Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) is a critical endocrine mediator implicated in male reproductive physiology. To investigate the correlation between IGF2 protein levels and various aspects of male infertility, specifically focusing on sperm quality, inflammation, and DNA damage, a cohort of 320 male participants was recruited from the Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Hangzhou, China) between 1 st January 2024 and 1 st March 2024. The relationship between IGF2 protein concentrations and sperm parameters was assessed, and Spearman correlation and linear regression analysis were employed to evaluate the independent associations between IGF2 protein levels and risk factors for infertility. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure IGF2 protein levels in seminal plasma, alongside markers of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-1β [IL-1β]). The relationship between seminal plasma IGF2 protein levels and DNA damage marker phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) was also explored. Our findings reveal that IGF2 protein expression decreased notably in patients with asthenospermia and teratospermia. Correlation analysis revealed nuanced associations between IGF2 protein levels and specific sperm parameters, and low IGF2 protein concentrations correlated with increased inflammation and DNA damage in sperm. The observed correlations between IGF2 protein levels and specific sperm parameters, along with its connection to inflammation and DNA damage, underscore the importance of IGF2 in the broader context of male reproductive health. These findings lay the groundwork for future research and potential therapeutic interventions targeting IGF2-related pathways to enhance male fertility.
Humans ; Male ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II/metabolism* ; Infertility, Male/genetics* ; DNA Damage ; Adult ; Inflammation/metabolism* ; Spermatozoa/metabolism* ; Semen Analysis ; Semen/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism*

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Anmeidan （AMD） on the learning and memory ability of sleep-deprived rats and the mechanism. MethodA total of 50 SD rats were randomized into control group， model group， low-dose AMD group （4.55 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， high-dose AMD group （18.18 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and estazolam group （0.09 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. Insomnia was induced in rats with the self-made sleep deprivation box （21 days）. The learning and memory ability of rats was measured by Morris water maze. Immunofluorescence method was employed to detect the number of cells expressing N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 （NDRG2） and glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP） in hippocampus of rats， real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） to determine the mRNA expression of hippocampal NDRG2， glial glutamate transporter-1 （GLT-1）， and GluNR2A and GluNR2B N-methyl-D-aspartate （NMDA） receptor subunits， and Western blot to examine the protein expression of NDRG2 and GLT-1 in hippocampus. ResultCompared with control group， the model group showed increase in the latency to reach the platform and total swimming distance， significant decrease in the total distance moved in the target quadrant， time in target quadrant， and times of crossing the platform （P<0.01）， rise in the number of cells expressing NDRG2 and GFAP in the hippocampal CA1 region （P<0.01） and the mRNA level of NDRG2 and GluNR2B， reduction in the mRNA level of GLT-1 and GluNR2A， elevation in NDRG2 protein expression （P<0.01）， and decrease in GLT-1 protein expression （P<0.01）. In contrast to the model group， low-dose and high-dose AMD improved the learning and memory levels of sleep-deprived rats （P<0.01）， reduced the number of cells expressing NDRG2 and GFAP （P<0.01）， significantly decreased the mRNA expression of NDRG2 and GluNR2B， increased the mRNA expression of GLT-1 and GluNR2A， reduced NDRG2 protein level （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and raised GLT-1 protein level （P<0.01）. ConclusionAMD can improve the learning and memory ability of sleep-deprived rats. The mechanism is the likelihood that it regulates astrocyte activity， thereby affecting the neurotransmitter level and synaptic plasticity in the brain.

Objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB) are major public health and social issues worldwide. The long-term follow-up of COVID-19 with pulmonary TB (PTB) survivors after discharge is unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively describe clinical outcomes, including sequela and recurrence at 3, 12, and 24 months after discharge, among COVID-19 with PTB survivors. Methods From January 22, 2020 to May 6, 2022, with a follow-up by August 26, 2022, a prospective, multicenter follow-up study was conducted on COVID-19 with PTB survivors after discharge in 13hospitals from four provinces in China. Clinical outcomes, including sequela, recurrence of COVID-19, and PTB survivors, were collected via telephone and face-to-face interviews at 3, 12, and 24 months after discharge. Results Thirty-two COVID-19 with PTB survivors were included. The median age was 52 (45, 59) years, and 23 (71.9％) were men. Among them, nearly two-thirds (62.5％) of the survivors were moderate, three (9.4％) were severe, and more than half (59.4％) had at least one comorbidity (PTB excluded). The proportion of COVID-19 survivors with at least one sequela symptom decreased from 40.6％ at 3 months to 15.8％ at 24 months, with anxiety having a higher proportion over a follow-up. Cough and amnesia recovered at the 12-month follow-up, while anxiety, fatigue, and trouble sleeping remained after 24 months. Additionally, one (3.1％) case presented two recurrences of PTB and no re-positive COVID-19 during the follow-up period. Conclusion The proportion of long symptoms in COVID-19 with PTB survivors decreased over time, while nearly one in six still experience persistent symptoms with a higher proportion of anxiety. The recurrence of PTB and the psychological support of COVID-19 with PTB after discharge require more attention.

Objective:To evaluate risk factors and available treatments of extramedullary relapse (EMR) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients with myeloid leukemia.Methods:A total of 280 patients were retrospectively analyzed from January 2008 to December 2018 in Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Clinical data were collected including disease patterns, pre-transplantation status, chromosome karyotype, conditioning regimen, types of donor, extramedullary disease before transplantation and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model were uesd for univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, respectively.Results:Twenty patients developed EMR (7.14%). The median time of EMR was 7.5 (1-123) months after allo-HSCT. The mortality of EMR was 80% (16/20). Univariate analysis identified disease patterns, second complete remission (CR2) or progressive disease before transplantation, extramedullary disease, abnormal karyotype and conditioning regimen without total body radiation as significant factors correlated to EMR ( P<0.05). Multi-variable analysis revealed that CR2 or progressive disease ( RR=3.468,95% CI 2.189-7.786), abnormal karyotype ( RR=1.494,95% CI 1.020-2.189) and extramedullary disease before transplantation ( RR=8.627,95% CI 3.921-18.452) were independent risk factors of EMR. Conclusions:The clinical outcome of EMR after allo-HSCT is poor.It is crucial to comprehensively assess and identify EMR as early as possible.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of glucose metabolism disorders on the short-term prognosis in neonates with asphyxia. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of the neonates with asphyxia who were admitted to 52 hospitals in Hubei Province of China from January to December, 2018 and had blood glucose data within 12 hours after birth. Their blood glucose data at 1, 2, 6, and 12 hours after birth (with an allowable time error of 0.5 hour) were recorded. According to the presence or absence of brain injury and/or death during hospitalization, the neonates were divided into a poor prognosis group with 693 neonates and a good prognosis group with 779 neonates. The two groups were compared in the incidence of glucose metabolism disorders within 12 hours after birth and short-term prognosis. RESULTS: Compared with the good prognosis group, the poor prognosis group had a significantly higher proportion of neonates from secondary hospitals (48.5% vs 42.6%, CONCLUSIONS Recurrent hyperglycemia in neonates with asphyxia may suggest poor short-term prognosis, and it is necessary to strengthen the early monitoring and management of the nervous system in such neonates.
Asphyxia ; Asphyxia Neonatorum/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Infant, Newborn ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To analyze epidemic characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic in Qingpu District of Shanghai and provide evidence for prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods The COVID-19 cases diagnosed in the medical facilities in Qingpu District were included in the study.Descriptive epidemiology was employed to describe diagnosis, clinical symptoms and possible exposure. Results There were 53 suspected cases identified in Qingpu District, 47 of which were excluded and 6 were confirmed.Two confirmed cases were identified when seeking medical treatment and 4 by other means.Of the confirmed cases, 83.3% were male and 66.7% were imported.Their initial symptom was mainly cough.The 75.0% of the confirmed cases had underlying diseases.By PCR testing of SARS-CoV-2, 100.0% of the sputum specimens tested positive, 50.0% of the nasopharyngeal swabs were positive, whereas 100.0% of the throat swabs were negative. Conclusion COVID-19 is more common in men than in women.The positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 in sputum samples is highest, followed by nasopharyngeal swabs and throat swabs.It is crucial to implement the countermeasures at earlier stages, such as strengthening the road entrance monitoring, at-home or intensive health observation of foreign visitors for early identification of suspected COVID-19 cases.

Objective Serum total prostatic specific antigen (tPSA), free prostatic specific antigen (fPSA), fPSA/tPSA ratio, and prostate cancer-specific antigen density (PSAD) were determined to explore the best identification point, thus improving the specificity of early screening of prostate cancer. Methods The tPSA, fPSA, fPSA/tPSA, and PSAD of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia group (n=250) and prostate cancer group (n=92) were tested, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to determine the best cutoff value for the evaluation. Results When the cutoff values of tPSA, fPSA/tPSA, and PSAD were at 11.3 mg/L, 0.16, and 0.18 mg/(L·cm³), respectively, the specificity and sensitivity were the best:82.4% and 84.2% for tPSA, 76.9% and 81.7% for fPSA/tPSA, and 83.1% and 80.4% for PSAD.When the best cutoff values of tPSA, fPSA/tPSA, and PSAD were combined in analysis, the specificity and sensitivity of fPSA/tPSA and PSAD combination showed the best result (92.4% and 81.4%, respectively).When the tPSA value was in the range of 4-10 mg/L, the optimal cutoff values of PSAD and fPSA/tPSA were 0.21 mg/(L·cm³) and 0.15, and the specificity and sensitivity reach the best, which were 84.1% and 80.1%, 81.0 % and 80.3%, respectively. Conclusion Combination of tPSA, fPSA/tPSA and PSAD analysis is better than any single of them in early screening of prostate cancer.The specificity and sensitivity of combined use of fPSA/tPSA and PSAD could serve as an optimal screening reference value.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, laboratorial and bone marrow pathological features of primary thrombocytopenia (ET) patients with different mutations of CALR, JAK2 and MPL genes. METHODS: The chinical data of 120 cases of ET in Jiangsu provincial people's hospital/ The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to December 2017 were collected and analyzed, including 76 cases with JAK2 gene mutation, 40 cases with CALR gene mutation, 2 cases with MPL gene mutations, 2 cases without gene mutation. RESULTS: Among the ET patients, compared with the JAK2 gene mutation, CALR gene mutation showed statistically significant deareament of white blood cells and hemoglobin (P=0.001, P=0.01) and the male platelets in CALR group showed significant increament (P=0.04). Fourthermore, the average number of megakaryocytes and its cluster numbers in each hight power field of vision showed statistically significant decreament in CALR group as compared with JAK2 group (P=0.001, P=0.001), and thrombotic events in CALR group were signicantly lower than those in JAK2 group (7.5% vs 18.4%) (P=0.03). CONCLUSION Mutations of CALR, JAK2 have different clinical characteristics and blood pathological changes of Chinese ET patients, and their clinical significance is worth to explore.
Bone Marrow ; Calreticulin ; genetics ; China ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2 ; genetics ; Male ; Mutation ; Receptors, Thrombopoietin ; genetics ; Thrombocythemia, Essential

This research is to establish an HPLC method for determination of geniposidic acid, genipin-1-β-D-gentiobioside, geniposide, p-trans-coumaroylgenipin gentiobioside, chlorogenic acid, crocin-Ⅰ, crocin-Ⅱ and crocin-Ⅲ in Gardeniae Fructus at different harvest time. The detection wavelength was 238, 320 and 440 nm. Principal component analysis(PCA), correlation analysis, regression analysis and partial least squares(PLS) analysis were used to explore the relationship of color and content of eight components in Gardeniae Fructus. The result showed that the trend of the eight components in Gardeniae Fructus at harvest time in different three years was varied similarly. According to the variation of eight components at different harvest time, the mature and immaturate Gardeniae Fructus were discriminated. The content of crocin-Ⅰwas correlated positively with a~* of color significance. The redder color of Gardeniae Fructus showed the higher value of a~* and content of crocin-Ⅰ, indicating the better quality of Gardeniae Fructus. This method provided reference for justifying the color and quality of Gardeniae Fructus and scientific evidence for "assessing quality by distinguishing color".
Chlorogenic Acid ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Fruit ; Gardenia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of antibiotic use for very and extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of Hunan Province. METHODS: The use of antibiotics was investigated in multiple level 3 NICUs of Hunan Province for VLBW and ELBW infants born between January, 2017 and December, 2017. RESULTS: The clinical data of 1 442 VLBW/ELBW infants were collected from 24 NICUs in 2017. The median antibiotic use duration was 17 days (range: 0-86 days), accounting for 53.0% of the total length of hospital stay. The highest duration of antibiotic use was up to 91.4% of the total length of hospital stay, with the lowest at 14.6%. In 16 out of 24 NICUs, the antibiotic use duration was accounted for more than 50.0% of the hospitalization days. There were 113 cases with positive bacterial culture grown in blood or cerebrospinal fluid, making the positive rate of overall bacterial culture as 7.84%. The positive rate of bacterial culture in different NICUs was significantly different from 0% to 14.9%. The common isolated bacterial pathogens Klebsiella pneumoniae was 29 cases (25.7%); Escherichia coli 12 cases (10.6%); Staphylococcus aureus 3 cases (2.7%). The most commonly used antibiotics were third-generation of cephalosporins, accounting for 41.00% of the total antibiotics, followed by penicillins, accounting for 32.10%, and followed by carbapenems, accounting for 13.15%. The proportion of antibiotic use time was negatively correlated with birth weight Z-score and the change in weight Z-score between birth and hospital discharge (r=-0.095, -0.151 respectively, P<0.01), positively correlated with death/withdrawal of care (r=0.196, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Antibiotics used for VLBW/ELBW infants in NICUs of Hunan Province are obviously prolonged in many NICUs. The proportion of routine use of third-generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems antibiotics is high among the NICUs.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Surveys and Questionnaires