ObjectiveTo establish a method based on specific polymerase chain reaction （PCR） that can accurately and rapidly identify Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus （AMM） seeds and A. membranaceus （AM） seeds. MethodThe Chloroplast Genome Information Resource （CGIR） and IdenDSS were used to obtain the characteristic DNA fragments of AMM and AM， and the specific single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） sites of AMM and AM were screened out， on the basis of which the specific primers MG-F/MG-R of AMM and MJ-F/MJ-R of AM were designed. The specific PCR method for identifying AMM and AM was established and optimized， and the specificity and applicability of the method were investigated. ResultThe specific PCR conditions for the identification of AMM were primers MG-F/MG-R， annealing at 62 ℃， and 28 cycles. After PCR amplification and gel electrophoresis， the specific band appeared at about 220 bp， with no band for the seeds of AM or adulterants. The specific PCR conditions for identifying the AM were primers MJ-F/MJ-R， annealing at 58 ℃， and 28 cycles. After PCR amplification and gel electrophoresis， the band appeared at about 150 bp， with no band of AMM or adulterants. ConclusionThe specific PCR method established in this study can accurately and quickly identify the seeds of AMM and AM， which provides a basis for the classification and accurate identification of Astragalus seeds and adulterants.

Objective:To investigate the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in the diagnosis of suspected autoimmune encephalitis (AE) in children with epilepsy and negative MRI. Methods:From May 2019 to August 2022, 94 suspected AE children (49 males, 45 females; age 1-15 years) with epilepsy and negative MRI who underwent brain 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging at Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into AE and non-AE groups based on clinical final diagnosis. The effectiveness of visual diagnosis was evaluated. The cortical lesion extent score (S), and SUV max, SUV mean and minimum of SUV (SUV min) of cortical lesions (L), basal ganglia (B) and thalamus (T) were measured and SUV ratios (SUVR) of L/B or L/T were obtained. Independent-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen the diagnostic factors of AE, and a diagnostic model was established. The diagnostic efficiency was evaluated by ROC curve analysis and Delong test. Results:There were 53 cases in AE group and 41 cases in non-AE group. Based on visual analysis, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT for AE were 100%(53/53), 43.9%(18/41) and 75.5%(71/94), respectively. Differences of LSUV max, LSUV mean, LSUV min, L/BSUVR max, L/BSUVR mean, L/BSUVR min, L/TSUVR max, L/TSUVR mean, L/TSUVR min and S between AE and non-AE groups were statistically significant ( z=-6.74, t values: from -8.51 to -3.97, all P<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of L/BSUVR max was the highest (0.914) among visual analysis and semi-quantitative parameters. Logistic regression analysis showed that S (odds ratio ( OR)=11.40, 95% CI: 2.18-59.52, P=0.004), L/BSUVR max( OR=13.19, 95% CI: 2.11-82.51, P=0.006) and L/TSUVR max( OR=9.66, 95% CI: 1.57-59.55, P=0.015) were independent diagnostic factors for AE. Regression model was established: P=1/(1+ e - x), x=2.433×S+ 2.580×L/BSUVR max+ 2.267×L/TSUVR max-3.802. The AUC of this model was 0.948, with the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 98.1%(52/53), 90.2%(37/41) and 94.7%(89/94), respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of the optimized scoring system was consistent with the pre-optimization model, and were both superior to L/BSUVR max(both z=2.01, both P=0.040). Conclusion:The diagnostic model and scoring system based on the semi-quantitative analysis of 18F-FDG PET/CT have better diagnostic efficacy for AE and are superior to semi-quantitative parameters alone.

Objective:To explore the association between postoperative radiotherapy for bladder cancer and the risk of second primary rectal cancer.Methods:Eligible 75 120 patients with bladder cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result database (SEER) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (1975-2017) were enrolled in this study. The second primary cancers referred to rectal cancers patients suffered after more than five years post-treatment for bladder cancer, and the cumulative incidence was estimated using Fine-Gray competing risk regression. The relative risk (RR) of rectal cancer in patients treated with or without radiotherapy (the RT group or the NRT group) was evaluated using Poisson regression.Results:Among the 75 120 patients, 70 045 (92.4%) were Caucasian, with a median age of 65.8 years (54-74 years). A total of 2 236 (3%) received postoperative radiotherapy, while 72 884 (97%) received surgery alone. The 30-year follow-up revealed a cumulative incidence of rectal cancer of 0.93% in the RT group and 0.43% in the NRT group ( P = 0.004). The competing risk regression analysis identified a significant association between radiotherapy and rectal cancer ( HR: 1.86; 95% CI 1.26-2.74, P < 0.009). Furthermore, the RR of radiotherapy-associated rectal cancer significantly increased as the diagnosis occurred earlier (1975-1985 vs. 1985-1994: RR 2.59; 95% CI 1.20-4.86, P < 0.001), and a lower age at the time of radiotherapy was associated with a higher probability of second primary tumors (≤50-year old vs. > 50 year old : RR 7.89, 95% CI 2.97-21.30, P < 0.001). As calculated using the Poisson distribution, the RR of second rectal tumors was higher in the RT group ( RR: 2.20, 95% CI 1.45-3.18, P < 0.001), even after adjusting the date of diagnosis ( RR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.17-2.57, P = 0.009). Conclusions:An increased risk of rectal cancer following bladder cancer radiotherapy necessitates aggressive follow-ups for the purpose of early detecting second primary rectal cancer associated with bladder cancer radiotherapy.

Objective To express recombinant Burkholderia pseudomallei(B.pseudomallei)type Ⅲ secretion system BipD protein,prepare its polyclonal antibodies and verify their immunological traits.Methods The recombinant pET-28a-BipD plasmid was generated,and the pET-28a-BipD-carried E.coli BL21(DE3)bacteria were induced with isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside(IPTG)to express recombinant BipD(rBipD)protein.The rBipD was obtained by affinity chromatography using His Trap column,then mixed with Fredrick's adjuvant to immunize BALB/c mice by intraperitoneal injection in order to obtain anti-rBipD polyclonal antibodies.The immunoreactivity of rBipD was detected by Western blot assay using rabbit anti-melioidosis serum and the serum from melioidosis patients.The immunogenicity of rBipD was evaluated using Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.Finally,rBipD was used to establish an indirect ELISA to detect serum antibodies of clinical melioidosis patients.Results The recombinant plasmid pET-28a-BipD was successfully constructed and transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3)to induce rBipD expression with IPTG treatment.The obtained rBipD had a relative molecular weight of 36×103 and a purity of 95.4％,and had good immunogenicity and immunoreactivity.It could induce the production of specific antibodies after immunizing mice,and mouse polyclonal antibodies against rBipD were prepared with the titer of 1∶512 000.rBipD of 5.0 μg/mL produced specific immune response with the serum of melioidosis patients,but had no specific reaction with the serum of tuberculosis patients,with statistical difference(P＜0.01).Conclusion rBipD with immunological activity is successfully prepared and purified,and its polyclonal antibodies are also developed,which provide a good tool for clinical immunological diagnosis and study of immune mechanism of B.pseudomallei infection.

Objective To analyze the mechanism that Hcp1 protein in type Ⅵ secretion system of Burkholderia pseudomallei(B.pseudomallei)mediates the formation of multinucleated giant cells(MNGCs)when host cells are infected by the bacterium.Methods The mutant strain(BPC006 Δhcp1)and complementation strain(BPC006 Δhcp1::hcp1)were constructed by homologous recombination and plasmid complement technology,respectively.After RAW264.7 cells were infected with B.pseudomallei,the localization of Hcp1 in host cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining.The localization was further verified by cytoplasmic-membrane isolation in 293T cells after transfecting pCDNA4.1-Hcp1.The biological significance and effect of Hcp1 were explored by the anti-Hcp1 polyclonal antibody blocking and the formation of MNGC was detected by Giemsa staining.Results Western blotting showed that BPC006 Δhcp1 could not express Hcp1,while BPC006 Δhcp1::hcp1 restored Hcp1 expression.The above results proved that the mutant and complement strains were successfully constructed.Both cellular immunofluorescence co-localization and cytoplasmic-membrane isolation experiments showed that Hcp1 localized to host cell membranes.Last but not least,compared with the control group,anti-Hcp1 polyclonal antibodies inhibited the formation of MNGC(P＜0.01).Conclusion Hcp1 protein in type Ⅵ secretion system of B.pseudomallei is able to translocate to the RAW264.7 cell membranes and plays an important role in the formation of MNGCs.

Adenomyosis(AM)is characterized by the benign invasion of endometrial tissue and stroma into the myometrium,resulting in diffuse or localized pathological changes.Typical symptoms include increased menstrual volume,prolonged menstrual periods,and progressive dysmenorrhea.In severe cases,AM can lead to infertility.Endometrial receptivity(ER)plays a crucial role in facilitating adhesion,penetration,and implantation required for successful embryo implantation and pregnancy outcome.The impairment of ER due to AM-related factors involves complex mechanisms.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of recent research findings on the mecha-nisms underlying ER injury caused by AM over the past three years while highlighting the latest advancements in treatment strategies.

Objective:To investigate the vaccination status, characteristics and prognosis of patients suffering from a combination of COVID-19 and chronic lymphocytic anemia (CLL) in China.Methods:Clinical data of 328 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who were first diagnosed with COVID-19 and treated in the Department of Hematology of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital between November 2022 and February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analysis of data of patients with severe/critical COVID-19 were conducted by applying the binary logistic regression model.Results:The median age of the CLL patients was 60 (24-87) years. 23.5% (77/328) of these patients suffered from severe/critical COVID-19 infection. Univariate analysis of the data demonstrated that a combination of factors including age >67 years ( OR=2.15, 95% CI 1.24- 3.73, P=0.006), diabetes ( OR=2.09, 95% CI 1.05-4.20, P=0.037), chronic hepatitis B ( OR=2.91, 95% CI 1.30-6.51, P=0.010), CLL progressive ( OR=3.79, 95% CI 1.57-9.15, P=0.003) and CD20 antibody-based treatments within three months prior to the COVID-19 infection ( OR=2.79, 95% CI 1.35-5.77, P=0.006) were the risk factors for severe/critical COVID-19. According to the multivariate analysis, CLL progressive ( OR=2.98, 95% CI 1.10-8.10, P=0.033) was an independent risk factor for severe/critical COVID-19 and administration of the BTK (Bruton tyrosine kinase) inhibitor monotherapy might exert a protective effect and influence a positive outcome of the COVID-19 infection ( OR=0.38, 95% CI 0.16-0.90, P=0.028). Among the 242 patients who were followed up until October 2023, 9.1% (22/242) had multiple subsequent COVID-19 infections (≥3), and 2.1% (5/242) had persistent COVID-19 infections (patients with persistent positive test for the SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing until missing follow-up for any reason). The peak value of the anti-SARS-CoV-2-IgG titres was observed between three and four months post symptom onset (median: 3.511 S/CO vs 1.047 S/CO, P<0.05). The levels of immunoglobulin A gradually decreased following infection with COVID-19, and its trough levels were attained between two to four weeks post infection (median: 0.30 g/L vs 0.74 g/L, P<0.05). According to this study the mortality of patients suffering from a combination of COVID-19 infection and CLL was 2.7% (9/328), and the main reason for their death was respiratory failure and heart failure. Conclusions:A low rate of COVID-19 vaccination and a high rate of severe/critical COVID-19 infection was observed in the CLL patients. CLL progressive was associated with severe/critical COVID-19. Anti-CD20-based treatments received within the past three months might be a risk factor for exacerbation of COVID-19 infection, whereas a monotherapy with BTK inhibitors exert a protective effect and improve outcome of COVID-19 infection.

With the increasing average life expectancy and the growing global aging population, cognitive frailty in the elderly has emerged as a new concept and a key focus of research in geriatrics.Cognitive frailty shows potential for reversibility, and early screening and intervention can have a positive impact on either recovering or slowing down cognitive decline in older adults, making it a promising target for promoting healthy aging.However, research on cognitive frailty is still in its nascent stages, and there is no consensus on its definition and screening criteria.This review provides an overview of the current research progress on the definition, epidemiological status, assessment tools, influencing factors, and intervention strategies for cognitive frailty.The aim is to enhance healthcare professionals' understanding of cognitive frailty in the elderly and improve diagnostic, treatment, and prevention approaches.

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in lymphoma patients with different infection status of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).Methods:A retrospective cohort study. A total of 333 lymphoma patients newly diagnosed from November 2012 to August 2023 in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were included in the study, including 185 patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), 100 patients with Natural Killer/T-cell Lymphoma (NKTCL), and 48 patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL). Clinical data and laboratory indicators of patients were collected, including lymphocyte subset ratios detected by flow cytometry and EBV-DNA levels measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The survival status of patients was recorded through referring to medical records and telephone follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves and compare the survival rates among different groups. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to analyze factors related to overall survival in lymphoma patients.Results:In the NKTCL group, 73.0% (73/100) were positive for EBV-DNA, which was higher than 43.8% (81/185) in the DLBCL group and 35.4% (17/48) in the HL group ( P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that lower overall survival rates in the DLBCL group with abnormal levels of CD19 +B cells and CD16 +CD56 +NK cells (defined as either high or low referring to the reference intervals), with EBV-DNA negative and abnormal levels of CD19 +B cells, or with EBV-DNA positive and abnormal levels of CD16 +CD56 +NK cells, compared with the normal level group ( P<0.05). Multivariable analysis suggested that the abnormal level of CD19 +B cells was an independent adverse prognostic factor for DLBCL patients ( HR=2.098, 95% CI 1.181-3.727, P=0.011). EBV-DNA positivity ( HR=17.623, 95% CI 2.397-129.565, P=0.048) and Ann Arbor stage (Ⅲ/Ⅳ) ( HR=2.770, 95% CI 1.335-5.750, P=0.006) were adverse prognostic factors for NKTCL patients. Conclusion:There are differences in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets among lymphoma patients with different EBV infection status, and CD19 +B cell levels may serve as an independent prognostic factor for DLBCL patients.

To analyze the current quality of treatment for hospitalized cancer patients in Beijing, identify major issues in treatment practices, and propose improvements.