Objective: To investigate the basic situation of pre-analytical quality management in blood station laboratories in North China, and to provide baseline data for promoting the homogenization and standardization of these pre-analytical processes in each blood station laboratory. Methods: A cross-sectional status survey was designed based on the quality management regulations of blood stations, ISO15189 standards and relevant quality management requirements. This survey covering various aspects including laboratory general situation, sample collection and temporary storage, transportation, reception, and quality continuous improvement situations. Data analysis was performed on the survey results of each laboratory. Results: All the 38 blood station laboratories in North China had established a pre-analytical quality management system framework and implemented basic pre-analytical quality control activities; however, there were differences in implementation. 1) Among the 12 basic quality items, 3 items were monitored by all the investigated laboratories (100%), 6 items were monitored by the vast majority of laboratories (about 90%), and 3 items were monitored by a portion of laboratories (about 60%). There were no significant differences in the monitoring index among the three regions and among different types of laboratories (P>0.05). 2) Among the total of 26 items in the three key processes before testing (sample collection and storage, transportation, reception and processing), 12 items were monitored by all laboratories (100%), 11 items were monitored by the vast majority of laboratories (about 90%), and 3 items were monitored by a portion of laboratories (about 75%). There were no significant differences in monitoring index among different regions and types of laboratories (P>0.05). Conclusion: This survey provides a reference and basis for the gap analysis of the pre-analytical process quality management in 38 blood station laboratories across North China. It facilitates laboratories in identifying pre-analytical quality problems, resolving problems, preventing errors, and ensuring that the quality of blood samples before testing meets the established requirements. It lays a foundation for the homogenization of pre-analytical quality management in regional blood stations.

Objective: To determine the frequency and main reasons of unqualified samples by analyzing the quality of pre-analytical samples in blood stations in North China, thereby providing a reference and basis for gap analysis in the implementation of pre-analytical process quality management for participating laboratories and ensuring that only high-standard and high-quality blood samples proceed to testing. Methods: Data on the quality of pre-analytical samples from blood station laboratories in North China was collected via questionnaire. Statistical analysis were performed on: 1) the basic information of samples quality monitoring in the laboratories; 2) the distribution of the overall pre-analytical unqualified rate of samples and the pre-analytical unqualified rate of samples in each laboratory; 3) the distribution of reasons for sample disqualification. Results: 1) The overall pre-analytical unqualified rate of samples in blood station laboratories in North China was 4.55, with a total sigma level of 5.39σ. The 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles (P25, P50, P75) for the total unqualified rate were 0.00, 1.10 and 5.96, respectively. The corresponding percentiles for the Sigma level were 5.34σ, 5.71σ, and 6.00σ, respectively. The pre-analytical unqualified rate of serological and nucleic acid samples (4.89 vs 4.22) showed a significant difference (χ =9.575, P<0.05). 2) The average unqualified rate of samples in region A, B and C was 1.71, 9.50 and 12.64 (χ =1 590.721, P<0.05), and the sigma level was 5.66σ, 5.21σ and 5.16σ, respectively. 3) The main reasons for unqualified serological samples were chylous blood (72.65%), hemolysis (17.39%), abnormal hematocrit (5.80%), and insufficient volume (3.50%). The main reasons for the unqualified nucleic acid samples were chylous blood (78.26%), hemolysis (8.84%), failure to centrifuge as required (5.01%), abnormal hematocrit (4.66%), and insufficient volume (1.92%). Conclusion: In North China, the quality indicators for the pre-analytical processes in blood station laboratories are generally well-managed. Laboratories in region A outperformed the national average in pre-analytical specimen quality control. However, participating laboratories exhibit gaps in implementing pre-analytical quality management. Through effective analysis of pre-analytical process quality metrics and inter-laboratory comparisons, laboratories can identify discrepancies and address shortcomings. By establishing clear quality objectives, they can achieve continuous improvement and ensure the validity of test results.

Objective: To investigate the assessment criteria and subsequent handling practices of hemolytic and lipemic blood samples before testing in blood screening laboratories in North China, and to provide data to support the standardization of their management in blood station laboratories. Methods: Data on the preanalytical management of hemolytic and lipemic samples from 38 laboratories were collected. The details of management on the criteria and verificatioon for assessment, the assessment methods, and subsequent handling procedures of hemolytic and lipemic samples in blood station laboratories were analyzed. Results: 1) All 38 blood station laboratories monitored serological and nucleic acid samples for hemolysis and lipemia in pre-analytical phase. 2) The criteria and methods for assessing hemolytic and lipemic samples varied among the laboratories of the 38 blood stations. 15 laboratories (39.47%) followed manufacturer's instructions, 9 laboratories (23.68%) formulated their own criteria, and 14 laboratories (36.84%) referred to the criteria of other laboratories. 16 laboratories (42.11%) verified the criteria for assessing hemolytic and lipemic samples, with significant variations in verification rate across laboratories from different regions (P<0.05). For the assessment methods, visual inspection was used by 28 laboratories (73.68%) for hemolytic samples and by 27 laboratories (71.05%) for lipemic samples; the colorimetric card method was used by 10 laboratories (26.32%) for assessing both hemolytic and lipemic samples; the instrumental method was used by 1 laboratory (2.63%) for assessing lipemic samples.3) The handling procedures for hemolytic and lipemic samples varied significantly and followed a gradient distribution pattern among 38 laboratories (including accepting samples for testing, accepting samples for concession testing, re-collecting samples, and rejecting samples and halting testing). With increasing severity of hemolysis and lipemia, more laboratories halted testing, and relatively fewer laboratories accepted samples for normal testing. 5 laboratories (13.16%) applied different handling procedures on serological and nucleic acid samples. Conclusion: This survey provides a reference and basis for analyzing gaps in the management of hemolytic and lipemic samples during the preanalyical phase in blood station laboratories in North China. It enables laboratories to identify the problems and deficiencies in the management of hemolytic and lipemic samples, to ensure preanalytical samples quality meets the established requirements, and to lay a foundation for promoting the homogenization and standardization of the regional sample quality management mode.

AIM:To investigate the molecular mechanism of long noncoding RNA(lncRNA)SNHG1 in regu-lating ferroptosis to alleviate inflammation in CHME-5 human microglia induced by HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop.METHODS:CHME-5 human microglia were cultured in vitro,and were divided into 7 groups:blank group,random peptide group,gp120 V3 loop group(HIV-1 gp120 group),HIV-1 gp120+shCon group,HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group,HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+ferrostatin-1(Fer-1;ferroptosis inhibitor)group,and HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+EX527(Sirt1 in-hibitor)group.Normal CHME-5 cells were treated with random peptide or gp120 V3 loop for 24 h.After pretreatment of SNHG1 sh2 cells with inhibitors for 2 h,the cells were then treated with gp120 V3 loop for 24 h.The levels of inflammato-ry cytokines in the cell supernatants were detected by ELISA.Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11),glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),Sirt1 and p53.Microplate reader was used to detect the levels of intracellular ferrous ion(Fe2+)and malondialdehyde(MDA).RESULTS:(1)The results of ELISA showed that the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and IL-1β in HIV-1 gp120 group were significantly higher than those in blank group(P<0.05).Compared with HIV-1 gp120 group,the ex-pression levels of inflammatory cytokines in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group,the expression levels of inflammatory factors in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+Fer-1 were significantly decreased(P<0.05),but those in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+EX527 group were significant-ly increased(P<0.01).(2)The results of Western blot showed that compared with blank group,the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins SLC7A11 and GPX4 in HIV-1 gp120 group were significantly down-regulated(P<0.01).Com-pared with HIV-1 gp120 group,the expression levels of SLC7A11 and GPX4 in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group were sig-nificantly up-regulated(P<0.01).Compared with HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group,the expression levels of SLC7A11 and GPX4 in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+Fer-1 group were significantly up-regulated(P<0.05),but the expression levels of SLC7A11 and GPX4 in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+EX527 group were significantly down-regulated(P<0.01),and the expression level of p53 was significantly up-regulated(P<0.05).(3)Compared with blank group,the levels of Fe2+and MDA in HIV-1 gp120 group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with HIV-1 gp120 group,the levels of Fe2+and MDA in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2 group,Fe2+and MDA in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+Fer-1 group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),but those in HIV-1 gp120+SNHG1 sh2+EX527 group was significantly increased(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Knockdown of SNHG1 can attenuate the inflammation in microglia induced by HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop,which may be achieved by regulating ferrop-tosis-related signaling molecules through the Sirt1/p53 signaling pathway.

Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) functions as a key regulator in inflammation and cell death and is involved in mediating a variety of inflammatory or degenerative diseases. A number of allosteric RIPK1 inhibitors (RIPK1i) have been developed, and some of them have already advanced into clinical evaluation. Recently, selective RIPK1i that interact with both the allosteric pocket and the ATP-binding site of RIPK1 have started to emerge. Here, we report the rational development of a new series of type-II RIPK1i based on the rediscovery of a reported but mechanistically atypical RIPK3i. We also describe the structure-guided lead optimization of a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable RIPK1i, 62, which exhibits extraordinary efficacies in mouse models of acute or chronic inflammatory diseases. Collectively, 62 provides a useful tool for evaluating RIPK1 in animal disease models and a promising lead for further drug development.

Objective To investigate the value of multi-phase MRI-based radiomics machine learning models in differentiating small renal cell carcinoma(sRCC)from fat-poor renal angiomyolipoma(fp-AML).Methods 79 cases of sRCCs and 35 cases of fp-AMLs(diameter≤4 cm)which were confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed.The volume of interest(VOI)of the total tumor was manually delineated on the images of T2WI(T2),unenhanced phase(UP),corticomedullary phase(CMP)and nephrographic phase(NP)and then the radiomics of the VOIs were extracted respectively.The training set and the test set were set according to the ratio of 7∶3.The t-test,maximal relevance and minimal redundancy(mRMR)and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)were used to select the radiomics features.The selected features were used to build classification models with logistic regression(LR)and support vector machine(SVM).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the classification performances of the models.Results There were 4,12,3,11 and 15 optimal features obtained from T2、UP、CMP、NP and the combined four phases,respectively.The radiomics features based on NP or the combined four phases with LR model performed best,AUCs were respectively 0.956,0.986 in the training set and both were 0.881 in the test set.Conclusion The multi-phase MRI-based radiomics machine learning model has favorable diagnostic performance in differentiating sRCC from fp-AML.

Aim To explore the material basis of anti-tumor effect of Compound Muji Granules. Methods The anti-tumor pharmacodynamics of Compound Muji Granules in vitro was studied by microfluidic chip technology. The fingerprint of Compound Muji Granules was established by HPLC. The "Spectrum-Material-Effect" of Compound Muji Granules was analyzed by grey correlation analysis,partial least squares regression analysis and network pharmacology approach. Results Seven batches of Compound Muji Granules with different extraction methods were successfully established. The results of grey correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between Compound Muji Granules and 7 of the 14 components with pharmacodynamic correlation coefficient >0.80. The contribution of anti liver tumor was peak number 48(luteolin)>6(gallic acid)>19(chlorogenic acid)>59(quercetin)>67(kaempferol)>65(naringin)>38(ellagic acid),in that order. Conclusions Through the establishment of "Spectrum-Material-Effect" research method,it is clear that the above seven active monomers may be the anti-tumor material basis of Compound Muji Granules.

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

Wild castor grows in the high-altitude tropical desert of the African Plateau,a region known for high ultraviolet radiation,strong light,and extremely dry condition.To investigate the potential genetic basis of adaptation to both highland and tropical deserts,we generated a chromosome-level genome sequence assembly of the wild castor accession WT05,with a genome size of 316 Mb,a scaffold N50 of 31.93 Mb,and a contig N50 of 8.96 Mb,respectively.Compared with cultivated castor and other Euphorbiaceae species,the wild castor exhibits positive selection and gene family expansion for genes involved in DNA repair,photosynthesis,and abiotic stress responses.Genetic variations associated with positive selection were identified in several key genes,such as LIG1,DDB2,and RECGI,involved in nucleotide excision repair.Moreover,a study of genomic diversity among wild and cultivated accessions revealed genomic regions containing selection signatures associated with the adaptation to extreme environments.The identification of the genes and alleles with selection signatures provides insights into the genetic mechanisms under-lying the adaptation of wild castor to the high-altitude tropical desert and would facilitate direct improvement of modern castor varieties.

OBJECTIVE: High-fat diet (HFD) and inflammation are two key contributors to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Shenling Baizhu powder (SLBZP), a classical herbal compound, has been successfully used to alleviate NAFLD. However, its specific mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we assessed the anti-NAFLD effect of SLBZP in vivo. METHODS: Rats were fed an HFD with or without SLBZP or with probiotics. At the end of week 16, an echo magnetic resonance imaging (EchoMRI) body composition analyser was used to quantitatively analyse body composition; a micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging system was used to evaluate whole body and liver fat; and the Moor full-field laser perfusion imager 2 was used to assess liver microcirculation, after which, all rats were sacrificed. Then, biochemical indicators in the blood and the ultrastructure of rat livers were evaluated. Protein expression related to the liver Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) signalling pathway was assessed using Western blot analysis. Further, high-throughput screening of 29 related inflammatory factors in liver tissue was performed using a cytokine array. RESULTS: SLBZP supplementation reduced body weight, serum free fatty acid, and insulin resistance index (P < 0.05). It also ameliorated liver microcirculation and ultrastructural abnormalities. EchoMRI and micro-CT quantitative analyses showed that treatment with SLBZP reduced fat mass and visceral fat (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). In addition, SLBZP decreased the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated TLR4/NLRP3 signalling pathway-related proteins and altered the expression levels of some inflammatory cytokines in liver tissues. CONCLUSION SLBZP can inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation and interleukin-1β release by suppressing LPS-induced TLR4 expression in rats with HFD-induced NAFLD. Thus, SLBZP may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory damage and associated diseases.
Animals ; Liver ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy* ; Powders ; Rats ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; X-Ray Microtomography