[Interaction between implants and natural teeth in patients with severe periodontitis:a retrospective study]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes after implant restoration in the posterior region of severe periodontitis patients and to investigate the factors of natural tooth affecting the implant from the perspective of improving natural periodontal health, which may provide a reference for clinical practice. Methods: Fifty-three patients with severe periodontitis who visited the Department of Periodontology at the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of China Medical University from June 2014 to June 2023 and completed posterior implant treatment with single crown were included, among which were 16 males and 37 females, aged (52.2±8.0) years old, with a total of 136 implants, 135 adjacent natural teeth in the edentulous area. We retrospectively compared the changes of probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP) and tooth mobility (TM) before and after implant placement. Besides, we explored the effects of the natural periodontal status on PD, BOP and marginal bone loss (MBL) of the implant at the last follow-up examination by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis. Results: Fifty-three patients were followed up for (44.5±14.1) months in average, with longest interval of (8.3±2.7) months. The PD of adjacent natural teeth in the edentulous area improved from 4.3 (3.6, 4.6) mm before implantation to 3.6 (3.2, 4.0) mm in the last review (P<0.01), while the proportion of BOP (+) improved from 69.6% (94/135) before implantation to 46.7% (63/135) in the last review (P<0.01). The proportion of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 15.6% (21/135) to 5.9% (8/135) (P<0.01). The percentage of natural teeth with PD≥4 mm in the same segment improved from 21.0% (13.3%, 26.0%) before implantation to 18.0% (12.0%, 25.0%) in the last review (P<0.05). The BOP (+)% improved from 29.0% (24.0%, 35.0%) before implantation to 23.0% (18.0%, 31.0%) in the last review (P<0.05), and the number of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 0.0 (0.0, 1.0) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.8) (P<0.05). The functional tooth unit score of full natural teeth increased from 8.0 (6.0, 10.0) points before implantation to 12.0 (12.0, 12.0) points in the last review (P<0.01). PD≥4 mm % increased from 11.0% (6.0%, 25.0%) before implantation to 13.0% (3.0%, 21.0%) in the last review (P<0.05) and there was no significant differences in BOP (+)% [(17.0±9.7) % vs (14.6±7.2) %, P>0.05]. The number of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 1.0 (0.0, 1.8) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.8) (P<0.05). Conclusions: Under the premise of regular supportive care, implant restorative treatment in the posterior region of severe periodontitis patients is helpful to improve the PD, BOP and TM of remaining natural teeth. Besides, the stages and grades of periodontitis at initial diagnosis can affect the PD and BOP of implants.

Quenched lattice fluctuations in optically driven SrTiO3

Crystal lattice fluctuations, which are known to influence phase transitions of quantum materials in equilibrium, are also expected to determine the dynamics of light-induced phase changes. However, they have only rarely been explored in these dynamical settings. Here we study the time evolution of lattice fluctuations in the quantum paraelectric SrTiO3, in which mid-infrared drives have been shown to induce a metastable ferroelectric state. Crucial in these physics is the competition between polar instabilities and antiferrodistortive rotations, which in equilibrium frustrate the formation of long-range ferroelectricity. We make use of high-intensity mid-infrared optical pulses to resonantly drive the Ti-O-stretching mode at 17 THz, and we measure the resulting change in lattice fluctuations using time-resolved X-ray diffuse scattering at a free-electron laser. After a prompt increase, we observe a long-lived quench in R-point antiferrodistortive lattice fluctuations. Their enhancement and reduction are theoretically explained by considering the fourth-order nonlinear phononic interactions to the driven optical phonon and third-order coupling to lattice strain, respectively. These observations provide a number of testable hypotheses for the physics of light-induced ferroelectricity.

Gli1+ Periodontal Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Periodontitis

Periodontal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a crucial role in maintaining periodontium homeostasis and in tissue repair. However, little is known about how periodontal MSCs in vivo respond under periodontal disease conditions, posing a challenge for periodontium tissue regeneration. In this study, Gli1 was used as a periodontal MSC marker and combined with a Gli1-cre ERT2 mouse model for lineage tracing to investigate periodontal MSC fate in an induced periodontitis model. Our findings show significant changes in the number and contribution of Gli1+ MSCs within the inflamed periodontium. The number of Gli1+ MSCs that contributed to periodontal ligament homeostasis decreased in the periodontitis-induced teeth. While the proliferation of Gli1+ MSCs had no significant difference between the periodontitis and the control groups, more Gli1+ MSCs underwent apoptosis in diseased teeth. In addition, the number of Gli1+ MSCs for osteogenic differentiation decreased during the progression of periodontitis. Following tooth extraction, the contribution of Gli1+ MSCs to the tooth socket repair was significantly reduced in the periodontitis-induced teeth. Collectively, these findings indicate that the function of Gli1+ MSCs in periodontitis was compromised, including reduced contribution to periodontium homeostasis and impaired injury response.

The Role of the Perceived Neighborhood Social Environment on Adolescent Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity: Findings from Add Health

Few studies have examined the role of perceived neighborhood characteristics such as neighborhood safety, social cohesion, and contentedness on sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) among adolescents. Furthermore, no studies have investigated how these associations are moderated by gender and race. This study aimed to examine the associations of the perceived neighborhood social environment with (SB) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Data from 6504 adolescents (aged 15.4 ± 0.03 years) who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was used. SB and PA were considered continuously and dichotomously. PNSE variables include safety, social cohesion, and contentedness, where higher values of PNSE indicate a more favorable neighborhood perception. Weighted linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the association of PNSE with continuous total SB (hours/week) and MVPA (bouts/week), and binary excessive SB (14 h/week) and meeting MVPA guidelines (≥ 5 bouts/week), respectively. Associations were stratified by gender and race to test moderation effects. Models were adjusted for demographic, health, parental, and neighborhood covariates. This study found that neighborhood safety and contentedness were negatively associated with SB, whereas neighborhood social cohesion and contentedness were positively associated with PA. Gender-specific and race-specific results remained somewhat consistent with overall findings; however, neighborhood safety was not associated with SB among female and non-White adolescents, respectively. Similarly, neighborhood safety and contentedness were not associated with MVPA for non-White adolescents. Findings suggest that an adolescent's neighborhood environment, gender, and race should be considered when implementing strategies to reduce SB and increase PA.

Association Between Social Vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Specimens Collected From Commercial Laboratories, United States, September 2021-February 2022

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a national US study of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence by Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) that included pediatric data and compared the Delta and Omicron periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the current study was to assess the association between SVI and seroprevalence of infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by period (Delta vs Omicron) and age group.

METHODS

We used results of infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays of clinical sera specimens (N = 406 469) from 50 US states from September 2021 through February 2022 to estimate seroprevalence overall and by county SVI tercile. Bivariate analyses and multilevel logistic regression models assessed the association of seropositivity with SVI and its themes by age group (0-17, ≥18 y) and period (Delta: September-November 2021; Omicron: December 2021-February 2022).

RESULTS

Aggregate infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence increased at all 3 SVI levels; it ranged from 25.8% to 33.5% in September 2021 and from 53.1% to 63.5% in February 2022. Of the 4 SVI themes, socioeconomic status had the strongest association with seroprevalence. During the Delta period, we found significantly more infections per reported case among people living in a county with high SVI (odds ratio [OR] = 2.76; 95% CI, 2.31-3.21) than in a county with low SVI (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.33-1.97); we found no significant difference during the Omicron period. Otherwise, findings were consistent across subanalyses by age group and period.

CONCLUSIONS

Among both children and adults, and during both the Delta and Omicron periods, counties with high SVI had significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence than counties with low SVI did. These disparities reinforce SVI's value in identifying communities that need tailored prevention efforts during public health emergencies and resources to recover from their effects.

Urban-rural disparities in geographic accessibility to care for people living with HIV

In the United States, people living with HIV (PLWH) in rural areas fare worse along the HIV care continuum than their urban counterparts; this may be due in part to limited geographic access to care. We estimated drive time to care for PLWH, focusing on urban-rural differences. Adult Medicaid enrollees living with HIV and their usual care clinicians were identified using administrative claims data from 14 states (Medicaid Analytic eXtract, 2009-2012). We used geographic network analysis to calculate one-way drive time from the enrollee's ZIP code tabulation area centroid to their clinician's practice address, then examined urban-rural differences using bivariate statistics. Additional analyses included altering the definition of rurality; examining subsamples based on the state of residence, services received, and clinician specialty; and adjusting for individual and county characteristics. Across n = 49,596 PLWH, median drive time to care was 12.8 min (interquartile range 26.3). Median drive time for rural enrollees (43.6 (82.0)) was nearly four times longer than for urban enrollees (11.9 (20.6) minutes, p < 0.0001), and drive times exceeded one hour for 38% of rural enrollees (versus 12% of urban, p < 0.0001). Urban-rural disparities remained in all additional analyses. Sustained efforts to circumvent limited geographic access to care are critical for rural areas.

[Sequence analysis of Paragonimus internal transcribed spacer 2 and cyclooxygenase 1 genes in freshwater crabs in Henan Province]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the sequences of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and cyclooxygenase 1 (COX1) genes of Paragonimus metacercariae in freshwater crabs in Henan Province, identify the species of Paragonimus and evaluate its genetic relationships with Paragonimus isolates from other provinces in China.

METHODS

Freshwater crabs were collected from 8 survey sites in Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Pingdingshan, Nanyang and Jiyuan cities of Henan Province from 2016 to 2021, and Paragonimus metacercariae were detected in freshwater crabs. Genomic DNA was extracted from Paragonimus metacercariae, and the ITS2 and COX1 genes were amplified using PCR assay, followed by sequencing of PCR amplification products. The gene sequences were spliced and aligned using the software DNASTAR, and aligned with the sequences of Paragonimus genes in the GenBank. Phylogenetic trees were created using the MEGA6 software with the Neighbor-Joining method based on ITS2 and COX1 gene sequences, with Fasciola hepatica as the outgroup.

RESULTS

The detection rates of Paragonimus metacercariae were 6.83% (11/161), 50.82% (31/61), 18.52% (5/26), 8.76% (12/137), 14.29% (9/63), 17.76% (19/105), 18.50% (32/173) and 42.71% (41/96) in freshwater crabs from 8 survey sites in Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Pingdingshan, Nanyang and Jiyuan cities of Henan Province, with a mean detection rate of 19.46% (160/822), and a mean infection intensity of 0.57 metacercariae/g. The amplified ITS2 and COX1 gene fragments of Paragonimus were approximately 500 bp and 450 bp in lengths, respectively. The ITS2 gene sequences of Paragonimus metacercariae from 8 survey sites of Henan Province showed the highest homology (99.8% to 100.0%) with the gene sequence of P. skrjabini (GenBank accession number: MW960209.1), and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Paragonimus in this study was clustered into the same clade with P. skrjabini from Sichuan Province (GenBank accession number: AY618747.1), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GenBank accession number: AY618729.1) and Hubei Province (GenBank accession number: AY618751.1), and P. miyazaki from Fujian Province (GenBank accession number: AY618741.1) and Japan (GenBank accession number: AB713405.1). The COX1 gene sequences of Paragonimus metacercariae from 8 survey sites of Henan Province showed the highest homology (90.0% to 100.0%) with the gene sequence of P. skrjabini (GenBank accession number: AY618798.1), and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Paragonimus in this study was clustered into the same clade with all P. skrjabini and clustered into the same sub-clade with P. skrjabini from Hubei Province (GenBank accession numbers: AY618782.1 and AY618764.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Paragonimus species from freshwater crabs in Henan Province were all characterized as P. skrjabini, and the ITS2 and COX1 gene sequences had the highest homology to those of P. skrjabini from Hubei Province. The results provide insights into study of Paragonimus in Henan Province and China.

[Acute macular neuroretinopathy: a case report]

A 16-year-old female patient experienced a rapid decline in bilateral visual acuity accompanied by central scotomas for 5 days following coronavirus disease 2019 infection. Ocular examination revealed findings consistent with acute macular neuroretinopathy. Structural en face imaging using optical coherence tomography demonstrated a wedge-shaped lesion with low reflectivity directed towards the fovea in both eyes. B-scan images revealed localized hyperreflective bands involving the outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor layer, with discontinuity of the ellipsoid zone. Based on clinical presentation and examination findings, a diagnosis of bilateral acute macular neuroretinopathy was established.

Long-Term Anorectal Function in Rectal Cancer Patients Managed by a Watch-and-Wait Strategy after Neoadjuvant Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Rectal cancer patients reaching complete clinical response (cCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can be offered a nonoperative watch-and-wait (W&W) strategy. As evidence of good oncological outcomes accumulates, the functional outcomes remain less explored. The aim of this study is to comprehensively assess the long-term rectal toxicity and anorectal function in patients managed by a W&W strategy and to investigate the clinical risk factors for anorectal dysfunction.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Seventy W&W patients who were disease-free at the moment of recruitment were included. A minimum 2-year follow-up was considered. We graded late rectal toxicity according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (RTOG/EORTC) scale and the Late Effects of Normal Tissue/Subjective Objective Management Analytic (LENT/SOMA) system. Long-term anorectal function was assessed with the Wexner score, the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome score (LARS score), and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Bowel Function Instrument (MSK BFI).

RESULTS

All patients received standard chemoradiotherapy consisting of a total dose of 5000 cGy in 25 fractions. The median tumor distance from the anal verge was 3 (IQR 2-4) cm. After a median follow-up of 43 (IQR 28-66) months, less than half of patients developed Grade 1 (40.0%) or Grade 2 (1.4%) late rectal toxicity, and no patients complained of higher grades. LENT/SOMA criteria also identified more patients with mild symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were sphincter control problems, mainly manifested as fecal urgency, reported by 60.0% of patients. For long-term anorectal function, the median LARS score was 16 (IQR 4-25). 17.1% of patients reported minor LARS and 15.7% reported major LARS. The median Wexner score was 2 (IQR 0-3). The median MSK BFI total score was 82 (IQR 77-86). Smoking history was an independent risk factor for anorectal dysfunction in multivariate analyses (OR = 6.491, 95% CI 1.536-27.432).

CONCLUSION

Rectal cancer patients managed by a watch-and-wait strategy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy have retained satisfactory anorectal function. However, fecal urgency might be a common problem. Smoking history was an independent risk factor for long-term anorectal dysfunction. Prospective studies with emphasis on bowel function outcomes containing a larger number of patients are needed.

Analysis of Institutional DIBH Coaching Program for Surface Guided-DIBH Patients

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Our institute has implemented a surface guided-DIBH (SG-DIBH) coaching program which involves consultation, pre-treatment (CT-sim) and treatment. We would like to analyze the effectiveness of the program.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 72 left breast cancer patients between 1st Apr 2022 to 9th Dec 2022 were registered for radiation treatment. During consultation, oncologist selected suitable patients based on the following criteria: a) age of 18-70; b) left breast cancer, right breast cancer with internal mammary nodes irradiation or dextrocardia; c) no lung/cardiac disease history & d) volunteer for SG-DIBH technique. The eligible patients were then trained by the coaching therapist using a teaching video and practiced at home. During CT simulation, patients were assessed according to the DIBH evaluation form. The evaluation components included patient's compliancy and understanding, the differences of lateral skin marking (free breathing, FB vs DIBH), duration of breath hold and reproducibility. Patients who passed the evaluation were scanned under both FB and DIBH for SG-DIBH treatment. IMRT-FFF 6 to 7 fields were planned. During SG-DIBH treatment, first 3 fractions and weekly CBCT were taken. Patients were encouraged to continue DIBH practice at home throughout whole course of the treatment and they were given 3 identical survey forms (5 questions) at the beginning, middle and end of treatment. The measure for the success of this coaching program would be number of breath-holds, duration of treatment time, treatment accuracy (CBCT matching) and survey results.

RESULTS

There were 48 patients who were eligible for DIBH coaching program, however, only 24 patients had passed the coaching evaluation and 20 patients were treated with SG-DIBH technique successfully. The mean of number of breath-hold and treatment time was 7 times and 7.9 minutes. Total of 123 CBCT images were studied. The setup errors were (0.242±0.180) cm, (0.152±0.137) cm, (0.202±0.165) cm, (0.684±0.640) degrees, (0.816±0.767) degrees, (0.912±0.707) degrees in lateral, longitudinal, vertical, pitch, roll and yaw directions. According to the survey analysis, the number of times to practice at home decreased as the treatment went by. An improvement was seen in patients' self-evaluation in mastering DIBH technique with proper coaching program (from 60% to 90%). Patients' anxiety in performing DIBH were alleviated greatly towards the end of the treatment (from 47% to 15%). 100% of the patients were willing to go for DIBH treatment if given a second chance and additional suggestions claimed that professional clinical teams and coaching program were important for their DIBH treatment journey.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive DIBH coaching program can effectively identify SG-DIBH patient's suitability. Patient compliancy, treatment accuracy and treatment experience can be enhanced with good coaching program. The involvement of clinical team from consultation to pre-treatment and treatment stage is essential for a successful SG-DIBH treatment.

Trichomonas vaginalis adhesion protein 65 (TvAP65) modulates parasite pathogenicity by interacting with host cell proteins

Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) is a widespread and important sexually transmitted pathogen. Adherence to the surface of the host cell is the precondition forthis parasite's parasitism and pathogenicity. Adhesion protein 65 (TvAP65) plays a key role in the process of adhesion. However, how TvAP65 mediates the adhesion and pathogenicity of T. vaginalis to host cellsis unclear. In this study, we knocked down the expression of TvAP65 in trophozoites by small RNA interference. The number of T. vaginalis trophozoites adhering to VK2/E6E7 cells was decreased significantly, and the inhibition of VK2/E6E7 cells proliferation and VK2/E6E7 cells apoptosis and death induced by T. vaginalis were reduced, after the expression of TvAP65 was knocked down. Animal challenge experiments showed that the pathogenicity of trophozoites was decreased by passive immunization with anti-rTvAP65 PcAbs or blocking the TvAP65 protein. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that TvAP65 could bind to VK2/E6E7 cells. In order to screen the molecules interacting with TvAP65 on the host cells, we successfully constructed the cDNA library of VK2/E6E7 cells, and thirteen protein molecules interacting with TvAP65 were screened by yeast two-hybrid system. The interaction between TvAP65 and BNIP3 was further confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization. When both TvAP65 and BNIP3 were knocked down by small RNA interference, the number of T. vaginalis adhering to VK2/E6E7 cells and the inhibition of VK2/E6E7 cells proliferation were significantly lower than those of the group with knockdown of TvAP65 or BNIP3 alone. Therefore, the interaction of TvAP65 and BNIP3 in the pathogenesis of T. vaginalis infecting host cells is not unique and involves other molecules. Our study elucidated that the interaction between TvAP65 and BNIP3 mediated the adhesion and pathogenicity of T. vaginalis to host cells, provided a basis for searching for the drug targets of anti-T. vaginalis, and afforded new ideas for the prevention and treatment of trichomoniasis.

County-Level Sociodemographic Characteristics and Availability of COVID-19 Therapeutic Drugs

This cross-sectional study examines access to COVID-19 treatments in US counties by race and ethnicity, poverty rate, uninsured rate, and other population and community characteristics.

Automatic lumen and anatomical layers segmentation in IVOCT images using meta learning

Automated analysis of the vessel structure in intravascular optical coherence tomography (IVOCT) images is critical to assess the health status of vessels and monitor coronary artery disease progression. However, deep learning-based methods usually require well-annotated large datasets, which are difficult to obtain in the field of medical image analysis. Hence, an automatic layers segmentation method based on meta-learning was proposed, which can simultaneously extract the surfaces of the lumen, intima, media, and adventitia using a handful of annotated samples. Specifically, we leverage a bi-level gradient strategy to train a meta-learner for capturing the shared meta-knowledge among different anatomical layers and quickly adapting to unknown anatomical layers. Then, a Claw-type network and a contrast consistency loss were designed to better learn the meta-knowledge according to the characteristic of annotation of the lumen and anatomical layers. Experimental results on the two cardiovascular IVOCT datasets show that the proposed method achieved state-of-art performance.

Vanishing RKKY interactions in Ce-based cage compounds

We report the results of thermodynamic measurements in external magnetic field of the cubic Ce-based cage compounds CeT2Cd20(T= Ni,Pd). Our analysis of the heat-capacity data shows that the Γ7doublet is the ground state multiplet of the Ce3+ions. Consequently, for the Γ7doublet it can be theoretically shown that the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction between the localized Ce moments mediated by the conduction electrons, must vanish at temperatures much lower than the energy separating the ground state doublet from the first excited Γ8quartet. Our findings provide an insight as to why no long range order has been observed in these compounds down to temperatures in the milliKelvin range.

[Clinical characteristics and risk factors for bronchoscopic airway mucus hypersecretion in childhood pneumonia infected by different pathogens]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for airway mucus hypersecretion in childhood pneumonia infected by different pathogens. Method: A retrospective cohort included 968 children who were hospitalized for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pneumonia, adenovirus pneumonia and underwent bronchoscopy in Respiratory Department of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2019 to December 2021 was conducted. The children were divided into two groups distinguished by airway mucus secretion according to the airway mucus hypersecretion score which were scored according to the mucus secretion under the bronchoscope. The demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests and disease severity of the two groups were compared. And the risk factors for the development of airway mucus hypersecretion in two groups were analyzed. Chi square test, Mann-Whithey U test and Fisher exact test were used to analyze the differences between the two groups, and multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors. Result: There were 559 males and 409 females in the 968 children, with an age of 4.0 (1.4, 6.0) years. Among the 642 children with MPP, 185 cases were in the hypersecretion group and 457 cases were in the non-hypersecretion group. There were 41 cases in the hypersecretion group and 160 cases in the non-hypersecretion group of 201 children with RSV pneumonia. In the 125 children with adenovirus pneumonia, there were 39 cases in the hypersecretion group and 86 cases in the non-hypersecretion group. In these children, the age of children in the hypersecretion group was older than that in the non-hypersecretion group (6.0 (4.0, 7.0) vs. 5.0 (3.0, 7.0) years old, 1.5 (0.5, 3.6) vs. 0.8 (0.4, 1.6) years old, 2.0 (1.2, 4.5) vs. 1.3 (0.8, 2.0) years old, U=35 295.00, 2 492.00, 1 101.00, all P<0.05). Through multivariate Logistic regression analysis it found that increased risk of airway mucus hypersecretion was present in childhood MPP with increase in peripheral blood white blood cell count (OR=3.30, 95%CI 1.51-7.93, P=0.004) or increase in neutrophil ratio (OR=2.24, 95%CI 1.16-4.33, P=0.016) or decrease in lymphocyte count (OR=3.22, 95%CI 1.66-6.31, P<0.001) or decrease in serum albumin (OR=2.00, 95%CI 1.01-3.98, P=0.047). The risk of airway mucus hypersecretion was increased in children with RSV pneumonia combined with elevated peripheral blood eosinophils (OR=3.04, 95%CI 1.02-8.93, P=0.043). Meanwhile, airway mucus hypersecretion was associated with severe pneumonia (OR=2.46, 95%CI 1.03-6.15, P=0.047) in children with RSV pneumonia. Older age was associated with increased risk of airway mucus hypersecretion in children with adenovirus pneumonia (OR=1.02, 95%CI 1.00-1.04, P=0.026). In these children with occurrence of pulmonary rales, wheezes or sputum sounds (OR=3.65, 95%CI 1.22-12.64, P=0.028) had an increased risk of airway mucus hypersecretion. Neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) demonstrated higher ratio in hypersecretion group from children with MPP (0.65 (0.43, 0.81) vs. 0.59 (0.34, 0.76), U=24 507.00, P<0.01), while the proportion of macrophages in BALF was lower (0.10 (0.05, 0.20) vs. 0.12 (0.06, 0.24), U=33 043.00, P<0.05). Nucleated cell count and neutrophil ratio in BALF were higher in hypersecretion group of children with RSV pneumonia (1 210 (442, 2 100)×10⁶ vs. 490 (210, 1 510)×10⁶/L, 0.43 (0.26, 0.62) vs. 0.30 (0.13, 0.52), U=2 043.00, 2 064.00, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The increase in peripheral blood white blood cell count, neutrophil ratio and decrease in lymphocyte count, serum albumin in children with MPP is related to the development of airway mucus hypersecretion. In children with RSV pneumonia, the abnormal increase of eosinophils in peripheral blood has relationship with hypersecretion. The appearance of lung rale, wheezing, and sputum rale are associated with airway mucus hypersecretion in children with adenovirus pneumonia. In addition, local neutrophil infiltration in the respiratory tract is closely related to the occurrence of airway mucus hypersecretion caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae and RSV infection.

[Uniportal thoracoscopic thorough debridement for tubercular empyema with abscess of the chest wall]

Objective: To examine the feasibility and technical considerations of thorough debridement using uniportal thoracoscopic surgery for tuberculous empyema complicated by chest wall tuberculosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 38 patients who underwent comprehensive uniportal thoracoscopy debridement for empyema complicated by chest wall tuberculosis in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, from March 2019 to August 2021. There were 23 males and 15 females, aged (M(IQR)) 30 (25) years (range: 18 to 78 years). The patients were cleared of chest wall tuberculosis under general anesthesia and underwent an incision through the intercostal sinus, followed by the whole fiberboard decortication method. Chest tube drainage was used for pleural cavity disease and negative pressure drainage for chest wall tuberculosis with SB tube, and without muscle flap filling and pressure bandaging. If there was no air leakage, the chest tube was removed first, followed by the removal of the SB tube after 2 to 7 days if there was no obvious residual cavity on the CT scan. The patients were followed up in outpatient clinics and by telephone until October 2022. Results: The operation time was 2.0 (1.5) h (range: 1 to 5 h), and blood loss during the operation was 100 (175) ml (range: 100 to 1 200 ml). The most common postoperative complication was prolonged air leak, with an incidence rate of 81.6% (31/38). The postoperative drainage time of the chest tube was 14 (12) days (range: 2 to 31 days) and the postoperative drainage time of the SB tube was 21 (14) days (range: 4 to 40 days). The follow-up time was 25 (11) months (range: 13 to 42 months). All patients had primary healing of their incisions and there was no tuberculosis recurrence during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Uniportal thoracoscopic thorough debridement combined with postoperative standardized antituberculosis treatment is safe and feasible for the treatment of tuberculous empyema with chest wall tuberculosis, which could achieve a good long-term recovery effect.

[Recompensation of complications in patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis treated with entecavir antiviral therapy]

Objective: To analyze the occurrence of recompensation conditions in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis after entecavir antiviral therapy. Methods: Patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis with ascites as the initial manifestation were prospectively enrolled. Patients who received entecavir treatment for 120 weeks and were followed up every 24 weeks (including clinical endpoint events, hematological and imaging indicators, and others) were calculated for recompensation rates according to the Baveno VII criteria. Measurement data were compared using the Student t-test or Mann-Whitney U test between groups. Categorical data were compared by the χ (2) test or Fisher's exact probability method between groups. Results: 283 of the 320 enrolled cases completed the 120-week follow-up, and 92.2% (261/283) achieved a virological response (HBV DNA 20 IU/ml). Child-Pugh and MELD scores were significantly improved after treatment (8.33 ± 1.90 vs. 5.77 ± 1.37, t = 12.70, P < 0.001; 13.37 ± 4.44 vs. 10.45 ± 4.58, t = 5.963, P < 0.001). During the 120-week follow-up period, 14 cases died, two received liver transplants, 19 developed hepatocellular cancer, 11 developed gastroesophageal variceal bleeding, and four developed hepatic encephalopathy. 60.4% (171/283) (no decompensation events occurred for 12 months) and 56.2% (159/283) (no decompensation events occurred for 12 months and improved liver function) of the patients had achieved clinical recompensation within 120 weeks. Patients with baseline MELD scores > 15 after active antiviral therapy achieved higher recompensation than patients with baseline MELD scores ≤15 [50/74 (67.6%) vs. 109/209 (52.2%), χ (2) = 5.275, P = 0.029]. Conclusion: Antiviral therapy can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis. The majority of patients (56.2%) had achieved recompensation. Patients with severe disease did not have a lower probability of recompensation at baseline than other patients.

[Interpretation of Detection and identification standard of hookworm-Hook-worm larvae coproculture techniques (WS/T 791-2021)]

Detection and identification standard of hookworm-Hookworm larvae coproculture techniques (WS/T 791-2021) is the first recommended technical standard for hookworm detection and species identification using the hookworm larvae coproculture technique in China. This standard was issued on November 23, 2021, and had been in effect since May 1, 2022. This article provides a detailed interpretation pertaining to the background, drafting process, main contents, and dos and don'ts for better understanding and application of this standard among professionals working in disease control and prevention institutions and medical institutions.

[Anatomical and histological investigation of the area anterior to the anorectum passing through the levator hiatus]

Objective: To document the anatomical structure of the area anterior to the anorectum passing through the levator hiatus between the levator ani slings bilaterally. Methods: Three male hemipelvises were examined at the Laboratory of Clinical Applied Anatomy, Fujian Medical University. (1) The anatomical assessment was performed in three ways; namely, by abdominal followed by perineal dissection, by examining serial cross-sections, and by examining median sagittal sections. (2) The series was stained with hematoxylin and eosin to enable identification of nerves, vessels, and smooth and striated muscles. Results: (1) It was found that the rectourethralis muscle is closest to the deep transverse perineal muscle where the longitudinal muscle of the rectum extends into the posteroinferior area of the membranous urethra. The communicating branches of the neurovascular bundle (NVB) were identified at the posterior edge of the rectourethralis muscle on both sides. The rectum was found to be fixed to the membranous urethra through the rectourethral muscle, contributing to the anorectal angle of the anterior rectal wall. (2) Serial cross-sections from the anal to the oral side were examined. At the level of the external anal sphincter, the longitudinal muscle of the rectum was found to extend caudally and divide into two muscle bundles on the oral side of the external anal sphincter. One of these muscle bundles angled dorsally and caudally, forming the conjoined longitudinal muscle, which was found to insert into the intersphincteric space (between the internal and external anal sphincters). The other muscle bundle angled ventrally and caudally, filling the gap between the external anal sphincter and the bulbocavernosus muscle, forming the perineal body. At the level of the superficial transverse perineal muscle, this small muscle bundle headed laterally and intertwined with the longitudinal muscle in the region of the perineal body. At the level of the rectourethralis and deep transverse perineal muscle, the external urethral sphincter was found to occupy an almost completely circular space along the membranous part of the urethra. The dorsal part of the external urethral sphincter was found to be thin at the point of attachment of the rectourethralis muscle, the ventral part of the longitudinal muscle of the rectum. We identified a venous plexus from the NVB located close to the oral and ventral side of the deep transverse perineal muscle. Many vascular branches from the NVB were found to be penetrating the longitudinal muscle and the ventral part of rectourethralis muscle at the level of the apex of the prostate. The rectourethral muscle was wrapped ventrally around the membranous urethra and apex of the prostate. The boundary between the longitudinal muscle and prostate gradually became more distinct, being located at the anterior end of the transabdominal dissection plane. (3) Histological examination showed that the dorsal part of the external urethral sphincter (striated muscle) is thin adjacent to the striated muscle fibers from the deep transverse perineal muscle and the NVB dorsally and close by. The rectourethral muscle was found to fill the space created by the internal anal sphincter, deep transverse perineal muscle, and both levator ani muscles. Many tortuous vessels and tiny nerve fibers from the NVB were identified penetrating the muscle fibers of the deep transverse perineal and rectourethral muscles. The structure of the superficial transverse perineal muscle was typical of striated muscle. These findings were reconstructed three-dimensionally. Conclusions: In intersphincteric resection or abdominoperineal resection for very low rectal cancer, the anterior dissection plane behind Denonvilliers' fascia disappears at the level of the apex of the prostate. The prostate and both NVBs should be used as landmarks during transanal dissection of the non-surgical plane. The rectourethralis muscle should be divided near the rectum side unless tumor involvement is suspected. The superficial and deep transverse perineal muscles, as well as their supplied vessels and nerve fibers from the NVB. In addition, the cutting direction should be adjusted according to the anorectal angle to minimize urethral injury.

The interaction between adhesion protein 33 (TvAP33) and BNIP3 mediates the adhesion and pathogenicity of Trichomonas vaginalis to host cells

BACKGROUND

Trichomonas vaginalis is a widespread and important sexually transmitted pathogen. Adherence to the surface of the host cell is the precondition for the parasitism and pathogenicity of this parasite. Trichomonas vaginalis adhesion protein 33 (TvAP33) plays a key role in the process of adhesion, but how this protein mediates the adhesion and pathogenicity of T. vaginalis to host cells is unclear.

METHODS

The expression of TvAP33 in trophozoites was knocked down by small interfering RNA. VK2/E6E7 cells and mice infected with T. vaginalis were used to evaluate the pathogenicity of T. vaginalis. We constructed a complementary DNA library of VK2/E6E7 cells and screened the protein molecules interacting with TvAP33 by the yeast two-hybrid system. The interaction between TvAP33 and BNIP3 (Bcl-2 interacting protein 3) was analyzed by co-immunoprecipitation and colocalization.

RESULTS

Following knockdown of TvAP33 expression, the number of T. vaginalis trophozoites adhering to VK2/E6E7 cells decreased significantly, and the inhibition of VK2/E6E7 cell proliferation and VK2/E6E7 cell apoptosis and death induced by T. vaginalis were reduced. Animal challenge experiments showed that the pathogenicity of trophozoites decreased following passive immunization with TvAP33 antiserum or blocking of the TvAP33 protein. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that TvAP33 could bind to VK2/E6E7 cells. Eighteen protein molecules interacting with TvAP33 were identified by the yeast two-hybrid system. The interaction between TvAP33 and BNIP3 was further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and colocalization. When the expression of both TvAP33 and BNIP3 in trophozoites was knocked down by small RNA interference, the number of T. vaginalis adhering to VK2/E6E7 cells and the inhibition of VK2/E6E7 cell proliferation were significantly lower compared to trophozoites with only knockdown of TvAP33 or only BNIP3. Therefore, the interaction of TvAP33 and BNIP3 in the pathogenesis of T. vaginalis infecting host cells is not unique and involves other molecules.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that the interaction between TvAP33 and BNIP3 mediated the adhesion and pathogenicity of T. vaginalis to host cells, providing a basis for searching for drug targets for T. vaginalis as well as new ideas for the prevention and treatment of trichomoniasis.

[Therapeutic mechanism of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ for renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease: a study with network pharmacology, molecular docking and validation in rats]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ for improving renal function and pathology in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy and analyze its therapeutic mechanism for renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease using network pharmacology combined with molecular docking.

METHODS

Forty male SD rats were randomized into two groups to receive two-staged 5/6 nephrectomy (n=30) or sham operation (n=10), and 2 weeks after the final operation, serum creatinine level of the rats was measured. The rats with nephrectomy were further randomized into Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ group, losartan group and model group for daily treatment with the corresponding drugs via gavage starting at 1 week after 5/6 nephrectomy. After 16 weeks of treatment, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels of the rats were measured, and HE staining and Western blotting were used to examine the changes in renal pathology and fibrosis-related factors. Network pharmacology combined with molecular docking study was performed to explore the therapeutic mechanism Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ against renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease, and Western blotting was used to verify the expressions of the core targets.

RESULTS

Compared with those in the model group, the rats receiving 5/6 nephrectomy and Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ treatment showed significantly reduced serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, lessened renal pathologies, and improvement of the changes in epithelial mesenchymal transition-related proteins. Network pharmacological analysis showed that the main active ingredients of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ were acacetin, apigenin, eupatilin, quercetin, kaempferol and luteolin, and the key targets included STAT3, SRC, CTNNB1, PIK3R1 and AKT1. Molecular docking study revealed that the active ingredients of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ had good binding activity to the key targets. Western blotting showed that in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy, treatment with Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ obviously restored the protein expression of STAT3, PI3K, and AKT in renal tissue.

CONCLUSION

Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ can reduce renal injury induced by 5/6 nephrectomy in rats, and its therapeutic effects are mediated possibly by its main pharmacologically active ingredients that alleviate renal fibrosis via modulating multiple targets including STAT3, PIK3R1, and AKT1.

Regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance via Ambra1-mediated autophagy in non-small cell lung cancer

To explore the molecular mechanisms related to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) resistance, along with potential therapeutic targets and strategies. The autophagy and Beclin 1 regulator 1 (Ambra1) short hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA) lentivirus vector and Ambra1 overexpression plasmid, constructed with a plasmid cloning deoxyribonucleic acid (pcDNA) 3.1 vector, were used to down-regulate and up-regulate Ambra1 expression in the human lung adenocarcinoma erlotinib-resistant cell line (PC9/ER), respectively, as well as to screen stable transgenic cell lines. The IC50 of Erlotinib in these cell lines were measured to determine their resistance status. The real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of resistance-related genes like multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1), multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1), and lung drug-resistant-related protein (LRP). Western blot was performed to analyze the protein expressions of the autophagy-related genes Beclin 1, LC3II/I, and p62. Each stable transgenic line formed a tumor under the skin in nude mice; the mice with subcutaneous tumorigenesis of PC9/ER cells and shAmbra1-PC9/ER cells were subsequently treated with rapamycin (RAPA) and chloroquine (CQ), respectively. The mRNA expressions of MDR1, MRP1, and LRP in each tumor tissue sample were detected by qRT-PCR. The protein expressions of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylated-AMPK (p-AMPK), forkhead box O3 (FoxO3a), and phosphorylated forkhead box O3 (p-FoxO3a) in the AMPK/FoxO3a signaling pathway were analyzed via Western blot. The qRT-PCR result revealed that the level of Ambra1 in EGFR-TKI-resistant cells had increased. This was further exacerbated by the overexpression of Ambra1 and was reduced after its inhibition. Additionally, Ambra1 upregulated the mRNA expression of drug-resistant genes and the expression of autophagy-related proteins. Subcutaneous tumorigenesis of RAPA-treated shAmbra1-PC9/ER cells resulted in increased expression of drug resistance-related genes and a concomitant decrease in p-AMPK and increase in p-FoxO3a. The results revealed that Beclin-1/β-actin, p62/β-actin, and LC3II/I in the model group were all significantly increased compared to the control group, with P<0.05. Compared to the model group, Beclin-1/β-actin, p62/β-actin, and LC3II/I were all significantly higher in the pcDNA-Ambra1 group, with P<0.05. Compared to the model group, Beclin-1/β-actin, p62/β-actin, and LC3II/I were all significantly decreased in the shAmbra1 group, with P<0.05. Thus, these data suggest that Ambra1 promotes cellular autophagy. In addition, subcutaneous tumorigenesis of CQ-treated shAmbra1-PC9/ER cells resulted in reduced expression of drug resistance-related genes, and a concomitant increase in p-AMPK and decrease in p-FoxO3a. The results of this study revealed that Ambra1-mediated autophagy regulated EGFR-TKI resistance in NSCLC, most probably through the AMPK/FoxO3a signaling pathway.

[The correlations between influenza and meteorological factors in 15 cities of northern China, 2008-2020]

Objective: To understand the influence of meteorological factors on the morbidity of influenza in northern cities of China and explore the differences in the influence of meteorological factors on the morbidity of influenza in 15 cities. Methods: The monthly reported morbidity of influenza and monthly meteorological data from 2008 to 2020 were collected in 15 provincial capital cities, including Xi 'an, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan and Urumqi (5 northwestern cities), Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Hohhot, Ji'nan, Zhengzhou (7 northern cities), Shenyang, Changchun and Harbin (3 northeastern cities). The panel data regression model was applied to conduct quantitative analyze on the influence of meteorological factors on influenza morbidity. Results: The univariate and multivariate panel regression analysis showed that after controlling the population density and other meteorological factors, for each 5 ℃ drop of monthly average temperature, the morbidity change percentage (MCP) of influenza was 11.35%, 34.04% and 25.04% in the 3 northeastern cities, 7 northern cities and 5 northwestern cities, respectively, and the best lag period months was 1, 0 and 1 month; When the monthly average relative humidity decreased by 10%, the MCP was 15.84% in 3 cities in northeastern China and 14.80% in 7 cities in northern China respectively, and the best lag period months was 2 and 1 months respectively; The MCP of 5 cities in northwestern China was 4.50% for each 10 mm reduction of monthly accumulated precipitation, and the best lag period months was 1 month; The MCPs of 3 cities in northeastern China and 5 cities in northwestern China were 4.19% and 5.97% respectively when the accumulated sunshine duration of each month decreased by 10 hours, the best lag period months was 1 month. Conclusions: In northern cities of China from 2008 to 2020, the temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and sunshine duration all had negatively impact on the morbidity of influenza, and temperature and relative humidity were the main sensitive meteorological factors. Temperature had a strong direct impact on the morbidity of influenza in 7 cities in northern China, and relative humidity had a strong lag effect on the morbidity of influenza in 3 cities in northeastern China. The duration of sunshine in 5 cities in northwestern China had a greater impact on the morbidity of influenza compared with 3 cities in northeastern China.

Large-Scale Surveys of Blackleg of Oilseed Rape (Leptosphaeria biglobosa) Revealed New Insights into Epidemics of This Disease in China

Blackleg of oilseed rape caused by Leptosphaeria maculans/L. biglobosa is a worldwide important disease. L. maculans is more virulent than L. biglobosa, so it causes a great concern for oilseed rape production. In China, blackleg (L. biglobosa) of oilseed rape was reported in the 2000s, but epidemiological features of blackleg have not been well elucidated. Moreover, whether L. maculans exists in China is still an open question. Therefore, a 5-year survey was done in China to collect blackleg-occurrence data for characterizing the features of blackleg epidemics and to identify the blackleg pathogens for assessing the risk of L. maculans invasion. The results showed that all the 19 surveyed provinces had blackleg on oilseed rape, and the most frequently occurring provinces are Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, and Hubei. Phoma stem canker was the most common symptom, which was associated with stem cracks on winter oilseed rape and with stem-weevil activities on spring oilseed rape. Temperature and rainfall were the main factors for blackleg epidemics on winter oilseed rape, whereas rainfall was the main factor for blackleg epidemics on spring oilseed rape. Brassica campestris and B. juncea oilseed rapes were more susceptible than B. napus to blackleg. Oilseed rapes cultivated under the continuous dry land-cropping pattern were more prone to blackleg than those cultivated under the paddy land/dry land-cropping pattern. All 6,015 fungal isolates from blackleg plant tissues belonged to L. biglobosa. These results are helpful for understanding the blackleg epidemics of oilseed rapes and for management of this disease in China.

Institutional factors associated with college students' healthy physical activity and body composition: A first semester follow-up

Objective: The first aim of this study was to examine changes in freshman college students' health-enhancing physical activity (PA) and body composition across the first semester. Secondly, this study aimed to explore the role of socio-ecological variables on these processes. Methods: A sample of 166 participants (108 females, 58 males, M_age = 18.14[.96]) completed self-report pre-and posttest data on vigorous PA (VPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and body mass index (BMI). Results: The results showed a statistically significant increase in BMI, but no statistically significant changes in VPA or MVPA. The findings revealed that our socio-ecological model predicted .71, .39, and .92 percent of the end of the year VPA, MVPA, and BMI, respectively. The findings highlighted the positive role of peer support, positive motivation, and university's Recreational Services on measured healthy behaviors. Conclusions: These findings suggest a need to increase college students' VPA.

Detection of thin-cap fibroatheroma in IVOCT images based on weakly supervised learning and domain knowledge

Automatic detection of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) on intravascular optical coherence tomography images is essential for the prevention of acute coronary syndrome. However, existing methods need to mark the exact location of TCFAs on each frame as supervision, which is extremely time-consuming and expensive. Hence, a new weakly supervised framework is proposed to detect TCFAs using only image-level tags as supervision. The framework comprises cut, feature extraction, relation, and detection modules. First, based on prior knowledge, a cut module was designed to generate a small number of specific region proposals. Then, to learn global information, a relation module was designed to learn the spatial adjacency and order relationships at the feature level, and an attention-based strategy was introduced in the detection module to effectively aggregate the classification results of region proposals as the image-level predicted score. The results demonstrate that the proposed method surpassed the state-of-the-art weakly supervised detection methods.

Ursodeoxycholic acid is associated with a reduction in SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduced severity of COVID-19 in patients with cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Studies have demonstrated that reducing farnesoid X receptor activity with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) downregulates angiotensin-converting enzyme in human lung, intestinal and cholangiocytes organoids in vitro, in human lungs and livers perfused ex situ, reducing internalization of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into the host cell. This offers a potential novel target against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The objective of our study was to compare the association between UDCA exposure and SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as varying severities of COVID-19, in a large national cohort of participants with cirrhosis.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study among participants with cirrhosis in the Veterans Outcomes and Costs Associated with Liver cohort, we compared participants with exposure to UDCA, with a propensity score (PS) matched group of participants without UDCA exposure, matched for clinical characteristics, and vaccination status. The outcomes included SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptomatic, at least moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19, and COVID-19-related death.

RESULTS

We compared 1607 participants with cirrhosis who were on UDCA, with 1607 PS-matched controls. On multivariable logistic regression, UDCA exposure was associated with reduced odds of developing SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.71, p < 0.0001). Among patients who developed COVID-19, UDCA use was associated with reduced disease severity, including symptomatic COVID-19 (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.39-0.73, p < 0.0001), at least moderate COVID-19 (aOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.81, p = 0.005), and severe or critical COVID-19 (aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.94, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

In participants with cirrhosis, UDCA exposure was associated with both a decrease in SARS-CoV-2 infection, and reduction in symptomatic, at least moderate, and severe/critical COVID-19.

[Quality of psychomotility recovery after propofol sedation for painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of propofol used for painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy on psychomotility recovery.

METHODS

One hundred adult patients undergoing painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy were recruited, aged 18-72 years, with American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status Ⅰ-Ⅱ. According to age, the patients were divided into youth group (20-39 years old, 27 cases), middle age group (40-54 years old, 37 cases), and elder group (55-64 years old, 36 cases). Propofol was continuously infused according to the patients' condition to mantain the bispectal index (BIS) score 55-64. All the patients received psychomotility assesment 30 min before the operations when the discharge criteria were met including number cancellation test, number connection test and board test. The heart rate, blood pressure, saturation of pulse oximetry, electrocardiograph and BIS were monitored during the operation. The operating time, recovery time, total volume of propofol and discharge time were recorded. If the results obtained were inferior to those before operation, a third assessment was taken 30 minutes later until the results recovered or being superior to the baseline levels.

RESULTS

All the patients completed the first and second assessments, and 25 patients had taken the third assessment. There was no statistically significant difference in the results of psychomotility assessment when the patients met the discharge standard. Furthermore, the results were analyzed by grouping with age, and there was no statistical difference in the test results of the youth and middle age groups compared with the preoperative group, among which, the efficiency of the number cancellation test was significantly better than that before operation in the youth group (P < 0.05). However, in the elderly patients the number cancellation efficiency, number connection test and board test were significantly inferior to that before operation (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of number cancellation compared with that before operation. The patients who needed the third test in the elder group were significantly more than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the preoperative results, there was no statistical difference in the test results of those who completed the third test.

CONCLUSION

The psychomotility function of the patients who underwent painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy was recovered when they met discharge criteria. The elderly patients had a prolonged recovery period.

[Assessment of intensity of seasonal influenza activity in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, 2019-2021]

Objective: To explore the feasibility of moving epidemic method (MEM) in the assessment of seasonal influenza (influenza) activity intensity from the perspective of urban agglomeration, assess influenza activity intensity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2019 to 2021 and evaluate the reliability of surveillance data and the effectiveness of the MEM model application. Methods: The weekly reported incidence rate (IR) of influenza and the percentage of influenza-like illness (ILI%) from 2011-2021 in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region were collected to establish MEM models respectively. The model fitting effect and the reliability of the two data were evaluated for the purpose of establishing an optimal model to assess the influenza activity intensity in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2019-2021. A cross-validation procedure was used to evaluate the performance of the models by calculating the Youden's index, sensitivity and specificity. Results: The MEM model fitted with weekly ILI% had a higher Youden's index compared with the model fitted with weekly IR at both Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region level and provincial level. The MEM model based on ILI% showed that the epidemic threshold in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region during 2019-2020 was 4.42%, the post-epidemic threshold was 4.66%, with medium, high and very high intensity thresholds as 5.38%, 7.22% and 7.84%, respectively. The influenza season during 2019-2020 had 10 weeks (week 50 of 2019 to week 7 of 2020). The influenza season started in week 50 of 2019, and the intensity fluctuated above and below medium epidemic level for six consecutive weeks. The high intensity was observed in week 4 of 2020, the threshold of very high intensity was excessed in week 5, and the intensity gradually declined and became lower than the threshold at the end of the influenza season in week 8. The epidemic threshold was 4.29% and the post-epidemic threshold was 4.35% during 2020-2021. Influenza activity level never excessed the epidemic threshold throughout the year, and no epidemic period emerged. Conclusions: The MEM model could be applied in the assessment of influenza activity intensity in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the use of ILI% to assess influenza activity intensity in this region was more reliable than IR data. Influenza activity intensity in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was higher during 2019-2020 but significantly lower in 2020-2021.

[Publication and citation analyses of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control from 2011 to 2020]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the publications and citations of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control from 2011 to 2020, so as to provide insights into improving the journal quality and impact.

METHODS

All publications were retrieved from 60 issues of 10 volumes of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control from 2011 to 2020, and publication and citation analyses were performed using a bibliometric method.

RESULTS

A total of 1 867 articles were published in Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control from 2011 to 2020, with the largest number in 2012 (220 publications) and the lowest in 2020 (135 publications), and original article (36.48%), control experience (17.14%) and control study (10.34%) were the three most common article type. The overall proportion of grant-supported articles was 59.08% (1 103/1 867), and the number of grant per article was (2.34±1.58) grants. The mean duration from submission to publication was (173.48±105.84) days per article, and there was a significant difference in the mean duration from submission to publication among years (F = 30.883, P < 0.01). Jiangsu Province (492 publications, 26.35%), Shanghai Municipality (264 publications, 14.14%) and Hubei Province (230 publications, 12.32%) were the three most productive provinces where the first author lived, and disease control and prevention institutions were the predominant affiliations of the first author (67.22%), with Jiangsu Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Wannan Medical College as the three most productive affiliations. The number of authors was 5.94 authors per publication, and the proportion of co-authored publications was 95.45% in Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control from 2011 to 2020. Journal article was the predominant type of cited (89.97%), and the mean number of citations was (15.70±11.56) citations per publication, with a significant difference in the mean number of citations per publication among years (F = 2.205, P < 0.05). The impact factors of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control ranged from 0.877 to 1.676 during the period from 2011 to 2020, and the overall Price index was 47.59%.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the academic impact and national transmissibility of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control appeared a tendency towards a rise from 2011 to 2020. Seeking high-quality contributions, increasing interdisciplinary integration, shortening the duration from submission to publication, expanding the coverage of publication services and enhancing impact are the future priorities of the journal.

Exploration of 68Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 PET/CT parameters for identifying PBRM1 status in primary clear cell renal cell carcinoma

AIM

To investigate the predictive value of ⁶⁸Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 (⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11) integrated positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in PBRM1-deficient clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 41 patients with ccRCC, were enrolled retrospectively and underwent ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT preoperatively. Radiological parameters, including CT attenuation value and maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), were derived. Immunohistochemical and multiple immunofluorescences staining were performed to evaluate the PBRM1 status and immune response. The predictive value of imaging factors was analysed using a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between clinical and radiological variables and PBRM1 status.

RESULTS

A total of 41 patients were included in this study, with 14 patients having PBRM1-deficient status. The tumour diameter on imaging and SUVmax differed significantly in patients with different PBRM1 expression statuses and no difference in CT attenuation was identified. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed SUVmax was an obvious predictor for identification of PBRM1-deficient tumours. In addition, PBRM1-deficient tumours tended to be accompanied by greater cytotoxic T-cell infiltration, although most of them were in an exhausted state.

CONCLUSIONS

⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT could be used to discriminate invasive PBRM1-deficient ccRCC.

Trichomonas vaginalis excretory secretory proteins reduce semen quality and male fertility

Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) infection is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the world. It can cause male reproductive dysfunction and infertility. However, the pathogenic mechanism is not clear. In this study, the excretory secretory proteins of T. vaginalis (TvESPs) were collected, concentrated, and sterilized. After sperm co-cultured with TvESPs, the survival rate and motility of sperms were analyzed by seminal routine examination, and the results showed that the TvESPs could significantly reduce the survival rate and motility of sperms. Fluorescence staining displayed that TvESPs could destroy the integrity of sperm acrosomes. Flow cytometry indicated that TvESPs induced sperm apoptosis. By mouse in vitro fertilization, we confirmed that TvESPs could significantly reduce the fertilization ability of sperms and negatively affect the development of the fertilized ovum. Via semi-quantitative analysis, we found that the apoptosis-related p27, SMAC, p53, BAX, BCL-2, XIAP, and BCL-W molecules were down-regulated in mouse sperm cells after interaction between the sperms and TvESPs, which played an important role in regulating sperm apoptosis. In conclusion, our study showed that T. vaginalis degraded semen quality and negatively affected male fertility by TvESPs. TvESPs may damage sperms by breaking the balance between sperm pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic molecules. This study proves that T. vaginalis infection is a risk factor for infertility.

[Epidemiological features of echinococcosis cases reported in the National Notifiable Disease Report System in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of echinococcosis cases reported in the National Notifiable Disease Report System in Henan Province from 2010 to 2011, so as to provide insights into for echinococcosis control and surveillance.

METHODS

The data pertaining to reported echinococcosis cases in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report System, and a descriptive epidemiological analysis was performed using the software SPSS 22.0.

RESULTS

A total of 150 echinococcosis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021, including 88 confirmed cases (58.67%) and 62 clinically diagnosed cases (41.33%), 77 cases reported by Henan Province (51.33%) and 73 cases reported by other provinces (48.67%). Echinococcosis cases were reported in each month, with 8 to 21 cases reported in each month, and the number of reported echinococcosis cases appeared no remarkable temporal changes. The echinococcosis cases were reported across 18 cities of Henan Province, with the highest number of cases reported in Zhoukou (17.33%) and Nanyang cities (17.33%) and the lowest number reported in Sanmenxia City (0.67%). The reported echinococcosis cases had a male to female ratio of 1.17:1, and the cases were found at each age group, with the the highest number of cases seen at ages of 20 to 59 years (73.33%). Farmer was the predominant occupation (63.33%), followed by housekeepers and the unemployed (12.67%). Of all reported echinococcosis cases, there were 25 local cases (16.67%) and 125 imported cases (83.33%), 144 cases reported by medical institutions (96.00%) and 6 cases reported by centers for disease control and prevention (4.00%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although imported echinococcosis cases were the predominant source of echinococcosis cases reported in the National Notifiable Disease Report System in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021, there were still sporadic local cases, and the emergence of local sources of infection cannot be excluded. Further expanded field surveys and surveillance of echinococcosis are required.

Construction a novel detection method for Trichomonas vaginalis based on recombinant enzyme polymerase amplification targeting the Actin gene

Trichomoniasis is a common and curable sexually transmitted disease worldwide. The rapid, convenient, and accurate diagnosis of trichomoniasis is an important link in the prevention and treatment of the disease. The current detection methods of Trichomonas vaginalis are mainly wet mount microscopy, culture, nested PCR, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification. However, these detection methods have some shortcomings. In this study, a recombinant enzyme polymerase amplification (RPA) assay had been conducted to detect T. vaginalis. The target gene and the corresponding primers were screened, and the reaction system and conditions were optimized in the assay of RPA. The sensitivity and specificity of this detection method were analyzed. The detection efficiency of wet mount microscopy, culture, nested PCR, and RPA was compared by testing 53 clinical samples from vaginal secretions. By screening, the actin gene of T. vaginalis could be used as a target gene for RPA detection of T. vaginalis, and the optimum reaction condition to amplify the actin gene by RPA was at 39°C for 30 min. The detection limit of T. vaginalis DNA using RPA was 1 pg, corresponding to a sensitivity of approximately five trophozoites. The RPA assay demonstrated high specificity for T. vaginalis, and there was no cross-reactivity with Giardia lamblia, Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, Toxoplasma gondii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. Of the 53 clinical samples, the positive rates of T. vaginalis detected by wet mount microscopy, culture, nested PCR and RPA were 50.9 4% (27/53), 71.7% (38/53), 71.7% (38/53), and 69.81% (37/53), respectively. Compared with culture which was used as the gold standard for diagnosing trichomoniasis, testing clinical samples by wet mount microscopy showed 71.05% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and moderate diagnostic agreement with the culture (K = 0.581, Z = 4.661, p < 0.001). The nested PCR showed 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and excellent diagnostic agreement (K = 1, Z = 7.28, p < 0.001), while RPA displayed 97.37% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and excellent diagnostic agreement (K = 0.954, Z = 6.956, p < 0.001). At the present study, rapid amplification of actin gene by RPA could be used as a tool for detection of T. vaginalis. The detection method of RPA was more sensitive than wet mount microscopy and displayed excellent specificity. Moreover, RPA amplification of actin gene did not require a PCR instrument and the amplification time was shorter than that of ordinary PCR. Therefore, the RPA assay was proposed in this study as a point-of-care examination and a diagnostic method of T. vaginalis infection, which exhibited the potential value in the treatment and prevention of trichomoniasis.

Comparison of infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity against COVID-19 in patients with cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 can be infection or vaccine-induced. Cirrhosis is associated with vaccine hyporesponsiveness, but whether there is decreased immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection in unvaccinated patients with cirrhosis is unknown.The objective of our study was to compare infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity against COVID-19 among patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study among US Veterans with cirrhosis between November 27, 2020, and November 16, 2021, comparing a vaccine-induced immunity group, defined as participants without a documented SARS-CoV-2 infection but fully vaccinated with two doses of an mRNA vaccine, and infection-associated immunity group, defined as unvaccinated participants who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Both groups were propensity score matched for observed characteristics, including location, and the date of the immunity acquiring event, to control for the community prevalence of COVID-19 variants. The outcome was a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR more than 60 days after previous infection in the infection-induced, or after full vaccination in the vaccine-induced immunity group.

RESULTS

We compared 634 participants in the infection-induced immunity group with 27,131 participants in the vaccine-induced immunity group using inverse propensity of treatment weighting. Vaccine-induced immunity was associated with a reduced odds of developing SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.20, p < 0.0001). On multivariable logistic regression, vaccine-induced immunity was associated with reduced odds of developing symptomatic (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.36; 95% CI, 0.33-0.41, p < 0.0001), moderate/severe/critical (aOR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.22-0.31, p < 0.0001), and severe or critical COVID-19 (aOR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.16-0.26, p < 0.001), compared with infection-induced immunity.

CONCLUSIONS

In participants with cirrhosis, vaccine-induced immunity is associated with reduced risk of developing COVID-19, compared with infection-induced immunity.

[Role of Dipeptidyl peptidase inhibitors in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury]

Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI)is a common complication after lung transplantation and cardiopulmonary bypass. It is an important factor affecting the success rate of transplantation. Its specific pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. It is very significant to find the targets and drugs for the prevention and treatment of LIRI in order to improving the utilization rate of "marginal donor lung" and the long-term survival rate of lung transplant patients. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4(DPP4) inhibitors are a class of oral hypoglycemic agents. Previous studies have shown that DPP4 inhibitors have a variety of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, immunomodulatory and other extrapancreatic functions. Recent studies have shown that DPP4 inhibitors may alleviate LIRI through various mechanisms, including inhibiting inflammatory responses, reducing oxidative stress, regulating blood glucose levels, and activating autophagy. This article reviewed the clinical and preclinical applications and mechanisms of DPP4 inhibitors in LIRI.

[The versions of Shiguzhai Hui Ju Jian Bian Dan Fang by Wu Mianxue]

Shiguzhai Hui Ju Jian Bian Dan Fang, was the only medical book for prescription and formula collected and compiled by Wu Mianxue in the period of the Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620). It had seven volumes in total with six of them popular at that time. The volumes contained 1,460 folk formula and clinical prescriptions which were divided into 111 categories based on their corresponding symptoms of diseases. The set was issued in the beginning of the 17^th century, with only three subsets of the volumes left in China today. The three remained versions were the subset of volumes 4-5 left in the Ming Dynasty in the Medical College of Tianjin, the subset of volumes 1-2 and 6-7, with preface, left in the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty (1660) in the Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine and the subset of volumes 4 and 6-7 from time unknown. Additionally, three unabridged versions were found in the Cabinet Library of the National Archives of Japan. They were the Ming version with preface of the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty and a hand-copied version left in the Edo period. It was found that the preface in the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty in both of these versions in China as well as the version in Japan, were counterfeit. The main texts in these versions were edited according to the Ming version. The hand-copied version in Japan was transcribed by Kasahara Eisan and edited by Tanba Motoken according to the Ming version in the late Edo Period.

First semester changes in college students' objectively-measured physical activity and dietary behaviors

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine changes in freshman students' objectively measured body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and dietary behaviors (consumption of trans fats, sugars, and added sugars) during their first college semester. Methods: Twenty-eight participants (18.32 ± 2.2) completed the dietary (ASA24-US) and PA (wrist-worn ActiGraph accelerometer) assessments. Non-parametric Paired-Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to identify the changes in BMI, moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA), vigorous-intensity PA (VPA), and nutrition. Results: The analyses showed a statistically significant increase in BMI (Mbaseline = 22.85[2.87] kg/m2; Mpost = 23.53[3.21] kg/m2; p = .002, r = .53) and MVPA (Mbaseline = 200.94[81.08]; Mpost = 216.92[78.33]; p = .031, r = .41), but there were no statistically significant changes in VPA or dietary behaviors. Conclusions: Although freshman students' PA and dietary behaviors were relatively healthy, efforts to increase VPA and reduce consumption of added sugars are well warranted.

Third dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine appears to overcome vaccine hyporesponsiveness in patients with cirrhosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Cirrhosis is associated with immune dysregulation and hyporesponsiveness to several vaccines including those against COVID-19. Our aim was to compare outcomes between patients with cirrhosis who received 3 doses of either the Pfizer BNT162b2 mRNA or Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccines to a propensity-matched control group of patients at similar risk of infection who received 2 doses.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with cirrhosis who received 2 or 3 doses of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine at the Veterans Health Administration. Participants who received 3 doses of the vaccine (n = 13,041) were propensity score matched with 13,041 controls who received 2 doses, and studied between July 18, 2021 and February 11, 2022, when B.1.617.2 (delta) and B.1.1.529 (omicron) were the predominant variants. Outcomes were aggregated as all cases with COVID-19, symptomatic COVD-19, with at least moderate COVID-19, or severe or critical COVID-19.

RESULTS

Receipt of the third dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was associated with an 80.7% reduction in COVID-19 (95% CI 39.2-89.1, p <0.001), an 80.4% reduction in symptomatic COVID-19, an 80% reduction in moderate, severe or critical COVID-19, (95% CI 34.5-87.6%, p = 0.005), a 100% reduction in severe or critical COVID-19 (95% CI 99.2-100.0, p = 0.01), and a 100% reduction in COVID-19-related death (95% CI 99.8-100.0, p = 0.007). The magnitude of reduction in COVID-19 was greater with the third dose of BNT 162b2 than mRNA-1273 and among participants with compensated rather than decompensated cirrhosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Administration of a third dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was associated with a more significant reduction in COVID-19 in patients with cirrhosis than in the general population, suggesting that the third dose can overcome vaccine hyporesponsiveness in this population.

LAY SUMMARY

Cirrhosis is associated with decreased responsiveness to several vaccines, including those against COVID-19. In this study of 26,082 participants with cirrhosis during the delta and omicron surge, receipt of the third dose of the vaccine was associated with an 80% reduction in COVID-19, a 100% reduction in severe/critical COVID-19, and a 100% reduction in COVID-19-related death. These findings support the importance of a third dose of mRNA vaccine among patients with cirrhosis.

Pediatric Infection-Induced SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Increases and Seroprevalence by Type of Clinical CareSeptember 2021 to February 2022

BACKGROUND

Trends in estimates of US pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced seroprevalence from commercial laboratory specimens may overrepresent children with frequent health care needs. We examined seroprevalence trends and compared seroprevalence estimates by testing type and diagnostic coding.

METHODS

Cross-sectional convenience samples of residual sera September 2021-February 2022 from 52 US jurisdictions were assayed for infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies; monthly seroprevalence estimates were calculated by age group. Multivariate logistic analyses compared seroprevalence estimates for specimens associated with International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes and laboratory orders indicating well-child care with estimates for other pediatric specimens.

RESULTS

Infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence increased in each age group, from 30 to 68 (14 years), 38 to 77 (511 years), and 40 to 74 (1217 years). On multivariate analysis, patients with well-child ICD-10 codes were seropositive more often than other patients aged 117 years (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.04; 95 confidence interval [CI], 1.021.07); children aged 911 years receiving standard lipid screening were seropositive more often than those receiving other laboratory tests (aPR, 1.05; 95 CI, 1.021.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Infection-induced seroprevalence more than doubled among children younger than 12 years between September 2021 and February 2022, and increased 85 in adolescents. Differences in seroprevalence by care type did not substantially impact US pediatric seroprevalence estimates.

Bioinspired Anti-demineralization Enamel Coating for Orthodontics

White spot lesions and enamel cracks are the 2 most prominent diseases that occur after orthodontic treatment and are caused by enamel demineralization from accumulated bacterial biofilms and/or enamel damage caused by the removal of residual adhesive after bracket debonding. Inspired by the self-assembled amelogenin nanoribbons in enamel, we developed an enamel coating with a self-assembling antimicrobial peptide, D-GL13K, to simultaneously reduce demineralization and residual adhesive. The self-assembled amphiphilic nanoribbons significantly increased the hydrophobicity of the etched enamel, which reduced the permeability of the coated enamel surfaces as desired. The antimicrobial activity of this coating was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans by colony-forming unit counting and live/dead assays. The anti-demineralization effect was demonstrated by the reduced demineralization depth analyzed by optical coherence tomography and the increased Vickers hardness. The coatings did not reduce the shear bond strength but significantly reduced the adhesive remnant index score. This bioinspired enamel coating may provide a new strategy for preventing white spot lesions and enamel cracks after orthodontic treatment.

[Role of brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 in the rat periodontitis-induced liver injury model]

Objective: Brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) is a core component of hepatocyte molecular clock and plays an important role in the regulation of other related rhythmic genes in the body through a transcriptional-translational feedback loop in molecular circadian oscillations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of BMAL1 in the rat periodontitis-induced liver injury. Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats were divided into the control group and the periodontitis group according to the random number table method. The rats in the control group were untreated. The periodontitis models were established by ligating the necks of the bilateral maxillary first molars in the periodontitis group rats. After 8 weeks, periodontal clinical indexes of rats in both groups were examined and executed. Micro-CT scans of the maxilla were performed and levels of the alveolar bone resorption were analyzed. Pathological changes in periodontal and liver tissue of rats in two groups were detected by HE and oil red O staining. Biochemical kits were used to detect glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) in serum. The gene and protein expression levels of BMAL1, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in liver tissue were measured by real time fluorescent quantitative-PCR (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB) assays. Apoptosis was detected in liver tissues by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) kit staining. Results: The results of HE staining of maxillary first molars and micro-CT results of maxillary bones showed that alveolar bone resorption was significant in the periodontitis group of rats. The liver histopathology results showed infiltrated inflammatory cells in the liver tissue, disorganized liver cords and a large number of lipid droplets formed in the hepatocytes of the periodontitis group compared with the control group. The results of serum biochemical assay showed that the levels of GOT [(62.77±2.59) U/L], GPT [(47.54±1.04) U/L], TC [(3.19±0.23) mmol/L] and TG [(1.11±0.09) mmol/L] in the serum of rats with periodontitis were significantly higher than that in the control group respectively [GOT: (38.66±2.47) U/L, GPT: (31.48±1.57) U/L, TC: (1.60±0.05) mmol/L and TG: (0.61±0.09) mmol/L](P=0.003, P=0.001, P=0.002, P=0.038). qRT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression level of BMAL1 was significantly decreased in liver tissue of the periodontitis group [(0.60±0.04)%] compared to the control group [(1.01±0.07)%] (t=4.80, P=0.009), while the mRNA expression levels of NF-κB and TNF-α [(1.62±0.12)%, (2.69±0.16)%] were significantly increased compared to the control group [(1.00±0.03)%, (1.03±0.16)%] (P=0.008, P=0.002); IHC results showed that the protein expression level of BMAL1 in liver tissue of the periodontitis group (averaged optical density, AOD) (11.58±2.15) was down-regulated compared to the control group (AOD) (22.66±1.67) (P=0.015), while NF-κB and TNF-α (AOD) (31.77±2.69, 24.31±2.32) were up-regulated compared to the control group (AOD) (19.40±1.82, 11.92±0.94) (P=0.019, P=0.008). WB results showed that the protein expression level of BMAL1 in liver tissue was down-regulated in the periodontitis group [(0.63±0.10)%] compared to the control group [(1.00±0.06)%] (t=3.19, P=0.033), while NF-κB and TNF-α [(1.61±0.12)%, (2.82±0.23)%] were up-regulated compared to the control group [(1.00±0.12)%, (1.00±0.11)%] (P=0.022, P=0.002). TUNEL staining showed increased apoptotic cells in the liver tissue of the periodontitis group of rats compared to the control group. Conclusions: Periodontitis may induce liver injury by down-regulating the BMAL1 expression levels in liver tissue, which in turn activates NF-κB signaling molecules, leading to the elevated levels of inflammation and apoptosis in rat liver.

[Epidemic trend and control progress of taeniasis and cysticercosis in Henan Province]

Henan Province is one of the provinces where taeniasis and cysticercosis were historically highly prevalent, and Taenia solium is the dominant species of tapeworm. Following the concerted efforts since 1970s, the prevalence of human taeniasis and cysticercosis has been maintained at a low level in Henan Province, which facilitates the national taeniasis and cysticercosis elimination program in China. Following the implementation of the policy of aeniasis and cysticercosis elimination and classified guidance, a great success has been achieved in aeniasis and cysticercosis control in Henan Province. With continuous promotion of the opening-up policy and the Belt and Road Initiative, there are still challenges in taeniasis and cysticercosis control. This review summarizes the control progress of taeniasis and cysticercosis and proposes the challenges of taeniasis and cysticercosis control in Henan Province.