Linxian County in Henan Province, Northern China is known as the region with the highest incidence and mortality rate of esophageal cancer worldwide. Since 1959, the Henan medical team has conducted field work on esophageal cancer prevention and treatment in Linxian. Through three generations of effort exerted by oncologists over 65 years of research on esophageal cancer prevention and treatment in Linxian, the incidence rate of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in this area has dropped by nearly 50%, and the 5-year survival rate has increased to 40%, reaching the international leading level. This article aims to summarize the history, present opportunities and new challenges, and explore the experience of esophageal cancer prevention and treatment in Linxian (referred to as the “Linxian experience”), providing reference and guidance to cancer prevention and treatment research in China.

Based on the species-specific peptides of Pheretima and its common counterfeit (Metaphire magna), an identification method was established using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for quality evaluation of Pheretima and its preparations. Separation was performed on a CORTECS T3 C18 column with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phases. Mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) using ESI⁺ mode was used to simultaneously monitor three ion pairs. The results indicated that the method was specific and could distinguish Guang Dilong, Hu Dilong, and M. magna, which were consistent with those of DNA barcode identification. The adulteration test showed that the LOD of peptide M was 1 μg·g^-1. Peptide M could be detected when 1% M. magna was added to Guang Dilong, indicating the high sensitivity of the method. Fifty-four batches of commercially available samples contained 35% Guang Dilong, 35% Hu Dilong, and 15% M. magna. No ions were detected in 15% of the samples, and DNA barcode identification revealed that they were mainly from Amynthas, with similar appearance to Hu Dilong. The analysis results of the formulation showed that no peptide ions were detected in 3 batches of Xiaohuoluo pills (3/6) and M. magna were detected in 2 batches of Shenjindan capsules (2/4). The developed method in the study has good specificity, sensitivity, and feasibility, and could be used for quality control of Pheretima and its related preparations. It is of great significance for improving quality standards and regulating the medicinal market of Pheretima.

Type Ⅵ secretion system(T6SS)is a lethal weapon that releases effectors in direct contact to kill eukaryotic predators or prokaryotic competitors.T6SS is of great significance in bacterial environmental adaptability,pathogenicity,and gene horizontal transfer.T6SS has been identified in about 25％of Gram-negative bacteria.Because of its widespread existence,T6SS is considered the key factor of ecological competition.T6SS effectors exerting biological functions have high diversity and do not have conserved sequences,and the regulatory mechanisms involved are complex.Therefore,it is a hot and difficult topic in T6SS research.Vibrio fluvialis(V.fluvialis)as a newly emerging foodborne pathogen,has unique characteristics in the quantity,composition,and physiological function of T6SS,which is related to its wide environmental adaptability and pathoge-nicity.This article mainly reviews the research progress of V.fluvialis T6SS,including its composition,structure,functional activity,and regulatory mechanism.

Objective:To compare the efficacy between Kirschner wire and clavicular hook plate in the fixation of distal clavicle fractures in older children.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the 28 pediatric patients with distal clavicle fracture who had undergone surgical treatment at Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, The Second General Hospital of Fuzhou from December 2014 to December 2023. There were 20 boys and 8 girls. Age: 10.0 (9.0, 12.8) years old; 22 left sides and 6 right sides; by the Craig modified Neer classification: 22 cases of type Ⅱ, 5 cases of type Ⅳ, and 1 case of type Ⅴ. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on their internal fixation methods. The Kirschner wire group of 12 cases were treated with open reduction and Kirschner wire fixation; the hook plate group of 16 cases were treated with open reduction and clavicular hook plate fixation. Operation time, hospital stay, fracture healing time, incidence of complications, and scores at the final follow-up (the Constant-Murley shoulder function score, quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (quickDASH) score, and visual analog scale (VAS) for aesthetic satisfaction) were recorded and compared between the 2 groups.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). The postoperative follow-up period for the 28 patients was (14.8±6.5) months. The operation time in the Kirschner wire group [(34.3±12.1) min] was significantly shorter than that in the hook plate group [(49.4±16.8) min] ( P<0.05), and the VAS score for aesthetic satisfaction at the final follow-up in the Kirschner wire group [(8.2±1.1) points] was significantly higher than that in the hook plate group [(6.2±2.6) points] ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of fracture healing time, hospital stay, incidence of complications, or Constant-Murley score and quickDASH score at the final follow-up ( P>0.05). Conclusions:For pediatric patients with distal clavicle fracture, both Kirschner wire fixation and clavicular hook plate fixation can achieve good functional outcomes. However, Kirschner wire fixation has advantages of shorter operation time, higher postoperative aesthetic satisfaction, and no need of a secondary surgery for implant removal.

Objective:To investigate the morphological and ultrastructural differences between normal and round-headed sperm and the outcomes of assisted reproduction in patients with partial globozoospermia.Methods:We collected clinical information and semen samples from 6 cases of partial globozoospermia confirmed in our hosptials from March 2023 to March 2024,performed Diff-Quik staining of the samples,observed the sperm morphology under the light microscope and transmission electron microscope,compared the ultrastructures between round-headed and normal spermatozoa,and analyzed the clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction in the pa-tients.Results:Under the light microscope,the the round-headed sperm had no acrosomal structure,some with tail abnormalities;while under the transmission electron microscope,they exhibited dissolved plasma membrane,acrosomal absence,small acrosomes,nucleoplasmic granulation,huge central vacuoles,swelling,absence or irregular arrangement of mitochondria in the neck,and disor-ganized or missed 9+2 microtubules in the tail.All the 6 patients underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI),and 1 of them achieved pregnancy.Conclusion:The sperm organelle is morphologically damaged and ultrastructurally abnormal in some patients with partial globozoospermia,which may be a key factor for their infertility,and ICSI can help some of them to achieve fertility.

Aim To investigate the inhibitory effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on sodium palmitate induced fibrosis in human glomerullar mesangial cells (HMCs) and its mechanism. Methods (1) HMCs were treated with different concentrations of PA for 24 h, the intracellular lipid accumulation was observed by oil red staining, and the intracellular ROS production was detected by H2DCFDA kit; (2) HMCs were divided into control, PA (160 μmol·L

Objective To explore the efficacy and postoperative complications of transnasal en-doscopic low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of children with snoring.Methods Clinical materials of 278 children with snoring were analyzed retrospectively,and they were divided into control group(n=128)and observation group(n=150)according to different op-eration methods.The control group was treated with adenoidectomy and bilateral tonsillectomy,while the observation group was treated with transnasal endoscopic low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation.Perioperative indicators,the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score,inflammatory factors[tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-4(IL-4)and interleukin-8(IL-8)],stress response indicators[malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione(GSH)],venti-lation function indicators[apnea hyponea index(AHI),oxygen desaturation index(ODI),the lon-gest apnea time(LAT)and nocturnal lowest blood oxygen saturation(LSaO2)],the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)score and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.Results In the observation group,the operation time,symptom relief time and hospital stay were significantly shorter than those in the control group,while the intraoperative bleeding volume was significantly less than that in the control group(P＜0.05).The VAS scores of the observation group at 6,24,48 and 72 h after operation were significantly lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05).At 3 days after operation,serum TNF-α,IL-4 and IL-8 levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05);at 24 hours after operation,serum MDA level in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group,while the levels of SOD and GSH were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05);at 6 months after operation,AHI,ODI and LAT in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,while the LSaO2 was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05);at 6 months after surgery,the PSQI score and incidence of complications in the observa-tion group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Tran-snasal endoscopic low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation can reduce the levels of inflamma-tory factors,alleviate stress response,improve ventilation function,improve quality of sleep in chil-dren with snoring,and its safety is relatively high.

Objective To explore the efficacy and postoperative complications of transnasal en-doscopic low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of children with snoring.Methods Clinical materials of 278 children with snoring were analyzed retrospectively,and they were divided into control group(n=128)and observation group(n=150)according to different op-eration methods.The control group was treated with adenoidectomy and bilateral tonsillectomy,while the observation group was treated with transnasal endoscopic low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation.Perioperative indicators,the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score,inflammatory factors[tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-4(IL-4)and interleukin-8(IL-8)],stress response indicators[malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione(GSH)],venti-lation function indicators[apnea hyponea index(AHI),oxygen desaturation index(ODI),the lon-gest apnea time(LAT)and nocturnal lowest blood oxygen saturation(LSaO2)],the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)score and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.Results In the observation group,the operation time,symptom relief time and hospital stay were significantly shorter than those in the control group,while the intraoperative bleeding volume was significantly less than that in the control group(P＜0.05).The VAS scores of the observation group at 6,24,48 and 72 h after operation were significantly lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05).At 3 days after operation,serum TNF-α,IL-4 and IL-8 levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05);at 24 hours after operation,serum MDA level in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group,while the levels of SOD and GSH were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05);at 6 months after operation,AHI,ODI and LAT in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,while the LSaO2 was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05);at 6 months after surgery,the PSQI score and incidence of complications in the observa-tion group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Tran-snasal endoscopic low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation can reduce the levels of inflamma-tory factors,alleviate stress response,improve ventilation function,improve quality of sleep in chil-dren with snoring,and its safety is relatively high.

Objective: To analyze the course of disease and epidemiological parameters of COVID-19 and provide evidence for making prevention and control strategies. Methods: To display the distribution of course of disease of the infectors who had close contacts with COVID-19 cases from January 1 to March 15, 2020 in Guangdong Provincial, the models of Lognormal, Weibull and gamma distribution were applied. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the basic characteristics and epidemiological parameters of course of disease. Results: In total, 515 of 11 580 close contacts were infected, with an attack rate about 4.4%, including 449 confirmed cases and 66 asymptomatic cases. Lognormal distribution was fitting best for latent period, incubation period, pre-symptomatic infection period of confirmed cases and infection period of asymptomatic cases; Gamma distribution was fitting best for infectious period and clinical symptom period of confirmed cases; Weibull distribution was fitting best for latent period of asymptomatic cases. The latent period, incubation period, pre-symptomatic infection period, infectious period and clinical symptoms period of confirmed cases were 4.50 (95%CI:3.86-5.13) days, 5.12 (95%CI:4.63-5.62) days, 0.87 (95%CI:0.67-1.07) days, 11.89 (95%CI:9.81-13.98) days and 22.00 (95%CI:21.24-22.77) days, respectively. The latent period and infectious period of asymptomatic cases were 8.88 (95%CI:6.89-10.86) days and 6.18 (95%CI:1.89-10.47) days, respectively. Conclusion: The estimated course of COVID-19 and related epidemiological parameters are similar to the existing data.
COVID-19 ; Cohort Studies ; Contact Tracing ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prospective Studies

Objective: To explore the protective effects of anthrahydroquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AH 2 QDS) on the kidneys of paraquat (PQ) poisoned rats via the apelin-APJ pathway. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four experimental groups: control, PQ, PQ+sivelestat, and PQ+AH 2 QDS. The PQ+sivelestat group served as the positive control group. The model of poisoning was established via intragastric treatment with a 20% PQ pesticide solution at 200 mg/kg. Two hours after poisoning, the PQ+sivelestat group was treated with sivelestat, while the PQ+AH 2 QDS group was given AH 2 QDS. Six rats were selected from each group on the first, third, and seventh days after poisoning and dissected after anesthesia. The PQ content of the kidneys was measured using the sodium disulfite method. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of renal tissues was performed to detect pathological changes. Apelin expression in the renal tissues was detected using immunofluorescence. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of the following proteins in the kidney tissues: IL-6, TNF-α, apelin-APJ (the apelin-Angiotensin receptor), NF-κB p65, caspase-1, caspase-8, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), and the C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). In in vitro study, a PQ toxicity model was established using human tubular epithelial cells treated with standard PQ. Twenty-four hours after poisoning, sivelestat and AH 2 QDS were administered. The levels of oxidative stress in human renal tubular epithelial cells were assessed using a reactive oxygen species fluorescence probe. Results: The PQ content in the kidney tissues of the PQ group was higher than that of the PQ+AH 2 QDS group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed extensive hemorrhage and congestion in the renal parenchyma of the PQ group. Vacuolar degeneration of the renal tubule epithelial cells, deposition of crescent-like red staining material in renal follicles, infiltration by a few inflammatory cells, and a small number of cast formation were also observed. However, these pathological changes were less severe in the PQ+sivelestat group and the PQ+AH 2 QDS group (P<0.05). On the third day after poisoning, immunofluorescence assay showed that the level of apelin in the renal tissues was significantly higher in the PQ+AH 2 QDS group than in the PQ group. Western blotting analysis results showed that IL-6, TNF-α, NF-κB p65, caspase-1, caspase-8, GRP78, and CHOP protein levels in the PQ group were higher than in the PQ+AH 2 QDS group (P<0.05). The expression of apelin-APJ proteins in the PQ+AH 2 QDS group was higher than in the PQ+sivelestat and PQ groups (P<0.05); this difference was significant on Day 3 and Day 7. The level of oxidative stress in the renal tubular epithelial cells of the PQ+AH 2 QDS group and the PQ+sivelestat group was significantly lower than in the PQ group (P<0.05). Conclusions: This study confirms that AH 2 QDS has a protective effect on PQ-poisoned kidneys and its positive effect is superior to that of sivelestat. The mechanism of the protective effects of AH 2 QDS may be linked to reduction in cellular oxidative stress, PQ content of renal tissue, inflammatory injury, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis. AH 2 QDS may play a role in the treatment of PQ poisoning by upregulating the expression of the apelin-APJ.