Objective To investigate the sputum metabolic profiles of patients with occupational coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) by an untargeted metabolomics method, and to identify relevant differential metabolic pathways and potential biomarkers. Methods A total of 12 male patients with stage Ⅰ CWP were selected as the CWP group, and 16 healthy male individuals were selected as the control group, using a judgmental sampling method. Sputum metabolites of individuals in both groups were detected to perform non-targeted metabolomic analysis using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Differential metabolites (DMs) and their pathways were screened using principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Potential biomarkers were analyzed and identified via the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results There were apparent metabolic alterations observed in sputum of CWP patients compared with healthy controls. In the positive ion mode, a total of 42 DMs were identified in sputum from CWP patients, including 19 downregulated and 23 upregulated metabolites. In the negative ion mode, a total of 25 DMs were identified in sputum from CWP patients, including 16 downregulated and 9 upregulated metabolites. KEGG enrichment analysis of sputum from CWP patients showed that seven DMs pathways were enriched in ABC transporters, histidine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, purine metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation, involving 26 DMs. ROC analysis indicated that 16(R)-hydroxyarachidonic acid, pyrophosphate, and 2-hydroxyphenylacetate of these 26 DMs may serve as potential biomarkers for CWP. Conclusion Sputum metabolomic profiles were altered in CWP patients compared with healthy controls. The potential biomarkers of CWP prevention and treatment are 16(R)-hydroxyarachidonic acid, pyrophosphate, and 2-hydroxyphenylacetate.

OBJECTIVE To assess the scientific rigor， clarity and feasibility of the recommendations of the Guidelines for Evidence-based Use of Biological Agents for the Clinical Treatment of Osteoporosis （hereinafter referred to as the Guideline） through external review， in order to further revise and improve the Guideline recommendations. METHODS This study employed a cross-sectional survey research design， a convenience sampling method was adopted to select frontline medical workers in the field of osteoporosis （including clinical doctors， clinical pharmacists， and nurses） as well as patients or their family members. External review was conducted through a combination of closed-ended and open-ended electronic questionnaires to get feedback from them on the appreciation，clarity and feasibility of the 32 preliminary recommendations in the Guideline. RESULTS A total of 90 external review subjects from 15 hospitals were collected， including 45 clinical doctors， 15 clinical pharmacists， 15 nurses and 15 patients or their family members. The overall appreciation degree of recommendations was 99.38%， the overall clarity degree of recommendations was 98.92%， and the overall feasibility degree of recommendations was 99.65%. At the same time， 111 subjective suggestions were collected， which provided an important reference for the further improvement of the Guideline recommendations. Based on the above feedback， the Guideline steering committee and core expert group revised the wording of 12 draft recommendations without deletion， and finally determined 32 recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The external review provides an important basis for the final formation of the Guideline， further improves the scientific rigor， clarity and feasibility of the recommendations， and ensures the standardization， practicality and implementability of the Guideline.

Objective:To investigate the distribution of physical and chemical water improvement areas of drinking water-borne endemic fluorosis in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as the use of household water purifiers.Methods:From April to October 2021, a survey was conducted in a drinking water-borne endemic fluorosis areas in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region where physical and chemical water improvement was carried out. The survey included the basic situation of the affected villages (number of permanent households, number of permanent residents, historical water fluoride content) and the use of residential water purifiers. Household peripheral water samples were collected to test the water fluoride content. Water purifier installation rate, normal usage rate, qualified water fluoride rate in normal usage, and the proportion of households covered by filter replacement departments were calculated.Results:In Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the physical and chemical water improvement areas of drinking water-borne endemic fluorosis were distributed in 2 735 villages in 11 leagues (cities) throughout the region, with 192 950 permanent households and 540 216 permanent residents. The average historical water fluoride content in all leagues (cities) was 2.18 mg/L, and the current average water fluoride content was 0.40 mg/L. A total of 134 763 water purifiers were installed, with an installation rate of 69.84% (134 763/192 950). A total of 10 773 households were surveyed, with 10 396 households using water purifiers normally and a normal usage rate of 96.50% (10 396/10 773). Among them, 10 158 households had qualified water fluoride of normal usage, with a qualified water fluoride rate of 97.71% (10 158/10 396). Of the 10 396 households using water purifiers normally, 3 974 households (38.23%) had filter cartridges used within one year, and 3 961 households had qualified water fluoride, with a qualified rate of water fluoride of 99.67% (3 961/3 974). Six thousand four hundred and twenty-two households (61.77%) had filter cartridges used for more than one year, with 6 197 households had qualified water fluoride and a qualified rate of water fluoride of 96.50% (6 197/6 422). There was a statistically significant difference in the qualified rate of water fluoride between purifiers with different filter cartridge usage times (χ 2 = 110.73, P < 0.001). Among the 10 773 surveyed households, the filter cartridges replacement department covered 10 470 households, accounting for 97.19% (10 470/10 773). Conclusions:In Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the physical and chemical water improvement areas of drinking water-borne endemic fluorosis are widely distributed, and the normal usage rate of household water purifiers is relatively high. The qualified rate of water fluoride in household water purifiers with filter cartridges used for more than one year is low.

Objective:To investigate the consistency of myocardial extracellular volume between systole and diastole using dual-layer detector spectral CT.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. Thirty-five patients who underwent cardiac spectral CT examination in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from April 2022 to December 2022 were retrospectively collected. Hematocrit was collected within 3 days before the CT scan. The delayed phases holographic spectral images in systole (45%) and diastole (75%) were obtained using dual-layer spectral CT. CT data were processed using a spectral post-processing workstation, and the extracellular volume (ECV) based on iodine density images, referred as CT-ECV, in systolic and diastolic phases were calculated, respectively. According to the American Heart Association′s 16-segment model of left ventricular, the standard short-axis images were constructed, and the myocardium was standardized into 16 segments at the basal, mid-cavity, and apical levels of the left ventricle. Two radiologists performed a subjective evaluation in the image quality of the CT-ECV images of the whole heart and the three sections in systole and diastole using a "five-point" scale. The ECV of the 16 segments and the whole heart in systole and diastole was calculated. The consistency of subjective evaluations between systole and diastole was assessed using Kappa statistics. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare the differences in scores between systole and diastole. Paired sample t-test was used to compare the differences in CT-ECV scores between systole and diastole. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to test the intra-and inter-observer consistency of CT-ECV measurements between two radiologists. P<0.05 was statistically significant. Results:There was good agreement between the two radiologists on subjective scores of CT-ECV image quality between systole and diastole ( Kappa>0.80), and there was no statistical difference in image quality among the basal, mid-cavity, and apical levels of the left ventricle and whole heart between systole and diastole ( P>0.05). The systolic and diastolic CT-ECV for the entire heart obtained through the delay phase were (33.29±3.46)% and (33.50±3.39)%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( t=-0.78, P=0.442). CT-ECV in systole and diastole were (34.15±3.94)% and (35.30±3.99)% for segment 8, (34.03±3.76)% and (35.46±3.74)% for segment 9, and (33.98±3.32)% and (35.05±3.98)% for segment 14, respectively. The mean values of the systolic CT-ECV of segments 8, 9 and 14 were significantly lower than those of diastolic CT-ECV ( t=-2.65, -3.26, -2.42, P=0.012, 0.003, 0.022, respectively). The ICCs for CT-ECV measurements of 16 segments by the two radiologists were greater than 0.90 in both systolic and diastolic, indicating good agreement. Conclusions:There is no significant difference in whole heart CT-ECV values between systolic and diastolic myocardial ECV based on dual-layer spectral CT. However, minor differences (less than 2%) are found between systolic and diastolic myocardial CT-ECV for some segments. Myocardial CT-ECV measurement should be performed on the same segment during the same phase to obtain stable and accurate ECV values.

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of bladder is a rare malignant tumor with high degree of malignancy, strong invasiveness and poor prognosis. We reported a case of a 56-year-old man who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor because of bladder mass. Postoperative pathology revealed large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder with urothelial carcinoma. Radical cystectomy was performed after postoperative chemotherapy, and there was no recurrence after 3 months of follow-up.

Objective:To investigate the epidemic status of drinking-tea type endemic fluorosis (fluorosis for short) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia for short), and to provide theoretical basis and basic data for formulation and evaluation of prevention and control measures.Methods:From May to October 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in key areas (168 administrative villages in 6 leagues or cities) identified in the 2019 regional census with tea drinking habits, daily per capita intake of tea fluoride > 3.5 mg, and patients with skeletal fluorosis. The drinking condition of brick tea in 10 households of each administrative village was investigated, and the brick tea samples were collected to detect fluoride level. The prevalence of dental fluorosis in children aged 8 - 12 and skeletal fluorosis in adults aged 16 and older was investigated, and urine samples of patients with skeletal fluorosis were collected to detect urinary fluoride levels.Results:Totally 98.40% (1 657/1 684) of the households in the surveyed areas had a habit of drinking brick tea, with an annual per capita consumption of brick tea and a daily per capita intake of tea fluoride of 5.07 kg and 5.38 mg, respectively. The qualified rate of fluoride level in brick tea samples was 55.64% (922/1 657), the average fluoride level of all other brick tea varieties exceeded the national standard limit (300 mg/kg) except for black brick tea (291.08 mg/kg). Totally 2 747 children aged 8 to 12 were examined, with a detection rate of 13.91% (382/2 747) for dental fluorosis. The disease was mainly mild. There was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate of dental fluorosis among different age groups (χ 2 = 5.53, P = 0.238). Totally 71 708 adults aged 16 and older were examined, and the detection rate of skeletal fluorosis was 1.02% (734/71 708). Patients were mainly aged between 50 and 70 years old, and the condition in each age group was mainly mild. Totally 715 urine samples of skeletal fluorosis patients were collected and tested, and 55.24% (395/715) of the urine samples had fluoride levels higher than 1.6 mg/L. Conclusions:In Inner Mongolia, the proportion of high fluoride brick tea in endemic areas of drinking-tea type fluorosis is high. The detection rates of dental fluorosis in children and skeletal fluorosis in adults are relatively high. The prevention and control situation of drinking-tea type fluorosis is still serious.

Objective:To evaluate the repair protocols for intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks after endoscopic endonasal clival malignancy resection (EECR) and to analyze the risk factors of surgical complication.Methods:The clinical data of patients who underwent EECR and had intraoperative CSF leaks in XuanWu Hospital, Capital Medical University between January 2012 and January 2024 were reviewed. The pathological results, imaging data, location of the dural defect, degree of intraoperative CSF leaks, repair materials, complications such as postoperative central nervous system (CNS) infections, types of antibiotics used, bacterial culture and drug sensitivity results, secondary repair, and follow-up results were collected. IBM SPSS 26 software was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the repair. Additionally, statistical analysis was conducted on perioperative complications such as CNS infections.Results:Twenty-eight patients underwent 31 EECR and 36 skull base reconstructions. There were 14 females and 14 males, aged from 4 to 70 years old, with a median of 53 years. For the repair, autologous materials such as free turbinate flap, free nasoseptal flap, pedicled nasoseptal flap, and fascia lata combined with mashed muscle were used. Initial reconstruction was successful in 26 cases, while 5 patients required a second repair, which was also successful. Postoperatively CNS infections occurred in 4 patients, and all of whom were cured. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 146 months, with no delayed CSF leak reported. The infection rate was significantly higher in patients whose first repair failed compared to those whose repair was successful (Fisher exact test, P<0.001). Conclusions:The use of different autologous materials based on the patient′s condition can effectively repair CSF leakage that occurs during EECR. Howerver, the success rate of initial repair requires improvement, as the risk of CNS infection significantly increases after a failed repair..

Objective:To explore the clinicopathological features and prognosis of renal mucinous tubular spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC).Methods:The clinical data of 16 patients with MTSCC admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2013 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were six male cases and ten female cases. The mean age was (56.4±11.4) years old. Among them, 10 cases were asymptomatic, two complained of hematuria, three complained of lumbar pain, and one complained of lower limb pain. Twelve cases underwent preoperative enhanced CT examination, 6 cases of ultrasound examination, 3 cases of MRI examination, and 1 case of bone scan. Imaging manifestations showed that the masses were round or round-like with clear borders. Two cases combined with hemorrhage and three cases combined with calcification. Five cases showed exophytic growth, 10 cases partially exophytic, and 1 case completely endophytic. The maximum diameter of the tumor was (65.7±27.4) mm. The tumors were located in the left kidney in 11 cases and in the right kidney in 5 cases. The tumors were mildly delayed-enhancing under enhanced CT, long/short T1 signal mixed with long/short T2 signal under MRI, and diffusion-limited high signal under DWI. The tumors were hypoechoic masses without obvious blood flow signals under ultrasound. Twelve cases were diagnosed as renal occupying neoplasms, 2 cases were suggested as lack of blood supply renal tumor, and one was considered renal tumor rupture and bleeding. In one case, a bone scan suggested metastasis to the thoracic spine and pelvis. The metastatic renal tumor was diagnosed, and a renal puncture was performed to clarify the pathology. Eleven patients underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, and 4 patients underwent partial nephrectomy. One case was metastasized without surgery and treated with apatinib mesylate and zoledronic acid.Results:The postoperative pathological specimens showed grayish, grayish-yellow, or grayish-red masses with a soft or medium texture. No perinephric, ureteral, or adrenal invasion was seen in all tumors. Microscopically, the tumor cells were round and ovoid. The tumor cells were arranged in tubular and striated shapes, and mucus pools were locally visible. No sarcomatous component was seen in all tumors. There were 9 patients with pT 1N 0M 0, 6 patients with pT 2N 0M 0, and 1 patient with pT 1N 0M 1. After operation, 2 patients with pT 2N 0M 0, who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy were treated with pazopanib and sunitinib, respectively. All patients were followed up for a median of 50.7(25.8, 75.0)months, 15 patients were free of recurrent metastases, and 1 patient with pre-puncture metastasis died due to tumor progression of multiple pulmonary and bone metastases, with a survival of 16.9 months. Conclusions:Renal MTSCC is rare, mostly found on physical examination, with female patients predominantly, and imaging shows a lack of blood supply tumor. Surgery is the primary treatment method. Partial nephrectomy or radical nephrectomy could be chosen according to the tumor stage, kidney function, and patient's underlying condition, and patients have a good prognosis.

BackgroundCompared with adult-onset schizophrenia， patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia experience a high genetic susceptibility， severe negative symptoms， high recurrence rate， poor prognosis and social function recovery. And clarifying the brain functional alterations in adolescent-onset schizophrenia is of great significance for further elucidating the pathogenesis of the disease and exploring personalized and precise treatment. ObjectiveTo investigate the altered functional and effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus in first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging （rs-fMRI）， thus providing reliable imaging evidence in guiding the study on mechanism involved in adolescent-onset schizophrenia. MethodsTwenty-one drugnaïve first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） criteria for schizophrenia were enrolled， and another 21 psychiatrially healthy controls matched on age， educational background and gender were concurrently selected. The schizophrenic subjects were evaluated using the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales （PSYRATS） and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale （PANSS）. All participants underwent rs-fMRI scans， and the whole-brain seed-based functional and effective connectivity analyses were conducted in bilateral cuneus region. Then the correlation between functional connectivity strength and clinical symptoms of patients was discussed. ResultsIn terms of functional connectivity， the functional connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left middle temporal gyrus was increased in patient group compared with healthy control group ［P<0.01， family-wise error （FWE） correction at cluster level， P<0.05］. In terms of effective connectivity， patient group responded to negative feedback with greater activation of seed region and left middle frontal gyrus than healthy control group. Correlation analysis within patient group denoted that the decreased effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left middle frontal gyrus was positively correlated with the total PANSS score （r=0.450， P<0.05）. ConclusionThe resting-state functional and effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus is abnormally alerted in drugnaïve first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia， and the decreased effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left middle frontal gyrus may be related to the development of clinical symptoms. ［Funded by National Key Research and Development Program of China （number， 2022YFC2009901， 2022YFC2009900）］

Objective:To investigate the epidemic scope and intensity of drinking water type endemic arsenic poisoning in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as the prevalence and influencing factors, in order to provide scientific basis for precise formulation of prevention and control measures.Methods:A sampling survey was conducted on residents' drinking water in all villages and counties in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, water samples were selected according to different water supply methods (engineering water supply, physical and chemical water purification, and decentralized water supply), and the arsenic content was detected by atomic fluorescence method. The "Diagnosis of Endemic Arsenicosis" (WS/T 211-2015) was used for diagnosis of arsenic poisoning among all permanent residents who were exposing to or had been exposed to excessively high arsenic water, in order to search all the arsenic poisoning patients. Analyze the distribution of water arsenic in the historical disease areas and high arsenic villages and newly discovered high arsenic villages, and explore the prevalence and influencing factors of arsenic poisoning.Results:There were a total of 1 186 historical disease areas and high arsenic villages in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, mainly distributed in 28 banner counties of 8 league cities such as Bayannur, Hohhot and Baotou, with a regional distribution trend of more in the west and less in the east. At present, the water improvement rate in the historical disease areas and high arsenic villages was 98.23% (1 165/1 186), and the qualified rate of arsenic content in the water was 99.83% (1 184/1 186). The arsenic content in the water of historical disease areas and high arsenic villages ranged from 0.000 to 0.093 mg/L. Four newly discovered villages with arsenic exceeding standards had been found, and their arsenic content ranged from 0.074 to 0.142 mg/L. A total of 2 249 patients with arsenic poisoning were detected in the confirmed disease area/high arsenic villages, and the detection rate was 1.67% (2 249/134 645). The number of patients in Bayannur City was the largest with the most severe disease, accounting for 82.70% (1 860/2 249). Patients aged 60 and above accounted for 61.41% of the total cases (1 381/2 249), which was higher than other age groups (χ 2 = 840.52, P < 0.001). The detection rate of arsenic poisoning was higher in males than in females (χ 2 = 132.38, P < 0.001). There are statistically significant differences in the detection rate and severity distribution of arsenic poisoning patients among different water arsenic content groups(χ 2 = 1 557.85, 1 741.05, P < 0.001). Conclusions:After years of prevention and control work, the arsenic content in most historical disease areas and high arsenic villages in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is currently qualified, and some areas have water arsenic exceeding standards or newly discovered villages with arsenic exceeding standards. At the same time, there are still a large number of arsenic poisoning patients in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the future, the prevention and control of endemic arsenic poisoning in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region cannot be relaxed, and it is necessary to strengthen water quality monitoring and improve water quality in newly discovered villages with arsenic exceeding standards to prevent the occurrence of new cases.