ObjectiveTo investigate a suspected outbreak of healthcare-associated infection with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in a geriatric emergency ward, and to provide references for the prevention and control of multidrug-resistant bacteria in a hospital in Shanghai. MethodsOn-site epidemiological investigation, combined with environmental hygiene monitoring and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) molecular typing method, were adopted to investigate a suspected outbreak of CRKP infection in the geriatric emergency ward of a hospital from October to November 2022, aiming at finding out factors caused the outbreak before taking corresponding control measures. ResultsA total of 3 cases of healthcare-associated CRKP infection were identified, of which 2 cases were homologous to a previous case of community-associated CRKP infection. What’s more, the 2 cases lived in the same ward with the latter and with adjacent beds, but the third case was non-homologous to the community-associated infection case. A total of 46 samples were collected from the environmental surfaces and the hands of healthcare workers, of which 7 samples tested positive for CRKP and were identical to the strains from the 2 healthcare-associated infection cases and the 1 community-associated infection case, originating from the bedrails, bedside tables, surface of non-invasive ventilator, bed curtains and panels of monitoring equipment, with a detection rate of 15.22%. But none of the 11 samples from the hands of healthcare workers tested positive for CRKP. The outbreak was effectively controlled after taking specific prevention and control measures such as strengthening personnel management, intensifying environmental cleaning and disinfection and strictly enforcing hand hygiene among healthcare workers. Subsequently, no similar new cases were reported during the 14-day follow-up period. ConclusionIncomplete environmental cleaning and disinfection, as well as inadequate enforcement of hand hygiene among heatheare workers may have contributed to the suspected outbreak of CRKP in the geriatric emergency ward. Early warning and timely investigation of suspected outbreaks of multidrug-resistant bacteria are crucial for preventing and controlling such outbreaks in hospitals.

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite that infects nearly all warm-blooded animals, including humans (Montoya and Liesenfeld, 2004). It occurs worldwide and can persist for a lifetime in mammals. Humans get infected by eating undercooked meat of animals containing the tissue cysts of this parasite. In immune-competent individuals, T. gondii infection usually does not cause significant clinical symptoms, whereas in pregnant or immunocompromised individuals, T. gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) can cause more serious problems like abortion and even death (Dunn et al., 1999; Wang et al., 2017). A combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is usually used to treat toxoplasmosis, although it is generally inefficient and causes side effects (Alday and Doggett, 2017). Worse still, there is a lack of vaccines to prevent T. gondii infection in humans or animals.
Toxoplasma/enzymology* ; Animals ; Humans ; Toxoplasmosis ; Mitochondria/enzymology* ; Protozoan Proteins/metabolism*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Wendan Decoction for phlegm syndrome in rats with metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=8) and 3 phlegm syndrome model groups (induced by high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt feeding and a single-dose intraperitoneal STZ injection; n=24) treated with daily gavage of saline, Wendan Decoction (3.6 g/kg), or metformin (0.1 g/kg) for 4 weeks. General conditions and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters of the rats were monitored, and serum LPS, liver histopathology, hepatic expressions of FXR, CYP7A1 and FGFR4 and ileal expressions of FXR and FGF15 were examined. Gut microbiota structure was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing, and serum bile acids were quantified with UHPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The rat models of phlegm syndrome exhibited severe hepatic steatosis and necrosis, increased body weight, abdominal circumference, Lee's index, FBG, FINS, HOMA-IR, TG, TC, LDL and LPS, and decreased HDL level. The abundance of Bacteroidetes, Megamonas, and Bacteroides in gut microbiota increased while Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, isohyodeoxycholic acid, and glycohyodeoxycholic acid decreased significantly; hepatic FXR and FGFR4 expressions and ileal FXR and FGF15 expressions decreased while hepatic CYP7A1 expression increased significantly in the rat models. Treatment with Wendan Decoction effectively alleviated hepatic pathology, reduced body weight and abdominal circumference, improved glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and gut microbiota structure, and reversed the changes in hepatic and ileal protein expressions. Correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were positively correlated while Bacteroidetes, Megamonas and Bacteroides were negative correlated with the levels of isohyodeoxycholic acid and hyodeoxycholic acid. CONCLUSIONS Wendan Decoction can significantly improve metabolic profiles in rats with phlegm syndrome of MS possibly by regulating the intestinal flora-bile acid axis to modulate the intestinal flora structure and maintain bile acid homeostasis via the FXR signaling pathway.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Metabolic Syndrome/microbiology* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Rats, Wistar ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Rats ; Male ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase/metabolism* ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism*

ObjectiveTo analyze the satisfaction of service recipients with the preliminary assessment service of the unified elderly care needs evaluation in Shanghai， so as to provide reference for further optimization of the service system. MethodsA multi-stage random sampling method was employed to recruit participants. A total of 110 individuals who had received unified elderly care needs evaluation service in six districts of Shanghai were investigated using a structured questionnaire. SPSS 25.0 was used to analyze the data. Univariate analyses were conducted using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s precision probability test， while multivariate analysis was performed using ordinal regression. ResultsThere were differences in satisfaction with various aspects of the preliminary assessment process among participants from different areas， with those from outer suburbs generally exhibiting lower satisfaction （P<0.01）. Multivariate analysis results indicated that satisfaction with the timing of the preliminary assessment was related to the service recipients’ residential area and their primary source of income； satisfaction with the service attitude and capability of the assessment personnel was only related to the residential area. Satisfaction with the preliminary evaluation results was related to the participants’ marital status， educational level， income level， and the specific rating results. ConclusionThe satisfaction level with the preliminary assessment of the unified elderly care needs assessment in Shanghai is relatively high. In the process of evaluation， a deeper analysis and exploration of individual needs based on various personal information are essential to ensure the appropriateness of the provided elderly care services， and thereby effectively enhancing recipient satisfaction.

ObjectiveTo clarify the perception of the work and satisfaction levels among personnel conducting unified elderly care needs assessment in Shanghai， to analyze the factors influencing their job satisfaction， and to provide references for optimizing the job satisfaction of unified elderly care needs assessment personnel in Shanghai. MethodsA survey was conducted among 93 assessment personnel randomly selected from 29 elderly care needs assessment agencies in Shanghai. The personnel’s perception of their work and their levels of job satisfaction were examined. Chi-square test and Fisher’s precision probability test were used to compare regional differences， while the two-factor theory was employed to analyze the factors influencing job satisfaction. ResultsRegarding perception of the work， 92.5% of the surveyed personnel believed their work was important. Moreover， 87.1% were interested in their assessment tasks， and 84.9% believed they made a positive contribution to the assessment work and the assessment position was in line with their personal preferences. Regarding job satisfaction， 83.9% of the participants were satisfied with their assessment work， 78.5% considered the workload appropriate， and 74.2% found the working hours suitable. Additionally， 65.6% expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation from the assessment subjects， while 94.6% and 91.4% of the personnel were satisfied with the support provided by the assessment agencies and had a sense of belonging， respectively. Furthermore， 65.6% of the personnel expressed satisfaction with their job compensation and benefits. Hygiene factors affecting job satisfaction included salary and compensation， workload， time spent on the job and institutional support related to external assistance， job suitability， teamwork， and client cooperation （P<0.05）， while motivational factors included recognition of the significance of the job， sense of achievement， interest in the job， sense of belonging， and opportunities for personal growth （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe overall work cognition and satisfaction of unified elderly care needs assessment personnel in Shanghai towards their work are relatively positive. Main issues include the heavy workload and actual job subsidies not meeting expectations. It is recommended to improve the standardization of the assessment process， establish a professional team of assessment personnel， and enhance the compensation and incentive mechanisms to continuously increase staff satisfaction.

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality in women worldwide.Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)is a particularly aggressive subtype characterized by rapid progression,poor prognosis,and lack of clear therapeutic targets.In the clinic,delineation of tumor heterogeneity and development of effective drugs continue to pose considerable challenges.Within the scope of our study,high hetero-geneity inherent to breast cancer was uncovered based on the landscape constructed from both tumor and healthy breast tissue samples.Notably,TNBC exhibited significant specificity regarding cell prolif-eration,differentiation,and disease progression.Significant associations between tumor grade,prog-nosis,and TNBC oncogenes were established via pseudotime trajectory analysis.Consequently,we further performed comprehensive characterization of the TNBC microenvironment.A crucial epithelial subcluster,E8,was identified as highly malignant and strongly associated with tumor cell proliferation in TNBC.Additionally,epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-associated fibroblast and M2 macrophage subclusters exerted an influence on E8 through cellular interactions,contributing to tumor growth.Characteristic genes in these three cluster cells could therefore serve as potential therapeutic targets for TNBC.The collective findings provided valuable insights that assisted in the screening of a series of therapeutic drugs,such as pelitinib.We further confirmed the anti-cancer effect of pelitinib in an orthotopic 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model.Overall,our study sheds light on the unique characteristics of TNBC at single-cell resolution and the crucial cell types associated with tumor cell proliferation that may serve as potent tools in the development of effective anti-cancer drugs.

Objective:To investigate the effects of mobile intelligent cognitive training(MICT)on cognitive function,ac-tivities of daily living,and quality of life of patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment after stroke in the community. Method:Ninty-two patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment after stroke in the community were randomly divided into experimental group(n=46)and control group(n=46).Both groups received comprehen-sive management,and the experimental group received additional MICT for 12 weeks.The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE),Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA),Prospective and Retrospective Memory Ques-tionnaire(PRMQ),Modified Barthel Index(MBI),Functional Activities Questionnaire(FAQ),and Quality of Life Index(QLI)were assessed before,4 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment,and 1-month follow-up after the end of treatment. Result:Before treatment,there was no significant difference in all scores between the two groups(P＞0.05).After 6 weeks of treatment,the MMSE,PRMQ,MBI,FAQ,and QLI scores of the two groups were im-proved(P＜0.05),and the MoCA,MBI,and QLI scores of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group(P＜0.05);After 12 weeks of treatment and 1 month of follow-up,the scores of MMSE,MoCA,PRMQ,MBI,FAQ,and QLI were significantly improved in two groups(P＜0.05),and all scores of the experimental group were better than those of the control group(P＜0.05). Conclusion:MICT can improve cognitive function,activities of daily living,and quality of life in patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment after stroke in the community,with efficacy lasting at least 1 month.

Objective To compare the efficacy of endoscopic bougie/balloon dilation(EBD),endoscopic radial incision(ERI),and ERI combined with esophageal stent placement(ESP)for the treatment of benign esophageal stenosis,and evaluate the feasibility and safety of ERI combined with ESP for the treatment of benign esophageal stenosis.Methods 48 Patients with benign esophageal stenosis from January 2019 to January 2023 were recruited,and divided into EBD group(n=24),ERI group(n=17)and ERI+ESP group(n=7).The differences in operating success,restenosis and complications among the three groups were compared.Results The number of previous endoscopic treatment in ERI+ESP group was more than that in EBD group and ERI group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Technical success was achieved in 23 cases and clinical remission in 23 cases in EBD group,technical success in 16 cases and clinical remission in 15 cases in ERI group,technical success in 7 cases and clinical remission in 7 cases in ERI+ESP group.There was no significant difference in technical success rate and clinical remission rate among the three groups(P＞0.05).After 3 months of follow-up,there were 15,9 and 1 cases of esophageal restenosis in the EBD group,ERI group and ERI+ESP group,respectively.There was no significant difference in the rate of esophageal restenosis among the 3 groups(P＞0.05).After 6 months of follow-up,there were 20 cases of esophageal restenosis in the EBD group,13 cases in the ERI group and 1 case in the ERI+ESP group.The rate of esophageal restenosis in the ERI+ESP group was significantly lower than that in the EBD group and the ERI group(P＜0.05).However,there was no statistically significant difference in the esophageal restenosis rate between the EBD group and the ERI group(P＞0.05).The time to the first postoperative restenosis was 74.00(48.75,159.00)days in the EBD group,84.00(54.50,195.00)days in the ERI group,and 250.00(206.00,289.00)days in the ERI+ESP group.The time to the first postoperative restenosis was longer in the ERI+ESP group than that in the EBD and ERI groups.The differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference in restenosis time between EBD group and ERI group(P＞0.05).There were 5,5 and 3 cases of complications in the EBD group,ERI group and ERI+ESP group,respectively,and there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications among the three groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion ERI+ESP is comparable to EBD and ERI in terms of technical success and short-term clinical remission rate for the treatment of benign esophageal stenosis,and is superior to EBD and ERI in terms of long-term restenosis rate and restenosis time,with no influence on the occurrence of complications.

Microglia are widely present in the central nervous system and participate in various pathophysiological processes.They play an important role in degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease.In recent years, the study of exosomes produced by microglia activation involved in the pathophysiological processes of various diseases has attracted extensive attention, but the role of exosomes has not been fully clarified.This article reviewed the characteristics and functions of microglia, the characteristics and functions of microglia-derived exosomes and their roles in central neurodegenerative diseases.