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Background: To further explore characteristics of myopia and changes in factors associated with myopia among students at Inner Mongolia Medical University.Methods: Two cross-sectional censuses were conducted in 2011 and 2013. Participants were medical students residing on campus in 2011 and 2013. Logistic regression analysis was performed to ascertain associations with basic information, genetic factors, environmental factors. The χ2 test was used to test for differences in prevalence between 2011 and 2013. Prevalence was calculated at various myopia occurrence times among different parental myopia statuses.Results: A total of 11,138 students enrolled from 2007 to 2012 completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of myopia in 2011 and 2013 was 70.50% and 69.21%, respectively, no statistically significant difference existed between the two censuses (p = 0.12). Both censuses were completed by 1015 students. There were no differences among the various year of study in 2011 or 2013. Myopic prevalence increased with an increased number of myopic parents: the prevalence if both parents were myopic was over 90%, nearly 80% if one parent was myopic, and less than 70% with non-myopic parents (p < 0.001). Myopic occurrence ranked from earliest to latest was in kindergarten and primary school when both parents were myopic, in middle school when one parent was myopic, and in university when no parent was myopic. Students staying up late, using a computer more than 3 h per day, not performing eye exercises, using eye drops, and rubbing the eyes at high risk for myopia.Conclusions: Myopic status was stable during the university period. Genetic factors play a major role in myopia. Protective measures are useful for university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: S100β is a biomarker of astroglial damage, the level of which is significantly increased following brain injury. However, the characteristics of S100β and its association with prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke following intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) remain unclear. Methods: Patients in this multicenter prospective cohort study were prospectively and consecutively recruited from 16 centers. Serum S100β levels were measured 24 h after IVT. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) were measured simultaneously. NIHSS at 7 days after stroke, final infarct volume, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days were also collected. An mRS score ≥ 2 at 90 days was defined as an unfavorable outcome. Results: A total of 1072 patients were included in the analysis. The highest S100β levels (> 0.20 ng/mL) correlated independently with HT and higher NIHSS at 24 h, higher NIHSS at 7 days, larger final infarct volume, and unfavorable outcome at 3 months. The patients were divided into two groups based on dominant and non-dominant stroke hemispheres. The highest S100β level was similarly associated with the infarct volume in patients with stroke in either hemisphere (dominant: β 36.853, 95% confidence interval (CI) 22.659–51.048, P < 0.001; non-dominant: β 23.645, 95% CI 10.774–36.516, P = 0.007). However, serum S100β levels at 24 h were more strongly associated with NIHSS scores at 24 h and 3-month unfavorable outcome in patients with dominant hemisphere stroke (NIHSS: β 3.470, 95% CI 2.392–4.548, P < 0.001; 3-month outcome: odds ratio (OR) 5.436, 95% CI 2.936–10.064, P < 0.001) than in those with non-dominant hemisphere stroke (NIHSS: β 0.326, 95% CI − 0.735–1.387, P = 0.547; 3-month outcome: OR 0.882, 95% CI 0.538–1.445, P = 0.619). The association of S100β levels and HT was not significant in either stroke lateralization group. Conclusions: Serum S100β levels 24 h after IVT were independently associated with HT, infarct volume, and prognosis in patients with IVT, which suggests the application value of serum S100β in judging the degree of disease and predicting prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study objective: Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a type of ectopic pregnancy associated with severe complications, including significant hemorrhage, the potential need for hysterectomy, and life-threatening risks. Currently, two classification methods exist for CSP: Vial (type Ia and IIa) and Chinese Expert's Consensus (type Ib, type IIb, and type IIIb). However, these methods have limitations in guiding the selection of appropriate treatment plans for CSP. The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of various treatments for CSP within our clinic. Method: Our study included 906 patients with CSP from January 2013 to December 2018. The chi-squared test and logistic analysis were used to compare the clinical characteristics. The median and interquartile range (IQR) was calculated. We also analyzed whether preoperative application of methotrexate (MTX) could improve surgical outcomes and the relevant characteristics of misdiagnosed CSP patients. Results: There was a significant difference in gestational age, gestational sac diameter, gestational sac width, gestational sac area, remnant myometrial thickness, vaginal bleeding and preoperative hemoglobin levels (p < 0.001) but not in the incidence of residual tissue (p = 0.053). The other factors (intraoperative blood loss, hemoglobin decline, first hemoglobin after operation, total hospital stay, hospital stay after operation, transfusion and duration of catheter drain) were significantly different (p < 0.001). For type Ia and type Ib CSP, 39.3% and 40.2% of patients were treated with dilatation and curettage (D&E) under ultrasound, respectively. For type IIa and type IIIb CSP, 29.9% and 62.7% of patients were treated with laparotomy, respectively. There were no differences in surgical methods, residual tissue and reoperation between the MTX and non-MTX groups (p = 0.20), but liver damage, hospital stay and pain perception were more remarkable in the MTX group. It is noteworthy that 14% of the patients were misdiagnosed with an intrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of misdiagnosis in type IIa CSP patients was higher than that in type Ia CSP patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion: For type I CSP patients, D&E under ultrasound or D&E under hysteroscopy should be recommended. For type IIIb CSP patients, operative resection should be used. It is currently difficult to choose the appropriate treatment methods for type IIa or type IIb CSP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory birds are important vectors for virus transmission, how migratory birds recognize viruses and viruses are sustained in birds is still enigmatic. As an animal model for waterfowl among migratory birds, studying and dissecting the antiviral immunity and viral evasion in duck cells may pave a path to deciphering these puzzles. Here, we studied the mechanism of antiviral autophagy mediated by duck STING in DEF cells. The results collaborated that duck STING could significantly enhance LC3B-II/I turnover, LC3B-EGFP puncta formation, and mCherry/EGFP ratio, indicating that duck STING could induce autophagy. The autophagy induced by duck STING is not affected by shRNA knockdown of ATG5 expression, deletion of the C-terminal tail of STING, or TBK1 inhibitor BX795 treatment, indicating that duck STING activated non-classical selective autophagy is independent of interaction with TBK1, TBK1 phosphorylation, and interferon (IFN) signaling. The STING R235A mutant and Sar1A/B kinase mutant abolished duck STING induced autophagy, suggesting binding with cGAMP and COPII complex mediated transport are the critical prerequisite. Duck STING interacted with LC3B through LIR motifs to induce autophagy, the LIR 4/7 motif mutants of duck STING abolished the interaction with LC3B, and neither activated autophagy nor IFN expression, indicating that duck STING associates with LC3B directed autophagy and dictated innate immunity activation. Finally, we found that duck STING mediated autophagy significantly inhibited duck plague virus (DPV) infection via ubiquitously degraded viral proteins. Our study may shed light on one scenario about the control and evasion of diseases transmitted by migratory birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine health is consistently affected by the circulation of the H3N2 strain of canine influenza virus (CIV). Prior research has indicated that the isolation rate of H3N2 CIVs in dogs has gradually increased in China, and these viruses have progressively adapted to humans over the course of their evolution within canine hosts, posing a significant public health threat. However, the key factors influencing the spread of CIVs remain elusive. From January 2020 to December 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, strict epidemic prevention policies were implemented in China. Thus, this measure provides an ideal model for studying factors influencing the prevalence of CIVs. In this study, we continuously monitored the prevalence of CIVs in China before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that the pathogen detection rate and seropositivity rate of domestic CIVs significantly declined after the implementation of epidemic control measures. However, after restrictions on human movement were lifted in 2023, the circulation of CIVs gradually increased. Our results demonstrate that restricting human activity directly impacts the epidemic caused by CIVs and provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of control measures during outbreaks of zoonotic diseases in human companion animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), has caused substantial economic losses to the global swine industry due to the lack of effective commercial vaccines and drugs. There is an urgent need to develop alternative strategies for PRRS prevention and control, such as antiviral drugs. In this study, we identified ursonic acid (UNA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid from medicinal herbs, as a novel drug with anti-PRRSV activity in vitro. Mechanistically, a time-of-addition assay revealed that UNA inhibited PRRSV replication when it was added before, at the same time as, and after PRRSV infection was induced. Compound target prediction and molecular docking analysis suggested that UNA interacts with the active pocket of PTPN1, which was further confirmed by a target protein interference assay and phosphatase activity assay. Furthermore, UNA inhibited PRRSV replication by targeting PTPN1, which inhibited IFN-β production. In addition, UNA displayed antiviral activity against porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) and Seneca virus A (SVA) replication in vitro. These findings will be helpful for developing novel prophylactic and therapeutic agents against PRRS and other swine virus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection has caused huge economic losses in global swine industry over the last 37 years. PRRSV commercial vaccines are not effective against all epidemic PRRSV strains. In this study we performed a high-throughput screening (HTS) of an FDA-approved drug library, which contained 2339 compounds, and found vidofludimus (Vi) could significantly inhibits PRRSV replication in Marc-145 cells and primary porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs). Compounds target prediction, molecular docking analysis, and target protein interference assay showed that Vi interacts with dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway. Furthermore, PRRSV infection was restored in the presence of excess uridine and cytidine which promote pyrimidine salvage, or excess orotate which is the product of DHODH in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, thus confirming that the antiviral effect of Vi against PRRSV relies on the inhibition of DHODH. In addition, Vi also has antiviral activity against Seneca virus A (SVA), encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and pseudorabies virus (PRV) in vitro. These findings should be helpful for developing a novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategy against PRRSV and other swine viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been evaluated as a reliable surrogate for insulin resistance (IR) and has been proven to be a predictor of poor outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, data are lacking on the relationship of the TyG index with prognosis in nondiabetic patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Thus, the purpose of our current study was to investigate the potential value of the TyG index as a prognostic indicator in patients without diabetes mellitus (DM) after CABG. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study involving 830 nondiabetic patients after CABG from 3 tertiary public hospitals from 2014 to 2018. Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis was conducted followed by the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to explore the association between the TyG index and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). The incremental predictive power of the TyG index was evaluated with C-statistics, continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Results: An incrementally higher TyG index was associated with an increasingly higher cumulative incidence of MACEs (log-rank test, p < 0.001). The hazard ratio (95% CI) of MACEs was 2.22 (1.46–3.38) in tertile 3 of the TyG index and 1.38 (1.18–1.62) per SD increase in the TyG index. The addition of the TyG index yielded a significant improvement in the global performance of the baseline model [C-statistic increased from 0.656 to 0.680, p < 0.001; continuous NRI (95% CI) 0.269 (0.100–0.438), p = 0.002; IDI (95% CI) 0.014 (0.003–0.025), p = 0.014]. Conclusions: The TyG index may be an independent factor for predicting adverse cardiovascular events in nondiabetic patients after CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To translate and validate the Chinese version of the Quality Of Life Radiation Therapy Instrument and the Head & Neck Module (QOL-RTI/H&N), a disease-specific scale to measure quality of life (QOL) for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) who received radiotherapy.Methods: The QOL-RTI/H&N was translated and validated according to the standard process: a translation and back-translation procedure, pilot testing and a validation study. HNC patients were enrolled from the Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University and assessed using the QOL-RTI/H&N, QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35. Reliability (internal consistency reliability, split-half reliability and test-retest reliability), validity (content validity, construct validity, criterion validity and discriminant validity), and responsiveness analysis were performed to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the QOL-RTI/H&N.Results: A total of 238 patients (99.2%) completed the questionnaire. Item RTI23 had 16.0% missing data. Other items had low percentages of missing data (0.4% or 0.8%) or no missing data. The average time to finish the scale was 9.8 minutes. Cronbach's alpha of the domains ranged from 0.41 to 0.77. The split-half reliability coefficients ranged from 0.43 to 0.77. All of the intra-class correlation coefficients were equal to or greater than 0.8. All of the item-own domain correlation coefficients were greater than those of the item-other domain. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that Comparative Fit Index, Normed Fit Index and Non-Normed Fit Index were equal to 1.00. Root Mean Square Error of Approximation was 0.01, with 90% CI (0.00, 0.10). The domain scores of the QOL-RTI/H&N were significantly correlated with those of the QLQ-C30 or QLQ-H&N3. All domain scores of patients in different radiotherapy stages were statistically significant (P < 0.05), apart from the speech domain.Conclusions: The Chinese version of the QOL-RTI/H&N is a valid, reliable and responsive scale to measure QOL in HNC patients and can be used to assess the effects of radiotherapy treatment on these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) is a simple, convenient, and reliable marker for resistance insulin (IR), which has been regarded as a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular events. However, few studies examined the relationship between METS-IR and prognosis after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). This study aimed to investigate the potential value of METS-IR as a prognostic indicator for the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients after CABG. Method: 1100 CABG patients were enrolled in the study, including 760 men (69.1%) and 340 women (30.9%). The METS-IR was calculated as Ln [(2 × FPG (mg/dL) + fasting TG (mg/dL)] × BMI (kg/m2)/Ln [HDL-C (mg/dL)]. The primary endpoint of this study was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery revascularization, and stroke. Result: The following-up time of this study was 49–101 months (median, 70 months; interquartile range, 62–78 months). During the follow-up period, there were 243 MACEs (22.1%). The probability of cumulative incidence of MACE increased incrementally across the quartiles of METS-IR (log-rank test, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated a hazard ratio (95% CI) of 1.97 (1.36–2.86) for MACE in quartile 4 compared with participants in quartile 1. The addition of the METS-IR to the model with fully adjusting variables significantly improved its predictive value [C-statistic increased from 0.702 to 0.720, p < 0.001, continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) = 0.305, < 0.001, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) = 0.021, p < 0.001]. Conclusion: METS-IR is an independent and favorable risk factor for predicting the occurrence of MACE and can be used as a simple and reliable indicator that can be used for risk stratification and early intervention in patients after CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To summarize the effect of adding Lactobacillus reuteri in the treatment plan for diarrheal disease in children, and analyze the potential of probiotics in preventing the occurrence of diarrheal disease. Methods: Search for randomized controlled trials of Lactobacillus reuteri for the treatment and prevention of diarrhea in the Pubmed, Web of science, Medline, and Cochrane databases. Data such as the number of diarrhea patients, time, length of stay, clinical symptoms and effect of diarrhea prevention were extracted for meta-analysis. Relative risk and confidence interval (RR and 95% CI) were used as outcome indicators. Results: 963 participants in the 9 RCTs came from multiple countries/regions. Compared with placebo/no intervention, the number of diarrhea patients in the Lactobacillus reuteri group was significantly reduced on the day 1 (RR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.78–0.97) and day 2 (RR = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.44–0.83). Cumulative statistics analysis showed that the effect was stable and significant starting on the 4th day after treatment. A few studies have shown that Lactobacillus reuteri can reduce the time of diarrhea, the number of days with watery stools, and days of hospital stay. However, it has no effect on the occurrence of nosocomial diarrhea (RR = 1.11, 95%CI: 0.68–1.83), rotavirus diarrhea (RR = 1.46, 95%CI: 0.78–2.72), antibiotic-related diarrhea (RR = 1.76, 95%CI: 0.77–4.05), and diarrhea (RR = 1.35, 95%CI: 0.95–1.92). Conclusion: Addition of Lactobacillus reuteri in the treatment plan has a significant effect on reducing the number of diarrhea and reducing the symptoms of diarrhea, but has no obvious effect on the prevention of diarrhea. Combining probiotics and improving the ability of probiotics to respond is the focus of attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) is regarded as a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a novel surrogate for insulin resistance (IR), has been proven to be an independent predictor for adverse cardiac events. However, no study has specifically focused on the interaction between the two metabolic risk factors. Whether combining the TyG index and SUA could achieve more accurate prognostic prediction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains unknown. Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study. A total of 1225 patients who underwent CABG were included in the final analysis. The patients were grouped based on the cut-off value of the TyG index and the sex-specific criteria of hyperuricemia (HUA). Cox regression analysis was conducted. The interaction between the TyG index and SUA was estimated using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP), and synergy index (SI). The improvement of model performance yielded by the inclusion of the TyG index and SUA was examined by C-statistics, net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). The goodness-of-fit of models was evaluated using the Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and χ2 likelihood ratio test. Results: During follow-up, 263 patients developed major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The independent and joint associations of the TyG index and SUA with adverse events were significant. Patients with higher TyG index and HUA were at higher risk of MACE (Kaplan–Meier analysis: log-rank P < 0.001; Cox regression: HR = 4.10; 95% CI 2.80–6.00, P < 0.001). A significant synergistic interaction was found between the TyG index and SUA [RERI (95% CI): 1.83 (0.32–3.34), P = 0.017; AP (95% CI): 0.41 (0.17–0.66), P = 0.001; SI (95% CI): 2.13 (1.13–4.00), P = 0.019]. The addition of the TyG index and SUA yielded a significant improvement in prognostic prediction and model fit [change in C-statistic: 0.038, P < 0.001; continuous NRI (95% CI): 0.336 (0.201–0.471), P < 0.001; IDI (95% CI): 0.031 (0.019–0.044), P < 0.001; AIC: 3534.29; BIC: 3616.45; likelihood ratio test: P < 0.001). Conclusions: The TyG index interacts synergistically with SUA to increase the risk of MACE in patients undergoing CABG, which emphasizes the need to use both measures concurrently when assessing cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies on the breakfast consumption habits of medical students in China have been carried out. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of skipping breakfast and factors associated with skipping breakfast among medical students in Inner Mongolia of China, and to assist in the design of interventions to improve breakfast consumption habits of medical college students in this region.Methods: From December 2010 to January 2011 a cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical students in the Inner Mongolia Medical College using a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of skipping breakfast in relation to lifestyle habits was described and factors associated with breakfast consumption were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis.Results: The overall prevalence of skipping breakfast was 41.7% and 23.5% for males and females, respectively. The Faculty of Medicine Information Management had the highest breakfast skipping prevalence. Logistic regression models found that the main factors associated with breakfast consumption habits among medical students were gender, class years of education, monthly expenses, faculty, appetite, sleeping quality, and the learning process; monthly expenses, sleeping quality, and the learning process showed a dose-dependent relationship.Conclusions: Breakfast consumption was associated with many factors, most importantly monthly expenses, sleeping quality and the learning process. The prevalence of skipping breakfast is significantly higher compared recently reported figures for medical students in western countries and other areas of China. Improvement of breakfast education should be considered for students in which higher monthly expenses, poor sleeping quality, or a laborious learning process have been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perioperative pain management is one of the most challenging issues for patients with spinal neoplasms. Inadequate postoperative analgesia usually leads to severe postsurgical pain, which could cause patients to suffer from many other related complications. Meanwhile, there is no appropriate analgesic strategy for patients with spinal neoplasms. Methods/design: This is a protocol for a randomized double-blind controlled trial to evaluate the effect of esketamine combined with pregabalin on postsurgical pain in spinal surgery. Patients aged 18 to 65 years scheduled for spinal neoplasm resection will be randomly allocated into the combined and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. In the combined group, esketamine will be given during the during the surgery procedure until 48-h postoperative period, and pregabalin will be taken from 2 h before the surgery to 2 weeks postoperatively. The control group will receive normal saline and placebo capsules at the same time points. Both groups received a background analgesic regimen by using patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (containing 100 μg sufentanil and 16 mg ondansetron) until 2 days after surgery. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of this trial, all the researchers and patients will be blinded until the completion of this study. The primary outcome will be the proportion of patients with acute moderate-to-severe postsurgical pain (visual analog scale, VAS ≥ 40, range: 0–100, with 0, no pain; 100, the worst pain) during the 48-h postoperative period. The secondary outcomes will include the maximal VAS scores (when the patients felt the most intense pain over the last 24 h before being interviewed) at 0–2 h, 2–24 h, 24–48 h, and 48–72 h after leaving the operating room and 24 h before discharge; the incidence of acute moderate-to-severe postsurgical pain at each other time point; chronic postsurgical pain assessment; neuropathic pain assessment; and the incidence of drug-related adverse events and other postoperative complications, such as postoperative delirium and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Discussion: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of esketamine combined with pregabalin on acute postsurgical pain in patients undergoing resection of spinal neoplasms. The safety of this perioperative pain management strategy will also be examined. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05096468. Registered on October 27, 2021 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a group of chronic relapsing disorders which include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The incidences of IBD and overweight/obesity are increasing in parallel. Here, we investigated alterations in proteomic in serum and metaproteomic in feces of IBD patients with overweight/obesity and aimed to explore the effect of overweight/ obesity on IBD and the underlying mechanism. Methods: This prospective observational study (n = 64) comprised 26 health control subjects (HC, 13 with overweight/obesity) and 38 IBD patients (19 with overweight/obesity) at a tertiary hospital. Overweight/obesity was evaluated by body mass index (BMI) and defined as a BMI greater than 24 kg/m2. The comprehensive serum proteomic and fecal metaproteomic analyses were conducted by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-Orbitrap Exploris 480 mass spectrometry. Results: UC and CD presented similar serum molecular profiles but distinct gut microbiota. UC and CD serum exhibited higher levels of cytoskeleton organization- associated and inflammatory response-related proteins than the HC serum. Compared the serum proteome of UC and CD without overweight/obesity, inflammatory response-associated proteins were dramatically decreased in UC and CD with overweight/obesity. Fecal metaproteome identified 66 species in the feces. Among them, Parasutterella excrementihominis was increased in CD compared with that in HC. UC group had a significant enrichment of Moniliophthora roreri, but had dramatically decreased abundances of Alistipes indistinctus, Clostridium methylpentosum, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Schizochytrium aggregatum. In addition, overweight/obesity could improve the microbial diversity of UC. Specifically, the UC patients with overweight/obesity had increased abundance of some probiotics in contrast to those without overweight/obesity, including Parabacteroides distasonis, Alistipes indistincus, and Ruminococcus bromii. Conclusion: This study provided high-quality multi-omics data of IBD serum and fecal samples, which enabled deciphering the molecular bases of clinical phenotypes of IBD, revealing the impacts of microbiota on IBD, and emphasizing the important role of overweight/obesity in IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The flipped classroom (FC) method is becoming increasingly popular in China's nursing education. It is an important breakthrough improvement in the quality of learning in nursing education reforms. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effects of blended task-oriented flipped classroom (TFC) on nursing students undertaking the Fundamentals of Nursing course. Methods: A pre-and post-test quasi-experimental design was adopted. This study was conducted in the Autumn semester, 2021 academic year in a Chinese university. Using cluster sampling technique, this study enrolled second-year undergraduate nursing students from six classess who were studying Fundamentals of Nursing course. A blended TFC was developed and implemented with three classes (experimental group: n = 152). In-class traditional lectures were applied to the other three classes (control group: n = 151). The Self-Directed Learning Instrument, Problem-Solving Inventory, and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory were used to evaluate students' learning outcomes, and final examinations were conducted at the end of after course. In addition, students in the flipped classroom group were required to answer five open-ended questions concerning their flipped classroom learning experiences. Results: Students in the experimental group showed significant improvement in academic performance compared to those in the control group (p = 0.001). Considering total scale and factors, students in the experimental grouped recorded significantly higher scores in self-directed learning ability, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking ability compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, improved abilities and skills such as team cooperation, communication, presentation, identifying /solving clinical problems, and accountability were reported. Conclusion: A blended TFC teaching approach positively impacted students' core competencies and improved learning outcomes in the Fundamentals of Nursing course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is one of the most serious global health problems, with an incidence that increases yearly and coincides with the development of cancer. Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) are particularly important in this context and contribute to linking obesity-related inflammation and tumor progression. However, the functions of ATMs on the progression of obesity-associated cancer remain unclear. In this review, we describe the origins, phenotypes, and functions of ATMs. Subsequently, we summarize the potential mechanisms on the reprogramming of ATMs in the obesity-associated microenvironment, including the direct exchange of dysfunctional metabolites, inordinate cytokines and other signaling mediators, transfer of extracellular vesicle cargo, and variations in the gut microbiota and its metabolites. A better understanding of the properties and functions of ATMs under conditions of obesity will lead to the development of new therapeutic interventions for obesity-related cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 suppression provides potent renal protective effect during diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This work aimed to explore how empagliflozin (EMPA, the selective and strong inhibitor of SGLT2) affected renal lipid deposition among patients undergoing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a T2DM mouse model and human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells. Methods: This work divided subjects as 3 groups: non-diabetic volunteers, patients treated with metformin and those treated with metformin plus EMPA. In an in vivo study, EMPA was adopted for treating db/db mice that were raised with the basal diet or the high-advanced glycation end products (AGEs) diet. In addition, AGEs and/or EMPA was utilized to treat HK-2 cells in vitro. Results: Results showed that diabetic patients treated with metformin plus EMPA had lower AGEs levels and renal fat fraction (RFF) than those treated with metformin. Moreover, a significant and positive association was found between AGEs and RFF. Results from the basic study showed that EMPA decreased cholesterol level, tubular lipid droplets, and protein levels related to cholesterol metabolism in AGEs-mediated HK-2 cells, kidneys of db/db mice and those fed with the high-AGEs diet. Additionally, EMPA decreased AGEs levels in serum while inhibiting the expression of receptor of AGEs (RAGE) in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: EMPA inhibited the AGEs-RAGE pathway, thereby alleviating diabetic renal tubular cholesterol accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intraoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation is a risk factor for postoperative blindness. Surgical position is associated with intraoperative IOP elevation. In China, there are few studies on the effect of various surgical positions on intraoperative IOP. This study was conducted to explore IOP change and its related factors in four common surgical positions in China.Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study. A total of 325 surgical patients who had non-ocular surgery from January 2019 to December 2019 in the hospital, were enrolled in this study. During their surgeries for general anesthesia, these participants were placed in lithotomy position/lateral position/prone position/supine position according to their surgery requirement. IOP was measured by icareTA03 handheld portable tonometer at 9 different time points from admission to exiting the operation room. And general information, postural position, and surgery information were collected through a uniform questionnaire. Multivariate analysis was performed to explore the related factors of IOP change.Results: IOP of both eyes on lithotomy position, lateral position, and supine position showed statistical differences by ANOVA test at each time point (p < 0.05). IOP of both eyes in the prone position before exit from the operating room was significantly higher than IOP 10-min after anesthesia (p < 0.01). IOP under different postural angles showed statistical differences (F value = 4.85, P < 0.05), and the larger the head-down angle, the higher the IOP. IOP on the compressed side in the lateral position was higher than that on the non-compressed side (p < 0.01). In the multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted by other factors, postural position and baseline IOP were associated with IOP difference between before and after surgery (p < 0.01).Conclusion: IOP in the four surgical positions showed different change patterns with the surgical process and position change. Nurses should assist the surgeon to reduce the head-down angle without interfering with the surgical operation and strengthen the inspection of IOP on patients with long-time surgery, to avoid intraoperative rapid IOP changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) is a common malignancy with a poor prognosis. Previous research has suggested that necroptosis is involved in anti-tumor immunity and promotes oncogenesis and cancer metastasis, which in turn affects tumor prognosis. However, the role of necroptosis in ESCA is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) and ESCA.Methods and Results: The clinical data and gene expression profiles of ESCA patients were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and 159 NRGs were screened from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. We then identified 52 differentially expressed NRGs associated with ESCA and used them for further analysis. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG functional enrichment analyses showed that these NRGs were mostly associated with the regulation of necroptosis, Influenza A, apoptosis, NOD-like receptor, and NF-Kappa B signaling pathway. Next, univariate and multivariate Cox regression and LASSO analysis were used to identify the correlation between NRGs and the prognosis of ESCA. We constructed a prognostic model to predict the prognosis of ESCA based on SLC25A5, PPIA, and TNFRSF10B; the model classified patients into high- and low-risk subgroups based on the patient's risk score. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the model was affirmed to perform moderately well for prognostic predictions. In addition, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were selected to validate the applicability and prognostic value of our predictive model. Based on different clinical variables, we compared the risk scores between the subgroups of different clinical features. We also analyzed the predictive value of this model for drug sensitivity. Moreover, Immunohistochemical (IHC) validation experiments explored that these three NRGs were expressed significantly higher in ESCA tissues than in adjacent non-tumor tissues. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between the three NRGs and immune-cell infiltration and immune checkpoints in ESCA.Conclusions: In summary, we successfully constructed and validated a novel necroptosis-related signature containing three genes (SLC25A5, PPIA, and TNFRSF10B) for predicting prognosis in patients with ESCA; these three genes might also play a crucial role in the progression and immune microenvironment of ESCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are one of the largest gene families in plants. They regulate gene expression through interactions with specific motifs in target genes. bHLH TFs are not only universally involved in plant growth but also play an important role in plant responses to abiotic stress. However, most members of this family have not been functionally characterized. Results: Here, we characterized the function of a bHLH TF in the peanut, AhHLH112, in response to drought stress. AhHLH112 is localized in the nucleus and it was induced by drought stress. The overexpression of this gene improves the drought tolerance of transgenic plants both in seedling and adult stages. Compared to wild-type plants, the transgenic plants accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS), accompanied by increased activity and transcript levels of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase). In addition, the WT plants demonstrated higher MDA concentration levels and higher water loss rate than the transgenic plants under drought treatment. The Yeast one-hybrid result also demonstrates that AhbHLH112 directly and specifically binds to and activates the promoter of the peroxidase (POD) gene. Besides, overexpression of AhHLH112 improved ABA level under drought condition, and elevated the expression of genes associated with ABA biosynthesis and ABA responding, including AtNCED3 and AtRD29A. Conclusions: Drawing on the results of our experiments, we propose that, by improving ROS-scavenging ability, at least in part through the regulation of POD -mediated H2O2 homeostasis, and possibly participates in ABA-dependent stress-responding pathway, AhbHLH112 acts as a positive factor in drought stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxaliplatin (OHP)-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (OIPN) is a severe clinical problem and potentially permanent side effect of cancer treatment. For the management of OIPN, accurate diagnosis and understanding of significant risk factors including genetic vulnerability are essential to improve knowledge regarding the prevalence and incidence of OIPN as well as enhance strategies for the prevention and treatment of OIPN. The molecular mechanisms underlying OIPN are complex, with multi-targets and various cells causing neuropathy. Furthermore, mechanisms of OIPN can reinforce each other, and combination therapies may be required for effective management. However, despite intense investigation in preclinical and clinical studies, no preventive therapies have shown significant clinical efficacy, and the established treatment for painful OIPN is limited. Duloxetine is the only agent currently recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The present article summarizes the most recent advances in the field of studies on OIPN, the overview of the clinical syndrome, molecular basis, therapy development, and outlook of future drug candidates. Importantly, closer links between clinical pain management teams and oncology will advance the effectiveness of OIPN treatment, and the continued close collaboration between preclinical and clinical research will facilitate the development of novel prevention and treatments for OIPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations of sarcopenia and its defining components with cognitive function in community-dwelling oldest old (over 80 years old) in China.Methods: Sarcopenia was diagnosed by the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Logistic and linear regression models were used to explore the associations of sarcopenia and its defining components with risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and performance on multiple cognitive domains among 428 adults aged 80 years and older.Results: The overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 35.5%, with 40.34% for men and 32.14% for women. The prevalence of MCI was higher among sarcopenic oldest old than non-sarcopenic oldest old (28.95% vs. 17.39%, p = 0.005). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that sarcopenia [odds ratio (OR) = 1.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-3.33], low handgrip strength (HS) [OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.40-3.87] and slow gait speed (GS) [OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.13-4.72] were significantly and independently associated with risk of MCI. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that low HS was associated with worse performance in global cognitive function, visuospatial and executive function, naming and delayed recall.Conclusions: Sarcopenia, low HS and low GS was significantly associated with MCI in community-dwelling oldest old. The associations between sarcopenia and its defining components with different cognitive subdomains could be further explored in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies investigated the associations between dietary patterns and overweight/obesity among Chinese preschool children. Thus, the study aims to explore dietary patterns and their associations with overweight/obesity among preschool children in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.Methods: With a stratified proportionate cluster sampling, the study included 3373 pairs of preschool children and their guardians. Children's weight and height were measured by school nurses, and their food and beverage consumption frequencies were reported by guardians via a food frequency questionnaire. Children's age, gender, physical activity time, and sedentary time, as well as their parents' highest level of educational attainment, occupation, weight, and height were also collected. Dietary patterns were identified through exploratory factor analysis. Among these identified dietary patterns, the one with the largest factor score was defined as the predominant dietary pattern for each child. The associations between predominant dietary patterns and overweight/obesity were tested by two-level random-intercept logistic models with cluster-robust standard errors.Results: Four dietary patterns, i.e., a "Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and snack" pattern, a "Chinese traditional" pattern, a "Health conscious" pattern, and a "Snack" pattern, were identified. Among the children, 21.02% (95% CI: 19.68 to 22.43%) were predominated by the "SSB and snack" pattern, 27.78% (95% CI: 26.29 to 29.32%) by the "Chinese traditional" pattern, 24.90% (95% CI: 23.47 to 26.39%) by the "Health conscious" pattern, and 26.30% (95% CI: 24.84 to 27.81%) by the "Snack" pattern. After controlling for potential confounders, the "SSB and snack" pattern characterized by fresh fruit/vegetable juice, flavored milk drinks, carbonated drinks, flavored fruit/vegetable drinks, tea drinks, plant-protein drinks, puffed foods, fried foods, and Western fast foods was associated with a higher risk of overweight/obesity (OR: 1.61, 95% CI:1.09 to 2.38), compared with the "Chinese traditional" pattern.Conclusions: The preference for dietary patterns with high energy density but low nutritional value was prevalent among preschool children in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. Comprehensive measures to simultaneously reduce consumption of SSBs and unhealthy snacks among preschool children should be taken urgently to address the childhood obesity problem in China, particularly in metropolises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Very preterm infants are at risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is routinely used to prevent anemia in preterm infants; however, the effect of rhEPO on ROP development is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of early prophylactic low-dose rhEPO administration on ROP development in very preterm infants.Methods: A total of 1898 preterm infants born before 32 weeks of gestation were included. Preterm infants received rhEPO (n = 950; 500 U/kg, rhEPO group) or saline (n = 948, control group) intravenously within 72 h of birth and then once every other day for 2 weeks.Results: The total incidence of ROP was not significantly different between the two groups (10.2% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.055). Further analysis showed that rhEPO group had lower rates of type 2 ROP than the control group (2.2% vs. 4.1%, RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96-1.00; p = 0.021). Subgroup analysis found that rhEPO treatment significantly decreased the incidence of type 2 ROP in infant boys (1.8% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.021) and in those with a gestational age of 28-296/7 weeks (1.1% vs. 4.9%, p = 0.002) and birth weight of 1000-1499 g (1.2% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.002). There was a small increasing tendency for the incidence of ROP in infants with a gestational age of < 28 weeks after rhEPO treatment.Conclusions: Repeated low-dose rhEPO administration has no significant influence on the development of ROP; however, it may be effective for type 2 ROP in infant boys or in infants with gestational age > 28 weeks and birth weight > 1500 g. Trial registration The data of this study were retrieved from two clinical studies registered ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02036073) on January 14, 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02036073 ; and (NCT03919500) on April 18, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03919500 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (Tb) is the most frequent opportunistic infection among people living with HIV infection. The impact of Tb co-infection in the establishment and maintenance of the HIV reservoir is unclear. Method: We enrolled 13 HIV-infected patients with microbiologically confirmed Tb and 10 matched mono-HIV infected controls. Total HIV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), plasma interleukin-7 (IL-7) concentrations and the activities of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) were measured for all the participants prior to therapy and after antiretroviral therapy (ART). Results: After a duration of 16 (12, 22) months' ART, patients co-infected with Tb who were cured of Tb maintained higher levels of HIV DNA compared with mono-HIV infected patients [2.89 (2.65- 3.05) log10 copies/106 cells vs. 2.30 (2.11–2.84) log10 copies/106 cells, P = 0.008]. The levels of on-ART HIV DNA were positively correlated with the baseline viral load (r = 0.64, P = 0.02) in Tb co-infected group. However, neither plasma IL-7 concentration nor plasma IDO activity was correlated with the level of on-ART HIV DNA. Conclusions: Tb co-infection was associated with the increased surrogate marker of the HIV reservoir, while its mechanism warrants further examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: H9N2 influenza viruses continuously circulate in multiple avian species and are repeatedly transmitted to humans, posing a significant threat to public health. To investigate the adaptation ability of H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) to mammals and the mutations related to the host switch events, we serially passaged in mice two H9N2 viruses of different HA lineages — A/Quail/Hong Kong/G1/97 (G1) of the G1-like lineage and A/chicken/Shandong/ZB/2007 (ZB) of the BJ/94-like lineage —and generated two mouse-adapted H9N2 viruses (G1-MA and ZB-MA) that possessed significantly higher virulence than the wide-type viruses. Finding: ZB-MA replicated systemically in mice. Genomic sequence alignment revealed 10 amino acid mutations coded by 4 different gene segments (PB2, PA, HA, and M) in G1-MA compared with the G1 virus and 23 amino acid mutations in 5 gene segments (PB1, PA, HA, M, and NS) in ZB-MA compared to ZB virus, indicating that the mutations in the polymerase, HA, M, and NS genes play critical roles in the adaptation of H9N2 AIVs to mammals, especially, the mutations of M1-Q198H and M1-A239T were shared in G1-MA and ZB-MA viruses. Additionally, several substitutions showed a higher frequency in human influenza viruses compared with avian viruses. Conclusions: Different lineages of H9N2 could adapt well in mice and some viruses could gain the ability to replicate systemically and become neurovirulent. Thus, it is essential to pay attention to the mammalian adaptive evolution of the H9N2 virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The close contact between cats and humans poses a threat to public health because of the potential zoonotic transmission of influenza viruses to humans. Therefore, we examined the seroprevalence of pandemic H1N1/09, canine H3N2, and human H3N2 viruses in pet cats in northern China from 2010 to 2014. Finding: Of 1794 serum samples, the seropositivity rates for H1N1/09, canine H3N2, and human H3N2 were 5.7%, 0.7%, and 0.4%, respectively. The seropositivity rate for H1N1/09 in cats was highest in 2010 (8.3%), and then declined continuously thereafter. Cats older than 10 years were most commonly seropositive for the H1N1/09 virus. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the need for continuous surveillance of influenza viruses in cats in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is one of the most important oilseed crops worldwide, and the generation of pegs and formation of subterranean pods are essential processes in peanut reproductive development. However, little information has been reported about alternative splicing (AS) in peanut peg formation and development. Results: Herein, we presented a comprehensive full-length (FL) transcriptome profiling of AS isoforms during peanut peg and early pod development. We identified 1448, 1102, 832, and 902 specific spliced transcripts in aerial pegs, subterranean pegs, subterranean unswollen pegs, and early swelling pods, respectively. A total of 184 spliced transcripts related to gravity stimulation, light and mechanical response, hormone mediated signaling pathways, and calcium-dependent proteins were identified as possibly involved in peanut peg development. For aerial pegs, spliced transcripts we got were mainly involved in gravity stimulation and cell wall morphogenetic processes. The genes undergoing AS in subterranean peg were possibly involved in gravity stimulation, cell wall morphogenetic processes, and abiotic response. For subterranean unswollen pegs, spliced transcripts were predominantly related to the embryo development and root formation. The genes undergoing splice in early swelling pods were mainly related to ovule development, root hair cells enlargement, root apex division, and seed germination. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that multiple genes are related to gravity stimulation, light and mechanical response, hormone mediated signaling pathways, and calcium-dependent proteins undergoing AS express development-specific spliced isoforms or exhibit an obvious isoform switch during the peanut peg development. AS isoforms in subterranean pegs and pods provides valuable sources to further understand post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of AS in the generation of pegs and formation of subterranean pods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have confirmed the integration of the BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) gene into the cellular genome of urothelial carcinomas in transplant recipients, further confirming the correlation between BKPyV and urothelial carcinomas after transplantation. However, the role BKPyV infections play in the biological function of bladder cancer remains unclear. Methods: We developed a BKPyV-infected bladder cancer cell model and a mice tumor model to discuss the role of BKPyV infections. Results: Our research proves that BKPyV infections promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells, while the activation of β-catenin signaling pathway is one of its mediation mechanisms. Conclusions: We first described BKPyV infection promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of bladder cancer. We verified the role of β-catenin signaling pathway and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition effect in BKPyV-infected bladder cancer. These results provide meaningful information towards the diagnosis and treatment of clinical bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and protein crop, but it has low disease resistance; therefore, it is important to reveal the number, sequence features, function, and evolution of genes that confer resistance. Nucleotide-binding site–leucine-rich repeats (NBS–LRRs) are resistance genes that are involved in response to various pathogens. Results: We identified 713 full-length NBS–LRRs in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. Genetic exchange events occurred on NBS–LRRs in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner, which were detected in the same subgenomes and also found in different subgenomes. Relaxed selection acted on NBS–LRR proteins and LRR domains in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. Using quantitative trait loci (QTL), we found that NBS–LRRs were involved in response to late leaf spot, tomato spotted wilt virus, and bacterial wilt in A. duranensis (2 NBS–LRRs), A. ipaensis (39 NBS–LRRs), and A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner (113 NBS–LRRs). In A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner, 113 NBS–LRRs were classified as 75 young and 38 old NBS–LRRs, indicating that young NBS–LRRs were involved in response to disease after tetraploidization. However, compared to A. duranensis and A. ipaensis, fewer LRR domains were found in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner NBS–LRR proteins, partly explaining the lower disease resistance of the cultivated peanut. Conclusions: Although relaxed selection acted on NBS–LRR proteins and LRR domains, LRR domains were preferentially lost in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner compared to A. duranensis and A. ipaensis. The QTL results suggested that young NBS–LRRs were important for resistance against diseases in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. Our results provid insight into the greater susceptibility of A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner to disease compared to A. duranensis and A. ipaensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ceftiofur Sodium is widely used in China. Our aim was to determine Ceftiofur Sodium activity and optimize dosing regimens against the pathogen Haemophilus parasuis using an in vitro and ex vivo pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics modeling approach. By adopting these strategies, we wanted to extend the effective life of Ceftiofur Sodium in reduce drug-resistance in pigs. Results: We established an H. parasuis infection model in pigs, and assessed the pharmacokinetics of Ceftiofur Sodium in both healthy and infected animals. After Ceftiofur Sodium (10 mg/kg, i.m.) administration to healthy and H. parasuis-infected pigs, plasma based desfuroylceftiofur (a metabolite of Ceftiofur Sodium) was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The pharmacokinetics of Ceftiofur Sodium (desfuroylceftiofur) was consistent with a two-compartment open model, with first-order absorption. We observed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in pharmacokinetic parameters between healthy and infected pigs. Pharmacodynamics data showed that Ceftiofur Sodium was highly inhibitory against H. parasuis, with MIC, MBC, and MPC values of 0.003125, 0.0125 and 0.032 μg/mL, respectively. Desfuroylceftiofur in plasma also had strong bactericidal activity. Almost all H. parasuis cultured in plasma medium of Ceftiofur Sodium-inoculated healthy pigs, at each time point, were killed within 24 h. A weaker antibacterial activity was measured in infected-pig plasma medium at 18, 24, 36, and 48 h, after Ceftiofur Sodium inoculation. Pharmacokinetic parameters were combined with ex vivo pharmacodynamic parameters, and the bacteriostatic effect (36.006 h), bactericidal effect (71.637 h) and clearance (90.619 h) within 24 h, were determined using the Hill equation. Dose-calculation equations revealed the optimal dose of Ceftiofur Sodium to be 0.599–1.507 mg/kg. Conclusions: There were no significant differences in Ceftiofur Sodium pharmacokinetic parameters between healthy and infected pigs, although pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics fitting curves showed obviously differences. The optimal dose of Ceftiofur Sodium was lower than recommended (3 mg/kg), which may provide improved treatments for Glässers disease, with lower drug-resistance possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]