[Objective] To explore the effectiveness of applying the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle to enhance the compatibility rate of five Rh blood group antigen phenotypes between donors and recipients across multiple hospital campuses. [Methods] Clinical blood transfusion data from May to July 2022 were selected. Specific improvement measures were formulated based on the survey results, and the PDCA cycle management model was implemented from August 2022. The post-intervention phase spanned from August 2022 to October 2023. The Rh phenotype compatibility rate, the detection rate of Rh system antibodies, and the proportion of Rh system antibodies among unexpected antibodies were compared between the pre-intervention phase (May to July 2022) and the post-intervention phase. [Results] After the continuous improvement with the PDCA cycle, the compatibility rate for the five Rh blood group antigen phenotypes between donors and recipients from August to October 2023 reached 81.90%, significantly higher than the 70.54% recorded during the pre-intervention phase (May to July 2022, P<0.01), and displayed a quarterly upward trend (β=0.028, P<0.05). The detection rate of Rh blood group system antibodies (β=-9.839×10^-5, P<0.05) and its proportion among all detected antibodies (β=-0.022, P<0.05) showed a quarterly decreasing trend, both demonstrating a negative correlation with the enhanced compatibility rate (r values of -0.981 and -0.911, respectively; P<0.05). [Conclusion] The implementation of targeted measures through the PDCA cycle can effectively increase the compatibility rate of five Rh blood group antigen phenotypes between donors and recipients, reduce the occurrence of unexpected Rh blood group antibodies, thereby lowering the risk of transfusion and enhancing the quality and safety of medical care.

Objective: To explore the comorbidity and associated factors of dental caries and overweight/obesity among primary and secondary school students in Guangxi, so as to provide a scientific basis for the development of targeted prevention strategies. Methods: A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to survey 178 700 students from the fourth grade of primary school to the third year of high school in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from September to November 2023, including physical examination, oral screening, and questionnaire survey. Chisquare tests and binary Logistic regression analysis were employed to investigate the related factors of the cooccurrence of dental caries and overweight/obesity among students. Results: The comorbidity rate of dental caries and overweight/obesity was 9.55%, with urban areas (9.95%) higher than rural counties (9.24%), boys (10.54%) higher than girls (8.54%), primary school students (11.49%) higher than senior high school students (8.92%) and junior high school students (8.05%), and nonboarding students (11.44%) higher than boarding students (7.94%), and all differences were statistically significant (χ2=26.07, 207.91, 471.54, 629.14,P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that consuming cereal for breakfast (OR=0.91, 95%CI=0.88-0.94), drinking milk in the past week (OR=0.89, 95%CI=0.83-0.95), meeting sleep standards (OR=0.95, 95%CI=0.91-0.99), and brushing teeth at least once a day (OR=0.82, 95%CI=0.73-0.93) had a lower risk of the comorbidity of dental caries and overweight/obesity. In contrast, drinking beverages in the past week (OR=1.14, 95%CI=1.09-1.20), consuming fried foods in the past week (OR=1.11, 95%CI=1.06-1.17), eating fruit ≥1 time every day (OR=1.06, 95%CI=1.02-1.11), consuming fruit ≥1 type every day (OR=1.07, 95%CI=1.01-1.12), and having fish, poultry, meat, or eggbased breakfasts (OR=1.03, 95%CI=1.05-1.13) had a higher risk of the comorbidity of dental caries and overweight/obesity (P<0.05). Conclusions Dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors are associated with the comorbidity of dental caries and overweight/obesity among primary and secondary school students in Guangxi. Guiding students to form healthy living habits is helpful to preven dental caries and overweight/obesity.

Objective To explore the effective induction scheme for differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADMSC) to insulin producing cell (IPC). Methods Different schemes of small molecule compound were used to induce the differentiation of ADMSC. The purity of cells was analyzed by flow cytometry and the morphological changes of cells were observed under the microscope. The quality, performance and insulin related indicators of cells were detected by hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical staining. The maturity and activity of cells were detected by dithizone (DTZ) and diacetylfluorescein/propidium iodide staining. The induction effect of ADMSC differentiated into IPC was analyzed. Results The purity of ADMSC reached more than 99%, and the sphere forming properties of schemes Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were good. Cell induction mass, the expression effects of pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1), musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A (MAFA) and insulin and C peptide of schemes Ⅰ were both better than those of other schemes. The DTZ staining depth may be related to IPC maturity, among which the number of apoptotic cells in scheme Ⅰ was significantly less than that of scheme Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Conclusions Induction scheme Ⅰ may improve the differentiation efficiency of ADMSC to IPC and lay a certain foundation for future clinical IPC transplantation applications.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of spinal curvature abnormalities among primary and secondary school students in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, so as to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of such abnormalities. Methods: From September to November 2023, adopting a stratified cluster random sampling method, spinal curvature screenings and questionnaire surveys were conducted among 168 931 students from grade 4 of primary school to grade 12 of high school in 111 districts and counties across 14 cities in Guangxi. Chi square tests and binary Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze influencing factors of spinal curvature abnormalities. Results: In 2023, the detection rate of poor posture among students above grade 4 in Guangxi was 4.24% , and the detection rate of spinal curvature abnormalities was 2.13%. The detection rate was higher among urban students (2.84%) than rural students (1.66%), boarding students (2.61%) than non-boarding students (1.60%), and high school students (3.16%) than junior high (2.45%) and primary school students (1.15%), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ 2=269.85, 221.44, 565.10, P <0.01). A trend of increasing detection rates with higher grade levels was observed ( χ 2 trend =617.63, P <0.01). Binary Logistic regression analysis indicated that students without boarding at school ( OR =0.82, 95% CI =0.75-0.90), engaging in high-intensity physical activity for over 60 min per day ≥5 days per week ( OR =0.90, 95% CI =0.82-0.98), and adequate sleep ( OR =0.87, 95% CI =0.81-0.94) had lower risks of detecting spinal curvature abnormalities ( P <0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of spinal curvature abnormalities increases with grade level among primary and secondary school students in Guangxi. Regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity demonstrates protective effects against spinal abnormalities.

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has recently been proposed as a key player in the representation of itch stimuli. However, to date, little is known about the contribution of specific ACC interneuron populations to itch processing. Using c-Fos immunolabeling and in vivo Ca²⁺ imaging, we reported that both histamine and chloroquine stimuli-induced acute itch caused a marked enhancement of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneuron activity in the ACC. Behavioral data indicated that optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of these neurons reduced scratching responses related to histaminergic and non-histaminergic acute itch. Similar neural activity and modulatory role of these neurons were seen in mice with chronic itch induced by contact dermatitis. Together, this study highlights the importance of ACC VIP⁺ neurons in modulating itch-related affect and behavior, which may help us to develop novel mechanism-based strategies to treat refractory chronic itch in the clinic.
Animals ; Pruritus/physiopathology* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism* ; Interneurons/metabolism* ; Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Histamine ; Chloroquine ; Optogenetics ; Mice, Transgenic

Bacillus coagulans can utilize the hydrolyzed carbon source of agricultural waste to produce lactic acid via a homofermentative pathway. However, a significant carbon source metabolic repression effect was observed when the strain metabolized mixed sugars (glucose and xylose), reducing the productivity of lactic acid. In this study, we obtained the fermentation conditions for the simultaneous utilization of the mixed sugars by B. coagulans by changing the ratio of glucose to xylose in the medium. Through transcriptome sequencing, several key genes responsible for xylose utilization were identified. The critical role of xylose isomerase (XylA, EC 5.3.1.5) in the synchronous utilization of glucose/xylose in B. coagulans was investigated via qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). Subsequently, the heterologous expression and characterization of the XylA-encoding gene (XylA) were conducted. It was determined that the gene encoded a protein composed of 440 amino acid residues. The secondary structure of the encoded protein was predominantly composed of α-helixes and random coils, while the higher structure of the protein was identified as a homotetramer. Then, XylA was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), and the recombinant protein Bc-XlyA was obtained with a molecular weight of approximately 50 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature of Bc-XylA were 8.0 and 60 ℃, respectively, and Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Co²⁺ had positive effects on the activity of Bc-XlyA. The present study provides scientific data on the molecular modification of B. coagulans, offering theoretical support for the efficient utilization of xylose in the strain.
Xylose/metabolism* ; Cloning, Molecular ; Bacillus coagulans/enzymology* ; Aldose-Ketose Isomerases/metabolism* ; Fermentation ; Bacterial Proteins/metabolism* ; Glucose/metabolism*

This study， anchored in the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation and treatment principles alongside the clinical characteristics of sepsis in Western medicine， extensively gathers and meticulously dissects the latest research findings on sepsis animal models from both Chinese and international sources. Adhering strictly to TCM syndrome diagnostic criteria for sepsis， the study conducts a thorough evaluation of various animal models across multiple dimensions， including clinical manifestations， pathological changes， and biomarker expressions， so as to reflect the degree of resemblance these models have to human sepsis TCM syndromes. The results reveal that the colon stent implantation model exhibits a higher degree of congruence with both TCM and Western medicine standards， particularly aligning with the diagnosis of the "Fu-Qi obstruction syndrome". Conversely， the extraperitoneal sepsis model shows a higher degree of congruence with TCM， fitting more closely with the diagnosis of "acute deficiency syndrome" and emphasizing the core pathogenesis of Qi deficiency in sepsis. These findings not only augment the diversity of sepsis animal models but also highlight the necessity and potential of integrated TCM and western medicine research. Current sepsis animal models predominantly focus on western pathophysiological mechanisms， with limited direct incorporation of TCM syndrome differentiation elements. This underscores the need， in future study designs， to actively explore integrating TCM syndrome classification and intervention principles into model development. This could be achieved by manipulating model-inducing factors and observing more TCM-specific symptoms and signs among other strategies， so as to establish sepsis models that more closely resemble clinical reality and incorporate both TCM and western medical perspectives.

Objective: To investigate the antidepressant effects of Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix, PR) aqueous extract on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression rat models and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: A total of 40 male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control, model, low dose of PR (PR-L, 0.5 g/kg), high dose of PR (PR-H, 1 g/kg), and fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) groups, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the rats in control group, those in the other four groups underwent CUMS-induced depression modeling. PR and fluoxetine were administered intragastrically once daily, 30 min prior to the CUMS procedure, for 14 consecutive days until the behavioral tests were performed. After CUMS modeling, the sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT), novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT), forced swim test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST) were employed to assess the pharmacological effects of PR on the mitigation of depressive-like behaviors in rat models. Additionally, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to quantify the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in the rats. Western blot analysis was also conducted to evaluate the protein expression levels of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and caspase-1 in the hippocampal tissues of the rats. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to observe the morphological changes in ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1positive (Iba-1+) cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of rats with CUMS-induced depression. Result: (i) Treatment with PR-H and fluoxetine resulted in significant enhancements in both the total distance and time the rats moved during tests (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Post-administration of PR-H and fluoxetine also led to statistically significant increase in sucrose preference among rats (P < 0.05). Besides, PR-L, PR-H, and fluoxetine treatment markedly decreased the latency of ingestion (P < 0.05, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). As observed from the FST, PR-L, PR-H, and fluoxetine presented antidepressant effects on rats with CUMS-induced depression, leading to the reduction in time of their immobility (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.01, respectively). The results of TST indicated reduced immobility time in rats receiving PR-H and fluoxetine treatment as well (P < 0.01). (ii) Rats in model group showed an increase in the levels of Iba-1+ microglia in their left and right brains in comparison with control group (P < 0.01). However, such increase was negated post PR treatment (P < 0.01). Treatment with PR-L, PR-H, and fluoxetine considerably reduced the levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, P < 0.01). In addition, treatment of PR-L and PR-H effectively counteracted the elevated levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1, and markedly down-regulated the expression levels of phosphorylated p65 (p-p65), COX-2, and iNOS in rats’ hippocampus (P < 0.01). Conclusion Collectively, these findings indicate that PR exerts an antidepressant effect on rats with CUMS-induced depression partially through the modulation of the NLRP3 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the quality and existing problems of Compound Paracetamol and Chlorphenamine Tablets for Infant. METHODS Using legal standards to inspect sampled samples, and several analytical methods were subsequently established or improved for the exploratory research on related substances, assay, dissolution, subdivision characteristics of scored tablets, and genotoxic impurities. RESULTS All samples met the regulatory specification, and the pass rate was 100%. However, the control for related substances was lacking, and the method for assay and content uniformity was defective. The exploratory studies showed that the assay and content uniformity met the requirements, and the risk of related substances and genotoxic impurities was acceptable. As a divisible tablet, the subdivision characteristics could not meet the requirements of the scored tablet, and the dissolution performance of some enterprise samples could not meet the requirements of similar products in foreign pharmacopoeias. CONCLUSION The overall quality of this product is adequate. However, due to the early time on the market, some quality attributes no longer meet the requirements of current regulations or relevant guidelines. The manufacturers should further optimize the prescription and production process, referring to foreign similar products. The current specification needs to be revised and improved.