Objective: To examine the correlation between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs ) and placental mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA ) copy number among pregnant women, so as to provide the evidence for evaluation of potential effects of PAHs exposure during pregnancy on offspring health. Methods: A total of 200 pregnant women delivered at a tertiary hospital in Urumqi City during the period from January to October 2019, and their newborns were recruited, and grouped according to the time of delivery, including the heating group [delivery during the heating period ( from January to April ) ] and the non-heating group [delivery during the non-heating period (from July to October) ]. Subjects'age, ethnicity, educational level and type of home heating were collected, and the total concentration of 16 PAHs was determined in the blood samples of pregnant women and their babies using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Placental DNA was extracted, and placental mtDNA copy number was measured using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR assay. In addition, the correlation between PAHs concentration and placental mtDNA copy number was examined using the Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results: There were 100 subjects in the heating group, which had a median age of 29 ( interquartile range, 3 ) years and had a mean gestational age of ( 275.06±0.72 ) days, and there were 100 subjects in the non-heating group, which had a median age of 29 ( interquartile range, 4 ) years and had a mean gestational age of ( 276.82±0.66 ) days. The total concentration of PAHs in the blood of pregnant women [15.71 (4.30) vs. 12.98 (5.49) μg/L; P<0.05 ], the total concentration of PAHs in neonatal blood [ 14.29 (4.25) vs. 11.24 (5.09) μg/L; P<0.05 ] and the placental mtDNA copy number [4.67 (1.18) vs. 4.51 (0.62); P<0.05] were all higher in the heating group than in the non-heating group. Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed that the total concentration of PAHs in the blood of pregnant women and neonates was positively correlated with placental mtDNA copy number ( rs=0.240, P=0.001; rs=0.273, P<0.001 ), and the total concentration of PAHs in the blood of pregnant women was positively correlated with the placental mtDNA copy number in the heating group ( rs=0.245, P=0.014 ), while the PAHs concentration in the neonatal blood was positively correlated with the placental mtDNA copy number in the non-heating group ( rs=0.292, P=0.003 ). Conclusions Exposure to PAHs positively correlates with placental mtDNA copy number among pregnant women, and there is a correlation between maternal exposure to PAHs and neonatal oxidative stress.

Background and purpose:The ovarian mucinous tumor is one of the major subtypes of the ovari-an epithelial cancer. Ubiquitination is one of the main post-translational modifications, which has proven to be involved in tumorigenicity. Deubiquitinase is the protein enzyme that could reverse the process of ubiquitination to affect the initiation and progression of malignancies. This study aimed to analyze the expression and clinical application of deubiquitinase OTUB1 (OTU deubiquitinase, ubiquitin aldehyde binding 1) in ovarian primary mucinous tumors. Methods:This study collected 90 cases of ovarian primary mucinous tumors during 2010-2015 in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, and then collected the clinicopathological information and performed the immunochemistry.Results:Fourteen out of 90 cases were ovarian primary mucinous cystadenoma, 17 were borderline mucinous tumor (intestinal type and intraepithelial carcinoma), and 59 were ovarian primary mucinous carcinoma. The expression rate and intensity of OTUB1 were much higher in malignant cases than those in benign ones (P<0.05). The expression rate and intensity of OTUB1 were much higher in cases with mucinous intraepithelial carcinoma than those in cases with intestinal type borderline mucinous tumor (P<0.05). The expression rate and intensity of OTUB1 increased with the advance of FIGO staging (P<0.05). The expression rate and intensity of OTUB1 were much higher in cases with involved fallopian tubes than those in cases without involved fallopian tubes (P<0.05). The expression rate and intensity of OTUB1were much higher in cases with involved uterus and omentum than those in cases with-out involvement (P<0.05). The expression rate and intensity of OTUB1were much higher in cases with lymph node metastasis than those in cases without involvement (P<0.05).Conclusion:There is significant difference in OTUB1 expression between ovarian primary mucinous carcinoma and benign mucinous cystadenoma. It is highly correlated to FIGO staging and invasion and metastasis of tumor. OTUB1 could be used in differential diagnosis and in monitoring the tumor initiation and progression in ovarian mucinous carcinoma.

To observe and evaluate the effects of manipulation on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) using T2-mapping and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based volume measurements.

Ascites ; Humans ; Language ; Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Translations

Objective To investigate the relationship between low serum calcium concentration and hematoma volume in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods Between January 2012 and October 2014,870 consecutive patients with intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery,West China Hospital,Sichuan University were enrolled prospectively.The patients completed laboratory serum calcium concentration and head CT examinations within 24 h after attack,and the baseline data and laboratory findings were collected.According to the normal reference value of laboratory serum calcium concentration,the patients were divided into a hypocalcemia calcium group (<2.1 mmol/L;n=193) and a normal calcium group (2.1-2.7 mmol/L;n=677).Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the blood serum calcium concentration and the hematoma volume on admission.Results (1) The hypocalcemia group compared with normal calcium group,the proportion of male patients was high (73.6% [n=142] vs.66.0% [n=447]),the median score for Glasgow coma scale was lower (9 vs.11),and the median hematoma volume was larger (33.86 cm3 vs.21.69 cm3).The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05).(2) Spearman correlation analysis showed that the lower serum calcium level on admission was weakly negatively correlated with the volume of hematoma in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (r=-0.113,P<0.01).Conclusion The study suggested that the hypocalcemia on admission was mostly males in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage,the condition was serious,the volume of hematoma was larger,and the lower serum calcium concentration was negatively correlated with the hematoma volume.

OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of ginsenosides Rb1(GSRb1) on learning and memory and expression of somatostatin (SS) in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex in rat model of sleep deprivation (SD).

METHODSRats were randomized into groups of SD 2 d, SD 4 d, SD 6 d, and SD 0 d, while each group was sub-divided into GSRb1 group and normal saline (NS) sub-groups. Rats were intraperitoneal administered with 30 mg/(kg*d) of GSRb1 or NS for 7 d, then the learning and memory abilities were examined by measuring average swimming speed and mean escape latency using Morris maze.Expression of somatostatin was detected with immunohistochemical method and image analysis in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex.

RESULTSCompared with SD 0 d rats, SD rats exhibited significant decrease in the average swimming speed and increase in the escape latency (P <0.01). The expression of somatostatin in the hippocampus was decreased significantly in SD 2 d, SD 4 d and SD 6 d rats (P<0.05). However, decrease was only observed in SD 4 d and SD 6 d rats in the frontal cortex (P <0.05). Parallel comparison between NS control and GSRb1 treated rats demonstrated that rats treated with GSRb1 in each subgroup exhibited faster swimming speed and shorter escape latency (P <0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of somatostatin was increased in SD 2 d, SD 4 d and SD 6 d rats in the hippocampus and in SD 4 d and SD 6 d rats in the frontal cortex (P <0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSIONGSRb1 enhances the expression of somatostatin in sleep deprivation rats and subsequently may improve learning and memory abilities of rats.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Deprivation ; metabolism ; Somatostatin ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effect of donepezil on subventricular zone ( SVZ) neuro-genesis related neurotrophic factors after cerebral infarction. Methods Mice were randomly assigned into three groups: vehicle-treated sham group (Sham+vehicle,n=18),vehicle-treated middle cerebral artery oc-clusion (MCAO) group (MCAO + vehicle,n=30) and donepezil-treated MCAO group (MCAO+donepezil, n=30). Middle cerebral artery occlusion( MCAO) was induced by thread-occlusion method. Nissl staining was used to measure the infarct volume and the modified neurological severity score(mNSS) was used to as-sess neurologic function and brain water content was detected to assess brain edema degree. Proliferative cells and neuroblasts were labeled with 5-bromodeoxyuridine ( BrdU) and doublecortin ( DCX). The SVZ BrdU+/DCX+cells were detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of glial cell line-derived neurotro-phic factor (GDNF),brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) were detec-ted by Western blot. Results The infarct volume of MCAO + donepezil group ((13. 33±4. 55)%) was sig-nificantly lower than that of MCAO + vehicle group ((31. 33±3. 93)%,t=7. 34,P<0. 05). The neurologic deficits were significantly ameliorated after donepezil treatment,and the brain water content of MCAO + done-pezil group ((71. 82±10. 18)%)was significantly less than that of MCAO + vehicle group ((85. 93± 7. 54)%,F=13. 480,P<0. 05). All differences were statistically significant (P<0. 05). The area of BrdU+/DCX+cells within SVZ of MCAO + vehicle group ((6. 16±1. 79)%) was significantly larger than that of sham + vehicle group ((2. 25±1. 09)%),and was fewer than that of MCAO+donepezil group ((16. 19± 2. 16)%,F=102. 756,P<0. 05). MCAO significantly promoted the expression of GDNF,BDNF and NGF within SVZ compared with sham operation,and donepezil increased these protein levels(F=15. 114,27. 121, 27. 398,P<0. 05). Conclusion Donepezil regulates neurogenesis via increasesing the expression of GDNF, BDNF and NGF within SVZ after cerebral infarction.

Objective:To explore the strategies of reducing relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) from the perspectives of optimizing the conditioning regimen and pre-transplant cytoreductive therapy.Methods:A total of 84 patients with high-risk MDS undergoing allo-HSCT between January 2013 and September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Based upon preparative regimens, they were divided into two groups of decitabine intensified BUCY2 ( n=49) and BUCY2 regimen ( n=35), based upon whether or not pre-treatment prior to allo-HSCT: cytoredutive treatment ( n=34) and none ( n=50). Two groups were compared with regards to hematopoietic reconstitution, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse rate, transplant-related mortality (TRM) and survival. Results:No significant inter-group differences existed in hematopoietic reconstitution or acute/chronic GVHD. The relapse rate was significantly lower in decitabine intensified group than that in BUCY2 group (18.7% vs 40.0%, P=0.025). Survival was significantly better in decitabine intensified group than that in BUCY2 group (3-year OS: 71.3% vs 51.2%, P=0.038; 3-year DFS: 65.3% vs 45.2%, P=0.033). Moreover, the incidence of recurrence was markedly lower in pre-transplant treatment group than that in non-treatment group (20.7% vs 38.9%, P=0.035). The inter-group incidence of TRM was not different. Three-year OS/DFS of treatment group were remarkably superior to those of non-treatment group (71.2% vs 50.8%, P=0.024; 64.7% vs 45.9%, P=0.044). Conclusions:As an optimal conditioning regimen for high-risk MDS, decitabine intensified BUCY2 regimen could better eliminate tumor burden, remarkably lower relapse rate and improve OS after allo-HSCT. In addition, pre-transplant treatment significantly reduces relapse and offers benefit for OS after allo-HSCT. Therefore intensified conditioning regimen and pre-transplant treatment may be promising strategies of reducing relapse and improving survival for high-risk MDS. However, it still needs further confirmation from prospective randomized controlled trials.

Objective To explore the role of cerebrospinal fluid chimerism in central nervous relapse surveillance for patients of acute leukemia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods The follow-up data were retrospectively collected and analyzed in 104 patients with acute leukemia after allo-HSCT.Comparisons were made between patients with complete chimerism and mixed chimerism in cerebrospinal fluid.The role of recipient DNA percentage and its changing trend in predicting central nervous relapse were also explored.Analysis was conducted for determining the risk factors of central nervous relapse.And the effectiveness of prophylaxis with intrathecal injection was also examined.Results The incidence of relapse was higher in patients with mixed chimerism (P＜0.001),high percentage of recipient DNA (P＜0.05) and higher mixed chimerism (P＜0.001).Hyperleukocytosis at an initial diagnosis was a risk factor of central nervous relapse.Whether or not intrathecal injection prophylaxis was applied showed no significant difference in relapsing rate.Conclusions Monitoring cerebrospinal fluid chimerism can effectively help predict central nervous relapse among patients of acute leukemia after allo-HSCT.Yet intrathecal injection prophylaxis failed to benefit recipients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of respiratory training based on core stability training on feedforward control in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP). MethodsA total of 60 patients with CNLBP in Jiaxing Second Hospital from January, 2022 to March, 2023 were randomly divided into control group (n = 30) and experimental group (n = 30). Both groups received health education, physical factor therapy and core stability training, while the experimental group received respiratory training in addition, for four weeks. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association low back pain (JOA) score and Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI) were compared between two groups before and after treatment, while surface electromyography was used to detect the root mean square (RMS) and integrated electromyography (iEMG) of transversus abdominis, multifidus and triceps (movement muscles), and the activation sequence and relative activation time of transversus abdominis, multifidus and triceps were calculated. ResultsAfter treatment, the scores of VAS, JOA and ODI improved significantly in both groups (|t| > 8.515, P < 0.001), and the scores were better in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.089, P < 0.05). RMS and iEMG of transversus abdominis and multifidus improved significantly after treatment in both groups (|t| > 18.831, P < 0.001), and were significantly better in the experimental group (|t| > 3.481, P < 0.05). The transversus abdominis and multifidus in both groups were activated before the movement muscles, and the relative activation time of transversus abdominis and multifidus increased in negative (|t| > 48.115, P < 0.001), the experimental group being better (|t| > 3.229, P < 0.05). ConclusionCombination of core stability training and respiratory training is beneficial in reducing the pain of patients with CNLBP, reducing the lumbar dysfunction, improving the order of muscle activation, and strengthening feedforward control.