Shenzhen Hospital Research Articles

A cross-sectional study on improving clinical efficiency through centralized digital impression.

This study aims to explore the effect of improving clinical efficiency by replacing traditional impression workflow with centralized digital impression workflow. The department of prosthodontics in Center of Stomatology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital has improved the clinical workflow by replacing the traditional impression made by doctors using impression materials for each patient with a centralized digital impression made by one technician for all patients in the department. This cross-sectional study recorded the chairside time required for impression taking in patients undergoing single posterior zirconia full crown restoration before clinical process improvement; the time required for centralized digital impression production; the comfort level of patients; and the adjacency relationship, occlusal contact relationship, and time required for prostheses adjusting (i.e., whether centralized digital impressions would compromise the quality of pro-stheses and increase the time of prostheses adjusting). The average time to make a traditional impression was (9.98±1.41) min, and the average time required for each patient to make a centralized digital impression was (5.98±1.49) min, which was shorter than that to used make a traditional impression (P<0.05). Centralized digital impression made patients feel more comfortable compared with traditional impression (P<0.05). The adjacency relationship of restorations by centralized digital impression was more appropriate (P<0.05), and no significant difference in occlusal relationship was found (P>0.05). The time required for adjusting prostheses also had no significant differences (P>0.05). Centralized digital impression can improve clinical efficiency for patients undergoing single posterior zirconia crown restoration. The time for impression taking is shorter, and patients feel more comfortable without compromising the quality of the prostheses.

Prenatal labor analgesia education program on outcomes for primiparas: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundA significant number of primiparous women lack awareness of labor epidural analgesia, resulting in lower acceptance of labor epidural analgesia. Additional prenatal education may help primiparas understand labor epidural analgesia and increase labor epidural analgesia rates. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will evaluate the effects of an online and offline prenatal labor epidural analgesia education program for primiparas to improve their labor epidural analgesia rate and to reduce their misunderstanding of labor epidural analgesia and fear of birth.MethodsA single-blinded, randomized, controlled, parallel-design trial will be conducted. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, online and offline prenatal labor epidural analgesia education program has five modules: (a)elementary knowledge, (b)attitude, (c)subjective norm, (d) perceived behavioral control and (e)behavioral intention. Primiparous women will be recruited in the obstetrics department or midwife clinic of a tertiary hospital in Shenzhen, China. The participants (N = 196) will be randomly allocated to the intervention group (N = 98) that receives routine prenatal education and access to the online and offline prenatal labor epidural analgesia education program and the control group (N = 98) that receives routine prenatal education. Labor epidural analgesia rate will be extracted from the electronic medical record; misunderstanding and intention of labor epidural analgesia and fear of birth will be measured at baseline and immediately after the intervention. The study was ethically approved in November 2023.DiscussionIf the online and offline prenatal labor epidural analgesia education program has positive outcomes, it may offer an effective intervention program to decrease misperceptions of labor epidural analgesia and fear of birth and to improve the labor epidural analgesia rate for Chinese primiparas. As the first RCT study to evaluate the effect of the online and offline prenatal labor epidural analgesia education program with a strict research design and a theoretical framework, this research will provide evidence on prenatal labor analgesia health education for clinical practice in China.Trial RegistrationRegistered at the Chinese Clinical Trials.gov on January 11th, 2024. Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2400079767.

A cross-sectional study on posttraumatic growth and influencing factors among parents of premature infants

ObjectivePreterm birth is a significant public health concern that negatively affects parents’ mental health. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a positive response to trauma that can effectively help parents cope with the stress of preterm birth. However, few studies have investigated PTG among parents with preterm infants. This study aimed to examine the level and influencing factors of PTG among parents with preterm infants and to explore its relationship with social support coping styles.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 160 parents of premature infants in a hospital in Shenzhen, China, from May 2022 to August 2022. Parents’ demographic information and birth-related characteristics were collected through a self-designed general information questionnaire. PTG was assessed using the Chinese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Social support and coping style were measured using the Social Support Scale(SSS) and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire(WCQ). Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationship between PTGI and WCQ and SSS .A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explore independent influencing factors of PTG.ResultsThe parents had an average PTG score of 66.41 ± 10.37, with 81.11% having a low and medium level of PTG. The total score of coping style of parents of premature infants was (34.28 ± 4.97) points, which was in the middle and upper level; the total score of social support of parents of premature infants was (14.28 ± 4.97) points, which was in the middle level. In addition, older gestational age at birth (B = 2.396, P < 0.001) ,higher Apgar score at 5 min at birth (B = 2.117, P = 0.023), positive coping style (B = 0.850, P < 0.001), and higher social support score (B = 1.978, P < 0.001) were associated with higher PTG scores.ConclusionParents of preterm infants have low to medium levels of PTG, indicating much room for improvement. Older gestational age, higher Apgar score at five minutes at birth, positive coping styles, and high levels of social support were associated with higher PTG levels. Our findings provide helpful guidance for the development of effective and targeted intervention programs to improve parents’ PTG and well-being.

Association between preoperative serum albumin levels and length of stay in elderly patients with hip fractures: A nonlinear relationship.

Previous studies have provided relatively limited evidence in examining the impact of preoperative serum albumin levels on the length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients with hip fractures. This study aimed to elucidate the association between preoperative serum albumin levels and LOS in elderly patients with hip fractures. This retrospective cohort study included 1444 elderly patients undergoing surgical treatment for hip fractures at the Second People's Hospital of Shenzhen from January 2012 to December 2021. The main exposure variable was serum albumin level, and the outcome variable was LOS. A generalized additive model was used to identify the nonlinear relationship between serum albumin levels and LOS, and saturation effects were calculated using a two-piecewise linear regression model. Subgroup analysis was conducted using stratified logistic regression. The median LOS was 10 (8-15) days among all included patients. After adjusting for potential confounding factors (age, sex, comorbidities, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, duration of surgery, surgical method, intraoperative blood loss, red cell distribution width, estimated glomerular filtration rate, blood urea nitrogen, postoperative pneumonia, and transfer to ICU), a nonlinear relationship was found between serum albumin levels and LOS, with a turning point at 3.06. On the left side of the turning point, the effect size was not statistically significant (β = 1.84, 95% CI -1.00 to 4.68, P = .2042), while on the right side of the turning point, for every 1 g/dL increase in albumin, LOS decreased by 1.05 days (β = -1.05, 95% CI -1.90 to -0.20, P = .0162). A nonlinear relationship was observed between preoperative serum albumin levels and LOS in elderly patients with hip fractures. When albumin levels were >3.06 g/dL, they were negatively correlated with LOS. This has important implications for clinicians in the development of nutritional improvement strategies.

Increased platelet aggregation in hepatic tissue of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease-an observational study.

The study aimed to observe the quantity of platelet aggregation in the hepatic tissue of patients with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and its relationship with hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and fatty degeneration. Clinical data of 55 patients with MAFLD and 25 patients without MAFLD, admitted to the Shenzhen Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from December 2020 to May 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. Liver tissue obtained by liver biopsy underwent routine pathological examination. Immunohistochemical staining with CD63 antibody was performed to label platelets in the liver tissue. Clinical, liver pathology, and immunohistochemical staining data of the study subjects were statistically analyzed using unpaired t-test. The quantity of platelet aggregation in the hepatic tissue was higher in MAFLD patients than in non-MAFLD patients and was related to the degree of hepatic inflammation but not to the degree of hepatic fibrosis or fatty degeneration. The quantity of platelet aggregation in hepatic tissue was increased in patients with MAFLD and was related to the degree of hepatic inflammation.

Surveillance and Characteristics of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Isolates in a Chinese Tertiary Hospital in Shenzhen, 2018 to 2024

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence and characteristics of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) isolates in a Chinese tertiary hospital in Shenzhen. MethodsA hospital-based retrospective epidemiological survey of Enterococcus was conducted over a 6.5-year period, from January 2018 to June 2024. The VRE isolates were identified and subjected to screening for the six van genes and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) genotyping. The clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and molecular features were subjected to analysis. ResultsA total of 34 non-duplicate VRE isolates were identified, comprising 32 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) and 2 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VREfa) strains. Since its initial isolation in 2022, there has been an observable increase in the detection rate of VRE. The detection rate of VRE between 2022 and 2024 (until June) was 0.3%, 4.8%, and 8.6%, respectively. The majority of the VRE strains were isolated from urine (25/34, 73.5%), and the highest detection rate (9.1%) of VRE infections was observed in the patients aged ≥75 years. In excess of 90% of VRE isolates exhibited resistance to ciprofloxacin (97.1%) and levofloxacin (97.1%), followed by ampicillin (94.1%) and penicillin (94.1%). The non-susceptible rate was observed to be low for linezolid (2.9%) and tigecycline (5.9%). Of the 29 VREfm isolates preserved and tested, 28 were found to harbour the vanA gene. A total of six STs were identified among the 29 VREfm isolates, with ST80 (16/29, 55.2%) being the predominant. The ST80 remained the most prevalent clone until the introduction of ST78 in May 2023, at which point these two clones became the most prevalent. ConclusionThere has been an observable increase in the prevalence of VRE in our hospital since 2022. Furthermore, an ongoing outbreak of ST80 and ST78 VREfm with vanA-harboring plasmid was identified. It is imperative that continuous surveillance be conducted in order to inform public health interventions.

Risk factors and molecular Epidemiology of colonizing Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales in pediatric inpatient in Shenzhen, China

The spread of CRE has been rapid on a global scale and represents a significant challenge in nosocomial infections worldwide. The aim is to evaluate the risk factors for CRE colonization and to describe the molecular and clinical characteristics of CRE colonization in pediatric inpatients in Shenzhen, China. We collected stool specimens from 2474 randomly selected pediatric inpatient hospitalized in 2 pediatric hospitals in Shenzhen between January 2023 and December 2023 for subsequent microbiological analysis, including microbial culture, species identification, antimicrobial sensitivity testing, genetic characterization and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). In addition, we conducted a case-control study to identify potential risk factors for gastrointestinal CRE colonization. Of the 2474 non-replicating pediatric stool specimens collected, 3.6% (n=90) test positive for CRE. The most dominant CRE species were Escherichia coli (n=67, 74.5%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=17, 19.0%). Multidrug resistance and carbapenemase production were observed in most CRE isolates. In CR E. coli and CR K. pneumoniae, the blaNDM was the predominant resistance gene, accounting for 95.5% and 76.5%, respectively. MLST showed considerable clonal diversity among the CR E. coli and CR K. pneumoniae isolates and the most common ST in CR E. coli was ST48 (n=6, 9.0%) and ST35 in CR K. pneumoniae (n=4, 23.5%). This study once again shows that pediatric inpatients in South China were colonized by a diversity of CRE strains, increasing the likelihood of difficult-to-treat infections. Hospitals and competent authorities should take appropriate public health measures, to prevent the further spread of CRE.

Effectiveness of a virtual reality-based sensory stimulation intervention in preventing delirium in intensive care units: a randomised-controlled trial protocol

IntroductionDelirium is a common acute cognitive impairment characterised by confusion, disorientation and attention deficits, particularly prevalent in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. Given its significant impact on patients, caregivers and...

Identification of serum metabolite biomarkers in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: protocol for a multicentre prospective observational cohort study

IntroductionBronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is one of the most common and significant complications of preterm birth. It ultimately leads to a decrease in the quality of life for preterm infants and...

Impact of interpregnancy weight change on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus during a second pregnancy in Chinese population: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the impact of interpregnancy weight changes (IPWC) on the gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the second pregnancy.DesignA single-centre retrospective cohort study was conducted in China.SettingData...

A multicentre, prospective cohort study comparing two endoscopic procedures for the treatment of gastric muscularis propria lesions

To date, no prospective study has been conducted to compare the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic snare resection with an elastic band (ESR-EB) and endoscopic snare resection with a transparent cap (ESR-C) for treating gastric muscularis propria lesions. We aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of ESR-EB with those of ESR-C for gastric muscularis propria lesions less than 10 mm in diameter. A total of 64 patients were enrolled prospectively from May 2023 to November 2023 at Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University, and the People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City. The study compared clinical characteristics, tumour features, and surgical outcomes between the two groups. Of 64 patients, 29 underwent ESR-C, and 35 underwent ESR-EB. There were no differences in age, gender, location, tumour size, growth pattern, resection time, histology diagnosis, or follow-up time (P > 0.05). Complete resection was achieved in all the patients. The operation time was significantly greater in the ESR-C group than in the ESR-EB group (41.31 ± 9.87 min vs. 26.26 ± 10.32 min, P = 0.000). In the ESR-C cohort, 21 patients (72.41%) had perforation, and 1 patient (3.45%) had bleeding. In the ESR-EB group, 7 patients (20.00%) had perforation. The complication rate varied significantly between the two groups (P = 0.000). No recurrence or metastasis was observed in either group during the follow-up period. Both ESR-C and ESR-EB achieved a 100% complete resection rate for gastric muscularis propria lesions less than 10 mm in diameter.ESR-EB had the potential to reduce the operation time and lower the occurrence of complications. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier ChiCTR2300072856.

Effect of hydroxyapatite combined with concentrated growth factor on mastoid cavity filling during endoscopic surgery for middle ear cholesteatoma

Objective: To explore the effect of hydroxyapatite (HA) combined with concentrated growth factor (CGF) on the cavity filling during endoscopic mastoidectomy in patients with middle ear cholesteatoma. Methods: The data of patients with middle ear cholesteatoma who underwent endoscopic canal wall down (CWD) mastoidectomy and mastoid obliteration with hydroxyapatite in Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital from December 2017 to October 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into observational group (HA+CGF) and control group (HA) according to whether CGF was used. The postoperative follow-up time was not less than 6 months.The otoendoscopy results of the two groups were collected, and the excretion incidence of hydroxyapatite bone powder exposure was observed. The degree of epithelialization of the mastoid cavity and the time required for complete epithelialization were compared between the two groups using a subjective epithelialization scoring scale at one month post-operation. Results: A total of 58 patients (36 males and 22 females) aged (39.4±13.4) years were collected, including 26 left ears and 32 right ears. There were 30 cases in HA group and 28 cases in HA+CGF group, respectively. No statistically differences in gender, location and age were detected between the two groups (all P>0.05). The excretion incidence of bone powder exposure was 3.4% (2/58), with 1 case in HA group and 1 case in HA+CGF group, respectively. The median (Q1, Q3) subjective epithelialization score at one month post-operation was 1 (1, 2) in the HA+CGF group and 2(1, 2) in the HA group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.032). The results of 60-day follow-up after otoendoscopy showed that the proportion of complete epithelialization was 74.1% (20/27) in HA+CGF group and 48.3% (14/29) in HA group, and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.048). Conclusion: HA combined with CGF has a better effect on the cavity filling during endoscopic mastoidectomy in patients with middle ear cholesteatoma.

Sex-specific associations between exclusive breastfeeding and postpartum depression in Chinese women

BackgroundStudies on the association of exclusive breastfeeding and postpartum depression (PPD) are inconsistent and no prior study has investigated whether this association was influenced by other factors. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and PPD in Chinese population, as well as to determine whether other factors influence this association.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out on 7685 postpartum women from a hospital of Shenzhen, China, utilizing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to evaluate PPD.ResultsA total of 7685 women were included this study, of whom 4549 (59.2%) performed exclusive breastfeeding, and 3136 (40.8%) did not carry out exclusive breastfeeding. Puerperal women who exclusively breastfed were found to have a lower risk of testing positive for PPD (10.5% vs. 13.8%, P < 0.001), in comparison to those who were not exclusively breastfeeding. After controlling for other influencing factors, exclusive breastfeeding was still associated with the lower risk of PPD (OR = 0.80, 95% CI, 0.69–0.94). Moreover, stratified analyses suggested that the association of exclusive breastfeeding with PPD was more pronounced in mothers who gave birth to a girl (Pinteraction < 0.05).ConclusionsOur study confirms that the exclusive breastfeeding may reduce the PPD risk, especially among women with a birth of girl. Thus, more tailored preventative approaches should be developed to address PPD in women who were not exclusive breastfeeding.

Compassion fatigue and it influencing factors among pediatric nurses: a cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveThis cross-sectional survey, utilizing a convenience sampling method, was conducted to investigate compassion fatigue (CF) among pediatric nurses in Shenzhen, China. Early identification of factors influencing compassion fatigue is a critical issue that nursing managers must address urgently.MethodsA convenience sampling technique was employed, and 539 pediatric nurses from tertiary grade A hospitals in Shenzhen were assessed using the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Logistic regression analysis was subsequently conducted to identify factors influencing compassion fatigue.ResultsA total of 534 valid questionnaires were collected, yielding an effective response rate of 99.1% (534/539). The overall compassion fatigue score for the nurses was 87.83 ± 12.86 points, with the sub-scores for compassion satisfaction, job burnout, and secondary traumatic stress being 35.72 ± 7.65 points, 25.65 ± 6.44 points, and 26.45 ± 7.60 points, respectively. Among the 534 nurses, 37 showed no signs of compassion fatigue, 154 had mild CF, 169 had moderate CF, and 174 experienced severe CF. Logistic analysis revealed that gender, health status, job satisfaction, work treatment satisfaction, workload, and competitive pressure were significant factors influencing compassion fatigue.ConclusionConsidering the urban characteristics of Shenzhen and the unique nature of pediatric nursing, recognizing the inevitability of compassion fatigue in pediatric nurses, along with early identification and intervention, may be crucial for safeguarding their mental health.

Analysis of the Causes of Insomnia in Young and Middle-aged People and Nursing Intervention Strategies of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

Objective: To examine insomnia in the modern young and middle-aged population and explore nursing intervention strategies using traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Methods: A total of 255 inpatients and outpatients were sampled from Shenzhen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Sleep Questionnaire for Young and Middle-aged People was used to assess insomnia, and a linear regression model was applied for data analysis. Results: A total of 251 valid questionnaires were collected. Correlation analysis revealed a high incidence of insomnia among respondents. Linear correlation analysis indicated that mental illness or other underlying diseases leading to pain had a significantly positive effect on symptom improvement through Chinese and Western medicine treatments (B = 0.763, P &lt; 0.01). Conversely, work or life pressures (emotional or financial issues) had a significantly negative impact on treatment effectiveness (B = -0.503, P &lt; 0.01). Cross-analysis identified high life or work pressure as the primary cause of insomnia (70.1%). Conclusion: Insomnia is prevalent among the young and middle-aged in modern times, with high work or life pressure being the leading factor.

Financial toxicity in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing peritoneal dialysis

Abstract Objective: To investigate financial toxicity (FT) and the factors influencing it in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. From August 2023 to December 2023, 148 PD patients were selected for investigation. The selection was conducted using the convenience sampling method across Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, and The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. Patients’ financial toxicity was assessed using a general demographic questionnaire, laboratory test results, and the Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity-Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (COST-FACIT). T-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s chi-squared test and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the predictors of FT in patients with PD. Results: Seventy-nine patients (53.38%) had mild FT, and 61 patients (41.21%) had moderate FT. Age, working status, monthly household income per capita, and PD-related complications were significantly associated with FT in PD patients (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: There were varying degrees of FT in PD patients. Measuring FT can help medical professionals develop treatment care strategies, reduce the financial burden on patients, and avoid treatment interruption.

Comparison of Occupational Performance in Immersive Virtual and Real Environments Among Patients With Stroke: Observational Randomized Crossover Pilot Study.

Conventional rehabilitation approaches involve therapists simulating various occupational tasks in health care settings or recreating real-life situations to assess and train patients in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). As an alternative, immersive virtual reality (IVR) has been widely used in stroke rehabilitation for years, but research comparing occupational performance between virtual and real environments is limited. This study aims to introduce a novel IVR shopping system designed for patients with stroke and to investigate the correlation of occupational performance in virtual and real environments among patients with stroke. Ten patients with stroke were recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for this observational, randomized crossover study; the patients were predominantly male (n=7), had experienced ischemic stroke (n=9), were aged 14 to 73 years, and had a time since stroke of 1 to 42 months. All patients attempted shopping tasks in virtual and real environments. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), modified Barthel index (MBI), and Lawton index (LI) were used to assess cognition, ambulation, and activities of daily living. Memory capacity and duration in the virtual and real environments were recorded as the primary parameters of occupational performance. The Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to analyze the differences and correlations between the 2 environments. The Wilcoxon test showed no significant differences between the virtual and real environments in memory capacity and duration of task completion (P>.99 and P=.99), and memory capacity in both environments correlated with the LI (ρ=0.81; P=.005). Memory duration had a relationship with the TUGT in the virtual environment (ρ=0.68; P=.03) and a borderline negative correlation with MMSE in the real environment (ρ=-0.58; P=.08). Considering the small sample size used in this study and the study's limitations, despite the significant correlation between shopping performance in IVR and the real world, it is still too early to conclude that IVR is a noninferior approach, but it presents the potential to be an alternative for assessment and training in IADLs when resources are limited. However, further research is needed to investigate the psychometric properties, clinical effects, and impact of virtual training on real-world performance. The implications for practice might include the following: (1) occupational performance in virtual shopping might be the same as real-world shopping, and more virtual IADLs could thus be developed; (2) virtual IADL assessment and training systems could be used in remote locations or locations with limited resources; and (3) more objective parameters of IADLs could be extracted from virtual environments.

Modulation of metabolic pathways and EndMT inhibition by a traditional Chinese herbal formula in the treatment of high-risk infections.

Herbal products have long been utilized as remedies for various disease conditions, including infections. This study investigates the therapeutic mechanism of a traditional Chinese herbal combination in treating high-risk HPV infections. The herbal formula was prepared using common herbs: dry Millettia speciosa, Guanzhong (a spermatophyte), Sarsaparilla, White Fruit, and Cockscomb Flower. Eight female patients diagnosed with high-risk HPV were enrolled from January to September 2023 at Shenzhen Hospital of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cervicovaginal secretions were collected before and after treatment with the herbal remedy and analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics techniques. In vitro studies were conducted using HeLa cells to determine the optimal effective concentration of the remedy, assessed via the CCK8 method. The proliferation and migration of HeLa cells were evaluated using Transwell assays. Quantitative PCR was employed to measure mRNA levels of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) markers, including VE-Cadherin, eNOS, α-SMA, and Snail. In vivo, significant alterations in cervicovaginal secretion metabolites post-treatment were observed through PCA, OPLS-DA, and volcano plot analyses. KEGG enrichment analysis highlighted crucial signaling pathways such as arginine and proline metabolism, purine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism, indicating the herbal combination's systemic effects on patients. In vitro experiments demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in HeLa cell proliferation and migration, confirmed by scratch and Transwell assays. Additionally, qPCR analysis revealed down-regulation of α-SMA and Snail, and up-regulation of VE-Cadherin and eNOS, suggesting inhibition of EndMT in HeLa cells. The traditional Chinese herbal combination modulates key metabolic pathways in vivo and inhibits EndMT in vitro, while reducing HeLa cell proliferation and migration. These findings highlight its potential as a therapeutic approach for managing HPV infections, bridging traditional practices with scientific research.

Epidemiological and typing features of HPV co-infections in MSM with mpox: A hospital-based prospective study

ObjectivesRecent mpox outbreaks highlight diverse transmission modes, with sexual behavior prominent in China's IIb strain. Nevertheless, despite HPV being a common sexually transmitted pathogen, there is a paucity of research into its coexistence and genotype distribution within this patients population. MethodsWe conducted a study at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen from May to September 2023. We collected information on mpox patients, including their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Anal swabs were collected for HPV genotyping. ResultsAmong 73 MSM mpox cases, HIV positivity was 56.2 % (41/73) and HPV positivity 80.4 % (41/51). Multiple HPV infections were prevalent (56.9 %, 29/51), especially among HIV-positive (93 %, 27/29). HPV16 (29.3 %, 12/41) was the most common high-risk genotype, followed by HPV59 (26.8 %, 10/41), HPV42 (19.5 %, 8/41), HPV6 (14.6 %, 6/41), and HPV54 (14.6 %, 6/41). HPV infection was significantly associated with HIV infection (p = 0.001). Additionally, HIV infection (p = 0.001) and PCR-detected positive sites for mpox (p = 0.047) were associated with high-risk HPV infection. ConclusionsIn this study, most of the mpox patients were found to be infected with HPV, mostly with high-risk types and multiple infections. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that mpox-infected individuals intensify HPV-related screening, prevention, and treatment measures.

Online registry of neonatal necrotising enterocolitis in Shenzhen: protocol for a multicentre, prospective, open, observational cohort study

IntroductionNecrotising enterocolitis (NEC) of the intestine of preterm infants leads to the risk of abdominal surgery, short bowel syndrome, neurodevelopmental disorders and death. Although the risks of NEC and its...