Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. ALS patients develop progressive muscle atrophy, muscle weak and paralysis, finally died of respiratory failure. ALS is characterized by fast aggression and high mortality. What' s more, the disease is highly heterogeneous with unclear pathogenesis and lacks effective drugs for therapy. In this review, we summarize the main pathological mechanisms and the current drugs under development for ALS, which may provide a reference for the drug discovery in the future.

Objective To investigate the attributable risk(AR)of Acinetobacter baumannii(AB)infection in criti-cally ill patients.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted among adult patients in inten-sive care unit(ICU).Patients with AB isolated from sterile body fluid and confirmed with AB infection in each cen-ter were selected as the infected group.According to the matching criteria that patients should be from the same pe-riod,in the same ICU,as well as with similar APACHE Ⅱ score(±5 points)and primary diagnosis,patients who did not infect with AB were selected as the non-infected group in a 1:2 ratio.The AR was calculated.Results The in-hospital mortality of patients with AB infection in sterile body fluid was 33.3％,and that of non-infected group was 23.1％,with no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P=0.069).The AR was 10.2％(95％CI:-2.3％-22.8％).There is no statistically significant difference in mortality between non-infected pa-tients and infected patients from whose blood,cerebrospinal fluid and other specimen sources AB were isolated(P＞0.05).After infected with AB,critically ill patients with the major diagnosis of pulmonary infection had the high-est AR.There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between patients in the infected and non-infec-ted groups(P＞0.05),or between other diagnostic classifications.Conclusion The prognosis of AB infection in critically ill patients is highly overestimated,but active healthcare-associated infection control for AB in the ICU should still be carried out.

Lyme disease is a natural zoonotic infectious disease transmitted by ticks infected by different genotypes of Borre-lia burgdorferi sensu lato,which was discovered in the 1970s.This pathogen is prevalent primarily in temperate and subtropi-cal areas.Dogs,cats,horses,cattle,deer,and other animals are susceptible,and humans are also susceptible hosts.The main symptoms of Lyme disease in humans are erythema migrans,arthritis,and other neurological symptoms,and the common symptoms in infected animals include joint diseases,coat shedding,fever,laminitis,and lameness.Lyme disease is wide-spread,but diagnosis is difficult,and this disease is easily misdiagnosed and missed.Awareness of Lyme disease must be in-creased to avoid its toll on livestock and the pet industry.Therefore,this article reviews research progress in diagnosis and con-trol technology for animal Lyme disease and Borrelia burgdorferi,to provide a reference for accurate,rapid diagnosis and con-trol of Lyme disease.

Objective Studies on the relationship between iodine,vitamin A(VA),and vitamin D(VD)and thyroid function are limited.This study aimed to analyze iodine and thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH)status and their possible relationships with VA,VD,and other factors in postpartum women. Methods A total of 1,311 mothers(896 lactating and 415 non-lactating)from Hebei,Zhejiang,and Guangxi provinces were included in this study.The urinary iodine concentration(UIC),TSH,VA,and VD were measured. Results The median UIC of total and lactating participants were 142.00 μg/L and 139.95 μg/L,respectively.The median TSH,VA,and VD levels in all the participants were 1.89 mIU/L,0.44 μg/mL,and 24.04 ng/mL,respectively.No differences in the UIC were found between lactating and non-lactating mothers.UIC and TSH levels were significantly different among the three provinces.The rural UIC was higher than the urban UIC.Obese mothers had a higher UIC and a higher prevalence of excessive TSH.Higher UICs and TSHs levels were observed in both the VD deficiency and insufficiency groups than in the VD-sufficient group.After adjustment,no linear correlation was observed between UIC and VA/VD.No interaction was found between vitamins A/D and UIC on TSH levels. Conclusion The mothers in the present study had no iodine deficiency.Region,area type,BMI,and VD may be related to the iodine status or TSH levels.

AIM To investigate the effects of Xinyue Capsules on the expression of glycerophospholipid metabolizing enzymes in isoproterenol(ISO)-induced rat heart tissue and primary myocardial cells of neonatal rats.METHODS The SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group,the model group,the Xinyue Capsules intervention group and Xinyue Capsules control group,with 8 rats in each group.The rat model of cardiac hypertrophy was established by 14 days consecutive intraperitoneal injection of ISO(30 mg/kg).Prior to the modeling,once daily administration of 0.393 g/kg Xinyue Capsules was given by gavage from 3 days in advance to the end of the experiment.After the last administration,the procurement of blood from abdominal aorta,the left and right ventricles were processed.And the rats had their indices levels of the heart,the left ventricle and the right ventricle measured;their pathomorphological changes of myocardial tissue observed using HE staining;their expressions of cardiac hypertrophy-related myocardial embryonic genes ANP,β-MHC and α-SKA mRNA detected using RT-qPCR method;and their serum TC,TG,LDL-C and HDL-C levels detected by biochemical method.In in vitro experiment,the neonatal rat model of myocardial hypertrophy was induced by exposure to ISO 1 μmol/L for 24 h.The investigation of the effect of Xinyue Capsules 12.5 μg/mL on ISO-induced myocardial hypertrophy was conducted by detection of myocardial cell area,embryo genes related to cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial cells protein cuntent.The further anti-cardiac hypertrophy mechanism of Xinyue Capsules research was conducted using RT-qPCR and Western blot to detect the gene and protein expressions of phospholipase A2(PLA2G6),phospholipase A1 member A(PLA1A)and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase(LCAT)in left ventricle tissue and myocardial cells of each group.RESULTS The in vivo experimental result showed that compared with the normal group,the model group displayed increased indices levels of the heart,the left ventricle and the right ventricle and cross-sectional area of left ventricular myocytes(P＜0.05);and up-regulated expressions of ANP,β-MHC,α-SKA mRNA and PLA2G6,PLA1A and LCAT mRNA and proteins in the left ventricle(P＜0.05);and increased levels of serum TC,TG and LDL-C(P＜0.05);and decreased HDL-C level(P＜0.05).However,the intervention of Xinyue Capsules inhibited the changes of the aforementioned indices(P＜0.05).The in vitro experimental result revealed that Xinyue Capsules inhibited the ISO-induced increases of myocardial cell surface area and myocardial cell protein level,the up-regulation of ANP,β-MHC,α-SKA mRNA expressions and the PLA2G6,PLA1A,LCAT mRNA and protein expressions as well(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION Xinyue Capsules can improve the ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats,and its mechanism may be associated with its regulation upon the expressions of glycerophospholipid metabolism-related enzymes PLA2G6,PLA1A and LCAT.

Endodontic diseases are a kind of chronic infectious oral disease.Common endodontic treatment concepts are based on the removal of inflamed or necrotic pulp tissue and the replacement by gutta-percha.However,it is very essential for endodontic treatment to debride the root canal system and prevent the root canal system from bacterial reinfection after root canal therapy(RCT).Recent research,encompassing bacterial etiology and advanced imaging techniques,contributes to our understanding of the root canal system's anatomy intricacies and the technique sensitivity of RCT.Success in RCT hinges on factors like patients,infection severity,root canal anatomy,and treatment techniques.Therefore,improving disease management is a key issue to combat endodontic diseases and cure periapical lesions.The clinical difficulty assessment system of RCT is established based on patient conditions,tooth conditions,root canal configuration,and root canal needing retreatment,and emphasizes pre-treatment risk assessment for optimal outcomes.The findings suggest that the presence of risk factors may correlate with the challenge of achieving the high standard required for RCT.These insights contribute not only to improve education but also aid practitioners in treatment planning and referral decision-making within the field of endodontics.

Aim To explore the effects of sirolimus on the growth and development of motor,vascular,nerv-ous,and immune systems through zebrafish models.Methods After 3 hours of fertilization of zebrafish embryos,different concentrations of sirolimus were add-ed to the growth environment,and the growth and de-velopment of the embryos was recorded.Transgenic ze-brafish models labeled with blood vessels,nerves or im-mune cells were used to compare the drug effects on the growth and development of those systems.Results At the concentration of 0.5 μmol·L-1,the hatching rate and the body length(P＜0.01)were significantly smaller than those of the control group,and movement was also significantly slowed down.Meanwhile,the length of axons of the nervous system,the development of intersegmental vessels,and the growth of immune cells were significantly delayed by drug treatment.But when the concentration was below 0.1 μmol·L-1,there was no statistically difference between the control group and the sirolimus group.Conclusions When the concentration of sirolimus exceeds a certain level,it can significantly slow down the growth and development of movement,blood vessels,nervous system and im-mune system of zebrafish.Therefore,in clinical prac-tice,it is important to monitor the blood concentration of sirolimus in children on time.

Objective:To analyze the intrauterine ultrasound manifestations and postnatal follow-up outcomes of fetuses with 2q13 microdeletion.Methods:This retrospective study involved 23 cases of 2q13 microdeletion, diagnosed via amniotic fluid chromosome karyotyping and single nucleotide polymorphism-array (SNP-array) following amniocentesis, between January 1, 2018, and September 1, 2022, at Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to prenatal diagnostic indications, intrauterine ultrasound findings, prenatal diagnosis results, and postnatal follow-up outcomes.Results:(1) The prenatal diagnostic indications for the 23 cases of 2q13 microdeletion included seven cases (30.4%) of high-risk serological screening, six cases (26.1%) of increased nuchal translucency (NT), two cases (8.7%) of fetal heart defects, two cases (8.7%) of advanced maternal age, two cases (8.7%) of fetal choroid plexus cysts (one of which was also associated with high-risk serological screening), one case (4.3%) of suboptimal fetal nasal bone fusion, one case (4.3%) of non-invasive prenatal testing suggesting chromosomal abnormalities, one case (4.3%) of fetal obstructive polycystic kidneys, one case (4.3%) of fetal subependymal cysts, and one case (4.3%) of fetal growth restriction. (2) Intrauterine ultrasound findings included six cases (26.1%) of NT thickening, four cases (17.4%) of intrauterine growth restriction, two cases (8.7%) of fetal heart defects, two cases (8.7%) of choroid plexus cysts, one case (4.3%) of oligohydramnios, one case (4.3%) of suboptimal fetal nasal bone fusion, one case (4.3%) of short long bones in the fetus, one case (4.3%) of polyhydramnios with large fetal abdominal circumference, one case (4.3%) of large fetal abdominal circumference, short long bones, and subependymal cysts of the brain ventricles, and one case (4.3%) of fetal obstructive polycystic kidneys; the remaining six cases (26.1%) showed no abnormal ultrasound findings. (3) Chromosome karyotyping revealed three cases of chromosomal structural abnormalities, one case of sex chromosome numerical abnormalities, and the remaining 19 cases showed no abnormalities. Amniotic fluid SNP-array results indicated deletions ranging from 104 to 1 745 kb. Parental verification was performed in ten cases, showing maternal inheritance in four cases, paternal inheritance in five, and one case of a de novo mutation. (4) Four cases (17.4%) opted for pregnancy termination, while 19 cases (82.6%) resulted in live births. The 19 live-born children underwent telephone and child health follow-up, with ages at follow-up being 3 years (ranging from 9 to 58.8 months). Apart from two cases that did not undergo newborn congenital heart disease screening, the remaining 17 surviving infants were screened without any abnormalities. Five cases had abnormal growth and development during follow-up: one 18-month-old with mild language developmental delay, one 3-year-old plus 26 days with mild language developmental delay, one 18-month-old with language developmental delay, one 3-year-old with astigmatism, and one 30-month-old with refractive error in both eyes during a physical examination; the other 14 children showed no significant abnormalities in growth and development. Conclusions:The intrauterine ultrasound manifestations of fetuses with 2q13 microdeletion are non-specific, and most of them are inherited from their parents. Postnatal follow-up should pay attention to the development of the nervous system of children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the HIV-1 subtype distribution and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in patients with ART failure from 2014 to 2020 in Hainan, China. METHODS: A 7-year cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients with ART failure in Hainan. We used online subtyping tools and the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree to confirm the HIV subtypes with pol sequences. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were analyzed using the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database. RESULTS: A total of 307 HIV-infected patients with ART failure were included, and 241 available pol sequences were obtained. Among 241 patients, CRF01_AE accounted for 68.88%, followed by CRF07_BC (17.00%) and eight other subtypes (14.12%). The overall prevalence of HIVDR was 61.41%, and the HIVDR against non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) were 59.75%, 45.64%, and 2.49%, respectively. Unemployed patients, hypoimmunity or opportunistic infections in individuals, and samples from 2017 to 2020 increased the odd ratios of HIVDR. Also, HIVDR was less likely to affect female patients. The common DRMs to NNRTIs were K103N (21.99%) and Y181C (20.33%), and M184V (28.21%) and K65R (19.09%) were the main DRMs against NRTIs. CONCLUSION The present study highlights the HIV-1 subtype diversity in Hainan and the importance of HIVDR surveillance over a long period.
Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; HIV-1/genetics* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Phylogeny ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use* ; Drug Resistance, Viral/genetics* ; HIV Infections/epidemiology* ; Mutation ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Genotype

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Uric Acid ; Hyperuricemia ; Biological Availability ; Cytokines