Neovascularization by DPSC-ECs in a Tube Model for Pulp Regeneration Study.

The process of neovascularization during cell-based pulp regeneration is difficult to study. Here we developed a tube model that simulates root canal space and allows direct visualization of the vascularization process in vitro. Endothelial-like cells (ECs) derived from guiding human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) into expressing endothelial cell markers CD144, vWF, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 were used. Human microvascular endothelial cells (hMVECs) were used as a positive control. DPSC-ECs formed tubules on Matrigel similar to hMVECs. Cells were mixed in fibrinogen/thrombin or mouse blood and seeded into wells of 96-well plates or injected into a tapered plastic tube (14 mm in length and 1 or 2 mm diameter of the apex opening) with the larger end sealed with MTA to simulate root canal space. Cells/gels in wells or tubes were incubated for various times in vitro and observed under the microscope for morphological changes. Samples were then fixed and processed for histological analysis to determine vessel formation. Vessel-like networks were observed in culture from 1 to 3 d after cell seeding. Cells/gels in 96-well plates were maintained up to 25 d. Histologically, both hMVECs and DPSC-ECs in 96-well plates or tubes showed intracellular vacuole formation. Some cells showed merged large vacuoles indicating the lumenization. Tubular structures were also observed resembling blood vessels. Cells appeared healthy throughout the tube except some samples (1 mm apical diameter) in the coronal third. Histological analysis also showed pulp-like soft tissue throughout the tube samples with vascular-like structures. hMVECs formed larger vascular lumen size than DPSC-ECs while the latter tended to have more lumen and tubular structure counts. We conclude that DPSC-ECs can form vascular structures and sustained in the 3-dimensional fibrin gel system in vitro. The tube model appears to be a proper and simple system simulating the root canal space for vascular formation and pulp regeneration studies.

Critical Values of Daily Sedentary Time and Its Longitudinal Association with Mild Cognitive Impairment Considering APOE ε4: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Long sedentary time and physical inactivity are negatively related to cognition, but the cut-off value remains unclear, and apolipoprotein E polymorphism ε4 (APOE ε4) is a known genetic risk factor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OBJECTIVES: To explore longitudinal association of sedentary time and MCI, and to identify a cutoff value that increases the risk of developing MCI, taking into account APOE ε4 stratification and its interactions. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: Population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: We included 4932 older adults from Tianjin Elderly Nutrition and Cognition (TENC) cohort study recruited from March 2018 to June 2021 with 3.11 years of median follow-up time. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was newly diagnosed MCI, which was diagnosed by a modified version of the Petersen's criteria. The information of sedentary time (hours/day) and physical activity (MET-h/week) were obtained by questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard regression models and restricted spline curve were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 4932 participants were included (mean [SD] age, 67.85 [4.96] years; 2627 female [53.3%] and 2305 male [46.7%]), 740 newly onset MCI patients were identified. Longer sedentary time was associated with higher risk of MCI for all participants (HR:1.069, 95%CI: 1.034, 1.105), especially in APOE ε4 non-carriers (HR:1.083, 95%CI: 1.045, 1.123) whether adjusted potential confounders. Sedentary time had synergistic interactions with APOE ε4 (ß:1.503, 95%CI: 1.163, 1.942) and physical activities (ß: 1.495, 95%CI: 1.210, 1.846). Restricted spline curve showed a cut-off value of 3.03 hours/day. CONCLUSIONS: Long sedentary time (≥3.03 hours/day) could increase MCI risk, especially in APOE ε4 non-carriers, people with higher PA, aged 65 and above.

[Current status of pubertal sexual characteristics development of 2 704 girls aged 6-18 years in Tongzhou District of Beijing].

Objective: To understand the current status of pubertal sexual characteristics development of girls aged 6-18 years in Tongzhou District of Beijing and to compare the differences in sexual characteristics development among girls characterized as thin, normal, overweight, and obese. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2 844 girls aged 6-18 years in Tongzhou District of Beijing from September 2022 to July 2023. The developmental stages of breast and pubic hair were assessed on site, and menarche status was inquired. Weight and height were measured. The girls were subsequently characterized into thin, normal, overweight and obese groups. Basic information (including family and personal history) was obtained through questionnaires. Probit probability unit regression was applied to calculate the age of each Tanner stage of sexual characteristics development and the age of menarche. The χ2 test was applied to compare the counting data between two or multiple groups. Results: A total of 2 844 girls were surveyed and 2 704 girls met the inclusion criteria, resulting in a valid response rate of 95.1%. Among these girls, 1 105 (40.9%) were aged 6-9 years, 1 053 (38.9%) were aged 10-13 years, and 546 (20.2%) were aged 14-18 years. The of height-for-age Z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), and body mass index-for-age Z-score (BAZ) were 0.46(-0.23,1.16), 0.69(-0.16,1.67), and 0.67(-0.27,1.73) respectively. The prevalences of thin, overweight, and obesity were respectively 1.7% (45/2 704), 17.3% (467/2 704), and 19.9% (538/2 704), respectively. There were 45 girls in the thin group, 1 654 girls in the normal weight group, 1 005 girls in the overweight and obesity group. The age of Tanner stage breast 2 (B2), Tanner stage pubic hair 2 (P2), and menarche was 9.0 (95%CI 8.9-9.1), 10.5 (95%CI 10.4-10.6), and 11.4 (95%CI 11.3-1.5) years, respectively. The current status of breast and pubic hair maturity in girls with pubertal development shows that 64.6% (1 211/1 874) of these girls had breast development preceding pubic hair development, 32.4% (607/1 874) had concurrent breast and pubic hair development, and 3.0% (56/1 874) had pubic hairs development preceding breast development. The interval age between B2 and B5 was 4.7 (95%CI 4.6-4.8) years, between P2 and P5 was 4.5 (95%CI 4.4-4.6) years, and between B2 and menarche was 2.4 (95%CI 2.3-2.5) years. The ages of sexual characteristics development in overweight and obese groups were earlier than that in normal and thin groups. The ages of B2 in thin, normal, overweight, and obese groups were 10.0 (95%CI 9.5-10.6), 9.3 (95%CI 9.2-9.4), and 8.6 (95%CI 8.4-8.7) years, respectively. The age of menarche in thin, normal, overweight, and obese groups were 13.1 (95%CI 12.4-13.7), 11.6 (95%CI 11.4-11.7), and 11.1 (95%CI 11.0-11.2) years, respectively. The interval ages between B2 and B5 and between P2 and P5 was 4.5 and 4.1 years, respectively in the overweight and obese groups, and those in normal group and thin group was 4.7 and 4.5 years, 4.6 and 4.7 years, respectively. Conclusions: The ages of sexual characteristics development and menarche tend in Tongzhou District of Beijing to be earlier than that being reported of Beijing's survey 20 years ago. Girls characterized as overweight and obese not only start puberty at an earlier age than girls of normal weight, but also have a shorter developmental process.

[Analysis of related factors influencing the detection rate of mosaic embryo and the pregnancy outcomes with mosaic embryo transfers].

Objective: To explore the related factors influencing the detection rate of mosaic embryo and the pregnancy outcomes of mosaic embryo transfer in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) based on next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Methods: A retrospective study was performed to analyze the clinical data of patients in 745 PGT-A cycles from January 2019 to May 2023 at Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, including 2 850 blastocysts. The biopsy cells were tested using NGS technology, and the embryos were divided into three groups based on the test results, namely euploid embryos, aneuploid embryos and mosaic embryos. The influence of population characteristics and laboratory-related parameters on the detection rate of mosaic embryo were analyzed, and the pregnancy outcomes of 98 mosaic embryo transfer cycles and 486 euploid embryo transfer cycles were compared during the same period, including clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate. Results: Among the embryos tested (n=2 850), the number and proportion of euploid embryos, aneuploid embryos and mosaic embryos were 1 489 (52.2%, 1 489/2 850), 917 (32.2%, 917/2 850) and 444 (15.6%, 444/2 850), respectively. Among mosaic embryos, 245 (55.2%, 245/444) were segmental mosaic embryos, 118 (26.6%, 118/444) were whole-chromosome mosaic embryos, and 81 (18.2%, 81/444) were complex mosaic embryos. NGS technology was performed in 4 genetic testing institutions and the detection rate of mosaic embryo fluctuated from 13.5% to 27.0%. The distributions of female age, level of anti-Müllerian hormone, PGT-A indications, ovulation-inducing treatments, gonadotropin (Gn) dosage, Gn days, inner cell mass grade, trophectoderm cell grade, genetic testing institutions and developmental stage of blastocyst were significantly different among the three groups (all P<0.05). Multi-factor analysis showed that the trophectoderm cell grade and genetic testing institutions were significantly related to the detection rate of mosaic embryo; compared with the trophectoderm cell graded as A, the detection rate of mosaic embryo was significantly increased in the trophectoderm cell graded as B-(OR=1.59, 95%CI: 1.04-2.44, P=0.033); compared with genetic testing institution a, the detection rate of mosaic embryo was significantly higher (OR=2.89, 95%CI: 2.10-3.98, P<0.001) in the testing institution c. The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate with mosaic embryos transfer were significantly lower than those of euploid embryos transfer (clinical pregnancy rate: 51.0% vs 65.2%, P=0.008; live birth rate: 39.4% vs 53.2%, P=0.017). After adjustment for age, PGT-A indications, trophectoderm cell grade and days of embryo culture in vitro, the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate with mosaic embryos transfer were significantly lower than those of euploid embryos transfer (clinical pregnancy rate: OR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.32-0.83, P=0.007; live birth rate: OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.31-0.83, P=0.007). Conclusions: The trophectoderm cell grade and genetic testing institutions are related to the detection rate of mosaic embryo. Compared with euploid embryos transfer, the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate with mosaic embryos transfer are significantly reduced. For infertile couple without euploid embryos, transplantable mosaic embryos could be recommended according to the mosaic ratio and mosaic type in genetic counseling to obtain the optimal pregnancy outcome.

A factorial-analysis-based Bayesian neural network method for quantifying China's CO2 emissions under dual-carbon target.

Energy-structure transformation and CO2-emission reduction are becoming particularly urgent for China and many other countries. Development of effective methods that are capable of quantifying and predicting CO2 emissions to achieve carbon neutrality is desired. This study advances a factorial-analysis-based Bayesian neural network (abbreviated as FABNN) method to reflect the complex relationship between inputs and outputs as well as reveal the individual and interactive effects of multiple factors affecting CO2 emissions. FABNN is then applied to analyzing CO2 emissions of China (abbreviated as CEC), where multiple factors involve in energy (e.g., the consumption of natural gas, CONG), economic (e.g., Gross domestic product, GDP) and social (e.g., the rate of urbanization, ROU) aspects are investigated and 512 scenarios are designed to achieve the national dual carbon targets (i.e., carbon peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060). Comparing to the conventional machine learning methods, FABNN performs better in calibration and validation results, indicating that FABNN is suitable for CEC simulation and prediction. Results disclose that the top three factors affecting CEC under the dual­carbon target are GDP, CONG, and ROU; energy, economic and social contributions are 43.5 %, 34.6 % and 21.9 %, respectively. CEC reaches its carbon peak during 2027-2032 and achieve carbon neutrality during 2053-2057 under all scenarios. Under the optimal scenario (S195), the CO2-emission reduction potential is about 772.2 million tonnes and the consumptions of coal, petroleum and natural gas can be respectively reduced by 3.1 %, 9.9 % and 23.0 % compared to the worst scenario (S466). The results can provide solid support for national energy-structure transformation and CO2-emission reduction to achieve carbon-peak and carbon-neutrality targets.

Multiparameter spectral CT-based radiomics in predicting the expression of programmed death ligand 1 in non-small-cell lung cancer.

AIM: To explore the value of radiomics for predicting the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on multiparameter spectral computed tomography (CT) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 220 patients with NSCLC were enrolled retrospectively and divided into the training (n=176) and testing (n=44) cohorts. The radiomics features were extracted from the conventional CT images, mono-energy 40 keV images, iodine density (ID) maps, Z-effective maps, and electron density maps. The logistic regression (LR) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms were employed to build models based on radiomics signatures. The prediction abilities were qualified by the area under the curve (AUC) obtained from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Internal validation was performed on the independent testing dataset. RESULTS: The combined model for PD-L1 ≥1%, which consisted of the radiomics score (rad-score; p<0.0001), white blood cell (WBC; p=0.027) counts, and air bronchogram (p=0.003), reached the highest performance with the AUCs of 0.873 and 0.917 in the training and testing dataset, respectively, which was better than the radiomics model with the AUCs of 0.842 and 0.886. The combined model for PD-L1 ≥50%, which consisted of rad-score (p<0.0001) and WBC counts (p=0.027), achieved the highest performance in the training and testing dataset with AUCs of 0.932 and 0.903, respectively, which was better than the radiomics model with AUCs of 0.920 and 0.892, respectively. CONCLUSION: The radiomics model based on the multiparameter images of spectral CT can predict the expression level of PD-L1 in NSCLC. The combined model can obtain higher prediction efficiency and serves as a promising method for immunotherapy selection.

[Analysis on the use of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis and related factors in men who have sex with men in Qingdao].

Objective: To understand the use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and analyze related factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Qingdao, and provide a reference for the AIDS prevention and control in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted from April 2022 to February 2023. Relying on MSM social groups in Qingdao, a snowball sampling method was applied to recruit research subjects who met the inclusion criteria of age ≥18 years old, having had homosexual anal or oral sex in the past six months, and HIV-negative or infection status unknown. The sample size was estimated at 566. Data on demographic characteristics, sexual behavior characteristics, PEP use, and others of the research subjects was collected through on-site questionnaires. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors associated with using PEP. Results: A total of 811 participants were recruited, mainly aged 25-34 (53.6%, 435/811), unmarried (74.7%, 606/811), with an average monthly income of ≥5 000 yuan (52.2%, 423/811), and having lived in Qingdao for ≥10 years (75.6%, 613/811). The proportion of those who knew the HIV status of their sexual partners in the last six months was 67.1% (544/811), and those with HIV-positive partners were 3.6% (29/811). In the last six months, the proportion of participants who had group sex (86.4%, 701/811), unprotected anal sex (98.2%, 796/811), and use of club drugs (80.3%, 651/811) was high. Moreover, 28.4% (230/811) had used PEP. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the factors related to the use of PEP included divorced or widowed (aOR=5.46,95%CI:1.96-15.17), average monthly income ≥5 000 yuan (aOR=2.04,95%CI:1.44-2.89), same-sex sexual orientation (aOR=0.40,95%CI:0.22-0.71), having HIV-positive sexual partners in the last six months (aOR=2.54,95%CI:1.13-5.71) and having been tested for HIV ≥3 times in the last six months (aOR=1.46,95%CI:1.04-2.06). Conclusions: The prevalence of risk behaviors among MSM in Qingdao was high, and the use of PEP was low. In the future, it is essential to increase HIV/AIDS prevention education among MSM, promote MSM to know the HIV status of their sexual partners, and reduce the prevalence of risk behaviors among this population. Additionally, explore medical insurance reimbursement plans for PEP to reduce utilization costs and promote the use of PEP by MSM after HIV exposure occurs as soon as possible.

[Periconceptional maternal homocysteine and birth weight outcomes in offspring: a prospective cohort study].

Objective: To quantify the associations between periconceptional maternal homocysteine (HCY) and offspring's birth weight and risk of small for gestational age (SGA) infant. Methods: The 19 984 mother-child pairs in this prospective cohort study were recruited from the Shanghai preconception cohort; the infants were delivered from 1st September 2016 to 11th November 2022. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the mothers' demographic information, medical history, dietary supplement use, and maternal complications during pregnancy, and their serum samples were collected. Serum HCY, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay based on serum sample drawn at enrollment. Birth weight data were obtained from medical records. Multiple imputation methods were applied to handle missing data in key variables. Multivariable linear regression and Poisson regression models were used to analyze the relationship between maternal HCY concentration during the periconceptional period and the birth weight and SGA risk of the offspring. Results: A total of 9 452 pairs were enrolled preconceptionally and the remaining 10 532 pairs were enrolled in early pregnancy. The proportion of mothers whose pregnancy age was greater than 35 years was 9.2% (1 832/19 984), the proportion of primiparous women was 76.5% (15 283/19 984), the proportion of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity was 14.0% (2 804/19 984), the proportion of using folic acid supplements before pregnancy was 21.4% (4 272/19 984), and the proportion of those who supplemented with folic acid during early pregnancy was 85.2% (8 976/10 532); gestational diabetes mellitus was in 6.2% (1 245/19 984), gestational hypertensive syndrome in 3.6% (711/19 984). The birth weight of the offspring was (3 297±468) g, and there were 1 962 SGA children (9.8%). The HCY concentration in the overall population in appropriate for gestational age during the periconceptional period was (7.9±3.2) µmol/L, with (8.3±3.7) µmol/L in the preconception subgroup and (7.3±2.4) µmol/L in the early pregnancy subgroup. After adjustment for the covariates of perinatal demographic information, adverse pregnancy outcomes, serum folate and vitamin B12, increased maternal periconceptional HCY was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight (ß=-2.30, 95%CI -4.43--0.16, P=0.035). Only the early pregnancy subgroup was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight (ß=-7.39, 95%CI-11.50--3.21, P<0.001). No association was found between peripregnancy HCY and offspring SGA risk. However, elevated HCY in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SGA in the offspring (RR=1.05, 95%CI 1.01-1.08, P=0.002). Periconceptional vitamin B12 was a mediator of the association between HCY and offspring birth weight, accounting for 16.5%, 41.2% and 5.4% of its total effect in the overall periconceptional population, the pre-pregnancy subgroup and the early pregnancy subgroup, respectively. Conclusions: Maternal periconceptional HCY level is associated with lower birth weight in offspring, but not with the risk of SGA. Elevated maternal HCY in early pregnancy subgroup may be associated with increased risk of SGA in offspring.

Effect of SIRT1 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms on susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in a Han Chinese population.

AIMS: SIRT1 deficiency has been associated with diabetes, and a variant of the SIRT1 gene has been found to be involved in human autoimmune diabetes; however, it is unclear whether this genetic variation exists in Han Chinese with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and whether it contributes to development of T1D. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association of the SIRT1 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs10997866 and rs3818292 in a Han Chinese population with T1D. METHODS: This study recruited 2653 unrelated Han Chinese individuals, of whom 1289 had T1D and 1364 were healthy controls. Allelic and genotypic distributions of SIRT1 polymorphisms (rs10997866 and rs3818292) were determined by MassARRAY. Basic characteristics, genotype and allele frequencies of selected SNPs were compared between the T1D patients and healthy controls. Further genotype-phenotype association analysis of the SNPs was performed on the T1D patients divided into three groups according to genotype. Statistical analyses included the chi-square test, Mann‒Whitney U test, Kruskal‒Wallis H test and logistic regression. RESULTS: The allelic (G vs. A) and genotypic (GA vs. AA) distributions of SIRT1 rs10997866 were significantly different in T1D patients and healthy controls (P = 0.039, P = 0.027), and rs10997866 was associated with T1D susceptibility under dominant, overdominant and additive models (P = 0.026, P = 0.030 and P = 0.027, respectively). Moreover, genotype-phenotype association analysis showed the GG genotype of rs10997866 and the GG genotype of rs3818292 to be associated with higher titers of IA-2A (P = 0.013 and P = 0.038, respectively). CONCLUSION: SIRT1 rs10997866 is significantly associated with T1D susceptibility, with the minor allele G conferring a higher risk of T1D. Moreover, SIRT1 gene rs10997866 and rs3818292 correlate with the titer of IA-2A in Han Chinese individuals with T1D.

Standards for clinical trials for treating TB.

BACKGROUND: The value, speed of completion and robustness of the evidence generated by TB treatment trials could be improved by implementing standards for best practice.METHODS: A global panel of experts participated in a Delphi process, using a 7-point Likert scale to score and revise draft standards until consensus was reached.RESULTS: Eleven standards were defined: Standard 1, high quality data on TB regimens are essential to inform clinical and programmatic management; Standard 2, the research questions addressed by TB trials should be relevant to affected communities, who should be included in all trial stages; Standard 3, trials should make every effort to be as inclusive as possible; Standard 4, the most efficient trial designs should be considered to improve the evidence base as quickly and cost effectively as possible, without compromising quality; Standard 5, trial governance should be in line with accepted good clinical practice; Standard 6, trials should investigate and report strategies that promote optimal engagement in care; Standard 7, where possible, TB trials should include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic components; Standard 8, outcomes should include frequency of disease recurrence and post-treatment sequelae; Standard 9, TB trials should aim to harmonise key outcomes and data structures across studies; Standard 10, TB trials should include biobanking; Standard 11, treatment trials should invest in capacity strengthening of local trial and TB programme staff.CONCLUSION: These standards should improve the efficiency and effectiveness of evidence generation, as well as the translation of research into policy and practice.

[A cohort study of HIV infection in club drug abusers among men who have sex with men in Qingdao].

Objective: To understand and analyze the incidence of HIV infection in club drug abusers among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Qingdao and provide a reference for the prevention and intervention of this population. Methods: From March 2017 to July 2022, club drug abusers among MSM who are HIV-negative were recruited by snowball sampling of MSM social organizations in Qingdao, a prospective cohort was established, and a follow-up survey was conducted every six months, with the sample size estimated to be 436. The survey contents included demographic characteristics, sexual characteristics, AIDS knowledge awareness, club drug abuse, HIV testing, and other information. HIV infection was the outcome-dependent variable, and the interval between the recruitment into the cohort and the HIV infection was the time-dependent variable. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted to identify the related factors for HIV infection. Results: A total of 987 participants of club drug abusers among MSM were recruited during the baseline survey and 826 eligible participants were enrolled in this cohort. A total of 46 HIV infection cases were found, and the cumulative follow-up time was 1 960.68 person-years. The incidence of HIV infection was 2.35/100 person-years. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that <30 (aHR=3.04, 95%CI: 1.62-5.71) non-Shandong residents (aHR=2.29,95%CI:1.20-4.39) found their partners through offline (aHR=4.62,95%CI:2.05-10.41), homosexual sexual partners >4 (aHR=3.06,95%CI:1.59-5.88), condom broken during sex (aHR=2.24,95%CI:1.21-4.17) and hemorrhage sexual intercourse (aHR=2.56,95%CI:1.31-5.03) were significantly associated with HIV infection in this cohort. Conclusions: The incidence of HIV infection in club drug abusers among MSM in Qingdao is generally low, but knowledge and practice have separated, and the risk of HIV infection is high. The related factors of HIV infection included younger age, non-Shandong residents, finding their partners offline, multiple sexual partners, condom break during sex, and hemorrhage sexual intercourse; HIV-related behavioral intervention should be strengthened.

[Effect of information-knowledge-attitude-practice theory-based health education on clonorchiasis control among community residents and primary school students in Zhongshan City].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of information-knowledge-attitude-practice (IKAP) theory-based health education interventions on clonorchiasis control among community residents and primary school students in Torch High-tech Development Zone of Zhongshan City, so as to provide insights into formulation of clonorchiasis control strategies among different types of populations. METHODS: Residents were randomly sampled from two communities and students from two primary schools using a random cluster sampling method in Torch High-tech Development Zone, Zhongshan City from 2019 to 2021, and health education pertaining to clonorchiasis control was performed based on the IKAP theory. The changes in the awareness of basic clonorchiasis control knowledge and belief, self-reported risk of Clonorchis sinensis infections and dietary behaviors were compared among community residents and primary school students before and after health education interventions. RESULTS: The participants included 146 male and 151 female community residents and 158 male and 153 female primary school students, with no significant difference detected in gender distribution (χ2 = 0.16, P > 0.05). The mean awareness of basic clonorchiasis control knowledge increased by 44.71% and 43.28% among primary school students and community residents 6 months following health education, and there were significant differences in the awareness of each item of basic clonorchiasis control knowledge before and after health education (χ2 = 41.53 to 284.44, all P values < 0.05). The proportions of primary school students and community residents thinking very high and high risks of C. sinensis infections increased from 9.35% and 6.71% before health education to 22.15% and 37.75% after health education, but only the difference of the attitudes in community residents achieve statistical significance (χ2 = 92.18, P < 0.05). The frequency of separation of raw and cooked foods with chopping board and knife significantly increased among community residents and primary school students following health education (χ2 = 16.04 to 62.65, all P values < 0.05). The frequency of eating raw freshwater fish (χ2 = 32.85, P < 0.05), fish congee (χ2 = 7.02, P < 0.05) and fish fillet hot pot (χ2 = 4.88, P < 0.05) significantly reduced among primary school students following health education, while only the frequency and proportions of eating raw freshwater fish have significantly reduced in community residents (χ2 = 11.77, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Health education interventions based on the IKAP theory are effective to increase the awareness of clonorchiasis control knowledge and improve dietary behaviors associated with C. sinensis infections among community residents and primary school students in Zhongshan City.

[Efficacy of off-pump minimally invasive via a single left intercostal space incision compared with median sternotomy multi-vesselcoronary artery bypass grafting].

Objective: To compare the efficacy of off-pump minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) via a single left intercostal space incision with median sternotomy multi-vesselcoronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with multi-artery coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Ward 10 of the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and underwent CABG from July 2019 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected. All the patients were divided into MICS group and conventional CABG group according to the surgical methods. The perioperative outcomes were compared between thetwo groups, including intraoperative blood loss, postoperative 24 h thoracic drainage volume, ventilation duration, length of stay (LOS) in intensive care unit (ICU) and total LOS in hospital. Intraoperative blood flow of graft vesselswas measured by transit-time flow measurement (TTFM) after vascular anastomosis, and mean flow (MF) and pulsatile index (PI) were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 444 patients were in the final analysis, with 351 males and 93 females, and the mean age of (62.0±8.9) years. There were 179 patients in MICS group and 265 cases in conventional CABG group, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the preoperative profiles between the two groups (all P>0.05) except that younger age [(60.7±9.3) years vs (62.8±8.5) years, P=0.017] and lower proportion of female [10.1% (18/179) vs 28.3% (75/265), P<0.001] were detected in MICS group. Likewise, there was no significant difference in the number of graft vessels between MICS group (3.18±0.74) and conventional CABG group (3.28±0.86) (P=0.234). Compared with those in conventional CABG group, patients in MICS group showed longer operation duration [ (5.10±1.09) h vs (4.33±0.86) h], fewer intraoperative blood loss [500 (200, 700) ml vs 700 (600, 900) ml], fewer postoperative 24 h thoracic drainage volume [300 (200, 400) ml vs 400 (250, 500) ml], shorter postoperative ventilation duration [15.0 (12.0, 17.0) h vs 16.5 (12.5, 19.0) h, P<0.001], LOS in ICU [18.0 (15.0, 20.0) h vs 20.0 (16.0, 23.0) h, P<0.001] and total LOS in hospital [(12.6±2.7) d vs (14.5±3.9) d, P<0.001]. MI and PI of graft vessels were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences in major perioperative complications (i.e., repeat thoracotomy, incision infection, stroke) and mortality between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: MICS is an alternative treatment for patients with multi-vessel CAD with better perioperative outcomes compared with conventional CABG.

Effect of L-4-Thiazolylalanine (Protinol™) on skin barrier strength and skin protection.

OBJECTIVES: Skin barrier properties are critical for maintaining epidermal water content, protecting from environmental factors and providing the first line of defense against pathogens. In this study, we investigated the non-proteinogenic amino acid L-4-Thiazolylalanine (L4) as a potential active ingredient in skin protection and barrier strength. METHODS: L4 on wound healing, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties were evaluated using monolayers and 3D skin equivalents. The transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) value was used in vitro as a strong indicator of barrier strength and integrity. Clinical L4 efficacy was assessed for the evaluation of the skin barrier integrity and soothing benefits. RESULTS: In vitro treatments of L4 show beneficial effects in wound closure mechanism, and we demonstrate that L4 anti-oxidant benefits with markedly increased HSP70 and decreased reactive oxygen species production induced by UVs exposure. Barrier strength and integrity were significantly improved by L4, confirmed clinically by an increase in 12R-lipoxygenase enzymatic activity in the stratum corneum. In addition, soothing benefits of L4 have been shown clinically with the decrease in redness after methyl nicotinate application on the inner arm and the significant reduction of the erythema and the skin desquamation on the scalp. CONCLUSION: L4 delivered multiple skin benefits by strengthening the skin barrier, accelerating the skin repair process as well as soothing the skin and the scalp with anti-inflammaging effects. The observed efficacy validates L4 as a desirable skincare ingredient for topical treatment.

OBJECTIFS: La barrière cutanée est primordiale pour le maintien d'un épiderme hydraté, sa protection contre les facteurs environnementaux et pour conférer une première ligne de défense contre les pathogènes. Dans cette étude, nous nous intéressons à un aminoacide non-proteinogénique, L-4-Thiazolylalanine (L4) comme potentiel actif cosmétique et évaluons ses effets sur la protection de la peau et le renforcement de la barrière cutanée. MÉTHODES: Les propriétés cicatrisantes, anti-inflammatoires et antioxydantes de L4 ont été déterminées par culture cellulaire et sur modèles de peau 3D. La mesure de la résistance électrique transépithéliale a été utilisée in vitro comme indicateur de la résistance de la barrière de la peau. Des études cliniques ont été réalisées pour évaluer L4 sur ses capacités apaisantes et son impact sur l'intégrité de la barrière cutanée. RÉSULTATS: In vitro, nous déterminons qu'un traitement L4 a des effets bénéfiques dans le processus de cicatrisation mais aussi des propriétés antioxydantes, induisant une augmentation de HSP70 ainsi qu'une diminution de la production d'espèces réactives a l'oxygène induite par rayons UV. Un renforcement de la barrière cutanée et une amélioration de son intégrité sont observés après un traitement L4 et confirme cliniquement par une augmentation de l'activité enzymatique de la 12R-lipoxygenase dans le stratum corneum. De plus, les effets protecteurs de L4 ont été confirmes cliniquement avec une rougeur cutanée diminuée après application de nicotinate de methyle sur l'avant-bras interne ainsi qu'une réduction significative d'érythème et de desquamation cutanée du cuir chevelu. CONCLUSION: L4 offre de multiples bénéfices pour la peau en renforçant la barrière cutanée, accélérant le processus de cicatrisation et offrant des actions anti-inflammatoires apaisantes pour la peau et le cuir chevelu. Cela fait de L4 un ingrédient cosmétique intéressant pour une application topic.

[Progress in research of strategies of expanding HIV testing in men who have sex with men].

In recent years, HIV infection prevalence in MSM has been in increase in China. HIV testing is the only way to identify HIV-infection, effectively curb the spread of HIV and reduce AIDS-related death risks. At present, the situation of HIV testing in MSM is not satisfactory, and expanding HIV testing is the one of the key measures for AIDS prevention and control in this population. This paper summarizes the role and strategies of expanding HIV testing in MSM in order to provide a reference for the improvement of HIV testing in this population.

Sustainable management of water-agriculture-ecology nexus system under multiple uncertainties.

The shrinkage and ecological degradation of the Aral Sea resulting from the uncontrolled use of water resources and the unregulated expansion of agriculture activities call for sustainable management of water-agriculture-ecology (WAE) nexus from a basin perspective. However, managers face thorny challenges brought by multiple uncertainties in the management and planning processes. In this study, an interval stochastic fuzzy programming (ISF) method is developed for tackling multiple uncertainties presented as probability distributions, flexible variables and interval parameters. Then, an ISF-WAE model is formulated for Aral Sea Basin, which considers 108 planning scenarios that reflect different food-security and ecology-restoration requirements, as well as risk-response attitudes of decision maker over a long-term planning horizon (2021-2050). Results reveal that for Aral Sea Basin: (i) managers should set strict acreage benchmarks for cereal crops, in which wheat would account for a range of [29.1, 31.2] % of the total agricultural area; (ii) for promoting ecological restoration, the proportion of agricultural water allocation should decrease by a range of [12.7, 16.1] % during the planning horizon; (iii) due to low water requirement and high ecological value of grassland, it is recommended to expand grassland area to improve the sustainability of the Aral Sea Basin in the case of limited water resources.

A case report of extremely severe 93% total body surface area burns in a 5-year-old boy.

BACKGROUND: Large surface area burns with concurrent severe burn sepsis are a rare phenomenon, particularly when the wounds are closed in a short timeframe. CASE REPORT: This study describes a 5-year-old patient with 93% total body surface area (TBSA) burns and severe burn sepsis, who was managed through the use of a 54-day brickwork-mixed graft of self-allogeneic skin operation. The mechanisms of skin healing, in this case, are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The brickwork-mixed graft of self-allogeneic skin may be an effective treatment option for patients with large surface area burns and severe burn sepsis. Further research is required to establish the generalizability of these findings. Early wound management and anti-infection measures are crucial in treating severe burns, and the clinical outcomes of the patient and the impact of the chosen treatment method on the patient's recovery and prognosis should be assessed.