,24h proteinuria,HDL,iPTH,phosphate and blood calcium between the two groups (P＜0.05).The 3-year cumulative survival rate of high sNGAL group(77.2％) was significantly lower than that of low sNGAL group(96.5％),and the 3-year incidence of cardiovascular events (37.9％) was significantly higher than that of low sNGAL group (9.8％) (P＜ 0.05).AUC in diagnosing cardiovascular events in high sNGAL group (0.746) was significantly higher than that in eGFR(0.636),age (0.504),serum calcium (0.545),HDL(0.594) and LDL (0.508,all P＜0.05).There was a significant correlation between sNGAL and eGFR,HDL,BMI,hs-CRP,iPTH and phosphate (P＜ 0.05).Both univariate and multivariate fact ors COX showed that sNGAL was a risk factor of cardiovascular events in patients with CKD (P＜0.05),((HR=1.976 and 1.588,95％ CI=1.443-2.724 and 1.144-2.143,respectively,P=0.O00 and 0.000)).Conclusions The incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with CKD with high sNGAL is significantly increased.sNGAL is an independent factor of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic renal disease.

Objective To evaluate the role of spinal nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway in hydrogen-induced reduction of inflammatory pain in rats.Methods Sixty-four SPF healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 200-250 g,were divided into 4 groups (n =16 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),inflammatory pain group (group IP),inflammatory pain plus hydrogen-rich saline group (group IP+H2) and inflammatory pain plus hydrogen-rich saline plus Nrf2 inhibitor all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) group (group IP+H2+ATRA).Chronic inflammatory pain was induced by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) 100 μl into the plantar surface of the left hind paw in IP group and IP+H2 group.The equal volume of normal saline was given instead in group C.Hydrogen-rich saline 5 ml/kg was injected intraperitoneally once a day for 7consecutive days starting from 1 day after injecting CFA in group IP+H2 and group IP+H2+ATRA,and the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in the other groups.ATRA 7 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally once a day for 2 consecutive days starting from 2 days before injecting CFA.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured at 1 day before establishing the model (T0) and 1,3 and 7 days after establishing the model (T1-3).Six rats were sacrificed after the last measurement of pain threshold on day 7 after establishing the model,and the L4-6 lumbar segments of the spinal cord were removed for determination of the expression of Nrf2,HO-1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) by Western blot.Results Compared with group C,the MWT was significantly decreased and the TWL was shortened at T1-3,and the expression of Nrf2,HO-1 and GFAP was up-regulated in IP and IP+H2 groups (P＜0.05).Compared with group IP,the MWT was significantly increased and the TWL was prolonged at T1-3,the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 was up-regulated,and the expression of GFAP was down-regulated in group IP+H2 (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group IP+H2+ATRA (P＞0.05).Compared with group IP+H2,the MWT was significantly decreased and the TWL was shortened at T1-3,the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 was down-regulated,and the expression of GFAP was up-regulated in group IP+H2+ATRA (P＜0.05).Conclusion Activation of spinal Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway is involved in hydrogen-induced reduction of infflammatory pain in rats.

Sepsis is frequently associated with multi-system organ dysfunction and refractory hypotension,leading to a high mortality and poor prognosis.As an antioxidant,ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an important auxiliary factor for many enzymes in the organism.Numerous studies have revealed that vitamin C can attenuate the inflammatory response,improve microcirculatory and hypotension in sepsis,and also can enhance the role of catecholamine in central nervous system,to prevent sepsis-induced organ failure and improve prognosis of patients.