OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of rabbit saphenous and sciatic nerve homogenates on the proliferation and calcification of rabbit osteoblasts in vitro.

METHODThe saphenous nerves (sensory nerves) and the muscular branches of the sciatic nerve (motor nerve) were collected from 48 New Zealand white rabbits to prepare the nerve tissue homogenates. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from the rabbits and cultured in vitro, and after 14 days of routine osteogenic induction, the resultant osteoblasts were identified by immunohistochemistry, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red S staining. The osteoblasts were then incubated in the induction medium containing the saphenous (sensory nerve group) or sciatic homogenates (motor nerve group), with the cells in the dexamethasone-containing, dexamethasone-free osteogenic induction medium and control medium as the control. The proliferation, total protein and ALP activity of the osteoblasts were measured every other day until the 8th day, and Alizarin red S staining was used for quantitative analysis of calcification of the cells after two weeks.

RESULTSThe application of the saphenous nerve homogenates significantly promoted cell proliferation, total protein and ALP activity (P<0.01, P<0.05 and P<0.05), while exposure of the osteoblasts to dexamethasone inhibited the cell proliferation (P<0.001). Compared to dexamethasone-free group, the saphenous homogenates enhanced the mineralization of the osteoblasts (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSaphenous nerve homogenates significantly promotes the proliferation, differentiation, ALP activity and mineralization of rabbit osteoblasts, but sciatic nerve homogenates do not show osteogenic effects on the cells.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Calcification, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Sciatic Nerve ; chemistry ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; chemistry ; Tissue Extracts ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the effect of glucose metabolism alteration induced by alloxan intraventricular injection on learning and memory abilities of mice, and its role in the development of AD. Methods Mice were randomly divided into high-dose alloxan intraventricular injection group (n=7, 4 mg/kg) and low-dose alloxan intraventricular injection group (n=7, 1.5 mg/kg)and control group (n=7, physiological saline); intraventricular injection of alloxan, the O-GLcNAc transferase inhibitor, was performed in the high-dose and low-dose alloxan intraventricular injection groups to interfere the brain glucose metabolism. Morris water maze was used to detect the learning and memory abilities of mice. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the alterations of phosphorylation and O-Glycosylation of neurofilament in mice brain induced by alloxan intraventricular injection. Results In the located navigation tests, the swimming time and distance to find the platform in the mice of alloxan administration were significantly increased as compared with those in the control group (P＜ 0.05); in space exploration experiments, compared with those in the control mice, the number of crossing the hidden platform was decreased and the initial angle of entry to water was increased in the mice of alloxan administration (P＜0.05). Western blotting and immunohistochemistry displayed that phosphorylation was obviously increased and the O-Glycosylation was significantly reduced in the cytoskletal neurofilament of the mice with alloxan administration as compared with those in the control group (P＜0.05), which was similar to the alteration of neurofilament's modification in AD brain. Conclusion The inventricular injection of alloxan could impair the learning and memory of mice, which might have a relation with the dysregulation of phosphorylation and O-Glycosylation in neurofilament caused by the impaired glucose metabolism, which is similar to the alteration of phosphorylation and O-Glycosylation in neurofilament in AD brain.

OBJECTIVETo evaluated the fundamental role of stage control technology (SCT) on the detectability for Salmonella networking laboratories.

METHODSAppropriate Salmonella detection methods after key point control being evaluated, were establishment and optimized. Our training and evaluation networking laboratories participated in the World Health Organization-Global Salmonella Surveillance Project (WHO-GSS) and China-U.S. Collaborative Program on Emerging and Re-emerging infectious diseases Project (GFN) in Shanghai. Staff members from the Yunnan Yuxi city Center for Disease Control and Prevention were trained on Salmonella isolation from diarrhea specimens. Data on annual Salmonella positive rates was collected from the provincial-level monitoring sites to be part of the GSS and GFN projects from 2006 to 2012.

RESULTSThe methodology was designed based on the conventional detection procedure of Salmonella which involved the processes as enrichment, isolation, species identification and sero-typing. These methods were simultaneously used to satisfy the sensitivity requirements on non-typhoid Salmonella detection for networking laboratories. Public Health Laboratories in Shanghai had developed from 5 in 2006 to 9 in 2011, and Clinical laboratories from 8 to 22. Number of clinical isolates, including typhoid and non-typhoid Salmonella increased from 196 in 2006 to 1442 in 2011. The positive rate of Salmonella isolated from the clinical diarrhea cases was 2.4% in Yuxi county, in 2012. At present, three other provincial monitoring sites were using the SBG technique as selectivity enrichment broth for Salmonella isolation, with Shanghai having the most stable positive baseline.

CONCLUSIONThe method of SCT was proved the premise of the network laboratory construction. Based on this, the improvement of precise phenotypic identification and molecular typing capabilities could reach the level equivalent to the national networking laboratory.

Bacteriological Techniques ; Computer Communication Networks ; Laboratories ; Salmonella ; isolation & purification ; Technology Assessment, Biomedical

BACKGROUNDAt present, a diagnostic tool with high specificity for impaired endometrial receptivity, which may lead to implantation failure, remains to be developed. We aimed to assess the different endometrial microRNA (miRNA) signatures for impaired endometrial receptivity by microarray analysis.

METHODSA total of 12 repeated implantation failure (RIF) patients and 10 infertile patients, who conceived and delivered after one embryo transfer attempt, were recruited as RIF and control groups, respectively. Endometrial specimens from the window of implantation (WOI) were collected from these two groups. MiRNA microarray was conducted on seven and five samples from the RIF and control groups, respectively. Comparative, functional, and network analyses were performed for the microarray results. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on other samples to validate the expression of specific miRNAs.

RESULTSCompared with those in the control group, the expression levels of 105 miRNAs in the RIF group were found to be significantly up- or down-regulated (at least 2-fold) by microarray analysis. The most relevant miRNA functional sets of these dysregulated miRNAs were miR-30 family, human embryonic stem cell regulation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and miRNA tumor suppressors by tool for annotations of microRNA analysis. Network regulatory analysis found 176 miRNA-mRNA interactions, and the top 3 core miRNAs were has-miR-4668-5p, has-miR-429, and has-miR-5088. Expression levels of the 18 selected miRNAs in new samples by real-time PCR were found to be regulated with the same trend, as the result of microarray analysis.

CONCLUSIONSThere is a significant different expression of certain miRNAs in the WOI endometrium for RIF patients. These miRNAs may contribute to impaired endometrial receptivity.

Adult ; Embryo Implantation ; genetics ; physiology ; Endometrium ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; genetics ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Microarray Analysis ; Pregnancy ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) from China and compare these features with patients from Europe/North America. Methods: We reviewed case reports published between 1990 and 2020 with the key words of "Takotsubo syndrome" "stress cardiomyopathy" "apical balloon syndrome" and "broken heart syndrome", in Wanfang, CNKI, Pubmed and Web of Science databases, and 1 294 articles were identified, including 128 articles reporting 163 cases in China and 1 166 articles reporting 1 256 cases in Europe/North America. The characteristics of demographics, triggers, symptoms, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, left ventriculogram,coronary angiography, treatment and prognosis were analyzed and compared between Chinese and European/North American cases. Results: A total of 1 294 articles (1 419 cases: 163 from China, 1 256 from Europe/North America) were included in the final analysis. The characteristics of Chinese cases included: (1) demographic:the age was (59.6±16.9) years, which was similar with that of European/North American ((59.7±17.4) years, P=0.90), and female accounting for 78.5% (128/163), which was lower than that of European/North American (85.4% (1 073/1 256), P=0.02). (2) Triggers:mental triggers accounted for 48.5% (79/163), physical triggers accounted for 43.6% (71/163), and no triggers accounted for 7.9% (13/163), respectively. Compared with Europe/North America, the ratio of patients with mental triggers was higher in China, while the ratio of patients with physical triggers and no triggers was lower (P<0.05). (3) Symptoms: chest pain (52.8% (86/163)), chest tightness (35.0% (57/163)), shortness of breath (33.1% (54/163)), dizziness (16.0% (26/163)), sweating (15.3% (25/163)), palpitations (12.3% (20/163)), syncope (9.2% (15/163)) abdominal pain/diarrhea (8.6% (14/163)), hypotension (7.4% (12/163)), and fatigue (1.2% (2/163)) were illustrated in sequence. Compared with patients in Europe/North America, the ratio of patients with chest tightness, dizziness, sweating, palpitations, abdominal pain/diarrhea was higher in Chinese patients, while the ratio of patients with hypotension was lower in Chinese patients (P<0.05). (4) Electrocardiogram: main manifestations were myocardial ischemia symptoms, such as ST-segment elevation (63.8% (104/163)), T wave inversion (46.0% (75/163)), ST-segment depression (8.6% (14/163)). Compared with European/North American, the ratio of patients with ST-segment elevation, T wave inversion, and atrioventricular block was higher in Chinese patients (P<0.05). (5) Echocardiography and imaging:apical dyskinesia (59.5% (97/163)) and apical/left ventricular bulbar dilation (36.2%(59/163)) dominated the echocardiography findings. Compared with European/North American, the ratio of patients with apical dyskinesia, apical/left ventricular bulbar dilation, and mitral regurgitation was higher in Chinese patients, while the ratio of patients with dyskinesia in other parts and left ventricular ejection fraction<50% was lower in Chinese patients (P<0.05). Left ventricular angiography showed 36.2% (59/163) of apical dyskinesia in Chinese patients, which was higher than that reported in European/North American patients, and 38.7% (63/163) of apical/left ventricular bulbar dilation was reported in Chinese patients, which was similar to that reported in European/North American patients. Coronary angiography showed percent of no stenosis or stenosis less than 50% was 87.1% (142/163), which was similar to that reported in European/North American patients (P>0.05). The typical type of TTS accounted for 96.3% (157/163), which was significantly higher than that reported in European/ American patients, while the ratio of basal type and midventricular type was lower (P<0.01). (6) Treatment and prognosis:the applied drugs in China were listed in order as following, β-blockers (41.1% (67/163)), antiplatelet agents (37.4%(61/163)), ACEI/ARB (36.2%(59/163)), anticoagulants (27.0%(44/163)), diuretics (19.6% (32/163)), etc. Compared with Europe/North America, the ratio of antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants, statins, diuretics, and nitrates use was higher in China (P<0.05), while the use of oxygen therapy and IABP was similar (P>0.05). The hospital mortality in China was 5.5% (9/163), during 1-year follow-up the recurrence rate was 3.7% (6/163) and the mortality was 0. The prognosis was similar with that in Europe/North America. Conclusions: Compared with TTS cases in Europe/North America, TTS cases in China also occur usually in middle-aged and elderly women, most of whom have mental/physical triggers and typical imaging manifestations, followed by a low hospital mortality rate and recurrence rate.
Abdominal Pain/complications* ; Adult ; Aged ; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; Anticoagulants ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/complications* ; China/epidemiology* ; Diuretics ; Dizziness/complications* ; Dyskinesias/complications* ; Electrocardiography ; Europe/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypotension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Stroke Volume ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy/etiology* ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective: To investigate the association between congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and the adverse outcomes during hospitalization in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI). Methods: This prospective, multicenter observational cohort study was conducted based on the data from the Sino-northern Neonatal Network (SNN). Data of 5 818 VLBWI with birth weight <1 500 g and gestational age between 24-<37 weeks that were admitted to the 37 neonatal intensive care units from January 1^st, 2019 to December 31^st, 2022 were collected and analyzed. Thyroid function was first screened at 7 to 10 days after birth, followed by weekly tests within the first 4 weeks, and retested at 36 weeks of corrected gestational age or before discharge. The VLBWI were assigned to the CH group or non-CH group. Chi-square test, Fisher exact probability method, Wilcoxon rank sum test, univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between CH and poor prognosis during hospitalization in VLBWI. Results: A total of 5 818 eligible VLBWI were enrolled, with 2 982 (51.3%) males and the gestational age of 30 (29, 31) weeks. The incidence of CH was 5.5% (319 VLBWI). Among the CH group, only 121 VLBWI (37.9%) were diagnosed at the first screening. Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CH was associated with increased incidence of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) (OR=1.31(1.04-1.64), P<0.05) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) of stage Ⅲ and above (OR=1.74(1.11-2.75), P<0.05). However, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed no significant correlation between CH and EUGR, moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, grade Ⅲ to Ⅳ intraventricular hemorrhage, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in stage Ⅱ or above, and ROP in stage Ⅲ or above (OR=1.04 (0.81-1.33), 0.79 (0.54-1.15), 1.15 (0.58-2.26), 1.43 (0.81-2.53), 1.12 (0.70-1.80), all P>0.05). Conclusion: There is no significant correlation between CH and in-hospital adverse outcomes, possibly due to timely diagnosis and active replacement therapy.
Infant ; Male ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Congenital Hypothyroidism/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology* ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; Hospitals