[The clinical features, survival analysis, and geriatric assessment of 85 patients with follicular lymphoma: a single-center study].

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of 85 newly diagnosed patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), as well as the prognostic value of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in patients with FL aged ≥ 60 years old. Methods: The clinical data and prognosis of 85 newly diagnosed FL patients admitted from August 2011 to June 2022 were collected. The clinical features, laboratory indicators, therapeutic efficacy, survival and prognostic factors of patients were statistically analyzed, and the prognosis of patients was stratified using various geriatric assessment tools. Results: ① The patients with FL were mostly middle-aged and older, with a median age of 59 (20-87) years, including 41 patients (48.2%) aged ≥60 years. The ratio of male to female was 1∶1.36. Overall, 77.6% of the patients were diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, and 17 cases (20.0%) were accompanied by B symptoms. Bone marrow involvement was the most common (34.1%). ②Overall, 71 patients received immunochemotherapy. The overall response rate was 86.6%, and the complete recovery rate was 47.1% of 68 evaluated patients. Disease progression or relapse in the first 2 years was observed in 23.9% of the patient. Overall, 14.1% of the patients died during follow-up. ③Of the 56 patients receiving R-CHOP-like therapies, the 3-year and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 85.2% and 72.8%, respectively, and the 3-year and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 95.9% and 88.8%, respectively. The univariate analysis showed that age ≥60 years old (HR=3.430, 95% CI 1.256-9.371, P=0.016), B symptoms (HR=5.030, 95% CI 1.903-13.294, P=0.016), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) <45.25 (HR=3.478, 95% CI 1.299-9.310, P=0.013), Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) high-risk (HR=2.918, 95% CI 1.074-7.928, P=0.036), and PRIMA-prognostic index (PRIMA-PI) high-risk (HR=2.745, 95% CI 1.057-7.129, P=0.038) significantly predicted PFS. Moreover, age ≥60 years old and B symptoms were independent risk factors for PFS. Progression of disease within 24 months (POD24) significantly predicted OS in the univariate analysis. Conclusions: FL is more common among middle-aged and older women. Age, B symptoms, PNI score, FLIPI high-risk, PRIMA-PI high-risk, and POD24 influenced PFS and OS. The CGA can be used for treatment selection and risk prognostication in older patients with FL.

[An analysis on clinical characteristics and prognosis-related risk factors in patients with drug-induced liver injury].

Objective: To explore the drugs and clinical characteristics causing drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in recent years, as well as identify drug-induced liver failure, and chronic DILI risk factors, in order to better manage them timely. Methods: A retrospective investigation and analysis was conducted on 224 cases diagnosed with DILI and followed up for at least six months between January 2018 and December 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for drug-induced liver failure and chronic DILI. Results: Traditional Chinese medicine (accounting for 62.5%), herbal medicine (accounting for 84.3% of traditional Chinese medicine), and some Chinese patent medicines were the main causes of DILI found in this study. Severe and chronic DILI was associated with cholestatic type. Preexisting gallbladder disease, initial total bilirubin, initial prothrombin time, and initial antinuclear antibody titer were independent risk factors for DILI. Prolonged time interval between alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) falling from the peak to half of the peak (T(0.5ALP) and T(0.5ALT)) was an independent risk factor for chronic DILI [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.787, 95%CI: 0.697~0.878, P < 0.001], with cutoff values of 12.5d and 9.5d, respectively. Conclusion: Traditional Chinese medicine is the main contributing cause of DILI. The occurrence risk of severe DILI is related to preexisting gallbladder disease, initial total bilirubin, prothrombin time, and antinuclear antibodies. T(0.5ALP) and T(0.5ALT) can be used as indicators to predict chronic DILI.

Sex identification of ducklings based on acoustic signals.

Sex identification of ducklings is a critical step in the poultry farming industry, and accurate sex identification is beneficial for precise breeding and cost savings. In this study, a method for identifying the sex of ducklings based on acoustic signals was proposed. In the first step, duckling vocalizations were collected and an improved spectral subtraction method and high-pass filtering were applied to reduce the influence of noise. Then, duckling vocalizations were automatically detected by using a double-threshold endpoint detection method with 3 parameters: short-time energy (STE), short-time zero-crossing rate (ZCR), and duration (D). Following the extraction of Mel-Spectrogram features from duckling vocalizations, an improved Res2Net deep learning algorithm was used for sex classification. This algorithm was introduced with the Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) attention mechanism and Ghost module to improve the bottleneck of Res2Net, thereby improving the model accuracy and reducing the number of parameters. The ablative experimental results showed that the introduction of the SE attention mechanism improved the model accuracy by 2.01%, while the Ghost module reduced the number of model parameters by 7.26M and the FLOPs by 0.85G. Moreover, this algorithm was compared with 5 state-of-the-art (SOTA) algorithms, and the results showed that the proposed algorithm has the best cost-effectiveness, with accuracy, recall, specificity, number of parameters, and FLOPs of 94.80, 94.92, 94.69, 18.91M, and 3.46G, respectively. After that, the vocalization detection score and the average confidence strategy were used to predict the sex of individual ducklings, and the accuracy of the proposed model reached 96.67%. In conclusion, the method proposed in this study can effectively detect the sex of ducklings and serve as a reference for automated sex identification of ducklings.

The efficacy and safety of venetoclax combined with demethylating agents in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in elderly with acute myeloid leukemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive literature search identified related studies from PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Overall complete remission (CR) and overall response rate (ORR) were applied to evaluate the efficacy of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in elderly with acute myeloid leukemia, and incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events were used to evaluate the safety. RESULTS: 10 studies, including a total of 930 patients, were identified in our study and analyzed using the random-effects model. Meta-analysis showed the pooled overall CR rate of 70% (95% CI: 63-77%), the pooled ORR rate of 53% (95% CI: 39-67%), and the median overall survival ranged from 7.7 to 16.9 months. A total of 6 studies reported related adverse events, mainly including thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, and pneumonia. The pooled incidence of overall adverse events was 30% (95% CI: 22-38%), and all adverse events were tolerable and resolved with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of venetoclax and demethylating drugs has a good therapeutic effect on elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia, but it also induces some adverse events. Although this therapy has a small impact on the quality of life, further attention is still needed to reduce the occurrence of such adverse events.

[Short-term outcomes of the TRIANGLE operation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer].

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of the TRIANGLE operation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer(LAPC). Methods: This study is a retrospective case series analysis. Between January 2020 and December 2022, a total of 103 patients were diagnosed as LAPC who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Among them, 26 patients (25.2%) underwent the TRIANGLE operation. There were 15 males and 11 females,with a age of (59±7) years (range: 49 to 74 years). The pre-treatment serum CA19-9(M(IQR)) was 248.8(391.6)U/ml (range: 0 to 1 428 U/ml),and the serum carcinoembryonic antigen was 4.1(3.8)µg/L(range: 1.4 to 13.4 µg/L). The neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens included: mFOLFIRINOX regimen in 6 cases(23.1%), GnP regimen in 14 cases(53.8%), and mFOLFIRINOX+GnP regimen in 6 cases(23.1%). The follow-up duration extended until June 2023 or until the occurrence of the patient's death or loss to follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to estimate the 1-year and 3-year overall survival rates. Results: After neoadjuvant chemotherapy,CA19-9 levels decreased by 92.3(40.1)%(range:2.1% to 97.7%). Evaluation of the response to treatment revealed 13 cases(50.0%) of stable disease,11 cases(42.3%) of partial response,and 2 cases(7.7%) of complete response. The surgical operation consisted of 12 cases(46.2%) of pancreaticoduodenectomy,12 cases(46.2%) of distal pancreatectomy,and 2 cases(7.7%) of total pancreatectomy. Margin determination was based on the "standardised pathology protocol" and the "1 mm" principle. No R2 and R1(direct) resections were observed,while the R0 resection rate was 61.5%(16/26), and the R1(1 mm) resection rate was 38.5%(10/26).The R1(1 mm) resection rates for the anterior margin,posterior margin,transected margin,portal vein groove margin,and uncinate margin were 23.1%(6/26),19.2%(5/26),12.5%(3/24),2/14, and 1/12, respectively. The overall postoperative complication rate was 57.8%(15/26),with major complications including grade B/C pancreatic fistula 25.0%(6/24,excluding 2 cases of total pancreatectomy),delayed gastric emptying in 23.1%(6/26),wound complications 11.5%(3/26),postoperative hemorrhage 7.7%(2/26), chylous fistula 7.7%(2/26) and bile fistula 3.8%(1/26). No reoperation was performed during the perioperative period(<90 days). One patient died on the 32nd day postoperatively due to a ruptured pseudoaneurysm. A total of 25 patients were followed up,with a follow-up time of 21(24)months(range: 8 to 42 months). During the follow-up period,8 cases(32.0%) died due to tumor recurrence and metastasis,while 17 patients(68.0%) remained alive,including 11 cases of disease-free survival,5 cases of distant metastasis,and 1 case of local recurrence. The overall survival rates at 1- and 3-year after the initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were 95.8% and 58.9%, respectively. The overall survival rates at 1- and 3-year after surgery were 77.7% and 57.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Performing pancreatoduodenectomy according to the Heidelberg triangle protocol in LAPC patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy might increase the R0 resection rate without increasing perioperative mortality or the incidence of major postoperative complications.

Correlation between serum galanin and neuron-specific enolase levels with EEG abnormalities in pediatric convulsive status epilepticus and the efficacy of triple drug therapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between serum galanin (GAL) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels in children with convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) and their relationship with abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns. Additionally, the study assessed the effectiveness of a combination therapy involving midazolam, diazepam, and phenobarbital in treating CSE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research involved 100 children diagnosed with CSE and included a control group of 50 healthy children. Serum GAL and NSE levels were measured, and EEGs were analyzed for abnormalities in the CSE group. Comparisons were made between the healthy control group and the CSE group, particularly within the first 24 hours after persistent seizures. The severity of EEG abnormalities was correlated with GAL and NSE levels. The treatment consisted of an observation group that received the triple therapy of midazolam, diazepam, and phenobarbital, while a control group received diazepam and phenobarbital. Clinical efficacy, symptom improvement, Status Epilepticus Severity Score (STESS), and adverse reactions were evaluated. RESULTS: The results indicated elevated levels of GAL and NSE in the CSE group, with higher levels noted within 24 hours after persistent seizures. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the severity of EEG abnormalities and GAL and NSE levels. The group receiving the triple therapy demonstrated superior efficacy, faster resolution of seizures and fever, reduced STESS scores, and fewer adverse reactions than the control group. In conclusion, this study highlights the positive correlation between serum GAL and NSE levels and the severity of EEG abnormalities in pediatric CSE. The triple therapy approach is effective in treating CSE, leading to improved clinical symptoms, reduced brain damage, and enhanced safety. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that serum GAL and NSE levels in children with convulsive status epilepticus are positively correlated with the degree of EEG abnormalities. The combination therapy involving midazolam, diazepam, and phenobarbital is effective in treating children with convulsive status epilepticus, significantly improving clinical symptoms, reducing brain damage, and ensuring safety.

Effect of COVID-19 infection on pregnant women in plateau regions.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to explore the effect of COVID-19 infection on pregnant women in plateau regions. STUDY DESIGN: Data from 381 pregnant women infected with COVID-19 who underwent prenatal examination or treatment at Women and Children's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region between January 2020 and December 2022 and 314 pregnant women not infected with COVID-19 were retrospectively collected. METHODS: The study participants were divided into an infected and non-infected group according to whether they were infected with COVID-19. Basic information (ethnicity, age, body mass index and gestational age [GA]), vaccination status, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and delivery outcomes were compared. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the influencing factors of ICU admission. RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences in the GA, vaccination rate, blood pressure, partial pressure of oxygen, white blood cell (WBC) count, ICU admission rate, preeclampsia rate, forearm presentation rate, thrombocytopenia rate, syphilis infection rate and placental abruption rate between the two groups (P < 0.05). A univariate analysis showed that COVID-19 infection, hepatitis B virus infection, the WBC count and hypoproteinaemia were risk factors for ICU admission. The results of the multivariate analysis of the ICU admission of pregnant women showed that COVID-19 infection (odds ratio [OR] = 4.271, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 3.572-5.820, P < 0.05) was a risk factor for ICU admission and the WBC count (OR = 0.935, 95 % CI: 0.874-0.947, P < 0.05) was a protective factor for ICU admission. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women are vulnerable to the adverse consequences of COVID-19 infection, and public health measures such as vaccination are needed to protect this population subgroup.

A Drug Repurposing Approach Reveals Targetable Epigenetic Pathways in Plasmodium vivax Hypnozoites.

Radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria must include elimination of quiescent 'hypnozoite' forms in the liver; however, the only FDA-approved treatments are contraindicated in many vulnerable populations. To identify new drugs and drug targets for hypnozoites, we screened the Repurposing, Focused Rescue, and Accelerated Medchem (ReFRAME) library and a collection of epigenetic inhibitors against P. vivax liver stages. From both libraries, we identified inhibitors targeting epigenetics pathways as selectively active against P. vivax and P. cynomolgi hypnozoites. These include DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors as well as several inhibitors targeting histone post-translational modifications. Immunofluorescence staining of Plasmodium liver forms showed strong nuclear 5-methylcystosine signal, indicating liver stage parasite DNA is methylated. Using bisulfite sequencing, we mapped genomic DNA methylation in sporozoites, revealing DNA methylation signals in most coding genes. We also demonstrated that methylation level in proximal promoter regions as well as in the first exon of the genes may affect, at least partially, gene expression in P. vivax. The importance of selective inhibitors targeting epigenetic features on hypnozoites was validated using MMV019721, an acetyl-CoA synthetase inhibitor that affects histone acetylation and was previously reported as active against P. falciparum blood stages. In summary, our data indicate that several epigenetic mechanisms are likely modulating hypnozoite formation or persistence and provide an avenue for the discovery and development of improved radical cure antimalarials.

Active screening for tuberculosis among high-risk populations in high-burden areas in Zhejiang province, China.

OBJECTIVES: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global public health concern. Although the incidence of TB in China is declining, the country continues to face many challenges regarding TB control. This study aimed to develop an active case finding (ACF) strategy for high-risk populations in areas with high TB burden and evaluate the effectiveness of the ACF strategy for early TB detection in patients to reduce TB transmission. STUDY DESIGN: This was a descriptive study. METHODS: From May to October 2019, active TB screening was conducted in Zhejiang Province, China. Overall, 24 high-burden townships were chosen as study sites. Residents aged ≥65 years, suffering from diabetes, diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, or with a history of TB were mobilized for screening. Chest radiography was performed for all participants in the community. Sputum specimens were collected for sputum smear tests and cultures at county-level TB-designed hospitals. A professional medical team performed the final diagnoses. RESULTS: Overall, 130,643 residents were included, accounting for 8.85% of the total population in the selected areas. After screening, 89 confirmed cases and 419 suspected cases were identified. The detection rates for suspected and confirmed cases were 320.72/100,000 and 68.12/100,000, respectively. Individuals with a history of TB accounted for a large proportion of detected cases, and the detection rate was higher among males than in females. This study identified 10.5% of reported cases in the selected areas in 2019. In Zhejiang province, compared with the previous year, the rates of TB notification in 2019 and 2020 declined by 7.0% and 7.4%, respectively, compared with the previous year. However, the TB notification rate in 2019 was almost the same as that in 2018 (a decline of 2.5%) but sharply declined in 2020 (14.4%) in the screened areas. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the ACF strategy may have helped to maintain the downward trends in TB notification rates by detecting patients with TB and suspected cases in the short term.

[Spatial distribution characteristics of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody, and to examine the correlation between the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020, so as to provide insights into advanced schistosomiais control in the province. METHODS: The epidemiological data of schistosomiasis in Hunan Province in 2020 were collected, including number of permanent residents in survey villages, number of advanced schistosomiasis patients, number of residents receiving serological tests and number of residents seropositive for anti-Schistosoma antibody, and the prevalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody were descriptively analyzed. Village-based spatial distribution characteristics of prevalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody were identified in Hunan Province in 2020, and the correlation between the revalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody was examined using Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis was 0 to 2.72% and the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody was 0 to 20.25% in 1 153 schistosomiasis-endemic villages in Hunan Province in 2020. Spatial clusters were identified in both the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis (global Moran's I = 0.416, P < 0.01) and the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody (global Moran's I = 0.711, P < 0.01) in Hunan Province. Local spatial autocorrelation analysis identified 98 schistosomiasis-endemic villages with high-high clusters of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis, 134 endemic villages with high-high clusters of the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody and 36 endemic villages with high-high clusters of both the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province. In addition, spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody (rs = 0.235, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There were spatial clusters of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020, which were predominantly located in areas neighboring the Dongting Lake. These clusters should be given a high priority in the schistosomiasis control programs.

Risk factors for inguinal hernia repair among US adults.

PURPOSE: To investigate demographic, clinical, and behavioral risk factors for undergoing inguinal hernia repair within a large and ethnically diverse cohort. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case-control study from 2007 to 2020 on 302,532 US individuals from a large, integrated healthcare delivery system with electronic health records, who participated in a survey of determinants of health. Participants without diagnosis or procedure record of an inguinal hernia at enrollment were included. We then assessed whether demographic (age, sex, race/ethnicity), clinical, and behavioral factors (obesity status, alcohol use, cigarette smoking and physical activity) were predictors of undergoing inguinal hernia repair using survival analyses. Risk factors showing statistical significance (P < 0.05) in the univariate models were added to a multivariate model. RESULTS: We identified 7314 patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair over the study period, with a higher incidence in men (6.31%) compared to women (0.53%). In a multivariate model, a higher incidence of inguinal hernia repair was associated with non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, older age, male sex (aHR = 13.55 [95% confidence interval 12.70-14.50]), and more vigorous physical activity (aHR = 1.24 [0.045]), and alcohol drinker status (aHR = 1.05 [1.00-1.11]); while African-American (aHR = 0.69 [0.59-0.79]), Hispanic/Latino (aHR = 0.84 [0.75-0.91]), and Asian (aHR = 0.35 [0.31-0.39]) race/ethnicity, obesity (aHR = 0.33 [0.31-0.36]) and overweight (aHR = 0.71 [0.67-0.75]) were associated with a lower incidence. The use of cigarette was significantly associated with a higher incidence of inguinal hernia repair in women (aHR 1.23 [1.09-1.40]), but not in men (aHR 0.96 [0.91-1.02]). CONCLUSION: Inguinal hernia repair is positively associated with non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, older age, male sex, increased physical activity, alcohol consumption and tobacco use (only in women); while negatively associated with obesity and overweight status. Findings from this large and ethnically diverse study may support future prediction tools to identify patients at high risk of this surgery.

Hidden magnetism uncovered in a charge ordered bilayer kagome material ScV6Sn6.

Charge ordered kagome lattices have been demonstrated to be intriguing platforms for studying the intertwining of topology, correlation, and magnetism. The recently discovered charge ordered kagome material ScV6Sn6 does not feature a magnetic groundstate or excitations, thus it is often regarded as a conventional paramagnet. Here, using advanced muon-spin rotation spectroscopy, we uncover an unexpected hidden magnetism of the charge order. We observe an enhancement of the internal field width sensed by the muon ensemble, which takes place within the charge ordered state. More importantly, the muon spin relaxation rate below the charge ordering temperature is substantially enhanced by applying an external magnetic field. Taken together with the hidden magnetism found in AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) and FeGe kagome systems, our results suggest ubiqitous time-reversal symmetry-breaking in charge ordered kagome lattices.

[The mechanism by which hsa_circRNA_103124 highly expressed in peripheral blood of patients with active Crohn's disease regulates macrophage differentiation, pyroptosis and inflammation].

Objective: To investigate the role and related mechanism of the highly expressed circular RNA molecule 103124 (hsa_circRNA_103124) in macrophage differentiation, pyroptosis and inflammation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: Patients with active CD (CD group) admitted to the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from April to September 2018 and healthy people (control group) from the physical examination center of the hospital from July to October 2018 were retrospectively selected. The levels of hsa_circRNA_103124 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in PBMC of the two groups were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Tohoku hospital pediatrics-1 (THP1) cell line was used as a model for the study of hsa_circRNA_103124 regulating macrophage differentiation. Lentivirus infection was used to construct hsa_circRNA_103124 overexpressed or down-regulated THP1 cells to induce macrophage-like differentiation. According to the expression level of hsa_circRNA_103124, THP1 cell lines were divided into the following four groups: pLC5-ciR was overexpression control group; hsa_circRNA_103124 OE was the overexpression group; ShRNActrl was down-regulated expression control group; hsa_circRNA_103124 ShRNA was the down-regulated expression group. Flow cytometry was used to detect levels cluster of differentiation (CD) 68, CD80, interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The expression levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, TLR4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) were detected by RT-qPCR. The levels of gasdermin D (GSDMD), IL-18 and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) were determined by immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the abundance of hsa_circRNA_103124 and TLR4 expression level or Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI). Results: A total of 50 patients were included in the CD group, including 36 males and 14 females, aged (35±10) (19-64) years. A total of 30 subjects were included in the control group, including 22 males and 8 females, aged (38±9) (24-64) years. hsa_circRNA_103124 [(0.009±0.016) vs (0.003±0.002), P=0.042] and TLR4 [(0.005±0.003) vs (0.001±0.001), P<0.001] were all upregulated in the PBMC of patients in the CD group, compared with the control group. And hsa_circRNA_103124 was positively correlated with TLR4 (r=0.40, P=0.004). hsa_circRNA_103124 level was positively correlated with CDAI (r=0.32, P=0.024). The expression of CD68 (P=0.002) and CD80 (P<0.001) were enhanced. hsa_circRNA_103124 promoted production of ROS and the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, TLR4, MyD88, GSDMD, IL-18 and NLRP3 in macrophage-like M1 differentiated THP1 cells (all P<0.05). Conclusion: High expresion of hsa_circRNA_103124 in PBMC of patients with active CD may promote macrophage M1 differentiation, pyroptosis and inflammation through enhancing the expression of TLR4, MyD88, NLRP3 and GSDMD.

[Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of sepsis development and death in patients with extremely severe burns].

Objective: To explore the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of sepsis development and death in patients with extremely severe burns. Methods: A retrospective case series study was conducted. From January 2017 to December 2021, 135 patients with extremely severe burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Burn and Wound Repair of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, including 100 males and 35 females, aged 18-84 years. The incidence and diagnosis time of sepsis, the rate of positive microbial culture of blood samples (hereinafter referred to as positive blood culture), and the mortality rate of all patients, as well as the incidence of sepsis and the pathogen of infection in patients with positive blood culture were recorded (statistically analyzed with chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability test). According to the occurrence of sepsis, all patients were divided into sepsis group (58 cases) and non-sepsis group (77 cases), and the gender, age, body mass index, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, combination of inhalation injury, burn site, burn type, total burn area, and combined injury of patients were compared between the two groups. According to the outcome, all patients were divided into death group (37 cases) and survival group (98 cases), and the aforementioned data grouped according to sepsis as well as the stability of shock period and the combination of sepsis of patients were compared between the two groups. The aforementioned data between two groups were statistically analyzed with univariate analysis of independent sample t test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, or Fisher's exact probability test. Factors with P<0.1 were selected for multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen independent risk factors of sepsis and death in patients with extremely severe burns. Results: Among all patients, the incidence of sepsis was 42.96% (58/135), the diagnosis time of sepsis was 14 (7, 24) d after injury, the positive blood culture rate was 62.22% (84/135), and the mortality rate was 27.41% (37/135). The incidence of sepsis of patients with positive blood culture was 69.05% (58/84). The top 5 pathogenic bacteria in the detection rate of septic patients with positive blood culture were Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterobacter cloacae, ranking from high to low, and the proportion of Acinetobacter baumannii infected was significantly higher than that of non-septic patients with positive blood culture (χ2=7.49, P<0.05). Compared with those in non-sepsis group, the proportion of combination of inhalation injury, the proportion of perineal burns, and the total burn area of patients in sepsis group increased significantly (with χ2 values of 11.08 and 17.47, respectively, Z=5.68, P<0.05), while the other indicators did not change significantly (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that combination of inhalation injury, total burn area ≥80% total body surface area (TBSA), and perineal burns were independent risk factors for patients with extremely severe burns developing sepsis (with odds ratios of 3.15, 7.24, and 3.24, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals of 1.07 to 9.29, 1.79 to 29.34, and 1.21 to 8.68, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with those in survival group, the proportion of combination of inhalation injury, the proportion of perineal burns, and the proportion of combination of sepsis (with χ2 values of 6.55, 11.64, and 22.26, respectively, P values all <0.05), total burn area (Z=4.25, P<0.05), and proportion of instability of shock period (P<0.05) of patients in death group all increased significantly, while the other indicators did not change significantly (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the instability of shock period and combination of sepsis were independent risk factors for death of patients with extremely severe burns (with odds ratios of 4.87 and 3.45, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals of 1.21 to 19.57 and 1.28 to 9.33, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: Patients with extremely severe burns have a high incidence of sepsis and a high mortality rate. The peak period of sepsis onset is 2 weeks after injury, with Acinetobacter baumannii as the most prominent infectious pathogen. Combination of inhalation injury, total burn area ≥80% TBSA, and perineal burns are independent risk factors for extremely severe burn patients complicated with sepsis, and combination of sepsis and instability of shock period are independent risk factors for death of patients with extremely severe burns.

[Analysis of the common respiratory viruses in children with acute respiratory infection in a hospital in Lanzhou City from 2021 to 2022].

To explore the situation of 8 common respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infection (ARI) from 2021 to 2022.The retrospective study selected 8 710 ARI patients from September 2021 to August 2022 in the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Gansu Province as the study object, patients aged 0 to 17 years old, including 5 048 male children and 3 662 female children. Indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect 8 common respiratory pathogens, including influenza virus A (FluA), influenza virus B (FluB), parainfluenza virus (PIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP), and Coxsackie virus group B (CoxB) IgM antibodies. χ2 test was used to analyze the results. The results showed that 1 497 of 8 710 children with ARI were positive, with a positive rate of 17.19%. The detection rate of MP among 8 common respiratory pathogens was 11.34%, accounting for 66.0%, followed by FluB, CoxB, PIV, RSV, ADV, FluA and CP, accounting for 13.83%, 9.55%, 6.01%, 2.61%, 1.47%, 0.40% and 0.13%, respectively. Respiratory tract viruses (FluA, FluB, RSV, ADV, PIV, CoxB) accounted for 33.86%.There were significant differences in the detection rates of PIV, ADV and MP among children of different genders (χ2=6.814, 5.154 and 17.784, P<0.05). The detection rate of school-age children (6-17 years old) was the highest, accounting for 33.27% (184/553). The detection rates of 8 common respiratory pathogens in patients with ARI were higher in spring and winter and lower in summer and autumn. To sum up, from 2021 to 2022, MP and FluB infection were dominant in ARI patients in our hospital. The peak period of 8 common respiratory pathogens was in spring and winter. The physical examination rate of 8 common respiratory pathogens in ARI patients aged 6-17 years old was the highest.

Signature of spin-phonon coupling driven charge density wave in a kagome magnet.

The intertwining between spin, charge, and lattice degrees of freedom can give rise to unusual macroscopic quantum states, including high-temperature superconductivity and quantum anomalous Hall effects. Recently, a charge density wave (CDW) has been observed in the kagome antiferromagnet FeGe, indicative of possible intertwining physics. An outstanding question is that whether magnetic correlation is fundamental for the spontaneous spatial symmetry breaking orders. Here, utilizing elastic and high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering, we observe a c-axis superlattice vector that coexists with the 2[Formula: see text]2[Formula: see text]1 CDW vectors in the kagome plane. Most interestingly, between the magnetic and CDW transition temperatures, the phonon dynamical structure factor shows a giant phonon-energy hardening and a substantial phonon linewidth broadening near the c-axis wavevectors, both signaling the spin-phonon coupling. By first principles and model calculations, we show that both the static spin polarization and dynamic spin excitations intertwine with the phonon to drive the spatial symmetry breaking in FeGe.

[Research progress on pollen food allergy syndrome].

Pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS) is an IgE-mediated allergic reaction that occurs when some pollinosis patients ingest certain plant-derived food that contains cross-reactive allergenic components. PFAS is prevalent in both children and adult pollinosis patients. In most cases, PFAS symptoms are confined to the oropharynx and occur within several minutes after oral contact with food. Therefore, PFAS has been also referred as oral allergy syndrome (OAS). A small proportion of PFAS patients would experience systemic symptoms or anaphylaxis. Currently, the diagnosis of PFAS is mainly based on clinical history and allergic tests [skin prick tests and(or) serum specific IgE tests]. Oral provocation tests are used to verify atypical patients. Component-resolved diagnosis is essential for further precise diagnosis and treatment. Management options for PFAS include lifestyle adjustment, symptomatic medication, and immunotherapy. The efficacy and appropriate population for immunotherapy need further investigation. This article aims to update the knowledge on epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical management of PFAS, thereby enhancing clinicians' understanding as well as treatment progress of this disease entity.