Objective: To analyze the relationship between the serum levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and achilles tendon thickness (ATT).
Methods: We studied 154 patients with high serum level of LDL-C (LDL-C≥3.37 mmol/L) from 2014-03 to 2015-03, the patients were at (18-75) years of age. According to《Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Blood Lipid Abnormality in Chinese Adults 2007》, the patients were divided into 2 groups:Borderline high LDL-C (3.3-4.12 mmol/L) group n=50 and High LDL-C (≥4.14 mmol/L) group, n=104;in addition, there was a Normal control group (LDL-C<3.37 mmol/L), n=51. ATT values were measured by standard digital radiography and the results were compared among 3 groups;the relationship between serum levels of LDL-C and ATT was studied.
Results: ATT levels in High LDL-C group (9.42 ± 3.63) mm was higher than Borderline high group (8.24±1.73) mm and Normal control group (6.05±0.28)mm, all P<0.05. The liner correlation coefifcient of serum level of LDL-C and the mean ATT was (r=0.346, P<0.001).
Conclusion: Our preliminary research showed that the higher serum level of LDL-C associated with thicker ATT, they had positive correlation. This phenomenon should be further conifrmed by large sample and multi-center investigation.

Objective:To observe the changes of arterial blood gas indexes in pigs with the free-field primary blast lung injury (PBLI) model, and to explore the value of arterial blood gas indexes in predicting moderate to severe PBLI.Methods:Nine adult healthy Landrace pigs were selected to construct the pig free-field PBLI model. Arterial blood samples were taken 15 minutes before the explosion (before injury) and 10, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after the explosion (after injury). Arterial blood gas indexes and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO 2) were measured, compare the changes of blood gas analysis indexes and SpO 2 levels at different time points, and observe the changes of gross injury scores and pathological injury scores of lung tissue. Analyze the correlation between the blood gas indicators. Results:As time prolonged, at each time point, pH, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2), and SpO 2 were lower than those before the injury, and blood lactic acid (Lac) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2) were higher than those before the injury. Compared with that before the injury, the pH value in the blood decreased significantly 10 minutes after the injury (7.39±0.06 vs. 7.46±0.02, P < 0.05), and the Lac increased significantly (mmol/L: 3.61±2.89 vs. 1.10±0.28, P < 0.05), and lasts until 180 minutes after injury (pH value: 7.37±0.07 vs. 7.46±0.02, Lac (mmol/L): 2.40±0.79 vs. 1.10±0.28, both P < 0.05); while PaO 2 and SpO 2 decreased significantly at 180 minutes after injury [PaO 2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 59.40±10.94 vs. 74.81±9.39, P < 0.05; SpO 2: 0.75±0.11 vs. 0.89±0.08, P < 0.05], PaCO 2 increased significantly (mmHg: 56.17±5.38 vs. 48.42±4.93, P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the gross injury score of lung blast injury animals was positively correlated with the pathological injury score ( r = 0.866, P = 0.005); PaO 2 and SpO 2 were positively correlated ( r = 0.703, P = 0.000); pH value and Lac were negative Correlation ( r = -0.400, P = 0.006); pH value is negatively correlated with PaCO 2 ( r = -0.844, P = 0.000). Conclusion:This study successfully established a large mammalian free-field PBLI model, arterial blood gas analysis is helpful for the early diagnosis of PBLI, whether SpO 2 can be used to evaluate the severity of lung injury remains to be further verified.

This is an experimental study in the realm of physiology inquiring about the effect of pulsatile fluid flow shear stress on the proliferation, differentiation and functions of osteoblasts;the objective is to validate the important effect of fluid flow shear stress on the mechanics adaptability of bone tissue. The osteoblasts derived from Wistar rat's calvaria were exposed to fluid shear stress 5, 10, 20 and 30 mN/cm2 for 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36h respectively in the flow chamber. The ability of proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and extracellular calcium secretion of osteoblasts were assessed. The results showed that fluid flow shear stress at 5, and 10 mN/cm2 increased the proliferation, but at 20 and 30 N/cm2, the shear stress inhibited the proliferation. The shear stress at 5, 10, 20 mN/cm2 increased the ALP activity and extracellular calcium secretion of osteoblasts, and advanced the time of the peak value of ALP activity during the experiment period, but the shear stress at 30 mN/cm2 decreased ALP activity. So osteoblasts responded rapidly to shear stress; the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of cells were regulated in the presence of some shear stress; and such regulation exhibited a pattern of dependence on the mN/cm2 level of shear stress.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Mechanotransduction, Cellular ; physiology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; enzymology ; Pulsatile Flow ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Shear Strength ; Skull ; cytology ; Stress, Mechanical

Objective:To study the predictive value of BAT score for the prognosis of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH).Methods:A retrospective analysis of 93 sICH patients in the Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College from January 2018 to December 2020 was conducted, and the patients were classified into the good prognosis group ( n=34) and the poor prognosis group ( n=59) according to the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) 3 months after the discharge. Clinical data such as basic data of patients, admission vital signs, laboratory indicators, National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score and BAT score and other clinical data of the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting poor prognosis of sICH patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to analyze predictive value of BAT score for poor prognosis of sICH patients. Results:The admission systolic blood pressure, white blood cell count, hypertension complications, emergency BAT score and NIHSS score of patients in the poor prognosis group were significantly higher than those in the good prognosis group ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the admission systolic blood pressure ( OR=1.024, 95% CI: 1.002~1.046, P=0.035) and emergency BAT score ( OR=2.640, 95% CI: 1.445-4.825, P=0.002) could accurately predict the poor prognosis of sICH patients. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under ROC curve (AUC) of BAT score was 0.792, the sensitivity was 79.3%, and the specificity was 76.5%. The AUC of systolic blood pressure for predicting poor prognosis of sICH patients was 0.701, and the sensitivity was 55.2%, and the specificity was 88.2%. The AUC of BAT score combined with systolic blood pressure for predicting poor prognosis of sICH patients was 0.835. Conclusions:BAT score and admission systolic blood pressure could more accurately predict poor prognosis of sICH patients. The combination of them had a higher efficacy in predicting poor prognosis of sICH patients after 3 months.

Objective To observe the effect of quercetin on mechanical allodynia,astrocyte activation,and upregulation of pain-related transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1)and P2X purinoceptor 3(P2X3)in mice with paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.Methods Twenty-four C57BL/6 mice were divided randomly into control,model,and model+quercetin groups(n=8 mice per group).Paclitaxel(total dose 8 mg/kg)was injected intraperitoneally into mice in the model and model+quercetin groups to establish the model.Mice in the control group were injected intraperitoneally with the same volume of vehicle.On day 8 after the first injection,mice in the model+quercetin group were injected with 60 mg/kg quercetin solution orally and mice in the other groups were injected with the same volume of vehicle.Mechanical pain was measured by the von Frey test.Activation of astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn was detected by immunofluorescence.Expression levels of TRPV1 and P2X3 in dorsal root ganglia were detected by immunofluorescence and Western Blot.Results(1)Compared with model group,the mechanical pain of mice in model+quercetin group were relieved.(2)Compared with model group,the activation of astrocytes and the expressions of TRPV1 and P2X3 in mice of model+quercetin group were alleviated(P＜0.05).Conclusions Quercetin can significantly reduce mechanical pain in mice with paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.This mechanism maybe related to alleviating the activation of astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn and reducing expression of TRPV1 and P2X3 in the dorsal root ganglia.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus replication, and to lay bases for the future clinical application of siRNA for the treatment of viral infectious diseases.

METHODSVero-E6 cells was transfected with siRNA before SARS virus infection, and the effectiveness of siRNA interference was evaluated by observing the cytopathic effect (CPE) on Vero-E6 cells.

RESULTSFive pairs of siRNA showed ability to reduce CPE dose dependently, and two of them had the best effect.

CONCLUSIONsiRNA may be effective in inhibiting SARS-associated coronavirus replication.

Animals ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; SARS Virus ; drug effects ; Transfection ; Vero Cells ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

ObjectiveTo understand the mortality trends among residents of Fuling District， Chongqing， before and after theCOVID-19 outbreak， and to provide references for the government to formulate disease prevention and control policies and measures. MethodsData on mortality and population in Fuling District from 2017 to 2022 were collected to analyze population mortality and standardized mortality rates， and to compare the changes in the causes of death by year and before and after the pandemic. ResultsFrom 2017 to 2022， the crude mortality rate in Fuling District showed an upward trend （APC=3.04%， P<0.05）， while the standardized mortality rate showed a downward trend （APC=-6.47%， P<0.01）. The mortality rate of males was higher than that of females （P<0.05）， with different age groups having different causes of death composition. The highest proportion of deaths in 0-year-old group was from infectious diseases， maternal and neonatal diseases， and nutritional deficiencies， the highest proportion of deaths in the 1‒24 age group， with the exception of those aged 5‒9， was from injuries， and the main cause of death for residents aged 25 and above was chronic diseases. The mortality rate of mental and behavioral disorders rose from the 13th to the 9th place. According to the epidemic situation of COVID-19， there were no changes in the top five causes of death among the entire population. The motility rate of endocrine， nutritional and metabolic diseases rose from the sixth to the fifth place in male population， and the motility rate of malignant tumor rose from the 3rd to the 2nd place in female population. ConclusionThere are no changes in the top five causes of death among the entire population of Fuling District before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Chronic diseases remain the main cause of death. It is necessary to control the risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as hypertension， diabetes， and dyslipidemia， and to curb the rising trend of mortality rates from strokes and acute myocardial infarction. For deaths caused by accidental injuries， targeted health education should be conducted for different populations.

Background Heavy metals are widely present in the environment, difficult to degrade, and bioaccumulative. Children's physical development are not mature, and exposure to heavy metals which may cause irreversible harm to them. However, the current research conclusions are still inconsistent. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the impact of heavy metal pollutants on physical development. Objective To detect the level of heavy metal exposure of school-age children in Laizhou Wan, Shandong Province, and to explore the relationship between heavy metal exposure level and physical development indexes of school-age children. Methods The subjects of this study were 318 children born to pregnant women recruited from Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort in Shandong Province from September 2010 to December 2013. The school-age children at age 7 were followed up from July to September 2019. Their urine samples were collected and the levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in urine were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). At the same time, the height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body fat percentage of the children were evaluate to analyze the relationship between the four heavy metals in children's urine and the indicators related to children's physical development. Results Among the 318 school-age children with an age (\begin{document}$\bar x \pm s $\end{document}) of (7.77±0.67) years, the median (P₂₅, P₇₅) levels of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in urine were 73.98 (44.81, 124.61), 0.40 (0.27, 0.58), 1.20 (0.71, 1.72), and 2.38 (1.32, 4.80) µg·g⁻¹ (of creatinine), respectively. The children’s urinary Cd level was positively correlated with their weight, BMI, and waist circumference (P<0.05), and corresponding regression coefficients (b) and its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 0.99 (0.14-1.83), 0.43 (0.06-0.81), and 1.35 (0.27-2.42), respectively; while the other heavy metals were not related to the above physical development indicators (P>0.05). After sex stratification, it was found that boys’ urinary Cd level was positively correlated with their height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference (P <0.05) with associated b (95%CI) of 1.73 (0.53-2.93), 2.03 (0.60-3.47), 0.75 (0.11-1.38), and 2.66 (0.85-4.47), respectively; such associations were not found in girls. After further stratification of boys’ BMI according to normal, overweight, and obesity, it was found that a higher urinary Cd level was correlated with an increased risk of obesity in boys (P<0.05), and the associated b (95%CI) was 2.34 (1.02-5.36). Conclusion The level of urinary Cd exposure of boys in Laizhou Wan, Shandong Province is positively correlated with their height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference, and may be related to obesity in boys.

Background Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are emerging synthetic insecticides that have been used in various pest management regimens worldwide as alternatives to conventional insecticides. Recently, several studies have indicated that humans are widely exposed to NEOs, but limited is known about the levels and associated health risks of NEOs exposure among children. Objective To estimate exposure levels of four kinds of NEOs in urine samples among 5-year-old children from Laizhou Wan, Shandong Province, and to evaluate health risks of single and cumulative exposure to NEOs among children in this area. Methods A total of 205 children who participated in the 5-year-old follow-up in Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort (LWBC) were included. Urinary concentrations of four NEOs [imidacloprid (IMI), acetamiprid (ACE), clothianidin (CLO), and thiamethoxam (THM)] were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Based on the detected NEOs concentrations, estimated daily intake (EDI) was calculated, and the health risk of exposure to single NEO was assessed using hazard quotient (HQ, risk threshold=1). A relative potency factor (RPF) approach was used to standardize the concentrations of the four NEOs by IMI to calculate their cumulative concentrations. Then, the health risk of cumulative exposure to the four NEOs was further evaluated based on the HQ method. Results The detection rates of the four NEOs in the 5-year-old children were all above 90%, and their median creatinine-adjusted urinary concentrations were in the order from high to low as follows: CLO (1.373 μg·g⁻¹) > THM (0.628 μg·g⁻¹) > IMI (0.310 μg·g⁻¹) > ACE (0.073 μg·g⁻¹). Of the four NEOs, the median EDI of IMI was 0.035 µg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹, higher than those of CLO (0.032 µg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹), THM (0.012 µg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹), and ACE (0.002 µg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹). The maximum HQ values of IMI, CLO, THM, and ACE were 0.168, 0.152, 0.055, and 0.022, respectively, which were all far lower than the risk threshold of 1. The median concentration of cumulative exposure to the four NEOs standardized by IMI was 21.241 μg·g⁻¹, and its median EDI was 2.370 µg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹. The maximum HQ of cumulative exposure to the four NEOs was only 0.694, which also did not exceed the risk threshold of 1. Conclusion NEOs exposure is common among the 5-year-old children in Laizhou Wan, Shandong. Although there is no obvious health risk associated with single and cumulative exposure to NEOs in the children in this area, their exposure levels of NEOs are higher than those in some foreign areas. The adverse health effects of long-term exposure to low dose of NEOs deserve our extensive attention.