Methods for determination of heavy metals and harmful residues in traditional Chinese medicine injection were established. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used for determination of lead, cadmium and copper, atomic fluorescence spectrometry for arsenic and mercury. The preprocessing method was optimized. The average recoveries of 5 elements were between 91% and 112% while the precisions were less than 2%. The determination limit of lead, cadmium, copper, arsenic and mercury were 0.28, 0.014, 0.49, 0.19, 0.061 microg x L(-1), respectively. The proposed method was simple, sensitive, accurate and reliable, and could be used widely.
Arsenic ; analysis ; Cadmium ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lead ; analysis ; Mercury ; analysis ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods

Objective To study the impacts of the Three Gorges dam and change of water level on the survival of the local rodents, and to provide scientific basis to control the outbreak of rodent-borne diseases.Methods Four villages located around the Three Gorges dam were selected in the study. The mouse populations by using Elton night trapping method was monitored. Metallic spring traps were set for two consecutive nights. The mouse density and identified the mouse species was calculated. The mouse species indoor and outdoor, as well as the mouse density indoor and outdoor were compared. The impacts of water level in the dam and cleaning work on local mouse density were also analyzed. Results A total of 678 mice were caught in this study, 517 were caught indoor and 161 outdoor. Indoor dominant species was flavipectus; accounting for 36.49%(189/517), while outdoor was apodemus, reaching 56.88% (91/161). For mouse species, there was a significant difference between indoor and outdoor(x2 = 678.00, P ＜ 0.01 ). The average mouse density was 8.44%(678/8036) in trap nights. Indoor mouse density reached 14.44%(517/3581 ), which was significantly higher than that of outdoor(3.61%, 161/4455 ).For mouse density, there was a significant difference between indoor and outdoor(x2 = 301.04, P ＜ 0.01 ). When the water level was up to 156 m, mouse density reached 10%(513/5132), which was higher than that of before (5.68%, 165/2904). There was a significant difference in mouse density before and after reserving water (x2 = 44.68, P ＜ 0.01 ). With the change of water level, upstream mouse density formed a high platform from May 2007 to May 2008, followed by 12.25%(80/653), 13.16%(90/684), 12.95%(90/695), and decreased to 8.38%(28/334) after cleaning of the dam. Conclusions The Three Gorges dam and change of water level actually alter the survival environment of the local mouse, and affect local mouse density and mouse species. These may lead to local outbreak or epidemic of rodent-borne diseases.

With the development and improvement of new sequencing technology, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been applied increasingly in cancer genomics research over the past decade. More recently, NGS has been adopted in clinical oncology to advance personalized treatment of cancer. NGS is used to identify novel and rare cancer mutations, detect familial cancer mutation carriers, and provide molecular rationale for appropriate targeted therapy. Compared to traditional sequencing, NGS holds many advantages, such as the ability to fully sequence all types of mutations for a large number of genes (hundreds to thousands) in a single test at a relatively low cost. However, significant challenges, particularly with respect to the requirement for simpler assays, more flexible throughput, shorter turnaround time, and most importantly, easier data analysis and interpretation, will have to be overcome to translate NGS to the bedside of cancer patients. Overall, continuous dedication to apply NGS in clinical oncology practice will enable us to be one step closer to personalized medicine.
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; economics ; methods ; Humans ; Mutation ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; Precision Medicine ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Objective:To investigate the role of miR-765 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells and further uncover the associated signaling mechanism.Methods:qPCR was used to assess miR-765 expression in normal human thyroid cell line (Nthy-ori 3-1) and human PTC cell lines (B-CPAP and TPC-1). PTC cells were divided into blank control group (BC) without special treatment, negative control group (NC) that was transfected with negative control sequences, and miR-mimic group that was transfected with miR-mimic. Transfection with miR-mimic was used to up-regulate the expression of miR-765 in PTC cells. CCK-8, plate colony formation, wound-healing, and Transwell invasion assays were used to assess the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC cells, respectively. Western blot assay was used to assess the level of nuclear β-catenin, the key protein of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, in PTC cells.Results:The level of miR-765 expression of PTC cells was significantly lower than that of Nthy-ori 3-1 cells (B-CPAP, P=0.0003; TPC-1, P=0.0003). Transfection with miR-mimic significantly up-regulated miR-765 expression in PTC cells (B-CPAP, P<0.0001; TPC-1, P<0.0001). Results of CCK-8 assay (B-CPAP, P<0.05; TPC-1, P<0.05), plate colony formation assay (B-CPAP, P=0.0001; TPC-1, P<0.0001), wound-healing assay, and Transwell invasion assay (B-CPAP, P=0.001; TPC-1, P=0.0014) showed that up-regulating the expression of miR-765 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC cells. Western blot results showed that up-regulating the expression of miR-765 significantly reduced nuclear β-catenin (B-CPAP, P=0.0039; TPC-1, P=0.0004) . Conclusion:up-regulating the expression of miR-765 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC cells and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which not only proposes miR-765 as a novel potential therapeutic target for PTC, but also further revealed the associated mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical features and molecular basis of a Chinese pedigree with two siblings affected by cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase deficiency (PORD). METHODS: Clinical features of the patients were reviewed, and their genomic DNA was subjected to next generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: The two siblings presented peculiar facies, genital hypoplasia and skeletal deformity. NGS revealed that both have carried compound heterozygous variants of the POR gene, namely c.1370G>A and c.517-19_517-10delGGCCCCTGTGinsC, which were respectively inherited from their parents. CONCLUSION Both siblings were diagnosed with PORD based on sequencing of the POR gene. The newly discovered POR c.517-19_517-10delGGCCCCTGTGinsC has enriched the spectrum of PORD-related genetic variants.

"" is a word describing the syndrome of cold sensation, which is one of the foot- stomach-meridian syndromes. The lesions of stomach and meridian could cause changes of and superficial symptoms of the interior syndrome, leading to "". In this study, the specific manifestation of the "" is analyzed from the aspect of word meaning, and the relationship between the "" and stomach is further discussed through the perspectives of and the exterior-interior relationship. In addition, combined with typical clinical case, it is suggested that attention should be paid on the relationship between exterior and interior syndromes, and the clinical application of and method (activating and promoting circulation of organs) should be strengthened, which could expand the new thinking of clinical treatments for viscera diseases through acupuncture and moxibustion.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Meridians ; Stomach ; Stomach Diseases ; therapy ; Syndrome

A 61-year-old woman was referred to our department with a 11-year-erythra. In the anterior tibia of both lower extremities, we could see large dark red infiltrating erythema, waxy luster, clear boundary, slight central atrophy, depression and capillary dilatation. He was diagnosed with "dermatitis contusiformis" in local hospitals, but the treatment of traditional Chinese medicine and external drugs was not effective. She had normal laboratory findings for blood routine test, biochemical indexes, C reactive protein(CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)．Furthermore, autoimmune antibodies were all negative. The skin pathology showed degeneration and necrosis of collagen fibers, chronic granulomatous inflammation in the dermis, and there were more acute and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration around the small vessels and in the wall of the tube. We eventually diagnosed it as necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) according to the history, erythra morphology and skin pathology. After treatment of low dose hormone and thalidomide for 1 year, the color and range of skin lesions gradually alleviated. NL was a rare chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease. There appeared to be a predominance in females. The incidence of NL was higher in patients with diabetes mellitus, although this asscoiation was currently questioned. NL might also be connected with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The pathological changes of the tissue were mainly in the dermis, including necrotic type, granulomatous type or mixed type. NL typically presented on the pretibial surface of lower extremities. Less typical locations included the face, scalp, vulva and upper limbs. Leisions usually began with small papules and nodules that gradually infiltrated into brownyellow patches and developed central wax-like atrophy. The diagnosis is often based on clinical examination and skin biopsy. NL is rare and easy to be misdiagnosed. For rheumatologists, we should carefully compare with the nodular erythema, the microscopic polyangitis and allergic purpura. It is significant for differential diagnosis to perform skin biopsy. Lacking of randomized controlled trials, no specific treatment has proven to be the gold standard. First-line therapy mainly consists of intralesional and systemic corticosteriods. Additionally, other reported treatment options include immunomodulator, biological agent, antiplatelet aggregation drug and plateletrich plasma. These patients need long term follow up continuously for progression of the disease, ulcerations, and possibility of malignant tranformation.
Colitis, Ulcerative ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lipids ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Scalp ; Ulcer

A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the age-stratified normal levels and age-related changes in the risk predictors of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) progression. A total of 4706 male participants aged 40 years or older in Zhengzhou (China) were enrolled. The values of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume (PV), and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR) significantly increased with age. Nonlinear relationships between age and IPSS scores ≥8 (P for nonlinearity = 0.046), PSA level ≥1.6 ng ml^-1, PV ≥31 ml, or PVR ≥39 ml (all P for nonlinearity <0.001) were observed. After the age of 61 years, the risk indicators related to BPH progression were positively correlated with age (odds ratio [OR] >1), regardless of the predictors of the IPSS score, PSA level, PV, or PVR; and the OR values increased gradually. Therefore, after the age of 61 years, the risk predictors related to BPH progression were positively correlated with age.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/diagnosis* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; East Asian People ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of premature rupture of the membrane (PROM) on neonatal complications in premature infants.

METHODSThe registration information of 7684 preterm infants with gestational age <37 weeks were collected from the cooperative units in the task group between January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Specially trained personnel from each cooperative units filled in the unified form in a standardized format to record the gender, gestational age, birth weight, PROM, placental abruption, antenatal corticosteroid, Apgar score, amniotic fluid pollution, and complications of the infants. The data were analyzed comparatively between the cases with PROM and those without (control).

RESULTSThe preterm mortality rate was significantly lower but the incidences of ICH, NEC, ROP and BPD were significantly higher in PROM group than in the control group (P<0.05). The 95% confidence interval of the OR value was <1 for mortality, and was >1 for ICH, NEC, ROP and BPD. After adjustment for gestational age, birth weight, gender, mode of delivery, placental abruption, placenta previa, prenatal hormones, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational period hypertension and 5-min Apgar score <7, the incidences of NEC, ROP and BPD were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05) with 95% confidence interval of OR value >1, but the mortality rate and incidence of ICH were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPROM is a risk factor for NEC, ROP and BPD in preterm infants, and adequate intervention of PROM can reduce the incidences of such complications as NEC, ROP and BPD in the infants.

Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture ; pathology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; etiology ; Infant, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To explore the optimal maintenance dose of caffeine citrate for preterm infants requiring assisted ventilation and caffeine citrate treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 566 preterm infants (gestational age ≤34 weeks) who were treated and required assisted ventilation and caffeine citrate treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit of 30 tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu Province of China between January 1 and December 31, 2019. The 405 preterm infants receiving high-dose (10 mg/kg per day) caffeine citrate after a loading dose of 20 mg/kg within 24 hours after birth were enrolled as the high-dose group. The 161 preterm infants receiving low-dose (5 mg/kg per day) caffeine citrate were enrolled as the low-dose group. RESULTS: Compared with the low-dose group, the high-dose group had significant reductions in the need for high-concentration oxygen during assisted ventilation (P=0.044), the duration of oxygen inhalation after weaning from noninvasive ventilation (P<0.01), total oxygen inhalation time during hospitalization (P<0.01), the proportion of preterm infants requiring noninvasive ventilation again (P<0.01), the rate of use of pulmonary surfactant and budesonide (P<0.05), and the incidence rates of apnea and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.01), but the high-dose group had a significantly increased incidence rate of feeding intolerance (P=0.032). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the body weight change, the incidence rates of retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage or necrotizing enterocolitis, the mortality rate, and the duration of caffeine use (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS This pilot multicenter study shows that the high maintenance dose (10 mg/kg per day) is generally beneficial to preterm infants in China and does not increase the incidence rate of common adverse reactions. For the risk of feeding intolerance, further research is needed to eliminate the interference of confounding factors as far as possible.
Caffeine/therapeutic use* ; Citrates ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies