Loudi Central Hospital

The yellow-spined bamboo locust ( Ceracris kiangsu ) is one of the most destructive forest pests in China, causing severe damage to bamboo forests across multiple provinces. Understanding the relationship between its gut microbiota and environmental factors is crucial for revealing its ecological adaptability and migration potential. This study used 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to analyze gut bacterial communities of C. kiangsu from six geographically distinct populations in China. The results showed that Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla, while bacterial diversity and composition varied significantly among populations. Precipitation and sunshine duration were identified as the main environmental factors most strongly associated with microbial community structure. These findings suggest that environmental conditions are strongly associated with variation in the gut microbiota of C. kiangsu , potentially affecting its adaptability and outbreak dynamics. This research provides new insights into the ecological mechanisms underlying pest distribution and offers a microbiome-based foundation for developing sustainable control strategies to reduce the agricultural and forestry losses caused by this species.

Enteral feeding intolerance, a type of gastrointestinal dysfunction, is common in adults receiving mechanical ventilation, yet its definition and clinical assessment remain variable. If untreated, this syndrome may lead to underfeeding, which is associated with worse patient outcomes. To describe what is known about enteral feeding intolerance, including who is at risk, clinical symptoms, identifying measures used, treatment, and clinical implications for nursing practice. Enteral feeding intolerance is identified by (1) changes in gastrointestinal function, (2) high gastric residual volume, and/or (3) inadequate delivery of enteral nutrition. A combination of gastrointestinal symptoms and high gastric residual volume is generally used to diagnose the condition. The most common symptoms are vomiting, abdominal distention, absence of bowel sounds or flatus, and diarrhea. Administration of promotility agents and reduction of the enteral formula rate are most often used to reduce the effects of enteral feeding intolerance until it resolves. Many gastrointestinal assessment findings are subjective and lack precision. Although the routine measurement of gastric residual volume is no longer standard practice, it is indicated in patients at risk for enteral feeding intolerance. Nurses should become familiar with how to assess for and treat enteral feeding intolerance, as well as rule out other common gastrointestinal complications. Clinical biomarkers are needed to objectively identify enteral feeding intolerance in critically ill patients.

Most granite processing techniques rely on physical destruction, with few utilizing minor chemical alteration. By combining archeological observations with experimental replication, this study investigates whether ancient granite works could have been created using faster and more efficient methods. The research aims to fill gaps in our understanding of ancient engineering and provide insights for modern restoration.

Abstract Background Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease requiring sustained, coordinated management across primary and secondary care, with fragmented care linked to poorer outcomes and delays in intervention.¹⁻² Despite this, the epidemiological characteristics and data completeness of patients labelled with UC in general practice—particularly in rural settings—remain poorly defined. Inflammatory bowel disease registers are often affected by coding inconsistency and unstructured disease-activity documentation, limiting the ability to monitor progression and target care effectively.² Variation in transition processes between community and specialist services further complicates continuity of care.³ Understanding these patterns is essential for service redesign and proactive disease management. The aim is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients in primary care and explore variation using mixed-methods. Methods A retrospective mixed-methods evaluation was conducted using de-identified records from 64 adults with UC in a rural English practice. Quantitative variables included demographics, treatment history, coded disease activity and referral activity. Qualitative free-text entries were subjected to keyword-assisted thematic analysis, a recognised approach in health services research to uncover patterns of unmet need, system navigation difficulties, and treatment burden.4 Descriptive statistics summarised clinical distributions and documentation quality. Results The mean age was 63.6 years (IQR 55–76) with near-equal gender distribution. Clinical heterogeneity was marked: 8% had prior stoma or pouch surgery, 1% had Crohn ‘s-like features, and 10% were categorised as worsening or poorly controlled. Over half (58%) had no recorded disease-activity code despite regular prescribing activity. Thematic analysis identified recurring references to medication adjustment, cyclical flares requiring repeated investigation, and challenges engaging with specialist teams. Mental-health or quality-of-life descriptors were sparse, consistent with evidence that psychological comorbidity remains under-recognised in UC.4 Conclusion Primary-care UC registers demonstrate substantial variation in coding accuracy, documentation of disease activity and recognition of postoperative states, mirroring national concerns about pathway fragmentation and inconsistent monitoring.¹–³ Strengthening structured coding, embedding flare-response protocols and improving the visibility of mental-health assessment could enhance safety and continuity across the primary–secondary care interface. Mixed-methods epidemiology offers a pragmatic approach for identifying quality-improvement priorities in complex chronic disease management.

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua, commonly known as Huangjing, is a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant prized for its roots. In recent years, P. cyrtonema Hua root rot disease has frequently occurred in China, significantly affecting both yield and medicinal quality. In October 2024, a severe outbreak of root rot was observed in P. cyrtonema Hua cultivation fields located in Hecheng District, Huaihua City, China (N27°40’22”, E109°55’9”), where the cultivation area over 200 hectares. The disease incidence reached approximately 42.5%, posing a significant threat to local production. Symptoms on the infected roots appeared brown, water-soaked lesions, causing soft rot and eventually leaf yellowing and wilting to death. (Fig.1-B, C). To isolate the causal organism, rotted root tissues were surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol (1 min), 2% NaClO (3 min), rinsed four times with sterile distilled water, blotted dry on sterile filter paper. Tissue fragments (1×1 cm) from lesion margins were plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), then incubated at 28°C in darkness for 3 days. Hyphal sections from colony edges were transferred to new PDA plates. From a total of 25 diseased root samples, 80 tissue segments were plated. This process resulted in the isolation and purification of 42 fungal isolates.The isolate, HJBK 4-9 was selected for further characterization. The colonies exhibited concentric rings, white mycelium with a slight yellow pigment on the reverse side. Sporulation was induced by culturing on carnation leaf agar (CLA) at 25°C in darkness (Yang et al. 2024). These microspores were oval, colorless, aseptate and slightly curved, with (5.8−12.5) μm× (2.2−3.8) μm in size. Fungal mycelia were used for PCR, using the following primer sets: ITS1/ITS4 (Hao et al. 2023), EF1/EF2 (O'Donnell et al. 1998), and β 2a/2b (Glass and Donaldson.1995) respectively. PCR products of the isolate were sequenced. Sequences were deposited in GenBank (ITS, PV249395; TUB2, PX130413; EF-1α, PX130414). BLASTn searches revealed that the strain was 99.81% (KP689232.1) for ITS, 99.36% (ON209102.1) for TUB2 and 99.28% (PP394350.1) for EF-1α. The isolate was identified as C. rosea based on the morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny. To test pathogenicity, 6 pieces of healthy roots of P. cyrtonema Hua were pin-pricked with a sterile needle and spray-inoculated with 50μL of spore suspension per root (2×107conidia/mL). Another 6 pieces of healthy roots were pin-pricked with a sterile needle and inoculated with sterile water, and served as controls. All roots were kept in an artificial climate chamber controlled conditions (26°C and 60% relative humidity). After 15 days, most inoculated roots turned brown and partially rotten (Fig.1-D), similar to the field symptoms, whereas the control remained symptomless. The pathogen was reisolated from all inoculated roots only and confirmed as C. rosea based on morphology and sequence analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. rosea causing root rot of P. cyrtonema Hua in China. The finding may be helpful to the control and prevention of root rot disease of P. cyrtonema Hua.

BackgroundBladder cancer (BC) is the predominant malignant tumor in the urinary system globally, with its intricate molecular features greatly influencing patient outcomes and treatment response.Identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets is essential for improving patient management.MethodsThis study utilized advanced bioinformatics techniques to analyze data from multiple public databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), IEU OpenGWAS project, eQTLGen, FinnGen, and DepMap. The analytical framework integrates the limma package for the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), employs Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to ascertain genes associated with BC, utilizes Mfuzz-based clustering to categorize gene expression profiles, implements univariate Cox regression modeling, conducts Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival analysis for the selection of prognostic genes, and applies Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis to ascertain core genes. The expression patterns of core genes were verified through single - cell RNA sequencing (scRNA - seq) analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic capacities of the core genes. Consensus clustering analysis further confirmed the risk stratification potential of these genes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was applied to explore the potential mechanisms of these genes in BC, the associations between these genes and the immune microenvironment, and their predictive effectiveness for immunotherapy response. Moreover, a web - based nomogram tool was constructed to predict patient prognosis. Ultimately, MR mediation analysis was utilized to further probe into the mediating mechanism of immune cells in the progression of core genes and BC.ResultsComprehensive analysis identified DARS2, MRTO4, and MRPL37 as core genes in BC. The expression of these genes was notably elevated in neoplastic tissues compared to that in normal bladder epithelia, with a progressive escalation in expression levels concomitant with the advancement of tumor stage. Analyses employing Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves and consensus clustering corroborated their robust potential for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. These genes potentially facilitate BC progression via the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and Myc target pathways, and are significantly associated with the infiltration of immune cells such as activated CD4 T cells, effector memory CD4 T cells, and immature dendritic cells (iDCs). Furthermore, the developed online nomogram tool exhibited high accuracy. Finally, the results of the mediation analysis confirmed that MRPL37 promotes the occurrence and development of BC via HLA-DR⁺ CD4⁺ T cells (βmed = 0.083, βmedp = 36.3%, p = 0.046).ConclusionThis research underscores the substantial functions of DARS2, MRTO4, and MRPL37 in the development of BC and their potential as therapeutic targets, offering a foundation for future investigations and the development of targeted therapies.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12672-025-04246-9.

Chronic liver diseases (CLDs), encompassing a spectrum of etiologies including metabolic dysfunction, alcohol abuse, and viral infections, represent a significant global health burden. The progression of these diseases to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma is underpinned by complex immunological mechanisms in which liver-resident macrophages (LRMs) are central players. LRMs are not a monolithic population but a heterogeneous consortium of cells, primarily comprising embryonically-derived, self-renewing Kupffer cells and dynamically recruited monocyte-derived macrophages. These subsets, along with newly identified populations like lipid-associated macrophages and scar-associated macrophages, exhibit distinct origins, phenotypes, and functions that profoundly influence the trajectory of liver injury and repair. A new generation of immunomodulatory therapies is being developed to specifically target the pathways that govern LRM function. However, clinical responses to these agents have been variable, a phenomenon largely attributable to their differential effects on the diverse LRM subsets and the profound heterogeneity of the patient population. This review elucidates the complex heterogeneity of LRMs in the context of different CLDs. We dissect the mechanisms by which emerging immunomodulatory therapies—including PPAR agonists, chemokine receptor antagonists, and intracellular signaling inhibitors—alter the balance, phenotype, and functional output of distinct LRM populations. By integrating findings from preclinical models with outcomes from recent clinical trials, we illustrate how the specific modulation of LRM subsets correlates with therapeutic efficacy or failure. Furthermore, we discuss the critical role of LRMs in the progression to hepatocellular carcinoma and the implications for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Finally, we outline the key challenges in translating these findings into clinical practice and highlight future research priorities, emphasizing the need for single-cell technologies, investigation of the gut-liver axis, and development of combination therapies. A deeper understanding of LRM biology is paramount to advancing a precision medicine approach, ultimately paving the way for more effective and personalized treatments for patients with CLD.