Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of monochorionic or dichorionic twin pregnancy and the high-risk factors for selective intrauterine growth restriction.Methods 460 women with twin pregnancy were divided into a monochorionic group and a dichorion group.The related clinical features were compared between the two groups.Logistic regression was used to analyze the high-risk factors for selective intrauterine growth restriction.Results The maternal age,conception way,and mode of delivery differed significantly between the two groups (P ＜ 0.05).There were significant differences in the rates of selective intrauterine growth restriction and preterm premature rupture of membranes (P ＜ 0.05).The neonatal weight (large or small) and the rate of neonatal transfer differed significantly (P ＜ 0.05).Logistic regression showed that gestational age and birth weight were the risk factors.Conclusions The chorionic nature plays an important role in the process and outcomes of maternal pregnancy.Monochorionic pregnancy is a high risk factor for selective intrauterine growth restriction,meaning the major cause of selective intrauterine growth restriction may originate from the placenta,with should be a placenta-derived disease.

Objective: To understand the attitudes and perceptions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners in Beijing TCM hospitals regarding the use of Ephedra sinica Stapf (E. sinica, Ma Huang). Methods: A two-stage cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire survey of TCM practitioners in Beijing TCM hospitals between April 2023 and March 2024. The questionnaire included demographic information, the clinical background of TCM practitioners, and the clinical application of E. sinica. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relevant influencing factors when using E. sinica. Results: Of the 465 questionnaires collected, 441 were valid. Among these, 84.81% (374/441) reported having used E. sinica in clinical practice at least once. The commonly used doses of E. sinica—excluding the pediatric department—were 10 g for high doses, 6 g for medium, and 3 g for low. The three most frequently used formulas for E. sinica included Maxing Shigan decoction, Mahuang decoction, and Xiao Qing Long decoction. The most common TCM patterns treated with a high dose of E. sinica were wind-cold exterior pattern, wind-cold invading the lung, and wind and water combat with meridians congealed by cold. The top three Western medical diagnoses when using E. sinica for treatment were common cold, pneumonia, and upper respiratory tract infections. Nearly half of the respondents reported experiencing adverse reactions from the oral administration of E. sinica, with the most common being palpitations, insomnia, and restlessness. Starting with a low dose and gradually increasing it as appropriate was identified as an effective approach. Conclusion This study investigated the attitudes and perceptions of TCM practitioners in Beijing TCM hospitals regarding the dose–efficacy–adverse reaction relationship of E. sinica, providing a reference for the safe and effective clinical use of E. sinica.

Depression,a common mood disorder,has a complex pathogenesis.In recent years,the accelerated pace of life has been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence rate of depression,leading to extensive attention being given to this condition.External stress and inflammation synergize to damage blood vessel and brain functions,induce immune disorders,cause microglia activation,and increase the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and their receptors.Inflammatory reactions continue to escalate,which affects the normal metabolism and metabolism of the neurotransmitter system.The abnormal functioning of molecular pathways leads to mutations in brain cell and nerve genes,and further formation of the immune-inflammation-neuron cycle pathway becomes an important mechanism in the occurrence and development of depression.A large number of studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicines can improve depression symptoms by restoring neuroimmune inflammation homeostasis.This article explains neuroimmune inflammation's close connection with depression and its pathogenesis and reviews the role of various traditional Chinese medical therapies in improving and treating depression by participating in the regulation of neuroimmune inflammation.This review provides new perspectives on the precise treatment of depression and the development of immune-targeted drugs.

Elderly patients with diabetes often have multiple co-morbidities, comprehensive geriatric health assessment and highly individualized management should be emphasized for them. In recent years, with the emerging of new hypoglycemic drugs the treatment for elderly diabetic patients has advanced, which offers new options and challenges in the management and treatment of elderly diabetic patients with multiple comorbidities.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) combined with hyponatremia in Southern China and its risk factors for prognosis.Methods:The retrospective cohort study involved patients who met the diagnostic criteria of GBS from 18 upper first-class hospitals of 6 provinces/cities in southern China (south of Huaihe River) from January 1, 2013 to September 30, 2016. The clinical data of these patients were collected. According to serum sodium levels, they were divided into hyponatremia group (serum sodium concentration<135 mmol/L) and normal serum sodium group (serum sodium concentrations≥135 mmol/L). Based on Medical Research Coucil sum scores at nadir, these patients were divided into mild GBS group (>40), moderate GBS group (30-40), and severe GBS group (<30). Furthermore, according to the Hughes GBS disability scale (H-GBS-DS) scores at discharge, these GBS patients with hyponatremia were divided into favorable prognosis group (H-GBS-DS<3) and poor prognosis group (H-GBS-DS≥3). The incidence of hyponatremia in patients from the mild GBS group, moderate GBS group, and severe GBS group were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the clinical risk factors for hyponatremia in GBS patients. The clinical data of hyponatremia patients from favorable prognosis group and poor prognosis group were compared; multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for poor prognosis in GBS patients with hyponatremia.Results:(1) Among the 570 patients, 354 had mild GBS, 94 had moderate GBS, and 122 had severe GBS; 134 GBS patients were combined with hyponatremia, 436 GBS patients had normal serum sodium. The hyponatremia incidence in mild, moderate and severe GBS groups increased successively, ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that facial paralysis ( OR=1.979, 95%CI: 1.172-3.342, P=0.011), respiratory muscle paralysis ( OR=3.218, 95%CI: 1.611-6.428, P=0.001), secondary pulmonary infection ( OR=4.822, 95%CI: 2.835-8.201, P=0.000), severe GBS ( OR=2.611, 95%CI: 1.444-4.721, P=0.001) and length of hospital stay ( OR=1.029, 95%CI: 1.009-1.050, P=0.004) were risk factors for hyponatremia in GBS patients. (2) Among 134 GBS patients with hyponatremia, 80 had poor prognosis and 54 had favorable prognosis. As compared with the favorable group, the poor prognosis group had significantly lower proportion of patients with extraocular muscle paralysis, statistically higher proportions of patients with respiratory muscle paralysis and secondary pulmonary infection, significantly different severities of GBS, signficantly higher proportion of patients accepted intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and hormone treatments, statistically longer length of hospital stay ( P<0.05). Respiratory muscle paralysis ( OR=25.590, 95%CI: 9.433-69.423, P=0.000), moderate GBS ( OR=17.030, 95%CI: 8.441-34.361, P=0.000), and severe GBS ( OR=51.042, 95%CI: 24.596-105.926, P=0.000) were independent risk factors for poor short-term prognosis of GBS patients with hyponatremia. Conclusions:Severe GBS patients with facial paralysis, respiratory muscle palsy, secondary pulmonary infection, and long hospital stay trend to have hyponatremia. Hyponatremia patients with respiratory muscle paralysis and moderate/severe GBS have poor short-term prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the phenotypes, molecular types and drug-resistance genes of erythromycin (ERY)-resistant group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnant women in late pregnancy in Zhengzhou and provide basic data for the prevention, control and treatment of GBS infection. Methods:This study retrospectively collected 86 GBS strains isolated from the vaginal secretions of pregnant women in late pregnancy at Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province from 2021 to 2022. ERY-resistant GBS strains were selected using the ERY disk diffusion method, and their susceptibility to 10 different antibiotics was tested. Whole-genome sequencing was performed to analyze their molecular features including molecular types, clonal complex groups and drug-resistance genes. Drug-resistance genes carried by GBS strains belonging to different clonal complex groups were compared.Results:There were 70 ERY-resistant GBS strains. Among them, 7.14%(5/70) exhibited an inducible resistance phenotype to macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) antibiotics; 84.29%(59/70) showed constitutive resistance to MLSB antibiotics; 8.57%(6/70) were resistant to macrolides but susceptible to lincosamides. The resistance rates of these strains to clindamycin (CLI), tetracycline (TE) and levofloxacin (LEV) were 91.43%(64/70), 54.29%(38/70) and 60.00%(42/70), respectively. These ERY-resistant strains exhibited multidrug resistance patterns with 40.00%(28/70) showing ERY-CLI-LEV resistance phenotype and 30.00%(21/70) showing ERY-CLI-TE resistance phenotype. The major drug-resistance genes carried by the 70 GBS strains were macrolide/lincosamide resistance genes mreA (100.00%) and ermB (53/70, 75.71%), aminoglycoside resistance genes ant (6)-Ⅰ a (22/70, 31.43%) and aph(3′)-Ⅲ (18/70, 25.71%), and tetracycline resistance genes tetM (22/70, 31.43%) and tetO (13/70, 18.57%). These strains belonged to 12 sequence types derived from seven clonal complexes (CCs) and 48.57%(34/70) of them were clustered into CC12. All CC12 strains harbored ermB, but none carried ermA. The positive rates of lsaE, lunB, and aac (6′)- aph(2" ) in CC19 and CC651 strains, ant (6)-Ⅰ a in CC651 and CC452 strains, and mefA and msrD in CC19 and CC23 strains were significantly higher than those in CC12 strains ( P<0.001). Conclusions:ERY-resistant GBS in Zhengzhou exhibited diverse drug resistance phenotypes and molecular types. CC12 was the most prevalent clonal complex in this region. The constitutive MLSB resistance phenotype and ermB gene were the most common ERY resistance phenotype and genotype, respectively, and tetM gene was related to tetracycline resistance. Furthermore, the drug-resistance genes varied in GBS strains of different clonal complexes. This study suggested that close attention should be paid to the epidemiological situation of GBS in this region and the effectiveness of antibiotics used for clinical prevention and treatment of GBS infection should be carefully evaluated.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of plasma exchange(PE) in the treatment of autoimmune hemolytic anemia in children.Methods:The data from 8 hospitals in China during November 2014 to April 2017 were collected, and the clinical characteristics of PE in children with AHA were analyzed retrospectively.Results:A total of 21 children with AHA were included in the study, including 17 cases from PICU and 4 cases from pediatric kidney ward, with 11 boys and 10 girls, and the median age was 3.64(0.25, 11.10)years old, and median hospital stay was 12(4, 45)days.There were 15 cases(71.4%) with infection, 2 cases(9.5%)with autoimmune diseases, 4 cases(19.0%) with unknown.Consciousness disturbance occurred in 4 patients before replacement and recovered to normal after PE.The volume of blood decreased in two cases(9.5%) and completely relieved.There were 20 cases of anemia (95.2%), 15 cases were normal after PE, and 5 cases were improved.Jaundice occurred in 18 cases (85.7%), 12 cases were normal after PE, 6 cases were improved.Hepatosplenomegaly was found in 11 cases, 10 cases were normal after PE, 1 case was improved.After PE, the hemoglobin and red blood cell count increased, while the total bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, urea nitrogen and lactate dehydrogenase decreased, there were significant differences between pre-and post-replacement ( P<0.05). Only 1 case had allergic reaction, which was improved after symptomatic treatment, and PE was continued.After PE, 2 cases (9.5%) had complete remission, 16 cases (76.2%) had partial remission and 3 cases (14.3%) had been discharged. Conclusion:PE therapy can obviously improve the clinical symptoms and laboratory indexes of children with AHA who have failed to respond to conservative treatment.It can be used as a treatment measure for children with severe AHA and has a good safety.

The laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) is a brain structure involved in distinct behaviors including arousal, reward, and innate fear. How environmental stimuli and top-down control from high-order sensory and limbic cortical areas converge and coordinate in this region to modulate diverse behavioral outputs remains unclear. Using a modified rabies virus, we applied monosynaptic retrograde tracing to the whole brain to examine the LDT cell type specific upstream nuclei. The LDT received very strong midbrain and hindbrain afferents and moderate cortical and hypothalamic innervation but weak connections to the thalamus. The main projection neurons from cortical areas were restricted to the limbic lobe, including the ventral orbital cortex (VO), prelimbic, and cingulate cortices. Although different cell populations received qualitatively similar inputs, primarily via afferents from the periaqueductal gray area, superior colliculus, and the LDT itself, parvalbumin-positive (PV) GABAergic cells received preferential projections from local LDT neurons. With regard to the different subtypes of GABAergic cells, a considerable number of nuclei, including those of the ventral tegmental area, central amygdaloid nucleus, and VO, made significantly greater inputs to somatostatin-positive cells than to PV cells. Diverse inputs to the LDT on a system-wide level were revealed.