Objective To investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on the early clinical outcomes of patients undergoing valve replacement. Methods Perioperative data of patients who underwent single valve replacement at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army Medical University from January to February 2023 were consecutively collected. Based on COVID-19 infection status, patients were divided into a COVID-19 group and a non-COVID-19 group. The perioperative data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 136 patients were included, comprising 53 males and 83 females, with a mean age of (53.4±10.2) years. There were 32 patients receiving aortic valve replacements, 102 mitral valve replacements, and 2 tricuspid valve replacements. The COVID-19 group comprised 70 patients, and the non-COVID-19 group included 66 patients. No statistical difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups [9.09% (6/66) vs. 11.43% (8/70), P=0.654]. However, the COVID-19 group had longer postoperative mechanical ventilation duration [1 201.00 (1 003.75, 1 347.75) min vs. 913.50 (465.50, 1 251.00) min, P=0.001] and ICU stay [3 (2, 3) days vs. 2 (2, 3) days, P<0.001] compared to the non-COVID-19 group. Additionally, troponin I [4.76 (2.55, 7.93) ng/mL vs. 2.66 (1.19, 5.65) ng/mL, P=0.001] and brain natriuretic peptide [608.50 (249.75, 1 150.00) pg/mL vs. 192.00 (100.93, 314.75) pg/mL, P<0.001] levels were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. Conclusion For patients with single valve disease undergoing elective surgery, short-term outcomes after recovery from COVID-19 infection are favorable, with no significant increase in in-hospital mortality or postoperative complication rates.

BACKGROUND:Subepithelial connective tissue grafts are generally considered as the gold standard for soft tissue augmentation.However,it needs a second surgical site,which will prolong the surgical time and increase patients'pain. OBJECTIVE:To compare the histological and thickness changes of attached gingiva following grafting with different soft tissue substitutes in the labial region of the cuspids. METHODS:In three Beagle dogs,attached gingival augmentation was performed with double-layer allogeneic acellular dermal matrix membrane(AADM),bovine-derived acellular dermal matrices(BADM)combined with concentrated growth factor membrane or BADM combined with collagen sponge.Thickness of attached gingiva was measured before augmentation,and 1,2,3,and 4 months after augmentation.Histological analyses were performed after 4 months. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The mean values of attached gingival thickness and attached gingival thickness augmentation were higher in the double-layer AADM group than in the other two groups(all P<0.05)from the 1st to 4th month after surgery.At 1 month after surgery,the attached gingival thickness of the three groups increased significantly and then decreased.At 3 months after surgery,the BADM combined with collagen sponge group and the BADM combined with concentrated growth factor membrane group showed no significant difference in the attached gingival thickness of the graft area compared with that before surgery(P>0.05).At 4 months after surgery,the mean value of attached gingival thickness in the double-layer AADM group was still significantly increased compared with that before surgery(P<0.05).The value of attached gingival thickness was highest in the double-layer AADM group,followed by the BADM combined with collagen sponge group,and the lowest in the BADM combined with concentrated growth factor membrane group at 1-4 months after surgery.Histological analyses revealed that AADM was well integrated with the host gingival tissue,and new fibrous connective tissue and fibroblasts grew into the AADM.But the grafts in the other two groups were absorbed and the augmentation area was remodeled into a structure consistent with the surrounding host tissue.To conclude,AADM is superior to BADM combined with concentrated growth factor and BADM combined with collagen sponge with regard to gingival augmentation.

BACKGROUND:Trunk pressure biofeedback is considered a reliable indicator for assessing core muscle strength.It not only reflects the status of an individual's trunk strength but also has a close relationship with the function of respiratory muscles. OBJECTIVE:To explore the correlation between trunk pressure biofeedback and diaphragmatic function in young adults. METHODS:A total of 80 young adults from Shangrao Normal University,China were enrolled,including 34 males and 46 females,with an average age of(19.83±1.45)years.Diaphragmatic thickness and mobility were measured using a bedside musculoskeletal ultrasound system.Maximum inspiratory pressure was determined using a portable pulmonary function tester.Lumbar and abdominal pressures in prone and supine positions were assessed using a pressure biofeedback device.The degree of correlation between trunk pressure biofeedback and diaphragmatic function was determined using Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients.A multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine predictive models for diaphragmatic function. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Grouped by sex,age,height,body mass,trunk pressure biofeedback values,diaphragm thickness during quiet inspiration and expiration,diaphragmatic thickening ratio during quiet breathing,diaphragmatic thickness during deep inspiration and expiration,diaphragmatic thickening ratio during deep breathing,diaphragmatic mobility during deep inspiration,and maximum inspiratory pressure were higher in the male group than the female group(all P<0.05).Grouped by physical activity level,trunk pressure biofeedback values and maximum inspiratory pressure were lower in the sedentary group than in the exercise group(both P<0.05).Both anterior and posterior trunk pressure biofeedback were significantly correlated with diaphragmatic thickness during quiet inspiration and expiration,diaphragmatic thickening ratio during quiet breathing,diaphragmatic thickness during deep inspiration and expiration,diaphragmatic thickening ratio during deep breathing,diaphragmatic mobility during deep inspiration,and maximum inspiratory pressure(all P<0.01).Anterior trunk pressure biofeedback entered the predictive model for diaphragmatic thickness during quiet inspiration(F=27.228,P<0.001),during deep inspiration(F=38.615,P<0.001),and along with age for diaphragmatic mobility during deep inspiration(F=15.408,P<0.001).Anterior trunk pressure biofeedback,body mass,and age entered the predictive model for maximum inspiratory pressure(F=22.314,P<0.001).To conclude,there is a strong correlation between trunk pressure biofeedback and diaphragmatic thickness,diaphragmatic mobility,and maximum inspiratory pressure.The rapid and simple measurement of trunk pressure biofeedback can serve as a method for screening the diaphragmatic function in healthy young adults.

Objective To investigate the effects of total flavones from Oxytropis falcata Bunge on hepatic fibrosis(HF)induced by carbon tetrachloride and liver transforming growth factor(TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway.Methods Forty-eight male rats were randomly divided into normal group(intraperitoneal injection of peanut oil,intragastric administration of 0.9％NaCl),model group(intraperitoneal injection of 40％CC14 peanut oil solution induced HF model,intragastric administration of 0.9％NaCl),positive control group(modeling,intragastric administration of 0.2 mg·kg-1 of colchicine),experimental-L,-M,-H groups(modeling,intragastric administration of 100,200 and 400 mg·kg-1 of total flavonoid extract of Oxytropis falcata Bunge),8 individuals in each group,for 4 consecutive weeks.The histopathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining.Serum liver function and liver fibrosis were measured;erum inflammatory factors were detected;fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)was used to determine gene expression in liver.Results The pathological injury of liver tissue in the model group was serious,and a large number of inflammatory factors and collagen fibers were accumulated,while the rest of the treatment groups had different degrees of remission.In normal group,model group,positive control group,experimental-L,-M,-H groups,glutamic-pyruvic transaminase levels were(49.28±12.44),(5 885.42±948.37),(4 454.60±489.27),(4 650.47±843.53),(3 761.75±887.30)and(3 544.90±1 066.75)μg·L-1;glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase levels were(186.90±46.89),(5 936.23±793.81),(3 971.37±780.28),(4 360.30±863.35),(3 943.10±439.47)and(3 971.38±631.08)μg·L-1;hyaluronic acid levels were(45.08±17.16),(104.32±36.06),(66.83±20.09),(70.30±21.07),(60.00±9.68)and(59.02±10.73)μg·L-1;laminin levels were(23.13±3.89),(60.85±13.66),(35.67±9.92),(39.98±9.39),(36.55±12.21)and(34.68±24.83)μg·L-1;type Ⅲ procollagen level were(24.98±5.34),(82.58±30.14),(40.70±16.14),(51.08±23.21),(43.60±12.48)and(44.20±11.66)p±g·L-1;interleukin(IL)-1β levels were(37.63±1.24),(46.10±3.23),(39.22±2.36),(41.33±0.93),(40.25±2.04)and(39.18±2.23)pg·mL-1;tumor necrosis factor-α levels were(314.58±20.56),(383.71±16.97),(349.00±7.93),(348.88±25.11),(325.75±27.84)and(335.07±21.33)pg·mL-1;TGF-β1 mRNA expression of relative quantity respectively were 1.00±0.00,60.99±15.70,9.61±1.59,7.37±1.09,6.41±0.64,6.87±1.09;Smad7 mRNA relative expression were 1.00±0.00,0.34±0.05,0.21±0.03,0.35±0.02,0.38±0.02,0.42±0.03.The above indexes in the model group were compared with the normal group,and the above indexes in the experimental-M,-H groups were compared with the model group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05,P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Conclusion Total flavonoids of Oxytropis falcata Bunge have protective effects on CC14-induced liver fibrosis in rats,and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of TGF-β/Smad pathway.

Objective To evaluate tolerability,safety and pharmacokinetics of JS026 and JS026-JS016 single dose intravenous infusion in healthy adults.Methods This phase 1,randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,dose-escalation study totally included 48 participants:32 healthy subjects were enrolled in JS026 single intravenous infusion groups and 16 healthy subjects were enrolled in JS026-JS016 groups.JS026 was sequentially administered from low dose to high dose(30-1 000 mg),with intravenous infusion of JS026 or placebo in JS026 single-dose groups,and intravenous infusion of JS026-JS016 or placebo in the combination drug groups.Blood was collected according to the time point designed for trial.Serum concentrations of JS026 and JS016 were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbnent assay(ELISA),and pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated by WinNonlin 8.2.The power model method was used to evaluate the linear analysis of dose and drug exposure.Results 47 subjects completed trial and 1 subject lost to follow-up.After a single intravenous injection of JS026 of 30 mg,100 mg,300 mg,600 mg,and 1 000 mg,mean Cmax were(9.47±1.53),(33.20±4.95),(96.10±13.70),(177.00±22.20)and(353.00±56.70)μg·mL-1,respectively;mean AUC0-∞ were(4 225.00±607.00),(1.78 × 104±3 268.00),(5.83 × 104±1 038.00),(1.07 × 105±152.00),(1.66 × 105±327.00)μg·h·mL-1,respectively;mean t1/2 of JS026 were 563-709 h.The Cmax and AUC0-∞ of JS026 were basically similar alone or in combination with JS016.The results of Power model showed that Cmax and AUC0-∞ increased approximately linearly with the increasing dose of JS026.Treatment emergent adverse event was not increasing when dose increased and most of adverse event associated with drugs were abnormal on laboratory tests and haematuria,thus JS026 and JS016 was well tolerated in all groups.Conclusion The single intravenous infusion of JS026 can almost be thought to be a linear relationship between the doses and drug serum exposure.JS016 had no significant effect on serum concentration of JS026 and JS026 was well tolerated and safe in healthy subjects within 30-1 000 mg.

In fixed prosthodontics, clear exposure of the preparation margin is the prerequisite for obtaining accurate digital impressions and improving the marginal fit of restorations. To resolve the issues associated with the cord retraction technique, such as pain, acute injury, and prolonged procedural time, this study proposes a new technology for intraoral digital impression taking with pneumatic gingival retraction. The new scanning head blows a high-speed airflow that instantaneously separates the free gingiva, locally exposing the subgingival preparation margin. Combined with the farthest point preservation stitching algorithm based on the distance from the normal vector and high-speed laser scanning photography, it achieves global preparation edge data and gingival reconstruction, realizing painless, non-invasive, and efficient precise acquisition of the preparation margin. Using this new technique, a patient with a full porcelain crown restoration on a posterior tooth was treated. The digital impression revealed a clear margin of the preparation, and the crown made from this data has a good marginal fit.

Objective Recombinase-aided polymerase chain reaction(RAP)is a sensitive,single-tube,two-stage nucleic acid amplification method.This study aimed to develop an assay that can be used for the early diagnosis of three types of bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus(SA),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(PA),and Acinetobacter baumannii(AB)in the bloodstream based on recombinant human mannan-binding lectin protein(M1 protein)-conjugated magnetic bead(M1 bead)enrichment of pathogens combined with RAP. Methods Recombinant plasmids were used to evaluate the assay sensitivity.Common blood influenza bacteria were used for the specific detection.Simulated and clinical plasma samples were enriched with M1 beads and then subjected to multiple recombinase-aided PCR(M-RAP)and quantitative PCR(qPCR)assays.Kappa analysis was used to evaluate the consistency between the two assays. Results The M-RAP method had sensitivity rates of 1,10,and 1 copies/μL for the detection of SA,PA,and AB plasmids,respectively,without cross-reaction to other bacterial species.The M-RAP assay obtained results for<10 CFU/mL pathogens in the blood within 4 h,with higher sensitivity than qPCR.M-RAP and qPCR for SA,PA,and AB yielded Kappa values of 0.839,0.815,and 0.856,respectively(P<0.05). Conclusion An M-RAP assay for SA,PA,and AB in blood samples utilizing M1 bead enrichment has been developed and can be potentially used for the early detection of bacteremia.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Echinococcus infections in small rodents around human residential areas in Yushu City, Qinghai Province in 2023, so as to provide insights into precision echinococcosis control. Methods One or two quadrats, each measuring 50 m × 50 m, were randomly assigned in Shanglaxiu Township and Longbao Township, Yushu City, Qinghai Province on June 2023, respectively, and 300 plate-type mouse traps, each measuring 12.0 cm × 6.5 cm, were assigned in each quadrat. Small rodents were captured during the period between 10 : 00 and 18 : 00 each day for 4 days. Then, all captured small rodents were identified and dissected, and liver specimens with suspected Echinococcus infections were subjected to pathological examinations. The Echinococcus cytochrome c oxidase 1 (cox1) gene was amplified using PCR assay, and the sequence of the amplified product was aligned to that was recorded in the GenBank to characterize the parasite species. In addition, a phylogenetic tree of Echinococcus was generated based on the cox1 gene sequence using the neighbor-joining method. Results A total of 236 small rodents were captured in Shanglaxiu and Longbao townships, Yushu City, including 65 Qinghai voles and 51 plateau pikas in Shanglaxiu Township, and 62 Qinghai voles and 58 plateau pikas in Longbao Township, and there was no significant difference in the constituent ratio of small rodents between the two townships (χ² = 0.294, P > 0.05). Seven plateau pikas and 12 Qinghai voles were suspected to be infected with Echinococcus by dissection, and pathological examinations showed unclear structure of hepatic lobules and disordered hepatocyte arrangement in livers of small rodents suspected of Echinococcus infections. PCR assay identified E. shiquicus DNA in 7 Qinghai voles, which were all captured from Shanglaxiu Township. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the cox1 gene sequence of Echinococcus in small rodents was highly homologous to the E. shiquicus cox1 gene sequence reported previously. Conclusion Plateau pika and Qinghai vole were predominant small rodents around human residential areas in Yushu City, Qinghai Province in 2023, and E. shiquicus infection was detected in Qinghai voles.

BACKGROUND:Early identification of patients requiring ventilator support will be beneficial for the outcomes of botulism.The present study aimed to establish a new scoring system to predict mechanical ventilation(MV)for botulism patients. METHODS:A single-center retrospective study was conducted to identify risk factors associated with MV in botulism patients from 2007 to 2022.Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen out risk factors for constructing a prognostic scoring system.The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was calculated. RESULTS:A total of 153 patients with botulism(66 males and 87 females,with an average age of 43 years)were included.Of these,49 patients(32.0%)required MV,including 21(13.7%)with invasive ventilation and 28(18.3%)with non-invasive ventilation.Multivariate analysis revealed that botulinum toxin type,pneumonia,incubation period,degree of hypoxia,and severity of muscle involvement were independent risk factors for MV.These risk factors were incorporated into a multivariate logistic regression analysis to establish a prognostic scoring system.Each risk factor was scored by allocating a weight based on its regression coefficient and rounded to whole numbers for practical utilization([botulinum toxin type A:1],[pneumonia:2],[incubation period≤1 day:2],[hypoxia<90%:2],[severity of muscle involvement:grade II,3;grade III,7;grade IV,11]).The scoring system achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.82(95%CI 0.75-0.89,P<0.001).At the optimal threshold of 9,the scoring system achieved a sensitivity of 83.7%and a specificity of 70.2%. CONCLUSION:Our study identified botulinum toxin type,pneumonia,incubation period,degree of hypoxia,and severity of muscle involvement as independent risk factors for MV in botulism patients.A score≥9 in our scoring system is associated with a higher likelihood of requiring MV in botulism patients.This scoring system needs to be validated externally before it can be applied in clinical settings.

Objective To explore the relationship of triglyceride-glucose index(TyG),triglyceride-glucose-body mass index(TyG-BMI),and triglyceride-glucose-waist circumference index(TyG-WC)with blood pressure abnormalities in adolescents,providing theoretical basis for the prevention and control of hypertension in adolescents.Methods A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 1 572 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years in Yinchuan City for questionnaire surveys,physical measurements,and laboratory tests.Logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic spline analysis were employed to examine the relationship of TyG,TyG-BMI,and TyG-WC with blood pressure abnormalities in adolescents.Results Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for confounding factors,the groups with the highest quartile of TyG,TyG-BMI,and TyG-WC had 1.48 times(95%CI:1.07-2.04),3.71 times(95%CI:2.67-5.15),and 4.07 times(95%CI:2.89-5.73)higher risks of blood pressure abnormalities compared to the groups with the lowest quartile,respectively.Moreover,as the levels of TyG,TyG-BMI,and TyG-WC increased,the risk of blood pressure abnormalities gradually increased(P<0.05).A non-linear dose-response relationship was observed between TyG-BMI and the risk of blood pressure abnormalities(Poverall trend<0.001,Pnon-linearity=0.002).Linear dose-response relationships were found between TyG and the risk of blood pressure abnormalities(Poverall trend<0.001,Pnon-linearit =0.232),and between TyG-WC and the risk of blood pressure abnormalities(Poverall trend<0.001,Pnon-linearity=0.224).Conclusions Higher levels of TyG and its derivatives are associated with an increased risk of blood pressure abnormalities in adolescents,with linear or non-linear dose-response relationships.