Objective To propose an in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation method for novel iron-based biodegradable mateirals focusing on their degrading characteristics.Methods Half-finished scaffolds of nitrided iron tubes with a higher iron content of over 99％and a nitrogen content of 0.03％to 0.20％were selected as test samples,and based on the treatment mode were divided into an anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment with removed iron particle group and a non-anaerobic treatment with plate-washing group.The anaerobic treatment group was processed in an anaerobic workstation;the conventional treatment group underwent standard handling in a biosafety cabinet;the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group was subjected to iron particle elimination using a Midimacs Starting Kit manual sorter after conventional treatment;and the conventional treatment with plate-washing group was rinsed with 0.9％sodium chloride injection before tetrazolium salt reagent treatment.Different extraction media(simulated body fluid,cell culture medium,phosphate buffer and 0.9％sodium chloride injection)were used for the immersion treatment of the test samples in each group to compare the effects of the degradation products on the survival rate of L929 cells.Results The anaerobic treatment group and the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group exhibited no detectable cytotoxicity.Trypan blue staining revealed significant cytotoxicity in the conventional treatment group,while false-negative results emerged due to interactions between the tetrazolium salt reagent and degradation products.In the non-anaerobic treatment with washing plate group,the false negative from iron particles was eliminated while potential cytotoxicity was showen,and the result accuracy was affected because some cells were washed out.Conclusion The proposed method can be used for the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation,and facilitates the safety evaluation of the application of such materials.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):35-41]

Local anesthetics (LAs), such as articaine (AT), exhibit limited efficacy in inflammatory environments, which constitutes a significant limitation in their clinical application within oral medicine. In our prior research, we developed AT-17, which demonstrated effective properties in chronic inflammatory conditions and appears to function as a novel oral LA that could address this challenge. In the present study, we further elucidated the beneficial effects of AT-17 in acute inflammation, particularly in oral acute inflammation, where mitochondrial-related apoptosis played a crucial role. Our findings indicated that AT-17 effectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nerve cell apoptosis by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro. This process involved the inhibition of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production and the subsequent activation of the NRF2 pathway. Most notably, improvements in mitochondria-related apoptosis were key contributors to AT-17's inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels. Additionally, AT-17 was shown to reduce mtROS production in nerve cells through the Na⁺/NCLX/ETC signaling axis. In conclusion, we have developed a novel local anesthetic that exhibits pronounced anesthetic functionality under inflammatory conditions by enhancing mitochondria-related apoptosis. This advancement holds considerable promise for future drug development and deepening our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the predictive factors for hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) in preterm infants and to construct a nomogram prediction model for hsPDA occurrence in this population. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of preterm infants with gestational age <32 weeks diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) who were delivered at Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. The subjects were divided into an hsPDA group (52 cases) and a non-hsPDA group (176 cases) based on the presence of hsPDA. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to screen predictive variables regarding the general information of the infants at birth, maternal pregnancy and delivery conditions, and relevant indicators during hospitalization. A nomogram prediction model for hsPDA occurrence was constructed using R software in preterm infants. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. Finally, the predictive model was evaluated for calibration, discrimination ability, and clinical utility. RESULTS: Multivariate regression analysis showed that the ratio of the left atrium to aorta diameter (LA/AO), mode of delivery (vaginal), and duration of mechanical ventilation were independent predictive factors for hsPDA in preterm infants (P<0.05). Based on the results of univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis, variables used to construct the nomogram prediction model for hsPDA risk included: LA/AO ratio, mode of delivery (vaginal), duration of mechanical ventilation, 5-minute Apgar score, and the presence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome requiring surfactant therapy. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this model was 0.876 (95%CI: 0.824-0.927), and the calibrated curve was close to the ideal reference line, indicating good calibration. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test demonstrated that the model fit well, and the clinical decision curve was above the extreme curves. CONCLUSIONS The nomogram prediction model, constructed using five variables (LA/AO ratio, vaginal delivery, duration of mechanical ventilation, 5-minute Apgar score, and the presence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome requiring surfactant therapy), has reference significance for predicting the occurrence of hsPDA in preterm infants and provides valuable guidance for the early clinical identification of hsPDA.
Humans ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent/etiology* ; Nomograms ; Female ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Hemodynamics ; Logistic Models ; Pregnancy

Objective To propose an in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation method for novel iron-based biodegradable mateirals focusing on their degrading characteristics.Methods Half-finished scaffolds of nitrided iron tubes with a higher iron content of over 99％and a nitrogen content of 0.03％to 0.20％were selected as test samples,and based on the treatment mode were divided into an anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment with removed iron particle group and a non-anaerobic treatment with plate-washing group.The anaerobic treatment group was processed in an anaerobic workstation;the conventional treatment group underwent standard handling in a biosafety cabinet;the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group was subjected to iron particle elimination using a Midimacs Starting Kit manual sorter after conventional treatment;and the conventional treatment with plate-washing group was rinsed with 0.9％sodium chloride injection before tetrazolium salt reagent treatment.Different extraction media(simulated body fluid,cell culture medium,phosphate buffer and 0.9％sodium chloride injection)were used for the immersion treatment of the test samples in each group to compare the effects of the degradation products on the survival rate of L929 cells.Results The anaerobic treatment group and the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group exhibited no detectable cytotoxicity.Trypan blue staining revealed significant cytotoxicity in the conventional treatment group,while false-negative results emerged due to interactions between the tetrazolium salt reagent and degradation products.In the non-anaerobic treatment with washing plate group,the false negative from iron particles was eliminated while potential cytotoxicity was showen,and the result accuracy was affected because some cells were washed out.Conclusion The proposed method can be used for the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation,and facilitates the safety evaluation of the application of such materials.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):35-41]

Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness is closely related to the physiological and pathological states of breast tissue. The current study was aimed to investigate the effect of silk fibroin/collagen composite hydrogels with adjustable matrix stiffness on the growth and phenotype of normal breast epithelial cells. In this study, the enzymatic reaction of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was used to change the degree of cross-linking of the silk fibroin solution. The rotational rheometer was used to characterize the composite hydrogel's biomechanical properties. Human normal mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10A were inoculated into composite hydrogels with various stiffness (19.10-4 932.36 Pa) to construct a three dimensional (3D) culture system of mammary epithelial cells. The CCK-8 assay was applied to detect the cell proliferation rate and active states in each group. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and whole-mount magenta staining were used for histological evaluation of cell morphology and distribution. The results showed that with the increase of matrix stiffness, MCF-10A cells exhibited inhibited proliferation rate, decreased formation of acinus structures and increased branching structures. Meanwhile, with the increase of matrix stiffness, the polarity of MCF-10A cells was impeded. And the increase of matrix stiffness up-regulated the expression levels of mmp-2, mmp-3, and mmp-9 in MCF-10A cells. Among the genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), the expression level of the epithelial marker gene E-cadherin was significantly down-regulated, while the interstitial cell marker gene Vimentin was up-regulated, and the expression levels of Snail, Wnt5b and Integrin β1 in the Wnt pathway were up-regulated. These results suggest that the silk fibroin/collagen composite hydrogels with adjustable matrix stiffness regulates the proliferation and the phenotype of MCF-10A cells. The effects of increased matrix stiffness may be closely related to the changes of the polar structures and function of MCF-10A cells, as well as the occurrence of ECM-remodeling and EMT.
Collagen/metabolism* ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Fibroins/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Hydrogels/metabolism* ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Phenotype

ObjectiveTo study the virulence and biofilm inhibition effect of Fufang Huangbai Fluid Paint （FFHBFP） on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus （MRSA）， and to explore the antibacterial effect of FFHBFP on MRSA， which provides a theoretical basis and reference for clinical medication. MethodFirstly， the microdilution method and time–growth curve were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration （MIC） of FFHBFP and vancomycin （VAN） against MRSA and the effect on bacterial growth. The effects of FFHBFP and VAN on the inhibition of MRSA virulence factor lipase and restoration of hydrogen peroxide （H₂O₂） sensitivity were detected under sub-minimum inhibitory concentration （sub-MIC）. The inhibitory effect of FFHBFP and VAN on MRSA biofilm formation and maturation was detected by the microplate method. The morphological changes of mature biofilms before and after administration were observed under a scanning electron microscope （SEM）. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was utilized to detect the effect of 50.600 g·L^-1 concentration of FFHBFP on the expression of MRSA virulence gene crtM and biofilm-forming genes fnbA and icaA. Finally， molecular docking technology was used to predict the mechanism of potential antibacterial active ingredients of FFHBFP in inhibiting the virulence and biofilm of MRSA. ResultThe MIC of VAN was 2 mg·L^-1， and VAN below 1 mg·L^-1 exerted no effect on MRSA growth. The MIC of FFHBFP was not determined， while the 101.200-202.400 g·L^-1 original solution inhibited MRSA growth. Compared with the blank group and the VAN group， sub-MIC （25.300-50.600 g·L^-1 original solution） inhibited lipase and recovered MRSA sensitivity to H₂O₂ （P<0.01）. The results of the microplate method showed that FFHBFP （25.300-202.400 g·L^-1 original solution） inhibited biofilm formation and maturation （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The SEM exhibited that FFHBFP made the structure of biofilm loose and the size of the bacteria varied. FFHBFP at 50.600 g·L^-1 concentration can inhibit the expression of related virulence genes and biofilm-forming genes （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and molecular docking results also showed that the main antibacterial active ingredients in FFHBFP have good binding ability to the target. ConclusionFFHBFP that cannot directly kill MRSA exerts clinical efficacy by impairing virulence expression， biofilm formation， and other pathogenic properties.

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

Pulmonary hypertension(PH)is a chronic,progressive,high-mortality disease characterized by a continuous increase in pulmonary vascular pressure. All types of PH have the same characteristics,i.e.,the excessive proliferation,anti-apoptosis and inflammation of pulmonary artery endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells,which leads to progressive thickening of pulmonary small vessels,resulting in pulmonary vascular remodeling and increased pulmonary vascular resistance,ultimately leading to right ventricular hypertrophy,heart failure,and death. The drugs used to treat PH mainly include L-type calcium channel blockers,phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors,guanosine cyclase activators,endothelin receptor antagonists,and synthetic prostacyclin and its analogues. These drugs reduce pulmonary artery pressure by relaxing pulmonary blood vessels but do not cure the patient,and their prognosis remains poor. Therefore,the development of drugs that can effectively improve or even reverse pulmonary vascular remodeling is the key to treating PH. In recent years,studies on pulmonary vascular remodeling mainly included(1)the synthesis of new small-molecule compounds;(2)the transformation of mature drugs,such as the use of drug combinations and dosage form transformation,etc.;(3)the pharmacodynamic evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines and derived compounds based on the theory of "lung distension";(4)research into monomers of traditional Chinese medicine; and(5)research into new targets.

Chronic hypoxic lung diseases are major causes of disability and mortality worldwide, which are typically aggravated by hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.The pathogenesis of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is complex, and its mechanism has not been fully elucidated.The previous studies have shown abnormally elevated levels of free Ca + in the cytoplasm of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells to be the predominant drivers of pulmonary hypertension , causing continuous contraction and remodeling of the pulmonary vessels.This article briefly summarizes the mechanism of hypoxia-induced imbalance in calcium homeostasis in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, together with its related drug research, based on the existing literature.Hypoxia induces an imbalance in calcium homeostasis in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells by regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1, K+ , store-operated calcium channel, receptor-operated calcium channel, the Ca +-sensing myosin contractile mechanism by binding to calmodulin, leading to pulmonary vasoconstriction.Ca + can also activate PKC/ MAPKs and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways, leading to pulmonary vascular remodeling.

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of twin pregnancy by assisted reproductive technology (ART) versus twin pregnancy by spontaneous conception (SC) on neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 3 356 live twins with a gestational age of ≥24 weeks who were born in Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital from 2017 to 2019, with 2 006 twins (1 003 pairs) in the ART group and 1 350 (675 pairs) in the SC group. The two groups were compared in terms of the mother's general information and pregnancy comorbidities and the general information, diseases, and outcomes of neonates. RESULTS: Compared with the SC group, the ART group had a significantly higher maternal age ( CONCLUSIONS Compared with twin pregnancy by SC, twin pregnancy by ART does not increase the neonatal mortality rate and risk of adverse outcomes.
Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Premature Birth ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Retrospective Studies