OBJECTIVE To explore the effect and mechanism of embryonic intervention with Zuogui pill on the glucose tolerance in offsprings of pregnant rats with gestational diabetes mellitus. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， positive control group （insulin glargine）， Zuogui pill low-， medium- and high-dose groups （4.725， 9.45， 18.9 g/kg）. In addition to the blank group， streptozotocin was injected intraperitoneally to establish a gestational diabetes mellitus rat model. From day 6 to day 18 of pregnancy， each group was given relevant medicine and distilled water intragastrically， once a day. After 21 days of birth， the body weight and body length of offsprings were recorded， and the area under the curve （AUC） was calculated through a glucose tolerance test. After 22 days of birth， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， fasting insulin （FINS） levels in serum， insulin sensitivity index （ISI）， and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） were measured， and the morphological structure of pancreatic tissue was observed. The protein spectrum of pancreatic tissue was analyzed by tandem mass tag-based proteomics， and protein and mRNA expression levels of apolipoprotein A1（ApoA1）， solute carrier family 27 member 1 （Slc27a1）， kininogen 1（Kng1） and sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit alpha 2 （Atp1a2）， solute carrier family 7 member 5 （Slc7a5）， solute carrier family 3 member 2 （Slc3a2）， bile acid-coenzyme A： amino acid N- acyltransferase （Baat）， eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit gamma （Eif2s3） were detected. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the body weight， body length and ISI of offsprings in the positive control group and Zuogui pill medium-dose group were significantly increased （P＜0.05）， while the glucose tolerance and islet cell proliferation were significantly improved， and the AUC， FBG， FINS and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. There were 88 potential target proteins for the embryonic intervention of Zuogui pill in offsprings of pregnant rats with gestational diabetes mellitus，involving multiple pathways such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor （PPAR）， cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G （cGMP-PKG）， fat digestion and absorption， and bile secretion. The proteins closely related to glucose metabolism and insulin resistance mainly included ApoA1， Slc27a1， Kng1， Atp1a2， Slc7a5， Slc3a2， Baat， and Eif2s3. Among them， compared with the model group， protein and mRNA expressions of Slc7a5， Slc3a2， and Baat in the pancreatic tissues of pregnant rat offsprings in the Zuogui pill medium-dose group were significantly up-regulated （P＜0.05）； protein and mRNA expressions of ApoA1， Slc27a1， Kng1， Atp1a2 and Eif2s3 were all significantly down-regulated （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The intervention of Zuogui pill in the embryonic period on offsprings of pregnant rats with gestational diabetes mellitus can improve their blood glucose levels and pancreatic pathological morphology. The mechanism may be related to the upregulation of the expressions of Slc7a5， Slc3a2， and Baat and the down-regulation of ApoA1， Slc27a1， Kng1， Atp1a2 and Eif2s3 expressions in the PPAR， cGMP-PKG， fat digestion and absorption， and bile secretion pathways.

Objective:To compare the performance of 11 glomerular filtration rate(GFR)equations in Chinese elderly hospitalized patients using dynamic renal imaging as the reference standard.Methods:The retrospective study involved patients aged 60 years and older who were admitted to Beijing Hospital between January, 2017, and January 2020.Glomerular filtration rate(GFR)was assessed through dynamic renal imaging for all participants.Estimated GFR(eGFR)was calculated using various equations based on serum creatinine and/or cystatin C levels, including All Age Spectrum(FAS), Berlin Initiative Study(BIS), Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration(CKD-EPI), Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study(MDRD), MDRD in China(MDRDc), and Xiangya..Results:A total of 691 patients, of which 383 were males, with an age range of 60 to 90 years(mean age 71.9±7.7 years), were included in the study.Among the different equations used to estimate glomerular filtration rate(GFR)in ml·min -1·1.73m -2, the smallest deviations were observed with FAScys(2.48), FAScr-cys(3.07), CKD-EPIcys(4.20), and BIScr-cys(7.42).Conversely, the most accurate estimations were found with BIScr-cys(10.38), FAScr-cys(11.94), FAScys(12.08), CKD-EPIcr-cys(13.21), and CKD-EPIcys(13.51).The highest P30 values, indicating the proportion of estimates within 30% of the true GFR, were achieved by FAScr-cys(68.97%), FAScys(68.96%), CKD-EPIcys(63.22%), and BIScr-cys(61.67%).The equations with the lowest root mean square errors were BIScr-cys(9.73), CKD-EPIcr-cys(10.98), FAScr-cys(11.27), CKD-EPIcys(11.52), and FAScys(11.53).Specifically, the FAS equation showed higher accuracy in men, while BIScr-cys and CKD-EPIcys were more accurate in women.Among patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD), the P30 values for BIScr-cys, FAScys, and FAScr-cys were 86.96%, 83.33%, and 80.95% respectively.Notably, for patients with mGFR ≥ 30 ml/min, MDRDc overestimated GFR the most, whereas for patients with mGFR<30 ml/min, Xiangya exhibited the most significant overestimation of GFR. Conclusions:Among the equations tested, BIScr-cys, FAScys, and FAScr-cys demonstrated the highest accuracy and are therefore recommended for use in Chinese elderly hospitalized patients.

A 65-year-old male was admitted because of anorexia, gross hematuria, skin purpura and acute renal insufficiency. Cardiovascular interventional examination was performed in other hospital 3 months before admission. During hospitalization, multiple blood cultures suggested positive Streptococcus gordonii, decreased blood complement and increased rheumatoid factor. Echocardiography revealed mitral valve vegetations (4 mm), and renal biopsy revealed endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis, diagnosed as infective endocarditis-associated glomerulonephritis. The combination of effective antibiotics and plasma exchange therapy significantly improved clinical symptoms and acute renal failure. The case suggests that plasma exchange is effective and safe in the treatment of immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis caused by infective endocarditis, providing a new option for the treatment of such diseases.

Oxidative stress plays a key role in acute kidney injury (AKI). 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxo-Gsn) can reflect the overall level of oxidative stress in the body. The levels of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn and renal function-related indicators in 62 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or open-chest surgery were measured during the perioperative period. The results showed that urinary 8-oxo-Gsn increased 24 hours after surgery and decreased 48 hours after surgery as the condition improved. In 10 patients with severe complications, urinary 8-oxo-Gsn continued to rise. The level of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn in the VATS group recovered faster than that in the open-chest surgery group ( P<0.05). There was a certain correlation between the level of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn and postoperative renal injury in thoracic surgery, suggesting that RNA oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of surgery-related AKI.

Objective:To investigate the association between congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and the adverse outcomes during hospitalization in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI).Methods:This prospective, multicenter observational cohort study was conducted based on the data from the Sino-northern Neonatal Network (SNN). Data of 5 818 VLBWI with birth weight <1 500 g and gestational age between 24-<37 weeks that were admitted to the 37 neonatal intensive care units from January 1 st, 2019 to December 31 st, 2022 were collected and analyzed. Thyroid function was first screened at 7 to 10 days after birth, followed by weekly tests within the first 4 weeks, and retested at 36 weeks of corrected gestational age or before discharge. The VLBWI were assigned to the CH group or non-CH group. Chi-square test, Fisher exact probability method, Wilcoxon rank sum test, univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between CH and poor prognosis during hospitalization in VLBWI. Results:A total of 5 818 eligible VLBWI were enrolled, with 2 982 (51.3%) males and the gestational age of 30 (29, 31) weeks. The incidence of CH was 5.5% (319 VLBWI). Among the CH group, only 121 VLBWI (37.9%) were diagnosed at the first screening. Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CH was associated with increased incidence of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) ( OR=1.31(1.04-1.64), P<0.05) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) of stage Ⅲ and above ( OR=1.74(1.11-2.75), P<0.05). However, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed no significant correlation between CH and EUGR, moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, grade Ⅲ to Ⅳ intraventricular hemorrhage, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in stage Ⅱ or above, and ROP in stage Ⅲ or above ( OR=1.04 (0.81-1.33), 0.79 (0.54-1.15), 1.15 (0.58-2.26), 1.43 (0.81-2.53), 1.12 (0.70-1.80), all P>0.05). Conclusion:There is no significant correlation between CH and in-hospital adverse outcomes, possibly due to timely diagnosis and active replacement therapy.

Objective:To investigate the application value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) in children.Methods:The clinical data of 77 PBM children who underwent ERCP in General Surgery Department of Children's Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University between January 2018 and December 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. Clinical characteristics, classification and post-operative nursing interventions were summarized, and vital signs, changes of biochemical markers and the occurrence of postoperative complications were compared and recorded.Results:77 patients were classified according to Japanese Study Group on Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction (JSGPM), including 34 patients with type A, 18 patients with type B, 21 patients with type C, and 4 patients with type D. There were 68 patients with congenital bile duct dilation and 9 patients without congenital bile duct dialtion. 92 ERCP procedures were performed under general anesthesia, and 91 cases were successful with a success rate of 98.91%. Among these cases, including 7 cases of endoscopic sphincterotomy, 28 cases of endoscopic balloon dilation of the nipple, 22 cases of endoscopic probe dilation, 22 cases of endoscopic stone removal by balloon or basket, 35 cases of endoscopic retrograde biliary stent drainage, 4 cases of endoscopic pancreatic duct drainage, 18 cases of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, 2 cases of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, and 14 cases of biliary stent removal. In 77 children with PBM, body temperature, FLACC score, and laboratory-related biochemical indexes including direct bilirubin, serum amylase, ALT, AST and CGT decreased significantly after ERCP, and all the differences were statistically significant (all P value <0.001). The incidence of postoperative complications was 15.38%(14/91), including hyperamylasemia in 9 cases (9.89%) and abdominal pain in 5 cases (5.49%). Conclusions:ERCP is safe and effective in the treatment of abnormal confluence of pancreatic duct in children.

Objective    To investigate the expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) in thymocytes of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and its effect on cytokine secretion and T cell proliferation. Methods    Patients with MG who underwent expanded thoracoscopic thymectomy in the Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment Center of the Henan Provincial People’s Hospital from June 2021 to June 2022 were selected and allocated to a MG group. Patients who underwent partial thymectomy to expose the surgical field during the cardiac disease surgery from June 2021 to September 2022 in the Department of Adult Cardiac Surgery of Fuwai Huazhong Cardiovascular Hospital were selected as the control group. Thymic single cell suspensions were prepared from MG and control groups, and the expression of α7 nAChR in thymocytes of the two groups was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Then CD3/CD28 monoclonal antibody coupled with magnetic beads was used to induce T cell activation, and the levels of cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, and IL-21 in thymocytes of the two groups were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The activated T cells of the MG group were divided into a blank control group, an α7 nAChR antagonist group, and an α7 nAChR agonist group according to different treatment methods. After 72 hours of culture, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, and IL-21 expression levels in the culture supernatant were measured by ELISA. Afterwards, CD4-PE and CD8-APC antibodies were added, and the proliferation of T cell subsets was detected by flow cytometry. Results    A total of 10 MG patients were collected, including 3 males and 7 females with an average age of 19.25±6.28 years; and 15 control patients were collected, including 6 males and 9 females with an average age of 26.18±6.77 years. Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein levels of α7 nAChR in the thymocytes of MG group were decreased, and the expression levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-21 in the supernatant were increased (P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in the expression of IL-10 and IL-17 (P>0.05). The cell-culture experiment showed that compared with the blank control group, the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-21 secreted by T cells in the α7 nAChR antagonist group were increased (P<0.05), while they were decreased in the α7 nAChR agonist group (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the secretion levels of IL-4, IL-10 or IL-17 among the three groups (P>0.05). CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells in the α7 nAChR agonist group were significantly less than those in the blank control group and α7 nAChR antagonist group (P<0.001), while they were significantly more in the α7 nAChR antagonist group than those in the blank control group (P<0.001). Conclusion    The expression of α7 nAChR in thymocytes of MG patients is decreased, and α7 nAChR may be involved in the inflammatory response in thymocytes and thus in thymic function.

N­methyl­D-aspartate （NMDA） receptors are ionotropic glutamate receptors that are widely expressed in the central nervous system.Through mediating Ca2+ influx for excitatory synaptic transmission，NMDA receptors play an important role in synaptic plasticity，learning，and memory.Migraine is a common primary headache that brings serious life and mental burdens to patients because of frequent attacks.The pathogenesis of migraine is still unclear.Glutamate and NMDA receptors have been demonstrated to be closely related to the occurrence of migraine.This paper reviews progress on the association of NMDA receptors with migraine and the use of NMDA receptor antagonists for the prevention and treatment of migraine，aiming to provide a reference for the pathogenesis and drug treatment of migraine.

Background::Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning remains a major cause of accidental injuries and multiple studies have indicated that CO is also associated with significantly severe or long-term toxicity to the central nervous system. Given that CO poisoning causes serious morbidity and mortality, a better understanding of epidemiological features and clinical characteristics of acute CO poisoning in China is crucial.Methods::We collected the clinical data of acute CO poisoning in patients between November 2019 and April 2020 across Shandong province, China and analyzed its characteristics focusing on the weekly amount and the severity of the confirmed cases.Results::A total number of 21,088 acute CO poisoning cases were diagnosed. The overall incidence of acute CO poisoning was approximately 0.021%. On severity rankings, 63% of confirmed cases ( n = 13,378) were mild, 27% (n = 5635) were moderate, and 10% ( n = 2075) were severe. Interestingly, the coastal cities had more confirmed cases than the inland/suburban areas in Shandong. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases was negatively correlated with the local mean daily temperature ( P = 0.0167). Conclusions::Mild acute CO poisoning cases accounted for the majority of all confirmed cases during the winter of 2019. In Shandong province, which is located in east China, residents of the coastal cities are more susceptible to CO poisoning than residents of inland cities.

Objective:We aimed to compare the characteristics between elderly and non-elderly corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19)patients, especially patients with different severity, in order to achieve a good understanding of elderly patients' clinical presentations.Methods:Records of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized at Tongji Hospital from February 9, 2020 to February 29, 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.They were divided into the elderly(≥65 years old)and non-elderly(<65 years old)groups according to age.Data on morbidity, underlying diseases, clinical symptoms, laboratory test results, imaging characteristics and hospitalization outcomes were collected retrospectively and analyzed statistically.Results:A total of 51 patients were enrolled with 21 in the elderly group(41.2%), with an average age of(71.9±6.4)years, and 30 non-elderly patients(58.8%). There were 13 elderly patients(61.9%)exhibiting fever, representing a lower rate than in the non-elderly patients(27 or 90%)( χ2=5.764, P=0.016). Bilateral pneumonia was present on chest CT scans in all of the elderly patients, while it was seen in 83.3% of the non-elderly patients( χ2=3.880, P=0.049). The proportion of elderly patients with coronary heart disease(61.9%)or hypertension(26.8%)was higher than that of non-elderly patients.The usage rates of antiviral drugs, systemic hormones and antibiotics were all higher and the causes of death were all due to multiple organ failure in elderly patients. Conclusions:Elderly patients with COVID-19 possess special characteristics, showing atypical symptoms, and multiple concomitant diseases may be the reason for their poor clinical prognosis.More rigorous monitoring and careful treatment should be conducted for elderly COVID-19 patients.