Rapid quantitative PCR on tongue swabs for pulmonary tuberculosis in adults: a prospective multicentre study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of infectious disease mortality globally, with significant underdiagnosis perpetuating transmission. Tongue swab analysis has emerged as a promising non-invasive method for pulmonary TB diagnosis. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of the TB-EASY quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay using tongue swab specimens.

Clinical Characteristics, Species Distribution, and Drug Resistance of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Lung Disease in Qingdao, China.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics, species distribution and drug resistance of patients with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease in Qingdao, China.

Methods: Clinical data of patients with NTM lung disease and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) treated at Qingdao Chest Hospital from July 2021 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The prevalence of NTM lung disease was 8.

The progress of drug targets.

Tuberculosis (TB) has been troubling humans for hundreds of years, is a highly infectious disease caused by (Mtb) infection, Mtb can infect almost all organs of the body and is one of the deadly infectious diseases in the world. At present, the first-line treatment regimen has a long treatment cycle and is prone to multiple drug resistance. Anti-tuberculosis drugs and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) resistance are increasing year by year, and new targets and new bioactive compounds are urgently needed to treat this disease.

Combined retinal massage and autologous blood covering for persistent macular holes after vitrectomy in high myopia.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of retinal massage combined with autologous blood covering in the treatment of persistent macular holes following vitrectomy in eyes with high myopia.

Settings And Design: Retrospective, consecutive case series in a tertiary eye center.

Methods: A total of 12 highly myopic eyes with persistent macular holes after vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling received combined retinal massage, air/fluid exchange, autologous blood covering, and gas/silicone oil tamponade.

Clinical characteristics of adolescent-onset gout in Chinese: A hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Objective: Adolescent-onset gout has a greater impact on the lives and health of patients than adult-onset gout. However, there is a relative lack of clinical information on adolescent-onset gout. Hence, we analyzed a Chinese cohort.

The positivity rates and drug resistance patterns of using nucleotide MALDI-TOF MS assay among suspected tuberculosis patients in Shandong, China: a multi-center prospective study.

Objective: To investigate the positivity rates and drug resistance characteristics of (MTB) among suspected tuberculosis (TB) patients in Shandong Province, the second-largest population province in China.

Methods: A prospective, multi-center study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2023. Pathogen and drug resistance were identified using nucleotide matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (nucleotide MALDI-TOF MS).

Value of preoperative evaluation of FEV in patients with destroyed lung undergoing pneumonectomy - a 20-year real-world study.

Background: Clinical guidelines recommend a preoperative forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV) of > 2 L as an indication for left or right pneumonectomy. This study compares the safety and long-term prognosis of pneumonectomy for destroyed lung (DL) patients with FEV ≤ 2 L or > 2 L.

Methods: A total of 123 DL patients who underwent pneumonectomy between November 2002 and February 2023 at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Chest Hospital were included.

Evaluation of adiponectin and TNF-α expression in diabetic patients and its relationship with cardiovascular diseases.

Diabetes is caused by peripheral insulin resistance and lack of insulin secretion due to the apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted from the tissue on the insulin signaling pathway, can play a role in causing fat resistance to insulin in type 2 diabetes patients. Adiponectin is a specific protein of adipose tissue.

Circulating miR-222-3p is associated with ankylosing spondylitis development and predicts therapeutic efficacy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic rheumatic disease, and some microRNAs (miRNAs) in AS have been identified. This study aimed to measure miR-222-3p expression in AS patients, investigate the association of miR-222-3p with AS disease activity, and explore the clinical value of miR-222-3p in diagnosing AS and predicting therapeutic efficacy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on AS patients. This study included 96 patients with AS, 58 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 90 healthy controls.

LINC00844 suppresses tumor progression and predicts survival outcomes through inhibiting miR-19a-5p in cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous malignancy. The aim of the study was to investigate the regulatory role of long noncoding RNA LINC00844 in CCA progression, explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, and to analyze the potential prognostic value of LINC00844 in CCA patients.

Methods: Expression of LINC00844 in CCA cell lines and tissues was examined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR.

Alternate Herpes Simplex Virus-Associated Inflammation in the Cornea and Retina Within a Span of over Two Decades: A Case Report.

Purpose: To report a case of alternate herpes simplex virus (HSV)-related inflammation in the cornea and retina in over two decades.

Methods: Penetrating keratoplasty was performed for HSV stromal keratitis, which had occurred repeatedly over the earlier 7 years, in 2004, and vitrectomy was performed for acute retinal necrosis (ARN) in 2021 in the right eye of the patient. Systemic and topical antivirals and immunosuppressants were administered for HSV reactivation.

Spinal infection caused by Coxiella burnetii.

Background: Spinal infection caused by Coxiella burnetii is rare and difficult to diagnose. Here we reported a case of spinal infection from Coxiella burnetii detected by the metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS).

Case Presentation: A 66-year-old male farmer with no medical history reported severe sharp low back pain, numbness and lower limb weakness for three years.

Application and progress of transcranial substantial ultrasound in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common nervous system disease, mainly manifested as motor retardation, resting tremor, etc. (1). The clinical features of early PD patients are not characteristic, and diagnosis is very difficult.

Study on the Application of Doxorubicin-Loaded Magnetic Nanodrugs in Targeted Therapy of Liver Cancer.

Doxorubicin (DOX) has been widely recognized as effective in anticancer therapy; however, the additional organ toxicity and low targeting of DOX in antitumor activity remains unaddressed. The aim of this study was to use the drug carrier dextran/polylactic acid (DEX/PLA) and paramagnetic Fe3O4 to improve the targeting of DOX in liver cancer treatment while reducing its potential organ toxicity. Our experimental results show that the combination drug (Fe3O4@DEX/PLA-DOX) exhibits strong hepatocarcinogenic inhibition and low cytotoxicity and that this modified drug provides a better option for clinical liver cancer treatment.

Adjunctive interleukin-2 for the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis: a randomized control trial in China.

Purpose: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of IL-2 in the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis.

Methods: First, the cases of diagnosed drug-susceptible tuberculosis were randomized into two groups-the control group that received the background regimen of isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, and the experimental group that received the background regimen plus IL-2. The efficacy and safety evaluations were performed throughout the therapy process as well as 12 months after the treatment completion.

Eosinophil: A Nonnegligible Predictor in COVID-19 Re-Positive Patients.

Although vaccine resources are being distributed worldwide, insufficient vaccine production remains a major obstacle to herd immunity. In such an environment, the cases of re-positive occurred frequently, and there is a big controversy regarding the cause of re-positive episodes and the infectivity of re-positive cases. In this case-control study, we tracked 39 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from the Jiaodong Peninsula area of China, of which 7 patients tested re-positive.

MicroRNA-124a Protects the Myocardium Against Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Through Regulation of the Notch Signaling Pathway.

Introduction: This study's objective is to investigate the effect of downregulation of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-124a on myocardial injury after ischemia reperfusion (I/R) in rats.

Methods: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (n=20) were divided into four groups - sham, I/R, I/R+miR-124a antagomir (I/R+ant-miR-124a), and I/R+ant-normal control (NC). The pathomorphological and infarct size variance of injured myocardial tissues with IR were conducted with hematoxylin (HE) and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining.

Risk of having pulmonary tuberculosis in type 2 diabetes: A hospital-based matched case-control study.

Background And Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to nearly 3-fold higher risk of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), indicating an increasing challenge to public health in low-to-middle income countries. Till now, the risk factor is still uncertain. We carried out this study with the main purpose to identify the risk factors of having TB in DM patients.

Comparison of Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy and Microscope-Assisted Tubular Discectomy for Lumbar Disc Herniation.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes and quality of life following percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) and microscope-assisted tubular discectomy (MTD) for lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Methods: This study had a retrospective design. From June 2017 to June 2018, the clinical data of 120 patients with LDH treated with PTED (60 cases, PTED group) and MTD (60 cases, MTD group) were analyzed and followed up for at least 20 months.

Dietary Intake of Vegetables and Cooking Oil Was Associated With Drug-Induced Liver Injury During Tuberculosis Treatment: A Preliminary Cohort Study.

Drug-induced liver injury is challenging during tuberculosis treatment. There is no epidemiological data investigating the relation between dietary intake and the risk of drug-induced liver injury during tuberculosis treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of food and nutrient intake with the incidence of tuberculosis-drug-induced liver injury.