ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which the ethanol extract of Epimedium brevicornu （EEBM） intervenes in mesenchymal adipose-derived stem cells （ADSCs） to delay aging in castrated rats. MethodsForty-five 3-month-old SPF female SD rats were ovariectomized and randomly divided into model group， ADSCs treatment group， and ADSCs groups treated with low， medium， and high concentrations of EEBM （1， 50， 100 μg·L^-1）， referred to as the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups， with 9 rats in each group. After tail vein injection of 200 μL of the corresponding stem cell suspension， aging-related indicators including cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor （p21）， tumor suppressor gene （p53）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 （Caspase-3）， and lipofuscin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， the IL-6 content in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Lipofuscin， MDA， and IL-8 levels in the ADSCs treatment group and AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， while SOD content was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the ADSCs treatment group， lipofuscin and IL-8 levels in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The MDA content was significantly decreased in the AE medium concentration group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， protein levels of p21， p53， Bax， and Caspase-3 in the ADSCs treatment group and AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the Bcl-2 protein level was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the ADSCs treatment group， protein levels of p21， p53， Bax， and Caspase-3 in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the Bcl-2 protein level in the AE low concentration group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe results of this experiment show that EEBM-treated ADSCs or ADSCs may delay aging in castrated rats by inhibiting cell apoptosis， reducing cell cycle inhibitors and pro-inflammatory factors， enhancing antioxidant capacity， and reducing oxidative reactions. Moreover， EEBM-treated ADSCs demonstrate stronger anti-aging effects than ADSCs alone. This study provides experimental evidence supporting the clinical use of EEBM to intervene in ADSCs and delay aging.

Objective: To investigate the status and influencing factors of influenza vaccination among the elderly, so as to provide insights into improving the strategies for influenza vaccination among the elderly. Methods: Elderly people aged 60 years and above were recruited from one community each in five sub-districts of Shihezi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region using a random sampling method. Demographic information, knowledge about influenza and influenza vaccines, vaccine literacy and influenza vaccination status in the past year were collected through questionnaire surveys. Factors affecting influenza vaccination among the elderly were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Totally 1 121 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 95.08%. There were 417 males (37.20%) and 704 females (62.80%). The majority were aged 60-<81 years, accounting for 80.37% (901 individuals). The awareness of knowledge about influenza and influenza vaccines was 78.86%. Low vaccine literacy was observed in 786 individuals, representing 70.12%. The influenza vaccination rate was 20.96%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age (71-<81 years, OR=1.607, 95%CI: 1.041-2.479; ≥81 years, OR=1.719, 95%CI: 1.040-2.842), educational level (middle school/technical secondary school, OR=0.616, 95%CI: 0.416-0.911), medical expense payment (employee medical insurance, OR=6.531, 95%CI: 2.030-21.010; resident medical insurance, OR=3.385, 95%CI: 1.095-10.466; public expense, OR=4.828, 95%CI: 1.700-13.712), vaccination willingness (yes, OR=6.237, 95%CI: 3.277-11.871), influenza vaccination history (yes, OR=14.600, 95%CI: 8.733-24.408) and vaccine literacy (medium and above, OR=2.412, 95%CI: 1.636-3.555) were associated with influenza vaccination among the elderly. Conclusion The influenza vaccination rate among the elderly was relatively low, and was mainly affected by age, educational level, medical expense payment, vaccination willingness, influenza vaccination history and vaccine literacy.

Here, we report a previously unrecognized syndromic neurodevelopmental disorder associated with biallelic loss-of-function variants in the RBM42 gene. The patient is a 2-year-old female with severe central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities, hypotonia, hearing loss, congenital heart defects, and dysmorphic facial features. Familial whole-exome sequencing (WES) reveals that the patient has two compound heterozygous variants, c.304C>T (p.R102*) and c.1312G>A (p.A438T), in the RBM42 gene which encodes an integral component of splicing complex in the RNA-binding motif protein family. The p.A438T variant is in the RRM domain which impairs RBM42 protein stability in vivo. Additionally, p.A438T disrupts the interaction of RBM42 with hnRNP K, which is the causative gene for Au-Kline syndrome with overlapping disease characteristics seen in the index patient. The human R102* or A438T mutant protein failed to fully rescue the growth defects of RBM42 ortholog knockout ΔFgRbp1 in Fusarium while it was rescued by the wild-type (WT) human RBM42. A mouse model carrying Rbm42 compound heterozygous variants, c.280C>T (p.Q94*) and c.1306_1308delinsACA (p.A436T), demonstrated gross fetal developmental defects and most of the double mutant animals died by E13.5. RNA-seq data confirmed that Rbm42 was involved in neurological and myocardial functions with an essential role in alternative splicing (AS). Overall, we present clinical, genetic, and functional data to demonstrate that defects in RBM42 constitute the underlying etiology of a new neurodevelopmental disease which links the dysregulation of global AS to abnormal embryonic development.
Female ; Animals ; Mice ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics* ; Facies ; Cleft Palate ; Muscle Hypotonia

Objective:Distribution and antibiotic resistance of pathogen isolated from children with intra-abdominal infection (IAI) associated sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU) were analyzed to provide a reference for the empirical anti-infective treatment of IAI in children.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the data of 116 children with culture-positive IAI-associated sepsis admitted to Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2019 to December 2021. Clinical isolation and drug resistance analysis were conducted based on different years of onset, locations of onset, and primary diseases.Results:A total of 186 strains of pathogens causing children with IAI-associated sepsis in ICU were collected. The distribution and antibiotic resistance of pathogen were as follows: the percentages of gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi were 53.2%, 40.9%, and 5.9%, respectively; the top four strains were Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecalis, accounting for 57.0% of all isolates; Enterococcus faecium(19.9%) and Enterococcus faecalis (10.2%) were the dominating gram-positive bacteria; Escherichia coli (13.4%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.4%) were more common gram-negative bacteria; Fungi were dominated by Candida albicans (3.8%).Fifty-seven strains of gram-positive bacteria were detected in 61 children with infectious diseases, mainly Enterococcus faecium (28 strains). There were 53 gram-negative strains, mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae (21 strains). Thirty-two strains of gram-positive bacteria were detected in 40 children with digestive tract malformation, and Enterococcus faecalis (six strains) were the most common. There were 14 gram-negative strains, mainly Escherichia coli (six strains). In 13 children with malignant tumors of digestive system, nine strains of gram-positive bacteria were cultured, and Enterococcus faecium (four strains) was the most common. There were eight gram-negative strains, mainly Escherichia coli (four strains).In the 46 community-acquired IAI patients,30 gram-positive isolates were cultured,mainly including Enterococcus faecium (12 strains), Staphylococcus epidermidis (seven strains), and Viridans streptococci (six strains); Forty gram-negative isolates mainly contained Escherichia coli (16 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (14 strains), and Enterobacter cloacae (five strains). In the 70 hospital-associated IAI patients, 69 gram-positive isolates such as Enterococcus faecium (25 strains), Enterococcus faecalis (17 strains), Enterococcus gallinarum (eight strains), and Staphylococcus aureus (seven strains) were cultured;Tirty-six gram-negative isolates were dominated by Klebsiella pneumoniae (11 strains), Escherichia coli (nine strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (four strains), and Acinetobacter baumannii (four strains). The mixed infection rate of clinical pathogens was up to 46.6%, and the overall resistance rate was 43.4%, in which gram-negative bacteria had high sensitivity to piperacillin/tazobactam, cefoperazone/sulbactam, imipenem, and tigecycline.The detection rates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases were 36.0% and 24.6%, respectively, with 100% sensitivity to tigecycline. Gram-positive bacteria showed 100% sensitivity to vancomycin, linezolid, and tigecycline. Conclusion:Pathogen isolated from children with IAI-associated sepsis in ICU were dominated by Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecalis,respectively. Before confirmation of pathogenic bacteria, antibacterial agents can be selected according to the infection type. It is important to note that a single broad-spectrum antibacterial agent or combination medication can be considered the initial empirical choice due to the large variety of pathogens, high rates of mixed infections, and high overall resistance.

Objective:To explore the current dilemmas in the survival and development of elderly-friendly medical institutions from the dual perspectives of medical staff and elderly patients,to optimize the construction of elderly-friendly medical institutions,to create a friendly,safe,and comfortable medical environment,provide comprehensive,continuous,and caring medical services for the elderly.Methods:Based on the questionnaire survey method,the existing dilemmas and development paths of elderly-friendly medical institutions from multiple dimensions were explored,including culture,management,service,and environment.Results:Quantitative research showed that elderly patients satisfaction with the friendly culture of the medical,but 28(21.1%)still thought that the medical staff did not communicate with them adequately,and 73(54.9%)thought that the institutions lacked health education and guidance for them.In the evaluation of the medical environment,the dissatisfaction of elderly patients was manifested as inadequate transportation facilities(33 visits),lack of barrier-free facilities(29 visits),and unclear medical guidance(25 visits).The results of the chi-square test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in waiting time for medical services among elderly patients based on gender(P<0.05),and women were more patient.There were statistically significant differences in the level of service convenience and satisfaction with geriatric syndrome assessment among elderly patients of different age groups(P<0.05).Qualitative research found that there were problems in the management of elderly-friendly medical institutions,such as cumbersome referral processes,low enthusiasm of medical staff,insufficient elderly professionals,and a lack of performance evaluation and training systems.Conclusion:To solve the existing difficulties of elderly-friendly medical institutions,it should start with paths of strengthening the training of medical staff,improving the hospital management system,upgrading the level of service specialization,and improving the aging-appropriate environment,to enhance the sense of accessibility of medical care for elderly patients and improve their quality of life.

Background Excessive radon exposure is considered the second risk factor for lung cancer. Since the opening of the subway in a city of Zhejiang Province, the exposure level of radioactive gas radon in subway stations and its impact on occupational health have become one of the important issues of public concern. Objective To monitor the radon concentration of subways in a city in Zhejiang Province and explore the effect of radon exposure on chromosome aberration and micronuclei in the working population. Methods A total of 55 vehicle control rooms of 55 stations affiliated to two different subway lines in a city were measured for one year; the 110 ticket offices and 55 security checkpoints from the same 55 stations were measured from 16 March to 14 June. The radon concentrations were compared by job types, subway lines, and seasons referring to Measurement methods for determination of radon in environmental air (HJ 1212-2021). Peripheral blood lymphocyte chromosome aberration and micronucleus analyses were conducted in 165 subway workers from monitoring sites for three different job types, then the influencing factors were analyzed. The detection methods were adopted from the standards of Test and assessment of chromosomal aberrations on occupational health examinations for radiation workers (GBZ/T 248-2014) and Standard for the method of micronucleus detection in lymphocytes on occupational health examination for radiation workers and exposure dose estimation (GBZ/T 328-2023). Results The radon concentration range of the target subways in Zhejiang Province was 10-320 Bq·m⁻³, all lower than the national limit (≤400 Bq·m⁻³). The differences in radon radioactivity levels among different lines, job types, and time segments were statistically significant (P<0.05). The rates of chromosomal aberration and micronucleus formation among the 165 subjects were 0.224% and 0.024%, respectively. There were significant differences in the rates of chromosome aberration and micronuclei among different jobs (vehicle control room, ticket office, security checkpoint) (P<0.05), but the abnormal rates were lower than the limits of the corresponding national standard. No significant correlation was found between jobs and chromosomal aberrations or micronuclei (P>0.05). Chromosome aberration and micronuclei varied by age, subway station seniority, and smoking (P<0.05). No effect of the above factors on chromosome aberration and micronuclei was observed by logistic regression (P>0.05). Conclusion The radon concentration in the target subway system is at a normal level. The rates of chromosomal aberration and micronucleus formation vary by jobs, but both are lower than the corresponding national limits. Therefore, radon exposure has not yet caused outstanding health impact on the subway workers.

As an important intracellular genetic and regulatory center, the nucleus is not only a terminal effector of intracellular biochemical signals, but also has a significant impact on cell function and phenotype through direct or indirect regulation of nuclear mechanistic cues after the cell senses and responds to mechanical stimuli. The nucleus relies on chromatin-nuclear membrane-cytoskeleton infrastructure to couple signal transduction, and responds to these mechanical stimuli in the intracellular and extracellular physical microenvironments. Changes in the morphological structure of the nucleus are the most intuitive manifestation of this mechanical response cascades and are the basis for the direct response of the nucleus to mechanical stimuli. Based on such relationships of the nucleus with cell behavior and phenotype, abnormal nuclear morphological changes are widely used in clinical practice as disease diagnostic tools. This review article highlights the latest advances in how nuclear morphology responds and adapts to mechanical stimuli. Additionally, this article will shed light on the factors that mechanically regulate nuclear morphology as well as the tumor physio-pathological processes involved in nuclear morphology and the underlying mechanobiological mechanisms. It provides new insights into the mechanisms that nuclear mechanics regulates disease development and its use as a potential target for diagnosis and treatment.
Cell Nucleus ; Biophysics ; Cytoskeleton ; Phenotype ; Signal Transduction

AIM: To observe the clinical efficacy of Fuzheng Xiaoliu Granules in the treatment of stage II primary liver cancer and to explore its mechanism of action from the perspective of metabolomics. METHODS: Sixty patients with stage II primary liver cancer who achieved complete remission (CR) after comprehensive interventional therapy were randomly divided into treatment group and placebo group, with 30 patients in each group. They were treated for one year and observed for one year. The one-year recurrence rate, traditional chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, alpha-fetoprotein and child-pugh grade were compared between the two groups. The serum metabolites of the two groups before and after treatment were screened by ultra-high liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technology, and the metabolic pathways and related biological pathways were analyzed. RESULTS: The one-year recurrence rate of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the placebo group, and the overall improvement rate of TCM syndrome score was significantly better than that of the placebo group (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in the comparison of alpha-fetoprotein and child-pugh grade between the two groups after treatment (P>0.05). Metabolomics results showed that there were 39 and 33 different metabolites in the treatment group before and after treatment and in the two groups after treatment, respectively. After enrichment analysis and topological analysis of the different metabolites, it was found that Fuzheng Xiaoliu Granules could affect amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and purine metabolism and other metabolic pathways. Before and after treatment in the treatment group and after treatment in the two groups, there were the same differential metabolites and metabolic pathways in the two comparison results. The same differential metabolites with FOLD CHANGE>1 include Stearic acid, Hypoxanthine, Kynurenic acid, Arachidonic acid, and N-Arachidonoyl Dopamine. The same metabolic pathways with Impact>0.1 include Arachidonic acid metabolism and Histidine metabolism. CONCLUSION: Fuzheng xiaoliu granules can effectively reduce the recurrence rate of stage II liver cancer patients after comprehensive intervention and improve the TCM syndrome. It may inhibit the activation of PI3K/Akt and ERK signaling pathways by regulating the content of metabolites involved in metabolic pathways such as amino acids and fatty acids, thereby delaying tumor recurrence.

Objective To investigate the operation status and service level of radiation occupational health inspection institutions in Zhejiang Province, China, and to provide a basis for administrative departments and quality management departments to develop policies. Methods The investigation data of radiation occupational health inspection institutions in Zhejiang Province were collected for descriptive analysis of the regional distribution, nature, and service qualification of the institutions. Results There were 27 radiation occupational health inspection institutions in Zhejiang Province. These institutions were located in 11 cities, of which 85.18% were public institutions and 14.72% were private institutions. For the physical examination workload of radiation workers in Zhejiang Province in 2021, general hospitals accounted for 75.90%, private institutions accounted for 4.51%, and occupational prevention and treatment hospitals accounted for 19.59%. In the radiation occupational health inspection institutions, the stand-alone and online software installation rates were 33.33% and 37.04%, respectively. A total of 26 986 individuals (82.97%) underwent chromosome aberration examination. The examination rates of thyroid color Doppler ultrasound examination and eye lens examination were 41.24% and 82.97%, respectively. Pre-job, on-job, and off-job physical examination accounted for 25.81%, 70.52%, and 3.67%, respectively. For radiation workers who underwent on-job physical examination, diagnostic radiology workers accounted for the highest proportion of 34.90%. The excellent, qualified, and unqualified rates of 27 radiation occupational health inspection institutions were 7.41%, 88.89%, and 3.70%, respectively. Conclusion The network of radiation occupational health inspection institutions in Zhejiang Province is well-established and located mainly in general hospitals, occupational prevention and control institutions, and private institutions. To enhance the quality and proficiency of occupational health examinations, it is imperative to prioritize self-improvement and management, reinforce law enforcement supervision, actively engage in blind sample assessments, and advance the application of information technology and standardized services.

Objective:To investigate and analyze the level of the gross radioactivity, and its variation trend, in surrounding drinking water since the second phase expansion project at Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant was officially put into operation.Methods:From 2010 to 2022, the source water, factory water and tap water within 30 km of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant were collected in the flood season (May) and dry period (October) every year. The total α and total β radioactivity concentrations in drinking water was measured and analyzed. The levels of total radioactivity in drinking water around different nuclear power plants in China and around non-nuclear power plant areas was compared.Results:The mean radioactivity concentrations of total α and total β were (0.021±0.019) and (0.204±0.058) Bq/L in source water, (0.010±0.005) and (0.185±0.056) Bq/L in factory water , and (0.012±0.007) and (0.170±0.058) Bq/L in tap water, respectively, all lower than the limits stipulated in the Sanitary Standards for Drinking Water. There were no significant differences in the monitoring result of betweem the three types of water samples both in the flood and dry periods ( P> 0.05). The total radioactivity level in drinking water around Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant site was close to that in drinking water around different nuclear power plants in China and around areas without nuclear power plants. Conclusions:Following the second phase of the expansion project officially being put into operation, the total α and β radioactivity level in drinking water around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant has been in a stable trend and lower than the guidance level given in national standard.