Objective To investigate the causes and management strategies for lower limb ischemic necrosis following xenogeneic heterotopic heart transplantation from a multigene-edited pig to a rhesus monkey. Methods A xenogeneic heterotopic heart transplantation was performed on December 16, 2023, at the Institute of Experimental Animals of Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, using a quintuple-gene-edited pig as the donor and a rhesus monkey as the recipient. On postoperative day (POD) 9, the recipient monkey underwent left lower limb amputation due to ischemic necrosis. Blood samples were collected at various time points after transplantation for analysis of hematologic parameters, liver and renal function, myocardial enzymes, and coagulation profiles. Ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) were used to evaluate anastomotic patency and cardiac structure. Immunological assays, including complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and IgG/IgM antibody detection, combined with clinical observations, were employed to assess rejection type and therapeutic response. Results The recipient monkey survived for 46 days after transplantation. Echocardiography demonstrated preserved biventricular systolic function in the recipient’s native heart, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) consistently exceeding 50%. In the donor pig heart, left ventricular endocardial thickening was noted on POD 9, followed by right ventricular endocardial thickening on POD 24, while LVEF remained around 35%. No hyperacute or acute rejection was detected immunologically. CDC positivity ranged between 3.4% and 5.1%, with IgG/IgM antibody binding trends consistent with CDC results. Following amputation, the recipient exhibited elevated inflammatory markers, coagulopathy, and reactive thrombocytosis, which later normalized. Immunohistochemical staining of the necrotic limb revealed arterial and venous thrombosis; however, no T-cell or B-cell infiltration was observed in vascular structures, thrombi, nerves, muscles, fascia, or skin tissues, with CD3 and CD20 staining both negative. Conclusion Limb ischemia after xenogeneic heart transplantation may be associated with lower extremity vascular thrombosis triggered by local trauma in the context of transplantation-induced inflammatory activation and coagulation dysfunction. While no clear lymphocyte-mediated rejection was observed, further studies are needed to explore the potential role of non-lymphocyte-mediated immune mechanisms.

This article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name， medicinal parts， origin， harvesting， processing and other aspects of Houttuyniae Herba（HH） by referring to the medical books， prescription books and other documents of the past dynasties， combined with the research materials related to modern and contemporary times， in order to provide a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing this herb. In ancient literature， HH was often referred to as "Ji" and "Jicai"， the name of "Ji" was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu during the Han and Wei dynasties， and the name of Yuxingcao was first seen in Lyuchanyan Bencao during the southern Song dynasty and has continued to this day. The origin of HH used throughout history is consistent， all of which are the whole herb or aboveground parts of Houttuynia cordata in Saururaceae family. HH recorded throughout history has a wide range of production areas， mostly self-produced self-marketing. In ancient times， fresh HH was often used as medicine by pounding its juice without involving any processing steps. Both fresh and dried products can be used as medicine， the fresh products uses the whole plant， while the dried products uses the aboveground parts， which are cleaned， selected and processed before use. Fresh products are harvested regardless of season， while dried products are harvested in both summer and autumn， with summer as the best. In ancient times， there were no specific requirements for the quality of HH， while in modern times， "intact stems and leaves with a strong fishy smell" are preferred. In addition， the medicinal properties of HH have undergone significant changes from ancient to modern times. In the early period， it was believed that its medicinal property was slightly warm， until the 1977 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia officially changed it to slightly cold. Both ancient and modern literature states that HH can be used for the treatment of carbuncle and malignant sores， Lyuchanyan Bencao for the first time introduced HH fresh juice can relieve summer heat， since Diannan Bencao recorded that it can be used for lung carbuncle， and gradually developed into the first choice for the treatment of lung carbuncle. Based on the research results， it is suggested that fresh herb or dried aboveground parts of H. cordata are used as medicine when developing famous classical formulas.

Age-related macular degeneration(ARMD)is a common multifactorial disease among the elderly, which may lead to irreversible vision loss; however, the pathogenesis of ARMD is still unclear. Metabolomics is a relatively new “omics” technique that can provide qualitative and quantitative information about low molecular weight metabolites that make up biological systems, thereby revealing the physiological or pathological state of cell or tissue samples at specific time points. In recent years, increasing evidence suggests that metabolic dysfunction plays an important role in the development and progression of ARMD. Metabolic pathway dysregulation involves lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism, which may play important roles in the occurrence and development of ARMD. The retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the human body, so using metabolomics techniques to measure molecular changes in ARMD will further enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis. This will provide important insights for the prevention and treatment of ARMD, This article reviews the application of metabolomics in ARMD.

ObjectiveTo investigate the modifiable areal unit problem （MAUP） in the spatial pattern of Pseudostellaria heterophylla production regions and reveal the impact of statistical scales on the spatial distribution characteristics of this medicinal plant species. MethodsUsing multi-source data （literature records， field surveys， and statistical data）， we systematically analyzed the spatial patterns across three administrative levels （provincial， prefectural， and county scales）. Spatial autocorrelation （Moran's I） analysis， high-low clustering （Getis-Ord General G）， and hot/cold spot analysis （Getis-Ord Gi*） were employed. ResultsThe literature-based analysis showed that the production regions of P. heterophylla presented random distribution on the provincial scale and significant aggregation on the prefectural scale. The field survey data showed that the production regions displayed random distribution on the provincial scale but significant aggregation on both prefectural and county scales. The statistical data revealed that the production regions lacked spatial autocorrelation on the provincial scale but demonstrated significant aggregation on prefectural and county scales. ConclusionMAUP effects have substantive implications for understanding and decision-making in the arrangement of medicinal plant production regions. The county scale proves to be the most sensitive and explanatory level for analyzing the spatial pattern of P. heterophylla production regions， providing a critical foundation for habitat modeling， suitability evaluation， and ecological cultivation planning of medicinal plants.

BACKGROUND: The role of inflammation in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has recently become a focus of research. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), novel indices, reflect the body's chronic immune-inflammatory state. This study aimed to investigate the associations between the SII or SIRI and GDM. METHODS: A prospective birth cohort study was conducted at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from February 2018 to December 2020, recruiting participants in their first trimester of pregnancy. Baseline SII and SIRI values were derived from routine clinical blood results, calculated as follows: SII = neutrophil (Neut) count × platelet (PLT) count/lymphocyte (Lymph) count, SIRI = Neut count × monocyte (Mono) count/Lymph count, with participants being grouped by quartiles of their SII or SIRI values. Participants were followed up for GDM with a 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-28 weeks of gestation using the glucose thresholds of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG). Logistic regression was used to analyze the odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for the the associations between SII, SIRI, and the risk of GDM. RESULTS: Among the 28,124 women included in the study, the average age was 31.8 ± 3.8 years, and 15.76% (4432/28,124) developed GDM. Higher SII and SIRI quartiles were correlated with increased GDM rates, with rates ranging from 12.26% (862/7031) in the lowest quartile to 20.10% (1413/7031) in the highest quartile for the SII ( Ptrend <0.001) and 11.92-19.31% for the SIRI ( Ptrend <0.001). The ORs (95% CIs) of the second, third, and fourth SII quartiles were 1.09 (0.98-1.21), 1.21 (1.09-1.34), and 1.39 (1.26-1.54), respectively. The SIRI findings paralleled the SII outcomes. For the second through fourth quartiles, the ORs (95% CIs) were 1.24 (1.12-1.38), 1.41 (1.27-1.57), and 1.64 (1.48-1.82), respectively. These associations were maintained in subgroup and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION The SII and SIRI are potential independent risk factors contributing to the onset of GDM.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Diabetes, Gestational/immunology* ; Prospective Studies ; Adult ; Inflammation/immunology* ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Birth Cohort

Objective:To evaluate the factors influencing test failure after resampling in non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and to explore its impact on pregnancy outcomes.Methods:The information of pregnant women who failed to undergo NIPT for the first time and resampled for testing in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. According to the results of resampled NIPT, the pregnant women were divided into the failure group (170 cases) and the success group(485 cases), and the general clinical data and pregnancy outcomes of the two groups were compared.Results:(1) A total of 88 928 pregnant women underwent NIPT in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital during the study period, of which 1 299 (1.461%, 1 299/88 928) failed in the first NIPT. Among the 1 299 pregnant women who failed in the first NIPT, 720 were resampled for testing. Finally, 655 pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria and had complete clinical information and perinatal outcomes were collected. The success rate of resampling was 74.0% (485/655). Compared with the success group, the pregnant women in the failure group had a later gestational age at resampling, a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and a higher fetal fraction, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). (2) Among the 485 pregnant women in the success group, 130 cases (26.8%, 130/485) were detected with chromosome aneuploidy. Among the 170 pregnant women in the failure group, 8 cases had abnormal amniocentesis, 2 cases had abnormal maternal serum screening of aneuploidy in the second trimester, 3 cases had abnormal ultrasound anomaly removal, and 157 cases had no abnormality. (3) The incidence of fetal or neonatal malformation in the failure group was significantly higher than that in the success group [11.2% (19/170) vs 5.8% (28/485), P=0.019], but after adjusting for age and pre-pregnancy BMI, fetal or neonatal malformation was not associated with the success of resampling ( RR=0.675, 95% CI: 0.346-1.319; P=0.250). The incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in the failure group were significantly higher than those in the success group (all P<0.05), but after adjusting for age and pre-pregnancy BMI, only the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus in the failure group was higher ( RR=0.630, 95% CI: 0.426-0.932; P=0.021). Conclusions:For pregnant women who failed the initial NIPT, the success of the resampling test is associated with pre-pregnancy BMI and the gestational week at the time of resampling. Those who failed the resampling test are more likely to develop gestational diabetes mellitus. When providing genetic counseling for pregnant women who failed the initial NIPT, it is important to consider the successful rate of resampling testing. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities should be comprehensively considered to develop further screening strategies.

Objective:To evaluate the factors influencing test failure after resampling in non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and to explore its impact on pregnancy outcomes.Methods:The information of pregnant women who failed to undergo NIPT for the first time and resampled for testing in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. According to the results of resampled NIPT, the pregnant women were divided into the failure group (170 cases) and the success group(485 cases), and the general clinical data and pregnancy outcomes of the two groups were compared.Results:(1) A total of 88 928 pregnant women underwent NIPT in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital during the study period, of which 1 299 (1.461%, 1 299/88 928) failed in the first NIPT. Among the 1 299 pregnant women who failed in the first NIPT, 720 were resampled for testing. Finally, 655 pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria and had complete clinical information and perinatal outcomes were collected. The success rate of resampling was 74.0% (485/655). Compared with the success group, the pregnant women in the failure group had a later gestational age at resampling, a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and a higher fetal fraction, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). (2) Among the 485 pregnant women in the success group, 130 cases (26.8%, 130/485) were detected with chromosome aneuploidy. Among the 170 pregnant women in the failure group, 8 cases had abnormal amniocentesis, 2 cases had abnormal maternal serum screening of aneuploidy in the second trimester, 3 cases had abnormal ultrasound anomaly removal, and 157 cases had no abnormality. (3) The incidence of fetal or neonatal malformation in the failure group was significantly higher than that in the success group [11.2% (19/170) vs 5.8% (28/485), P=0.019], but after adjusting for age and pre-pregnancy BMI, fetal or neonatal malformation was not associated with the success of resampling ( RR=0.675, 95% CI: 0.346-1.319; P=0.250). The incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in the failure group were significantly higher than those in the success group (all P<0.05), but after adjusting for age and pre-pregnancy BMI, only the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus in the failure group was higher ( RR=0.630, 95% CI: 0.426-0.932; P=0.021). Conclusions:For pregnant women who failed the initial NIPT, the success of the resampling test is associated with pre-pregnancy BMI and the gestational week at the time of resampling. Those who failed the resampling test are more likely to develop gestational diabetes mellitus. When providing genetic counseling for pregnant women who failed the initial NIPT, it is important to consider the successful rate of resampling testing. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities should be comprehensively considered to develop further screening strategies.

In many neurodegenerative diseases,eye movement is disrupted,which is a common and early characteris-tic of neurodegenerative diseases.Characterizing eye movement is important for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disea-ses,helping to track disease progression and response to treatment.In recent years,eye tracking technology has been ap-plied to the assessment of cognitive function in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.Compared to traditional cognitive assessment methods,the technology has higher temporal and spatial resolution for sensitive quantification.Eye tracking da-ta confirms that executive dysfunction is common in Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,while attention deficit is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.Research using eye tracking to evaluate the cogni-tive function of epilepsy patients is still in its early stages,but this method has shown advantages.In this article,the appli-cation of eye tracking technology in neurodegenerative diseases is reviewed.

Objective:To assess the effectiveness and feasibility of carrier detection for Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) by using digital PCR assay.Methods:Peripheral blood samples were collected from 214 pregnant women who were routinely screened for SMA carriers, of which 204 were randomly selected samples and 10 were samples with known copy numbers of SMN1 exons 7 and 8. Samples with known copy numbers of SMN1 exons 7 and 8 were randomly mixed into the experiment to validate the performance of the digital PCR assay. The copy numbers of SMN1 exons 7 and 8 and SMN2 exons 7 and 8 in peripheral blood samples were detected by digital PCR assay. The results of SMN1 exons 7 and 8 were compared with those of the quantitative PCR method to assess the reliability and clinical performance of the digital PCR assay. Results:Among the 204 random samples, digital PCR has detected five samples with simultaneous heterozygous deletion of SMN1 exons 7 and 8, three samples with heterozygous deletion of SMN1 exon 8 only, and 196 samples with no deletion of SMN1 exons 7 and 8. Ten samples with known SMN1 exons 7 and 8 copy numbers were detected with the expected values. The digital PCR test results were fully consistent with that of the quantitative PCR. Conclusion:The results of digital PCR for the detection of copy number variation of SMN1 exons 7 and 8 were consistent with qPCR. Digital PCR assay was able to clearly distinguish the copy number of the target genes, therefore can be used for SMA carrier screening. Moreover, it can also detect copy number of SMN2 exons 7 and 8, which can provide more information for genetic counseling.