Synovial osteoclastogenesis mediated by chondrocyte-secreted TNFα promotes TMJ condylar resorption.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient occlusal support (IOS) frequently causes subchondral bone absorption in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis, and the underlying mechanism requires further investigation. METHODS: An IOS model was established by abrading rat molars. Micro-computed tomography was used to evaluate subchondral bone changes. Osteoclastogenesis of synovium-derived macrophages (SDMs) was confirmed by TRAP staining. Cartilage-specific TNFα depletion was achieved by intra-articular injection of adeno-associated virus carrying shRNA against murine TNFα under control of collagen type II. In vitro, chondrocytes were mechanically compressed and conditioned medium (CM) was collected to detect its ability to induce osteoclastogenesis of SDMs. RESULTS: Synovial osteoclastogenesis and condyle resorption were observed following IOS. TNFα level was elevated in hypertrophic chondrocytes after IOS. Synovial Wnt5a level increased, but Wnt3a level decreased after IOS. Depletion of TNFα in chondrocytes alleviated the synovial osteoclastogenesis and condyle bone resorption. In vitro compression of chondrocytes potentiated TNFα expression and secretion. The CM promoted osteoclastogenesis of SDMs, which were partially prohibited by TNFα neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, inhibition of Wnt3a facilitated osteoclastogenesis, whereas inhibition of Wnt5a partially suppressed osteoclastogenesis, of SDMs cultured in CM. CONCLUSION: Chondrocyte-secreted TNFα induced by IOS is a critical regulator of synovial osteoclastogenesis and subsequent condylar resorption, partially through non-canonical Wnt5a pathway.

Progress on fluorescent RNA and fluorescent NA-based biosensing technology.

Fluorescent RNA is a kind of emerging RNA labeling technique that can be used for in situ labeling and imaging of RNA in live cells, which plays an important role in understanding the function and regulation mechanism of RNA. Biosensing technology based on fluorescent RNA can be applied in dynamic detection of small molecule metabolites and proteins in real time, offering valuable tools for basic life science research and biomedical sensing technology development. In this review, we introduce the development of genetically encoded fluorescent RNA, and the application of fluorescent RNA in RNA imaging and biosensing technology based on fluorescent RNA in biosensing in live cell. Meanwhile, we discuss the direction and challenge of future development of fluorescent RNA technology to provide valuable insights for further development and application of this technology in relevant fields.

Optimization of ethanol extraction process for Yihuang powder by orthogonal experiment combined with AHP and GA-BP neural network / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To optimize ethanol extraction process of Yihuang powder. METHODS An orthogonal experiment was designed by reflux extraction with ethanol volume fraction， liquid-to-material ratio， and extraction time as investigation factors. The parameters used were the contents of hesperidin， nobiletin， tangeretin， gallic acid， chebulagic acid， chebulinic acid， liquiritin， glycyrrhizin， eugenol， and the paste-forming rate. The analytic hierarchy process （AHP） was used to calculate the comprehensive score. The optimal ethanol extraction process parameters of Yihuang powder were determined by verifying the results predicted by orthogonal experiment and genetic algorithm （GA）-back propagation neural network （BP neural network）. RESULTS The optimal ethanol extraction process parameters， as optimized by orthogonal experiment， were as follows: ethanol volume fraction of 60%， liquid-solid ratio of 14∶1 （mL/g)， extraction time of 90 min， and extraction for 2 times. The comprehensive score obtained by verification was 79.19. Meanwhile， the optimal ethanol extraction process parameters， optimized by GA-BP neural network， were ethanol volume fraction of 65%， liquid-solid ratio of 14∶1 （mL/g )， extraction time of 60 min， and extraction for 2 times. The comprehensive score obtained by verification was 85.30， higher than the results obtained from orthogonal experiment. CONCLUSIONS The optimization method of orthogonal experiment combined with GA-BP neural network is superior to the traditional orthogonal experiment optimization method. The optimized ethanol extraction process of Yihuang powder is stable and reliable.

Phenolic constituents of Sanguisorba officinalis and their Nrf2 agonistic effect / 药学学报

Thirty-one phenolic constituents were isolated and purified from the 95% ethanol extract of Sanguisorbae Radix by using various chromatographic techniques, including macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties, spectroscopic data (MS and NMR) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, and identified as 3-methoxyl-2S,3S-epoxyflavanone (1a), 3-methoxyl-2R,3R-epoxyflavanone (1b), longifoin B (2), longifoin C (3), eriodictyol (4), naringenin (5), liquiritigenin (6), 5,3ʹ-dihydroxy-7,4ʹ-dimethoxyflavanone (7), naringenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), dihydroquercetin (9), dihydrokaempferol (10), (-)-garbanzol (11), (2R,3R)-4-methoxyl-distylin (12), kaempferol (13), quercetin (14), α,4,2′,4′-tetrahydroxydihydrochalcone (15), phloretin (16), (+)-catechin (17), ethyl (+)-cyanidan-3-ol-8-carboxylate (18), phyllocoumarin (19), methyl 3-methoxy-4,5-dihydroxybenzoate (20), 4,5-dimethoxy-3-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester (21), 3,4′-di-O-methylellagic acid (22), 3,4,3′-O-trimethylellagic acid (23), 3,3ʹ,4ʹ-O-trimethylellagic acid-4-O-β-D-xyloside (24), (3R)-thunberginol C (25), resveratrol (26), 1-hydroxypinoresinol (27), (7S,8S)-3-methoxy-3′,7-epoxy-8,4′-oxyneoligna-4,9,9′-triol (28), emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside (29), phloracetophenone (30) and 4-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-butan-2-one (31). Among them, compound 1a and 1b is a pair of new flavonoid enantiomers, compounds 2 and 3 are a pair of new epimers, while compounds 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16 and 26 were obtained from S. officinalis for the first time, compounds 7, 8, 27, 30 and 31 were isolated for the first time from the S. officinalis genus, and compounds 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 25, 28 and 29 were isolated for the first time from the Rosaceae. The antioxidant activities of compounds 1-24 were evaluated by activating the Nrf2 transcriptional pathway, which were measured by the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay in 293T cells. Compounds 4, 6-10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 20 and 22-24 showed significant Nrf2 agonistic effect compared with the control group at 25 μmol·L-1, which provided reference for the research of their antioxidant activity.

Preparation of tripterygium glycoside nanoparticles and therapeutic effect on arthritis rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To prepare tripterygium glycoside nanoparticles and probe into their therapeutic effect on collagen-induced arthritis ( CIA) rats. Methods Tripterygium glycosides polyglycoside nanoparticles were prepared by thin film dispersion method and their quality was assessed. The CIA model was established and drug intervention performed. The body weight, toe swelling degree and arthritis index were measured. The pathological changes of the organs, knee and ankle synovium were observed. The serum levels of kidney function and inflammatory cytokine expression were detected in rats. Results The prepared tripterygium wil-fordii polyglycoside nanoparticles were round particles with uniform distribution and stable properties under electron microscope. Compared with the model group, the swelling of the left and right toes of medication group significantly decreased (P < 0. 01), and the ar-thritis index markedly decreased ( P < 0. 01). Among them, the efficacy of the TG-NPs group was better than that of the TG group. Compared with the normal group, the indexes of heart, spleen, kidney and testis all significantly decreased (P <0. 05, P<0.01). TG-NPs group had a significantly reduced pathological ankle-joint injury in knee cartilage and increased apoptotic synovial cells. Compared with the model group, the serum levels of ALT and BUN and CRE in TG-NPs group were significantly lower (P < 0. 05 ), and IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 levels decreased significantly (P <0. 05). Conclusions TG-NPs have good therapeutic effect on CIA through induction of synovial cell apoptosis and decrease of the expression of inflammatory cytokines. By intravenous injection of blood circula-tion, slow and controlled release of drugs can be achieved, the first pass effect caused by oral drug can be avoided, the viscera toxicity can be reduced, which provides an experimental basis for the development of new nanoagents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Psychological resilience characteristics of visually impaired adolescents: a qualitative study / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo analyze the psychological resilience characteristics of visually impaired adolescents. MethodsFrom February to May, 2023, 13 visually impaired adolescents (average age of 16.5 years) from Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Yangzhou Special Education School and Nanjing School for the Blind in Jiangsu, China were selected for semi-structured interviews with phenomenological method, and the interview data were sorted by theme analysis method. ResultsFour themes and twelve sub-themes were obtained; namely multiple sources of difficulties, including travel difficulties, learning difficulties, social difficulties and difficulties in daily life; need for external support, including insufficient family support, school support needs to be improved, need for peer support and insufficient social support; negative and positive adaptation coexist, including negative adaptation and positive adaptation; and negative coping and positive coping coexist, including positive coping and negative coping. ConclusionThe psychological resilience of visually impaired adolescents is characterized by multiple sources of difficulties, insufficient external support, coexistence of positive and negative adaptation, and coexistence of positive and negative coping. A joint family-school-society support system should be formed to reduce the source of their difficulties, and help them establish positive adaptation and positive coping methods, to enhance their psychological resilience.

Boosting synergism of chemo- and immuno-therapies via switching paclitaxel-induced apoptosis to mevalonate metabolism-triggered ferroptosis by bisphosphonate coordination lipid nanogranules

Conventional chemotherapy based on cytotoxic drugs is facing tough challenges recently following the advances of monoclonal antibodies and molecularly targeted drugs. It is critical to inspire new potential to remodel the value of this classical therapeutic strategy. Here, we fabricate bisphosphonate coordination lipid nanogranules (BC-LNPs) and load paclitaxel (PTX) to boost the chemo- and immuno-therapeutic synergism of cytotoxic drugs. Alendronate in BC-LNPs@PTX, a bisphosphonate to block mevalonate metabolism, works as both the structure and drug constituent in nanogranules, where alendronate coordinated with calcium ions to form the particle core. The synergy of alendronate enhances the efficacy of paclitaxel, suppresses tumor metastasis, and alters the cytotoxic mechanism. Differing from the paclitaxel-induced apoptosis, the involvement of alendronate inhibits the mevalonate metabolism, changes the mitochondrial morphology, disturbs the redox homeostasis, and causes the accumulation of mitochondrial ROS and lethal lipid peroxides (LPO). These factors finally trigger the ferroptosis of tumor cells, an immunogenic cell death mode, which remodels the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment and synergizes with immunotherapy. Therefore, by switching paclitaxel-induced apoptosis to mevalonate metabolism-triggered ferroptosis, BC-LNPs@PTX provides new insight into the development of cytotoxic drugs and highlights the potential of metabolism regulation in cancer therapy.

WITHDRAWN: Analysis of the Efficacy of Drilling Decompression Autologous Bone Marrow and Allogeneic Bone Grafting in the Treatment of HIV-positive Patients with Early Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

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PepDRED: De Novo Peptide Design with Strong Binding Affinity for Target Protein.

De novo design of peptides that bind specifically to functional proteins is beneficial for diagnostics and therapeutics. However, complex permutations and combinations of amino acids pose significant challenges to the rational design of peptides with desirable stability and affinity. Herein, we develop a computational-based evolution method, namely, peptidomimetics-driven recognition elements design (PepDRED), to derive hemoglobin-inspired peptidomimetics. PepDRED mimics the natural evolutionism pipeline to generate stable apovariant (AVs) structures for wild-type counterparts via automated point mutations and validates their efficiency through free binding energy analysis and per residue energy decomposition analysis. For application demonstration, we applied PepDRED to design de novo peptides to bind FhuA, a typical TonB-dependent transporter (TBDT). TBDTs are Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane proteins responsible for iron transport and vital for bacterial resistance. PepDRED generated a pool of AVs and proceeded to reach an optimized peptide, AV440, with a remarkable binding affinity of -21 kcal/mol. AV440 is ∼2.5-fold stronger than the existing FhuA inhibitor Microcin J25. Network energy analysis further unveils that incorporating methionine (M42) in the N-terminal region significantly enhances inter-residue contacts and binding affinity. PepDRED offers a prompt and efficient in silico approach to develop potent peptide candidates for target proteins.

Application of orthodontics combined with porcelain laminate veneers in the aesthetic restoration and flora regulation of anterior teeth.

To evaluate the effectiveness of orthodontics in combination with porcelain laminate veneers (PLV) in the aesthetic restoration and flora regulation of anterior teeth. A retrospective analysis of 336 patients who underwent aesthetic restoration of anterior teeth in our hospital from April 2019 to September 2022 was performed and divided into a control group (n = 168) and an observation group (n = 168) according to the restorative modality. The restorative modality in the control group was conventional restorative remediation, while the restorative modality in the observation group was orthodontic combined with PLV treatment. To evaluate the excellent rate of aesthetic restoration of anterior teeth in the 2 groups, and compare the color, shape, degree of translucency, edge aesthetic score, complications and satisfaction rate of restoration of anterior teeth in the 2 groups before and after restoration. The observation group had a significantly higher rate of excellent aesthetic restorations (95.23%) compared to the control group (80.95%) (P < .001). The scores of anterior tooth color, morphology, degree of translucency and marginal aesthetics were improved in both groups after restoration compared to before restoration, and the scores were significantly higher in the observation group (P < .05). After restoration, the subgingival Digestive streptococcus, Campylobacter and Propionibacterium increased in both groups, but the number of bacterial strains was significantly less in the observation group (P < .05). Compared with the total complication rate in the control group (16.66%), the total complication rate in the observation group (2.38%) was significantly lower (P < .001). Compared with the control group (85.71%), the observation group had a significantly higher restoration satisfaction rate of 97.61%, with a statistically significant difference (P < .001). The application of orthodontics combined with PLV in the aesthetic restoration of anterior teeth has a significant clinical effect, which is conducive to improving the aesthetic restoration and satisfaction rate of anterior teeth, reducing the subgingival microbial imbalance and decreasing the incidence of complications.

Analysis of type I hypersensitivity-induced inflammatory response in children of different age groups with acute appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the differences in type I hypersensitivity-induced inflammatory response among children of different age groups with acute appendicitis. METHODS: We selected children diagnosed with "acute appendicitis" who underwent surgery in the Department of General Surgery of Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital from January 2022 to June 2022 and collected their basic data. We divided them into two groups according to age: the infant group (less than 3 years old) and the pediatric group (3-14 years old). The gender, age, onset time, hospital stay, preoperative white blood cells, percentage of neutrophils, C-reactive protein (CRP), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were collected to determine the levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-9 (IL-9) in appendicular lavage fluid, and the differences between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: There were 15 children in the infant group and 15 in the pediatric group. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to onset time and gender. The hospitalization time in the pediatric group was (5.7 ± 2.1) d, the preoperative white blood cells were (14.3 ± 3.7) × 10^9/mL, neutrophil percentage was (84.5 ± 6.3)%, and CRP was (20.0 ± 17.9) mg/mL. The hospitalization time of the infant group was (8.0 ± 3.1) d, the preoperative white blood cells were (19.0 ± 3.8) × 10^9/mL, neutrophil percentage was (77.8 ± 10.4)%, and CRP was (42.5 ± 25.0) mg/mL. The differences between the two groups were significant. There was no significant difference in IL-5 concentration between the two groups in the appendicular lavage fluid. IgE (610.74 ± 72.56) ng/mL, IL-4 (30.80 ± 12.04) ng/mL, IL-6 (118.09 ± 14.29) ng/mL, IL-9 (133.94 ± 16.00) ng/mL were found in the infant group, and IgE (495.61 ± 95.09) ng/mL, IL-4 (22.68 ± 7.05) ng/mL, IL-6 (98.22 ± 22.18) ng/mL and IL-9 (107.86 ± 27.34) ng/mL were found in the pediatric group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory response in children with acute appendicitis was associated with type I hypersensitivity-induced inflammatory responses, and the type I hypersensitivity was more intense in children in the lower age group.

Application of Body Tom® mobile CT combined with basic anesthesia in preoperative painless localization of small pulmonary nodules: A retrospective cohort study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To explore the application of Body Tom® mobile CT combined with basic anesthesia in preoperative painless positioning of small pulmonary nodules, and evaluate its safety and effectiveness. Methods     Patients using mobile Body Tom® CT to accurately locate pulmonary nodules in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University from August to October 2022 were retrospectively included. Clinical data of the whole patient group were analyzed. Results    We finally included 30 patients with 12 males and 18 females at age of 23-71 years. The position success rate of 30 patients with small pulmonary nodules was 100.0%. Location time was 14.20±4.07 min. There was one patient of intrapulmonary hemorrhage, with no other complications such as pneumothorax, positioning needle shedding, or pleural reaction. The time from the end of positioning to the start of surgery was 12.63±5.68 min. There was no needle migration or indocyanine green overflow. All patients completed resection of small pulmonary nodules under single-port thoracoscopy, no transit to opening chest. The average operation time was 85.32±12.60 min. There was no postoperative complications, and the average postoperative chest tube retention time was 2.12±1.34 days. And the average length of hospital stay was 3.52±1.45 days. The postoperative pathological results showed that the distance from the nodules was greater than 2 cm. Conclusion     Body Tom® mobile CT combined with basic anesthesia can achieve the preoperative painless, precise positioning of pulmonary nodules, effectively reduce the incidence of preoperative positioning complications, shorten the operation waiting time, ensure the safety and effectiveness of patients with preoperative pulmonary nodules positioning, and further improve the surgical comfort of patients, which has certain clinical application value.

Optimization of processing methods for Terminalia chebula based on fingerprint，antioxidant spectrum-effect correlation and multi-component contents / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To compare the similarities and differences between raw and different preparations of Terminalia chebula based on fingerprint， antioxidant spectrum-effect correlation and multi-component contents， and to provide a reference for searching for modern processing methods of T. chebula that are similar to classical ancient methods. METHODS Ten batches of raw and different preparations of T. chebula （single stir-fried products， bran-roasted products， sand-scorched products， ash-roasted products， stir-fried charcoal products， and wine-steamed products） were used as test samples. The high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） fingerprints of different samples were established by using the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM （2012 edition）， the chromatographic peaks were identified， and chemometrics analysis was carried out. At the same time， HPLC method was used to determine the contents of 8 identified components. The antioxidant capacity of raw and different preparations of T. chebula was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging method， and the spectrum- effect relationship was analyzed. RESULTS A total of 20 common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of the raw and different preparations of T. chebula， and the similarity of each sample was ＞0.9. Nine common peaks were identified from the raw and different preparations of T. chebula， including chromatographic peak 2 （chebulic acid）， 3 （gallic acid）， 6 （punicalagin A）， 8 （punicalagin B）， 12 （corilagin）， 15 （chebulagic acid）， 18 （ellagic acid）， 19 （1，2，3，4，6-O-pentagalloyl glucose）， 20 （chebulinic acid）， etc. Compared with crude drug， the contents of the above 8 components （punicalagin A and B are recorded as punicalagin） in different preparations of T. chebula were changed， and the changes of the contents of the stir-fried charcoal and wine-steamed products were more obvious than those of other processed products. Chemometric analysis showed that the fingerprints of stir-fried charcoal and wine-steamed products of T. chebula were obviously distinguished from other processed products， and the fingerprint information of raw products and other processed products of T. chebula was partially overlapped. Four main differential components （chebulinic acid， chebulagic acid， gallic acid， ellagic acid） were obtained between raw and processed products of T. chebula； and four main effective components （chebulinic acid， chebulagic acid， gallic acid， corilagin） were obtained by analyzing the spectrum-effect relationship of antioxidant activity. The single stir-fried product of T. chebula showed the strongest antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS The single stir-frying method is a modern processing method of T. chebula which is similar to the classical ancient method and is more excellent.

Analysis of risk factors for hypomagnesemia in elderly patients with sepsis and the impact of hypomagnesemia on prognosis / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To explore the risk factors of hypomagnesemia in elderly patients with sepsis and the influence of hypomagnesemia on the prognosis of elderly patients with sepsis.Methods:In this retrospective study, 249 elderly patients with sepsis or septic shock were recruited between January 2018 and January 2021 from the Department of Geriatrics and the Department of Emergency Medicine, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, and relevant clinical data were collected.The Logistic regression analysis model was used to identify the relationship between risk factors and hypomagnesemia in patients with sepsis.The prognosis criteria such as hospitalization time in intensive care unit(ICU), 28-day mortality rate, mechanical ventilation time, double infection rate, shock reversal time, etc., were compared between the hypomagnesemia group and the normal magnesium group.Results:Among the 249 elderly patients with sepsis, 187 had normal blood magnesium, 43 had low blood magnesium and 19 had high blood magnesium, accounting for 75.10%, 17.27% and 7.63%, respectively.Compared with the normal blood magnesium group, elderly sepsis patients with hypomagnesemia had a longer hospitalization time in ICU[(16.21±3.68)d vs.(13.86±3.58)d, t=-4.845, P=0.036], and a significantly prolonged mechanical ventilation time[11(3, 18)d vs.3(1, 6)d, Z=-1.782, P=0.033]. There was no significant difference in mortality and double infection rate between the two groups(both P>0.05). The sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)score of elderly sepsis patients in the low magnesium group was significantly higher than that in the normal magnesium group[(5.69±1.28)scores vs.(3.09±0.68)scores, t=-0.322, P=0.008], but there was no significant difference in acute physiology and chronic health evaluation(APACHE) Ⅱ score between the two groups( P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that high SOFA score( OR=1.111, 95% CI: 1.025-1.758, P=0.001)was an independent risk factor for hypomagnesemia. Conclusions:A high SOFA score is an independent risk factor for hypomagnesemia in elderly sepsis patients, and the clinical prognosis of elderly sepsis patients with hypomagnesemia is poor.

Relationship between the number of peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells and survival time in individuals aged 75 and older / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the number of epithelial progenitor cells(EPCs)in peripheral blood and blood parameter values in order to clarify the relationship between peripheral blood EPCs and the length of survival in elderly individuals aged 75 and beyond.Methods:Analysis was conducted on 114 individuals ≥75 years recruited from the Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital in 2008.Clinical data were collected with December 31, 2020 as the end of the follow-up.Associations between peripheral blood EPC numbers, blood parameter values and all-cause mortality were analyzed.Results:In low and high EPC groups based on orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), D-Dimer was found to be a potential classification marker[the variable importance in projection(VIP)=4.750], out of a panel of blood tests.Blood parameters such as red blood cells(RBC), hemoglobin(HGB), hematocrit(HCT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)and D-Dimer showed statistically significant differences between groups with different levels of EPCs(all P<0.05). Blood EPC numbers were positively correlated with RBC, HGB and HCT and negatively correlated with GGT and D-Dimer in older individuals( r=0.364, 0.343, 0.336, -0.312, -0.312, P<0.05 for all). The number of circulating EPCs had a significant positive correlation with survival time in older individuals( r=0.234, P=0.017). Based on the data of the long-term(12-years)follow-up, Logistic regression analysis suggested that the number of EPCs, age, and HCT were associated with all-cause mortality events in older individuals( OR=0.971, 1.585, 1.231, P=0.013, 0.012, 0.029). Conclusions:EPCs in the peripheral circulation may be involved in the progression of various conditions such as anemia, cardiac, hepatic and renal injury, and coagulation.The number of circulating EPCs may influence the survival of elderly individuals ≥75 years.Age and HCT may be risk factors for all-cause mortality events, whereas the number of EPCs may be a protective factor.

Research progress on coping strategies of unreasonable drug use in the elderly / 中华老年医学杂志

Irrational drug use is common and inevitable in the elderly population, which leads to the occurrence of adverse drug reactions, the increase of hospital readmission rate and related mortality rate, and the increase of medical economic burden.Therefore, it is imperative to reduce irrational drug use, and the standardized drug prescription has become a new challenge for clinicians and pharmacists.Accurate detection method of irrational drug use, practical and effective drug use scheme, and intervention measures are the key to guide rational drug use in clinical practice.Mainly in terms of risk factors of irrational drug use, the status quo and its coping strategies, this paper reviews the research status at home and abroad in order to reduce irrational drug use in the elderly, reduce drug risk, and improve medication environment for the elderly.

Clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of piriformis syndrome / 中国基层医药

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of piriformis syndrome.Methods:Eighty patients with piriformis syndrome who received treatment in Huaihe Energy Occupational Disease Prevention Hospital Rehabilitation Medicine Center from February 2021 to December 2022 were included in this study. They were divided into a treatment group ( n = 40) and a control group ( n = 40) according to different treatment methods using a retrospective cohort study design. The treatment group was treated with acupuncture combined with extracorporeal shock wave therapy, once every 7 days for 3 consecutive weeks. The control group was treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy alone once every 7 days for 3 consecutive weeks.Pre- and post-treatment visual analogue scale scores and clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups. Results:There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After treatment, the visual analogue scale score decreased in each group. After adjusting for covariates, there was no significant difference in visual analogue scale score between the two groups ( F = 112.38, P < 0.001). After adjusting the pre-treatment visual analogue scale score, the post-treatment visual analogue scale score in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group [1.417 (95% CI: 1.151-1.683)]. The total response rate in the treatment group was 97.5% (39/40), which was significantly higher than 82.5% (33/40) in the control group ( Z = -2.03, P = 0.042). Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with extracorporeal shock wave therapy is highly effective on piriformis syndrome.

External quality control assessment results of iodine deficiency disorders laboratory in Qinghai Province in 2021 / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To analyze the external quality control assessment results of urinary iodine, salt iodine and water iodine in iodine deficiency disorders laboratories in Qinghai Province, to evaluate the testing capacity of provincial, municipal and county-level laboratories and the operation of external quality control network, so as to provide quality assurance for consolidating and eliminating iodine deficiency disorders.Methods:In 2021, 1 provincial, 8 municipal, and 43 county-level laboratories in Qinghai Province had participated in the assessment of urinary iodine and salt iodine, while 1 provincial and 8 municipal-level laboratories had participated in the assessment of water iodine. The assessment results were evaluated using the method of reference value ± uncertainty of external quality control samples.Results:All laboratories that participated in the assessment had provided feedback. One provincial-level laboratory passed the assessment of urinary iodine, salt iodine, and water iodine. Among 8 municipal-level laboratories, 2 laboratories failed the urinary iodine assessment, with a pass rate of 6/8; the assessment of salt iodine and water iodine in 8 laboratories were all qualified. Among 43 county-level laboratories, 7 laboratories failed the urinary iodine assessment, with a pass rate of 83.7% (36/43); the assessment of salt iodine in 43 laboratories were all qualified.Conclusions:The external quality control network of iodine deficiency disorders laboratories in Qinghai Province has fully covered all municipal and county-level laboratories. The testing capability of provincial-level laboratory is stable and maintains a high level; the testing quality of some municipal and county-level laboratories is still unstable and needs to be further strengthened.

Changes of serum CTX-1 and P1NP in patients with skeletal fluorosis in tea-drinking-borne endemic fluorosis area in Qinghai Province / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To observe the changes of serum C-terminal peptide of type Ⅰ collagen (CTX-1) and N-terminal lengthening peptide of type Ⅰ collagen (P1NP) in adult patients with skeletal fluorosis in the tea-drinking-borne endemic fluorosis area in Qinghai Province, and to find sensitive indicators for diagnosis of skeletal fluorosis.Methods:From April to August 2019, a case-control study was carried out in tea-drinking-borne endemic fluorosis area in Zhiduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Gangcha County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province. According to the Diagnostic Standard for Endemic Skeletal Fluorosis (WS/T 192-2008), the clinical diagnosis and X-ray examination of skeletal fluorosis were carried out for permanent residents ≥25 years old and living for more than 10 years in the area, combined with face-to-face inquiry and investigation of past disease history, lifestyle and clinical manifestations. The patients with skeletal fluorosis and healthy people were selected as skeletal fluorosis group and control group, respectively. Randomized urine samples and fasting venous blood from the two groups were collected. The content of fluoride in urine was determined by ion selective electrode method, and the contents of CTX-1 and P1NP in serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results:A total of 127 people in the disease area were investigated, including 63 cases in skeletal fluorosis group and 64 cases in control group. There was no statistically significant difference in age and sex ratio between the two groups ( t = 0.42, χ 2 = 0.07, P > 0.05). The X-ray examination results showed that the patients with skeletal fluorosis were mainly mild, accounting for 71.43% (45/63); X-ray changes were mainly ossification of interosseous membrane and tendon. The urinary fluoride in control group and skeletal fluorosis group was 1.62 (1.12, 1.95) and 3.22 (2.38, 4.89) mg/L, respectively, with statistically significant difference between the two groups ( Z = 7.07, P < 0.001). The difference of serum CTX-1 and P1NP contents between the two groups was statistically significant ( Z = 2.00, 4.89, P < 0.05). Conclusions:The levels of serum CTX-1 and P1NP in patients with skeletal fluorosis are higher than those in healthy people. Serum CTX-1 and P1NP may be used as sensitive indicators for diagnosis of skeletal fluorosis.

Analysis of external quality control assessment results of fluorine and arsenic in Qinghai Province in 2021 / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To learn about the detection quality and external quality control assessment of fluoride and arsenic in laboratories at all levels in Qinghai Province.Methods:The Z-score method was used to analyze and evaluate the evaluation results of 1 provincial, 8 municipal and 43 county level laboratories of disease prevention and control institutions participating in the external quality control assessment of water fluoride and brick tea fluoride in Qinghai Province in 2021, as well as 1 provincial, 1 municipal and 2 county level laboratories of disease prevention and control institutions participating in the external quality control assessment of water arsenic and urine arsenic. The feedback rate and qualification rate of external quality control of each assessment laboratory were calculated.Results:In 2021, the feedback rate of external quality control of water fluoride, brick tea fluoride, water arsenic and urine arsenic in provincial and municipal level laboratories of Qinghai Province were 100.00%; except that the qualified rate of water fluoride was 7/9, the qualified rate of external quality control of other projects was 100.00%. The feedback rate of external quality control of water fluoride, brick tea fluoride, water arsenic and urine arsenic in county level laboratories was 100.00%; except that the qualified rate of water fluoride was 86.05% (37/43), the qualified rate of external quality control of other projects was 100.00%. In the specific assessment results of the laboratory, the assessment results of water fluoride sample FS20210101 from 1 provincial, 1 municipal and 2 county level laboratories, and FS20210102 from 1 county level laboratory were suspicious; the assessment results of water fluoride sample FS20210101 from 3 county level laboratories were not satisfactory; the assessment results of fluoride and arsenic sample in other laboratories were satisfactory.Conclusions:The qualified rate of external quality control of fluoride and arsenic in laboratories at all levels in Qinghai Province is relatively high, but some county level laboratories are still dissatisfied with the assessment results of water fluoride. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the detection level of water fluoride in laboratories.