The offspring generated by assisted reproductive technology(ART)are considered genetically identical with those generated by natural fertilization. However,studies have found that there are differences between them in some phenotypes to varying extents. In this review, we have summarized the effects of ART on the sex ratio, growth and development,behavior,life expectancy, metabolism of organs and tissues, and molecular phenotypes of mice, providing some guidance to the problems that may arise during the application of ART in the production of genetically modified mice, rapid propagation,purification,embryo cryopreservation,and so on.

Objective: To understand the gender disparity and influencing factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at secondary hospitals in China. Methods: A total of 5525 in-hospital STEMI patients from 99 secondary hospitals of 15 provinces or autonomous regions between 2011-09 to 2014-06 were recruited including 1649 female and 3876 male. The in-hospital mortalities were compared between 2 genders and the relevant inlfuencing factors were studied by multiple Logistic regression analysis. Results: There were about 29.8% female and 70.2% male STEMI patients were studied. The in-hospital mortalities in female and male were 13.2% and 5.9%,P<0.01; gender disparity was obviously existing regardless of age, history of MI, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The mortality in female was higher than male even without diseases history and cardiovascular risk factors. Compared with male gender, female patients were usually having elder age and likely complicated with cardiovascular risk factors; they were with lower incidence to receive ECG, drug therapy and thrombolysis within 10 minutes of admission. With adjusted confounding factors, multiple regression analysis presented that female STEMI patients had the higher mortality than male (OR:1.7, 95% CI:1.4-2.0). Conclusion: The in-hospital mortality for STEMI patients was higher in female than male at secondary hospitals in China. Female patients were usually having elder age, complicated with more cardiovascular risk factors, while with less chances to receive ECG, drug therapy and thrombolysis within 10 minutes of admission.

Objective: To analyze the current status of anticoagulant therapy for in-hospital patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) at county hospitals of China and to explore the relationship between anticoagulant therapy and clinical outcomes in real medical environment. Methods: 99 county hospitals from15 provinces of China were selected for this prospective registry study and 12373 eligible ACS patients without interventional therapy admitted from 2011-09 to 2014-06 were enrolled. The basic condition, previous history, initial assessment, anticoagulants (unfractionated heparin/low molecular weight heparin) application, severe bleeding events and in-hospital mortality were collected in all patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between anticoagulant therapy and clinical outcomes including in-hospital mortality, severe bleeding events and combined endpoints; meanwhile, possible confounders were adjusted. Results: A total of 9985/12373 ACS patients received anticoagulant therapy and 2388 did not. Anticoagulant therapy was conducted in 92.7% (4237/4570) patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), 90.8% (1639/1805) with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and 68.5% (4109/5998) with unstable angina (UA); there were differences by regions and genders,P<0.01and no difference by age. Multivariable analysis indicated that anticoagulant therapy decreased the risk of in-hospital mortality in ACS patients at 53% (OR= 0.47, 95% CI 0.36-0.62), such reduction in STEMI patients was at 55% (OR=0.45, 95% CI 0.32-0.64), in NSTEMI patients was at 58% (OR=0.42, 95% CI 0.24-0.75); while it had no real effect in UA patients,P>0.05. Meanwhile, it did not increase the risk of severe bleeding events in ACS patients,P>0.05. Conclusion: Anticoagulant therapy has been widely used in STEMI and NSTEMI patients at county hospitals of China and obviously decreased the in-hospital mortality; while the application rate was relatively low in UA patients. The general safety of anticoagulant therapy has been good in ACS patients.

Objective ToimprovethediagnosticaccuracybyassessingtheCTfeaturesofganglioneuroblastoma(GNB).Methods 38patientswithGNBconfirmedbypathologicalresultsandunderwentplainandcontrast-enhancedCTscanwereanalyzedretrospectively. Results GNBoftenoccurredinchildren.Allthecasesappearedassolitarylesion,7werelocatedinthemediastinum,12intheadrenal,15inthe retroperitoneal,3inthethoraxcavityand1inthepelviccavity.PlainCTshowed36lesionswithheterogeneouslowdensitywithnecrosisand cysticdegeneration,and28caseswithcalcifications,2withhomogeneouslowdensity.Thesolidlessionofallcasesshowedprogressive enhancement(4casesshowedslightprogressivecontrastenhancement,11casesshowed moderateenhancement,23casesshowed markedlyenhancement).Peripheralvesselsweredisplacedbytumorin19casesandembeddedbytumorin13cases.13casesshowed thepresenceofsmallvesselsin/aroundthetumorarrangedinclumpsorinline.Conclusion ThespecificCTfindingsofheterogeneouslowdensity withnecrosis,calcifications,peripheralvesselsdisplaced,moderatetomarkedlyprogressiveenhancement,mightbeusefulforthediagnosisofGNB.

Objective To explore the expression of serum growth differentiation factor-8(GDF-8)and silent information regulator 4(Sir4)in elderly patients with chronic heart failure(CHF)and their relationship with left ventricular remodeling and cardiac function.Methods A total of 300 CHF patients admitted in our hospital from Jan 2021 to Dec 2023 were recruited and assigned into an observation group,and 100 healthy individuals who took physical examination during the same period served as control group.Based on New York Heart Association(NYHA)heart function classification,the patients in the observation group were divided into Grade Ⅰ(60 cases),Ⅱ(72 cases),Ⅲ(102 cases),and Ⅳ(66 cases)subgroups.Their clinical data were collected,serum GDF-8 and Sir4 levels were detected,left ventricular remodeling was evaluated with echocardiography,and cardiac dysfunction was assessed with NYHA cardiac function grading.Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were used to analyze the correlation of GDF-8 and Sir4 levels with left ven-tricular remodeling and myocardial injury.Results The observation group had significantly larger left atrial diameter(LAD)and left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVEDD),thicker left ven-tricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT)and interventricular septum thickness(IVST),and higher left ventricular mass index(LVMI)and serum Sir4 and GDF-8 levels(42.46±4.75 mm vs 36.39±5.33 mm,54.63±7.96 mm vs 47.42±8.08 mm,9.44±1.21 mm vs 8.49±0.88 mm,9.27±1.58 mm vs 8.66±1.71 mm,141.49±5.32 g/m2 vs 106.52±7.33 g/m2,3.69±1.06 g/L vs 1.48±0.42 g/L,33.75±10.64 g/L vs 19.08±5.13 g/L,P＜0.01),but lower LVEF[(40.02±10.14)％vs(63.64±6.13)％,P＜0.01]and left ventricular remodeling index(LVRI,1.05±0.24 g/ml vs 1.32±0.33 g/ml,P＜0.01)when compared with the control group.The levels of Sir4 and GDF-8,as well as LVMI,were gradually increased,while the LVRI was decreased in Grades Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ subgroups in turn,with statistical differences in the subgroups(P＜0.01).Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses showed that Sir4 and GDF-8 levels were positively correlated with LAD,LVEDD,LVPWT,IVST,LVMI,and NHYA cardiac function grade(P＜0.01),and nega-tively with LVEF and LVRI(P＜0.01).Conclusion Serum Sir4 and GDF-8 levels are abnormally elevated in elderly CHF patients,and their levels are positively correlated with the severity of left ventricular remodeling and the severity of cardiac dysfunction.

Objective:To investigate the value of modified early warning score (MEWS) combined with D-dimer test in the establishment of an acute pancreatitis severity evaluation model.Methods:The clinical data of 357 patients with acute pancreatitis who received treatment in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, China between January 2017 and December 2018 were collected for this study. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of MEWS combined with D-dimer test for predicting non-mild acute pancreatitis. The relationship between MEWS and D-dimer level was analyzed using regression analysis. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the ability of each factor to predict the severity of acute pancreatitis. The sensitivity and specificity of the new model to predict non-mild acute pancreatitis were calculated.Results:According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, the AUC of D-dimer, MEWS, and new model were 0.702, 0.628 and 0.734 respectively ( P < 0.05). The AUC of the new model in predicting non-mild acute pancreatitis was significantly higher than that of MEWS and D-dimer test (0.734 > 0.702 > 0.628, Z = 3.20, P < 0.01). Conclusion:The ability of the new model established based on MEWS and D-dimer to predict the severity of acute pancreatitis is stronger than that of each of MEWS and D-dimer. The new model is simple, convenient and more suitable for clinical use.