Green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide by using tropical microalgae and its application in biophotovoltaic devices.

The successful commercialization of algal biophotovoltaics (BPV) technology hinges upon a multifaceted approach, encompassing factors such as the development of a cost-efficient and highly conductive anode material. To address this issue, we developed an environmentally benign method of producing reduced graphene oxide (rGO), using concentrated Chlorella sp. UMACC 313 suspensions as the reducing agent. The produced rGO was subsequently coated on the carbon paper (rGO-CP) and used as the BPV device's anode. As a result, maximum power density was increased by 950% for Chlorella sp. UMACC 258 (0.210 mW m-2) and 781% for Synechococcus sp. UMACC 371 (0.555 mW m-2) compared to bare CP. The improved microalgae adhesion to the anode and improved electrical conductivity of rGO brought on by the effective removal of oxygen functional groups may be the causes of this. This study has demonstrated how microalgal-reduced GO may improve the efficiency of algal BPV for producing bioelectricity.

Single image super-resolution with denoising diffusion GANS.

Single image super-resolution (SISR) refers to the reconstruction from the corresponding low-resolution (LR) image input to a high-resolution (HR) image. However, since a single low-resolution image corresponds to multiple high-resolution images, this is an ill-posed problem. In recent years, generative model-based SISR methods have outperformed conventional SISR methods in performance. However, the SISR methods based on GAN, VAE, and Flow have the problems of unstable training, low sampling quality, and expensive computational cost. These models also struggle to achieve the trifecta of diverse, high-quality, and fast sampling. In particular, denoising diffusion probabilistic models have shown impressive variety and high quality of samples, but their expensive sampling cost prevents them from being well applied in the real world. In this paper, we investigate the fundamental reason for the slow sampling speed of the SISR method based on the diffusion model lies in the Gaussian assumption used in the previous diffusion model, which is only applicable for small step sizes. We propose a new Single Image Super-Resolution with Denoising Diffusion GANS (SRDDGAN) to achieve large-step denoising, sample diversity, and training stability. Our approach combines denoising diffusion models with GANs to generate images conditionally, using a multimodal conditional GAN to model each denoising step. SRDDGAN outperforms existing diffusion model-based methods regarding PSNR and perceptual quality metrics, while the added latent variable Z solution explores the diversity of likely HR spatial domain. Notably, the SRDDGAN model infers nearly 11 times faster than diffusion-based SR3, making it a more practical solution for real-world applications.

FIB-4 index is associated with mortality in critically ill patients with alcohol use disorder: Analysis from the MIMIC-IV database.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the predictive ability of FIB-4 for all-cause mortality in critically ill AUD patients and the association between them. METHODS: A total of 2528 AUD patients were included using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. FIB-4 was calculated for each patient using the existing formula. The patients were equally divided into four groups based on the quartiles of FIB-4. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard model were used to evaluate the association of FIB-4 with in-hospital mortality, 28-day mortality and 1-year mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to analyse the incidence of 28-day mortality among four groups. RESULTS: FIB-4 was positively associated with 28-day mortality of AUD patients with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.354 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.192-1.538]. There were similar trends in the in-hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR): 1.440, 95% CI (1.239-1.674)] and 1-year mortality [HR: 1.325, 95% CI (1.178-1.490)]. CONCLUSION: Increased FIB-4 is associated with greater in-hospital mortality, 28-day mortality and 1-year mortality in critically ill AUD patients.

Simvastatin ameliorates synaptic plasticity impairment in chronic mild stress-induced depressed mice by modulating hippocampal NMDA receptor.

BACKGROUND: In our previous study, we showed simvastatin exerts an antidepressant effect and inhibits neuroinflammation. Given the role of synaptic impairment in depression development, we investigate the effect of simvastatin on synaptic plasticity in depression and the related mechanisms. METHODS: Electrophysiological analysis, Golgi staining, and transmission electron microscope were performed to analyze the effect of simvastatin on synaptic impairment in depression. In addition, the localization and reactivity of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunits and the downstream signaling were investigated to explore the mechanism of simvastatin's effect on synaptic plasticity. RESULTS: Simvastatin ameliorated the reduction of the magnitude of long-term potentiation (LTP) in Schaffer collateral-CA1, restored hippocampal dendritic spine density loss, improved the number of spine synapses, reversed the reduction in BrdU-positive cells in chronic mild stress (CMS)-induced depressed mice, and ameliorated NMDA-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal neurons. Dysfunction of NMDAR activity in the hippocampus is associated with depression. Simvastatin treatment reversed the surface expression and phosphorylation changes of NMDAR subunits in NMDA-treated hippocampal neurons and depressed mice. In addition, simvastatin further increased the levels of mature BDNF, activating TrkB-Akt-mTOR signaling, which is critical for synaptic plasticity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that simvastatin can improve the dysfunction of NMDAR and ameliorate hippocampal synaptic plasticity impairment in depressed mice.

Sensitivity of genotypically diverse rice varieties to radiation and the related changes to antioxidant enzyme activities.

PURPOSE: Radiation mutagenesis, which typically involves gamma rays, is important for generating new rice germplasm resources. Determining the appropriate radiation dose range is critical for the success of radiation mutagenesis. Clarifying the sensitivity and tolerance of genotypically diverse rice varieties to gamma irradiation as well as the radiation-induced changes to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and antioxidant enzyme activities is crucial for increasing the utility of radiation mutagenesis in rice breeding programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The seeds of the following four rice varieties with different genotypes were used as test materials: indica Zhe 1613, glutinous indica Zhe 1708, japonica Zhejing 100, and glutinous japonica Zhenuo 65. Additionally,60Co was used as the source of gamma rays. The rice seeds were irradiated with 14 doses (0, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, and 750 Gy). Non-irradiated seeds were used as the control. The seedling survival rate for each variety was recorded at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after sowing. Moreover, the median lethal dose (LD50) and critical dose (LD40) were calculated according to the seedling survival rates at 28 days after sowing. The seedling superoxide anion (O2•-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were analyzed at 7 days after sowing. RESULTS: As the radiation dose increased, the seedling survival rate decreased. The seedling survival rate also decreased significantly as the number of days after sowing increased. Among the rice genotypes, the rank-order of the radiation tolerance was as follows: indica Zhe 1613 > glutinous indica Zhe 1708 > japonica Zhejing 100 > glutinous japonica Zhenuo 65. The LD50 values were 426.7 Gy for Zhe 1613, 329.2 Gy for Zhe 1708, 318.3 Gy for Zhejing 100, and 316.6 Gy for Zhenuo 65. Increases in the radiation dose resulted in significant increases in the seedling O2•- and H2O2 contents, but only up to a certain point. Further increases in the radiation dose caused the seedling O2•- and H2O2 contents to decrease. The H2O2 content for each variety peaked when the radiation dose was very close to the LD50. We propose that the radiation dose associated with the highest H2O2 content (±50 Gy) should be used as the recommended dose for the gamma irradiation of rice. The radiation dose that resulted in peak seedling O2•- contents in the analyzed rice varieties was very close to the LD40. In all rice varieties, the MDA content increased as the radiation dose increased. The SOD, CAT, POD, and APX activities increased as the radiation dose increased within a certain range (less than 600 Gy for Zhe 1613 and 400 Gy for the other varieties), but there were slight differences among the rice varieties. CONCLUSIONS: Genotypically diverse rice varieties vary regarding their sensitivity to gamma irradiation. Our findings suggest that ROS generation and antioxidant enzyme activities are important factors associated with the radiation mutagenesis of rice. The close relationship between the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD, POD, APX, and CAT, and the LD50 and LD40 may be exploited to enhance radiation mutagenesis through the use of plant growth regulators.

Distribution and antibiotic resistance of pathogen isolated from children with intra-abdominal infection associated sepsis in intensive care unit / 中国小儿急救医学

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

Opportunities and challenges of pediatric medical education in the new era of China / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Medical education in China has undergone many changes amid the revolution of medical education worldwide. The Healthy China initiative in the new era highlights the increasing demand for a high-quality children's health service system as well as more excellent pediatricians. This article aims to delve into the current opportunities and challenges of pediatric education in China, summarize the response strategies, and take a look at the new mode of talent cultivation in pediatric medicine. With the rapid shift in the newborn population, the strengthening of multidisciplinary collaboration, the development of medical informatization, and the continuous improvement in scientific research levels, pediatric medical education is facing unprecedented opportunities. However, the late start of pediatrics and the lack of high-level talents have also brought great challenges to pediatric medical education. Therefore, future efforts should be focused on multi-disciplinary cooperation and innovative education and teaching to nurture pediatrician-scientists with innovative abilities and practical experience.

Application prospects of virtual reality technology in simulation teaching in pediatrics / 中华医学教育探索杂志

With the development of virtual reality (VR) technology and wide application of simulation-based medical education in clinical teaching, VR has been attracting growing attention in the field of simulation teaching in pediatrics. Studies have shown that VR technology can effectively improve pediatric clinical teaching effects by providing an immersive learning environment and enhancing the learning experience of students. VR also expands the teaching methods of pediatric simulation education. This paper discusses the application of VR technology in virtual standardized patients, simulation teaching of clinical practice skills, and clinical scenario simulation in pediatrics, as well as the use of ACEP SimBox in VR simulation teaching in pediatric emergency care. Future research needs to focus on the further development of VR technology and its application in simulation teaching, and find the best way to combine VR with traditional teaching methods.

CH4 and N2 O emissions from smallholder agricultural systems on tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia.

There are limited data for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from smallholder agricultural systems in tropical peatlands, with data for non-CO2 emissions from human-influenced tropical peatlands particularly scarce. The aim of this study was to quantify soil CH4 and N2 O fluxes from smallholder agricultural systems on tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia and assess their environmental controls. The study was carried out in four regions in Malaysia and Indonesia. CH4 and N2 O fluxes and environmental parameters were measured in cropland, oil palm plantation, tree plantation and forest. Annual CH4 emissions (in kg CH4 ha-1 year-1 ) were: 70.7 ± 29.5, 2.1 ± 1.2, 2.1 ± 0.6 and 6.2 ± 1.9 at the forest, tree plantation, oil palm and cropland land-use classes, respectively. Annual N2 O emissions (in kg N2 O ha-1 year-1 ) were: 6.5 ± 2.8, 3.2 ± 1.2, 21.9 ± 11.4 and 33.6 ± 7.3 in the same order as above, respectively. Annual CH4 emissions were strongly determined by water table depth (WTD) and increased exponentially when annual WTD was above -25 cm. In contrast, annual N2 O emissions were strongly correlated with mean total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in soil water, following a sigmoidal relationship, up to an apparent threshold of 10 mg N L-1 beyond which TDN seemingly ceased to be limiting for N2 O production. The new emissions data for CH4 and N2 O presented here should help to develop more robust country level 'emission factors' for the quantification of national GHG inventory reporting. The impact of TDN on N2 O emissions suggests that soil nutrient status strongly impacts emissions, and therefore, policies which reduce N-fertilisation inputs might contribute to emissions mitigation from agricultural peat landscapes. However, the most important policy intervention for reducing emissions is one that reduces the conversion of peat swamp forest to agriculture on peatlands in the first place.

Evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy of EC-Test for latent tuberculosis infection in ambulatory people with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is more likely to develop into active tuberculosis (ATB), recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein ESAT6/CFP10 (EC-Test) is a latest developed method for LTBI. Compared with the interferon γ release test assays (IGRAs), the diagnostic performance of EC-Test to LTBI screening in HIV needs to be evaluated. METHODS: A population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted in Guangxi Province, China. The baseline data was collected and LTBI were measured by QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT), EC-Test and T-cell spot of the TB assay (T-SPOT.TB). RESULTS: A total of 1478 patients were enrolled. when taking T-SPOT.TB as reference, the value of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and consistency that EC-Test to diagnosis LTBI in HIV was 40.42, 97.98, 85.26, 85.04 and 85.06% respectively; when taking QFT-GIT as reference, the value was 36.00, 92.57, 55.10, 85.09 and 81.13%, respectively. When the CD4 + cell count was <200 cells/µl, the accuracies of EC-Test to T-SPOT.TB and QFT-GIT were 87.12 and 88.89%, respectively; when it was 200 ≤ CD4 + ≤ 500 cells/µl, the accuracies of EC-Test was 86.20 and 83.18%, respectively; when the CD4 + cell count >500 cells/µl, the accuracies of EC-Test were 84.29 and 77.94%, respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions in EC-Test was 34.23% and the serious adverse reactions were 1.15%. CONCLUSION: EC-Test has good consistency compared with IGRAs in detecting LTBI in HIV no matter in different immunosuppression status or different regions, and the safety of EC-Test is also well, suitable for LTBI screening in HIV in high prevalence settings.

WITHDRAWN: Hidrosmin Attenuates Inflammatory Response Induced by IL1ß by Suppressing the Activation of NF-κB Involving Nrf2/HO1 Pathway in Human Osteoarthritis Chondrocytes

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DECREASE IN THE PLATELET-TO-LYMPHOCYTE RATIO IN DAYS AFTER ADMISSION FOR SEPSIS CORRELATES WITH IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY.

ABSTRACT: Background: A previous study has linked an increase in platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) to a poor prognosis; however, the relationship between early change in PLR and outcomes in sepsis patients is unclear. Methods : The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database was for this retrospective cohort analysis on patients meeting the Sepsis-3 criteria. All the patients meet the Sepsis-3 criteria. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was calculated by dividing the platelet count by the lymphocyte count. We collected all PLR measurements that were available within 3 days of admission for analysis of longitudinal changes over time. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the baseline PLR and in-hospital mortality. After correcting for possible confounders, the generalized additive mixed model was used to examine the trends in PLR over time among survivors and nonsurvivors. Results: Finally, 3,303 patients were enrolled, and both low and high PLR levels were significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality in the multiple logistic regression analysis (tertile 1: odds ratio, 1.240; 95% confidence interval, 0.981-1.568 and tertile 3: odds ratio, 1.410; 95% confidence interval, 1.120-1.776, respectively). The generalized additive mixed model results revealed that the PLR of the nonsurvival group declined faster than that of the survival group within 3 days after intensive care unit admission. After controlling for confounders, the difference between the two groups steadily decreased and increased by an average of 37.38 daily. Conclusions : There was a U-shaped relationship between the baseline PLR and in-hospital mortality of sepsis patients, and there was a significant difference between the nonsurvival and survival groups in the change in PLR over time. The early decrease in PLR was related to an increase in in-hospital mortality.

Aristolochic acid I promotes the invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating the C3a/C3aR complement system.

Aristolochic acid is an established human carcinogen. Previous reports have demonstrated a link between aristolochic acid exposure and liver cancer prevalence in Asia. The C3a/C3AR axis plays an essential role in regulating cancer cell migration and invasion. Here, we focused on the relationship between AA I-induced migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HCC cells, as well as the possible role of the C3a/C3AR axis in these effects. HCC cells were exposed to different concentrations of AA I for 24 h. Cell migration and invasion abilities were evaluated with wound healing assays and Transwell invasion assays. The protein and mRNA expression levels were detected by western blot, immunofluorescence and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. Furthermore, the level of complement component C3a in the cell supernatant was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C3aRA, a C3a receptor antagonist, was used to block the C3a-C3aR axis. The results showed that aristolochic acid I promoted HCC cell invasion and migration. AAI exposure also induced EMT in HCC cells through E-cadherin downregulation and Snail, N-cadherin, and vimentin upregulation. AAI exposure increased the levels of secreted C3a and the expression of C3aR protein and mRNA in HCC cells. We further found that AA I-induced C3a/C3AR activation was involved in these effects. AA I-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, and invasion were decreased by C3aR inhibition. Overall, our results suggest that AA I induces HCC cell migration and invasion through the EMT process, which is regulated by C3a/C3aR axis activation.

Identification and biological characteristics of violet root rot pathogen of Pseudostellaria heterophylla in Fujian province / 中国中药杂志

Violet root rot is one of the main root diseases in the production process of Pseudostellaria heterophylla. To clarify the pathogenic species that cause the violet root rot of P. heterophylla in Fujian province, the roots and the sclerotia with violet root rot symptoms were collected from the main producing areas of P. heterophylla(Fujian province) from 2017 to 2021, and the pathogens were isolated by tissue separation method and identified by morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis. Additionally, the biological characteristics of the pathogens were studied and the fungicides were determined. The results showed that 78 strains of violet root rot were isolated from the collected root samples, which belonged to one type after preliminary morphological identification. Two represen-tative strains were selected from the pathogens for multi-gene phylogenetic analysis, and they were clustered with Helicobasidium mompa together. The suitable culture conditions for the mycelium were OA medium, 25 ℃, pH 6, and ammonium oxalate as the nitrogen source. The lethal temperature of the mycelium was 50 ℃ for 10 minutes. Moreover, 99.1% propiconazole and 98.7% azoxystrobin had the optimal bacteriostatic effect, and the concentrations with the 50% bacteriostatic rate were 16.85 and 12.24 μg·mL~(-1), respectively. On the basis of the above results, the pathogen causing violet root rot of P. heterophylla in Fujian province was H. mompa. The medium type, growth temperature, pH value, nitrogen source, etc. had significant effect on the growth of mycelium.

Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Longitudinal study of psychological distress trajectory and influencing factors in patients with primary acute myocardial infarction / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To explore the changes and influencing factors of psychological distress in patients with primary acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in different periods, and to provide reference for the management of psychological distress in patients with primary AMI.Methods:This was a longitudinal, prospective, observational study. From June 2021 to September 2022, 118 patients with primary AMI in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Peking University First Hospital were selected as the research objects. The psychological distress level of patients was investigated on the points of 24 hours after illness (T 1), before discharge (T 2), 1 month after discharge (T 3), 3 months after discharge (T 4), 6 months after discharge (T 5) and 12 months after discharge (T 6), and the influencing factors were analyzed. Results:The detection rate of psychological distress in 6 follow-up survey nodes was 66.95% (79/118), 48.31% (57/118), 29.66% (35/118), 24.58% (29/118), 19.49% (23/118) and 15.25% (18/118) respectively. Education level, family per capita income and disease awareness had significant effects on the psychological distress of patients with primary AMI at the time points from T 1 to T 6 ( β values were - 1.262 to - 0.212, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The level of psychological distress in primary AMI patients decreased with time. Nursing staff should pay attention to the trajectory and influencing factors of psychological pain, and formulate targeted intervention measures to reduce the level of psychological pain and promote the comprehensive rehabilitation of patients.

Correlation between cognitive impairment and cortical atrophy in elderly patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To analyze the correlation between cognitive impairment and cortical atrophy in elderly patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS).Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 40 consecutive elderly patients with ACAS treated in the Department of Neurology, Northern Jiangsu People′s Hospital from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 (ACAS group), and 40 elderly healthy controls who accepted physical examination during the same period (control group) were included. Cognitive assessment was performed using the Mental State Examination Scale (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and brain magnetic resonance imaging scanning was performed in the ACAS group. The artificial intelligence technique was applied for brain lobe segmentation and cortical volume calculation. The χ2-test, independent sample t-test and Wilcoxon non-parametric test were used to analyze the difference of clinical data and cognitive scores between the two groups. In the ACAS group, the cortical volumes of the side with carotid stenosis was compared with that of the normal side, and Spearman′s correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between cognitive scores and cortical atrophy. Results:Compared with the control group, the ACAS group got significantly lower scores of MMSE and MoCA, as well as lower scores of visuospatial executive function, attention and calculation, language function, abstraction ability and delayed recall [(25.60±2.49) vs (27.18±1.01), (22.05±3.59) vs (25.60±1.43), (2.73±1.04) vs (4.08±0.62), (4.53±0.93) vs (5.03±0.66), 2.00 (0.00) vs 3.00 (0.00), 1.00 (1.00) vs 2.00 (0.00), and (2.95±0.96) vs (3.35±0.62)] (all P<0.05). There was not significant differences in naming and orientation ability between the two groups (both P>0.05). The volume of cortical, temporal lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe and insular lobe on the side with carotid stenosis in the ACAS group were significantly smaller than those on the normal side [186.23 (177.97, 202.53) vs 194.67 (185.65, 204.82) cm 3, 54.74 (50.66, 56.95) vs 55.61 (51.24, 58.49) cm 3, 72.98 (70.76, 78.34) vs 75.27 (72.34, 80.66) cm 3, 53.66 (51.11, 57.86) vs 56.59 (52.80, 60.09) cm 3, 6.57 (6.35, 7.07) vs 6.72 (6.46, 7.34) cm 3] (all P<0.05). The MoCA score in the ACAS group was positively related to the cortical volume ratio of the two sides ( r=0.427, P<0.01). The attention ( r=0.353) and abstraction ( r=0.226) ability scores were positively correlated with the temporal lobe volume ratios of the two sides (both P<0.05). The visuospatial executive ( r=0.187) and language ( r=0.373) ability scores were positively correlated with frontal lobe volume ratios of the two sides (both P<0.05), and visuospatial executive ( r=0.386), naming ( r=0.344), language ( r=0.517), abstraction ( r=0.335) and delayed recall ( r=0.333) ability scores were positively correlated with parietal lobe volume ratios of the two sides (all P<0.05). Conclusion:In elderly patients with ACAS, the cognitive impairment and cortical atrophy on the sides with carotid stenosis are significant and a positive correlation is detected between them.

Continuous positive airway pressure treatment on blood pressure rhythm in hypertension patients with obstructive sleep apnea / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP)on blood pressure and blood pressure rhythm in hypertensive patients with sleep apnea syndrome.Methods:Hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome consecutively recruited between 2020 and 2022 were randomly divided into two groups, the CPAP group and the control group.Both groups were routinely treated with antihypertensive drugs, and patients in the CPAP group were additionally treated with CPAP for more than 4 hours at night.24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was conducted following 12 weeks of treatment, and the blood pressure rhythm was analyzed according to blood pressure results.Results:A total of 104 patients(40-73 years old)were enrolled in the study, with 51 patients(mean age: 57.3±9.1)in the CPAP group(58.8% male)and 53 patients(mean age: 58.3±8.1)in the control group(54.7% male). The results of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring showed that, compared with the control group, the CPAP group achieved more effective blood pressure reduction in mean systolic blood pressure(SBP)[(134.6±8.4)mmHg vs.(138.2±5.9)mmHg, t=-2.54, P=0.013], mean DBP[(72.4±9.3)mmHg vs.(77.0±9.0), t=-2.56, P=0.012], mean nighttime SBP[(117.2±5.1)mmHg vs.(122.0±6.2)mmHg, t=-4.283, P<0.01]and mean nighttime DBP[(63.7±6.4)mmHg vs.(66.9±5.1)mmHg, t=-2.812, P<0.01). There was a significant increase in blood pressure dippers in the CPAP group(37.25% vs.18.87%, χ2=4.370, P=0.037). Conclusions:CPAP can significantly reduce 24-hour mean blood pressure and nocturnal blood pressure, and improve blood pressure rhythm in hypertensive patients with sleep apnea syndrome.

Analysis of the correlation of hemodynamic changes in the renal artery with the ambulatory arterial stiffness index and pulse pressure in middle-aged and elderly hypertension patients / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To assess the extent of hypertensive renal vascular damage by analyzing the correlation of the renal artery resistive index(RI)with the ambulatory arterial stiffness index(AASI)and pulse pressure.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted enrolling 1 226 hypertension patients from the General Department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University between May 2018 and May 2023, and the hemodynamics of the renal artery were examined, with 187 patients showing abnormal blood flow, of whom, 78 were in the group with renal artery stenosis and 109 were in the group without renal artery stenosis, and 1, 039 had normal renal arterial blood flow(the control group). AASI and pulse pressure values were compared between hypertension patients with different degrees of increased resistance to renal blood flow; Spearman's rank correlation analysis was conducted to assess the correlation of AASI and pulse pressure with the degree of renal injury in elderly hypertension patients; The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted for hypertension patients with renal hemodynamic abnormalities based on the existence of renal artery stenosis and the results of RI, AASI and pulse pressure.Results:Patients in the renal artery stenosis, no renal artery stenosis, and control groups had statistically significant differences in RI[(0.83±0.05), (0.78±0.02), (0.71±0.03), F=410.44, P<0.01], AASI[(0.61±0.05), (0.58±0.06), (0.37±0.05), F=734.77, P<0.01], and pulse pressure[(1.71±0.15), (1.44±0.22), (0.88±0.25), F=968.99, P<0.01]; Compared with the group with no renal artery stenosis and the control group, the renal artery stenosis group also showed statistically significant differences in values of the three parameters( F=66.34, 9.87 and 160.51, respectively, P<0.05 for all). Pearson correlation analysis showed that RI was positively correlated with AASI and pulse pressure( r=0.730 and 0.762, respectively, P<0.01 for both). The cut-off value was 0.77 for RI, 0.52 for AASI and 1.31 for pulse pressure for renal artery stenosis in elderly hypertension patients, and the areas under the curve were 0.897, 0.830 and 0.951, respectively( P<0.05 for all); The sensitivities were 87%, 95% and 98% and the specificities were 68%, 67% and 71%, respectively. Conclusions:RI, AASI, and pulse pressure can effectively predict renal artery damage in middle-aged and elderly hypertension patients.

Severe intraventricular hemorrhage treated with robot-guided ventricular partition puncture drainage / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of robot-guided ventricular partition puncture drainage in severe intraventricular hemorrhage.Methods:A total of 23 patients with severe intraventricular hemorrhage who underwent robot-guided ventricular partition puncture drainage (experimental group) and 19 patients who underwent robot-guided bilateral ventricular puncture drainage (control group) at Department of Neurosurgery, People's Hospital of Baise from January 2021 to December 2021 were included. The differences in residual hematoma volume within 24 h of surgery, drainage tube retention time, mortality rate within 30 d of surgery, incidence of complications (re-bleeding, intracranial infection, pulmonary infection, hydrocephalus) within 6 months of surgery, and scores of Glasgow coma scale (GCS), activity of daily living (ADL), and National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) at 6 months after surgery were compared between the 2 groups.Results:Compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly lower residual hematoma volume within 24 h of surgery ([8.854±3.519] mL vs. [5.668±2.873] mL), shorter drainage tube retention time ([6.580±1.981] d vs. [4.910±2.763] d), lower incidence of hydrocephalus within 6 months of surgery (42.105% vs. 8.696%), and significantly higher GCS and ADL scores and lower NIHSS scores at 6 months after surgery (8.790±2.898 vs. 11.610±2.948; 69.470±12.899 vs. 78.480±12.861; 13.950±5.265 vs. 9.870±4.124, P<0.05). Conclusion:Robot-guided ventricular partition puncture drainage is a safe and effective surgical method for severe intraventricular hemorrhage.