1.Association between plant-based dietary patterns and gestational weight gain among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus
SHI Meiqi ; YIN Yuhua ; WANG Xuhong ; FU Yuanqing ; MIAO Zelei ; HU Wensheng
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(5):503-506
Objective:
To investigate the association between plant-based dietary patterns and gestational weight gain (GWG) among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), so as to provide the evidence for guiding the reasonable diet during pregnancy.
Methods:
GDM pregnant women who participated in the WeBirth project in Hangzhou Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital were selected. Maternal age and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) were collected. The Chinese version of Pregnancy Physical Activity questionnaire was used to assess the daily activity equivalent. The food frequency questionnaire was used to collect the frequency and amount of food intake in the last month before enrollment. The overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (HPDI), and unhealthy plant-based diet index (UPDI) were constructed based on food intake and grouped by quartiles. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association between plant-based dietary patterns and GWG.
Results:
A total of 1 943 pregnant women with GDM, with a median age of 30.91 (interquartile range, 4.92) years. The median BMI of pre-pregnancy was 21.51 (interquartile range, 4.06) kg/m2. The medians of PDI, HPDI and UPDI were 32.42 (interquartile range, 4.60), 32.48 (interquartile range, 4.41) and 32.40 (interquartile range, 5.36), respectively. The median of GWG was 11.30 (interquartile range, 4.52) kg. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that PDI (Q3 group, β=0.674, 95%CI: 0.064-1.285; Q4 group, β=0.702, 95%CI: 0.098-1.306), UPDI (Q3 group, β=1.332, 95%CI: 0.771-1.894; Q4 group, β=1.115, 95%CI: 0.550-1.681) were positively associated with GWG after adjusting for age, pre-pregnancy BMI, daily activity equivalent and daily energy intake. No significant association was found between HPDI and GWG (all P>0.05).
Conclusion
UPDI was associated with a higher risk of GWG in pregnant women with GDM.
2.Analysis of Animal Models of Allergic Asthma Based on Data Mining
Han WU ; Zhixiang HU ; Meiqi JI ; Hao YIN ; Yu'e LYU ; Chuntao ZHAI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):211-217
ObjectiveTo provide a basis for the establishment of an ideal animal model of allergic asthma by statistically analyzing the modeling characteristics and the selection of indicators of the available models. MethodsWe retrieved the relevant articles from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), VIP, Wanfang Data, SinoMed, and PubMed with "allergic asthma" as the keyword and the time interval from January 2019 to January 2024. Through integrating the literature and extracting data, we used Excel 2021 to create a personal database and sorted out the animal strains, genders, allergenic substances, modeling routes, and test indicators and methods. Excel 2021, Cytoscape 3.10.2, and SPSS Modeler 18.0 were then used to analyze the relevant characteristics of the animal models. ResultsA total of 418 articles were included in the database, and the comparative analysis showed that the most frequently used animal strain for modeling was BALB/c mice, and female animals were mostly used. The main modeling method was sensitization by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA), which was combined with intranasal inhalation. The test indicators mainly included appearance signs, cellular analysis, lung histopathology, lung function indicators, and protein and gene expression in the lung. The test methods mainly involved pathological staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and polymerase chain reaction(PCR) assays. ConclusionThere is no recognized modeling method or evaluation standard for the animal models of allergic asthma. Based on the results of data analysis, the OVA-induced allergic asthma model in BALB/c mice is recommended. The main criteria for evaluating the success of modeling are the general behavioral changes, the morphological changes of the airway and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue, the changes of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the serum, and the alterations of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
3.Comparison and evaluation of three different methods for preparing rat models of lumbar disc herniation
Hao YIN ; Meiqi JI ; Zhixiang HU ; Han WU ; Heng LYU ; Shengyun LI ; Lei LI ; Chuntao ZHAI ; Yue LYU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(14):2930-2936
BACKGROUND:Currently,there are various rat models of lumbar disc herniation used in experiments,each with its own advantages and disadvantages.The most common modeling methods include autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation and annulus fibrosus puncture models.OBJECTIVE:To establish two autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation models(with spinous process and mastoid process excision and with transverse process and mastoid process excision)as well as an annulus fibrosus puncture model,and to compare and evaluate the characteristics of the three models.METHODS:Forty male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 per group):sham surgery group,spinous process group,transverse process group,and annulus fibrosus puncture group.In the sham surgery group,surgical preparation was performed,the skin was incised,and the spinous process was exposed,and then sutured.In the spinous process group,L5 spinous process and transverse process were excised,and two pieces of tail nucleus pulposus were placed in the intervertebral foramen.In the transverse process group,L5 transverse process and transverse process were excised,and two pieces of tail nucleus pulposus were placed in the intervertebral foramen.In the annulus fibrosus puncture group,the transverse process was excised and annulus fibrosus puncture and intervertebral disc injection of interleukin 1β were then performed.Thermal paw withdrawal latencies were tested before and after modeling.Lumbar spine MRI was performed 2 weeks after modeling.Pathological changes in the intervertebral discs were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin-O-fast green staining.Immunofluorescence was used to observe CD68+positive expression.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Thermal withdrawal threshold testing results showed that compared with the sham surgery group,pain sensitivity and tolerance time of rats decreased significantly after modeling(P<0.05).(2)Lumbar spine MRI images showed that the spinous process and transverse process groups had obvious protrusion of nucleus pulposus tissue,which more closely resembled MRI images of patients with common lumbar disc herniation.(3)Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed that compared with the sham surgery group,nucleus pulposus tissues in the model groups showed varying degrees of degeneration,inflammatory cell infiltration,and degradation of spinal cord cells,with the appearance of cystic changes,among which the annulus fibrosus puncture group had the most severe pathological changes.(4)Safranin-O-fast green staining showed that compared with the sham surgery group,the boundaries of nucleus pulposus tissues in the three model groups were blurred,with extensive inflammatory reactions and varying degrees of degeneration in the annulus fibrosus.(5)CD68+immunofluorescence staining results showed that compared with the sham surgery group,the expression of CD68+in the model groups was higher and more widespread,with the annulus fibrosus puncture model showing the highest expression.All the three methods could be used to effectively establish rat models of lumbar disc herniation,with the annulus fibrosus puncture model established after excision of the transverse process being superior to the autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation model(spinous process+mastoid process),and the first two models being superior to the autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation model(transverse process+mastoid process).
4.Comparison and evaluation of three different methods for preparing rat models of lumbar disc herniation
Hao YIN ; Meiqi JI ; Zhixiang HU ; Han WU ; Heng LYU ; Shengyun LI ; Lei LI ; Chuntao ZHAI ; Yue LYU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(14):2930-2936
BACKGROUND:Currently,there are various rat models of lumbar disc herniation used in experiments,each with its own advantages and disadvantages.The most common modeling methods include autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation and annulus fibrosus puncture models.OBJECTIVE:To establish two autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation models(with spinous process and mastoid process excision and with transverse process and mastoid process excision)as well as an annulus fibrosus puncture model,and to compare and evaluate the characteristics of the three models.METHODS:Forty male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 per group):sham surgery group,spinous process group,transverse process group,and annulus fibrosus puncture group.In the sham surgery group,surgical preparation was performed,the skin was incised,and the spinous process was exposed,and then sutured.In the spinous process group,L5 spinous process and transverse process were excised,and two pieces of tail nucleus pulposus were placed in the intervertebral foramen.In the transverse process group,L5 transverse process and transverse process were excised,and two pieces of tail nucleus pulposus were placed in the intervertebral foramen.In the annulus fibrosus puncture group,the transverse process was excised and annulus fibrosus puncture and intervertebral disc injection of interleukin 1β were then performed.Thermal paw withdrawal latencies were tested before and after modeling.Lumbar spine MRI was performed 2 weeks after modeling.Pathological changes in the intervertebral discs were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin-O-fast green staining.Immunofluorescence was used to observe CD68+positive expression.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Thermal withdrawal threshold testing results showed that compared with the sham surgery group,pain sensitivity and tolerance time of rats decreased significantly after modeling(P<0.05).(2)Lumbar spine MRI images showed that the spinous process and transverse process groups had obvious protrusion of nucleus pulposus tissue,which more closely resembled MRI images of patients with common lumbar disc herniation.(3)Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed that compared with the sham surgery group,nucleus pulposus tissues in the model groups showed varying degrees of degeneration,inflammatory cell infiltration,and degradation of spinal cord cells,with the appearance of cystic changes,among which the annulus fibrosus puncture group had the most severe pathological changes.(4)Safranin-O-fast green staining showed that compared with the sham surgery group,the boundaries of nucleus pulposus tissues in the three model groups were blurred,with extensive inflammatory reactions and varying degrees of degeneration in the annulus fibrosus.(5)CD68+immunofluorescence staining results showed that compared with the sham surgery group,the expression of CD68+in the model groups was higher and more widespread,with the annulus fibrosus puncture model showing the highest expression.All the three methods could be used to effectively establish rat models of lumbar disc herniation,with the annulus fibrosus puncture model established after excision of the transverse process being superior to the autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation model(spinous process+mastoid process),and the first two models being superior to the autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation model(transverse process+mastoid process).
5.Effect of galectin-3 deficiency on mast cells activation and skin lesion in psoriatic mice model
Meiqi CHENG ; Zhu JIN ; Ding ZHANG ; Qiong WANG ; Yue HU ; Jin CHAO ; Decheng WANG ; Shan-Shan HAN
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2024;40(4):686-692
Objective:To investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of galectin-3(Gal3)on mast cells activation and skin injury in a psoriatic murine model.Methods:Imiquimod was applied to the bare skin on back of SPF(Gal3+/+)mice and their matched(Gal3-/-)siblings respectively once daily for 5 d to establish a psoriatic mice model.The development and dynamics of skin le-sions were monitored and recorded,scored.with the psoriasis area and severity index(PASI).The expressions of il-1 and il-17 in the damaged skin were detected by real-time PCR to compare the severity of inflammation between Gal3+/+ mice and their Gal3-/-siblings.HE staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of skin.The difference in morphology and distribution of mast cells were examined by toluidine blue staining.Immunohistochemistry and image analysis techniques were improved to assay the expression and distribution of activated mast cells markers such as tryptase and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT).Results:The typical psoriatic signs in-cluding erythema,scaling and infiltration were formed in mice after continuous administration of imiquimod in Gal3-/-mice,whereas Gal3+/+ mice just developed small scaling and mild infiltration.PASI score of Gal3-/-mice was significantly higher than that of Gal3+/+mice.In accordance,il-1 and il-17 were increased in the skin lesions of Gal3+/+ mice and Gal3-/-mice,but these inflammatory factors were more upregulated remarkably in the latter.Histopathology observation revealed that the epidermis of Gal3+/+ mice was slightly thickened,whereas thickened epidermis of Gal3-/-mice was more seriously and the rete ridges extended downward,with massive in-flammatory cells aggregation.Toluidine blue staining indicated that the mast cells were sparsely distributed and most of their structures were intact in Gal3+/+ mice,instead the mast cells of Gal3-/-mice were mostly in degranulation state with increased and distributed widely in skin.Immunohistochemistry staining revealed that tryptase and 5-HT,compared with those of Gal3+/+ mice,were increased obviously in the lesioned skin of Gal3-/-mice,most of them were concentrated in the epidermal in particular.Conclusion:The defi-ciency of Gal3 may result in over-activation and degranulation of mast cells at the skin in psoriatic mice model,which aggravates the occurrence of dermatitis inflammatory injury and disease progression in psoriasis,and Gal3 plays suppressive effects on mast cells acti-vation and degranulation at the skin lesions in this model.
6.Short-term voluntary exercise enhances the activation of endogenous neural stem cells inintracerebral hemorrhage mice with hyperlipidemia
Xiaoxuan HU ; Qian LIU ; Tongzhuo WANG ; Meiqi SUN ; Zixuan ZHANG ; Pengyu HUANG ; Yujia LUO ; Si WANG ; Haixia LÜ
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2023;44(3):396-402
【Objective】 To investigate the improvement of motor function recovery and the activation of endogenous neural stem cells (eNSCs) via voluntary exercise in mice with hyperlipidemia after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). 【Methods】 Four-month-old male Nestin-CreERT2: tdTomato transgenic mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for eight weeks. Type Ⅳ collagenase was micro-injected into the corpus striatum to construct mouse ICH model with the help of stereotaxic apparatus. Voluntary exercise (wheel running) was initiated on the second day after ICH and monitored daily for seven days. Neurological severity score (NSS) and beam walking test were applied to evaluate motor function and coordination. Liver and brain tissues were collected at day 9 after ICH and sliced for staining. Then the Nestin-labeled cells, Ki67+, and doublecortin (DCX)+ in subventricular zone (SVZ) were counted to evaluate eNSCs activation. 【Results】 ① Compared with those of mice fed by chow diet (CD), the body weight, blood glucose level, concentration of lipid metabolism factors and the number of Nile Red positive cells in liver tissue were significantly higher in HFD-fed mice, confirming hyperlipidemia. ② Compared with the sham group, NSS score increased and the distance of cross-beam walking of ICH mice significantly decreased, showing the deficiency of motor function. It could be rescued by 7-day wheel running, as shown by a lower NSS score and a longer cross-beam walking distance. ③ Compared with the sham group, the number of Nestin+/Ki67+ cells decreased and Nestin+/DCX+ cells increased after ICH. After 7-day voluntary exercise, the number of Nestin+/Ki67+ cells decreased but that of Nestin+/DCX+ cells further increased significantly. However, compared with ICH, the increase of Nestin+/DCX+ cells in ICH+Ex was not significant. 【Conclusion】 Short-term voluntary exercise during the acute stage of ICH improved the recovery of motor function and enhance the proliferation of eNSCs in mice with hyperlipidemia. This provides a new idea for further developing ICH accelerated rehabilitation strategy based on eNSCs.
7.Association between dietary patterns during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus
SHI Meiqi ; ZHENG Jusheng ; WANG Xuhong ; YIN Yuhua ; HU Wensheng
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023;35(11):921-925
Objective :
To examine the association between dietary patterns during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), so as to provide the evidence for guiding the establishment of healthy and balanced dietary patterns and reducing the prevalence of GDM.
Methods:
Pregnant women who underwent oral glucose tolerance tests in Hangzhou Obstetrics and Gynecological Hospital from 2020 to 2021 were enrolled, and their demographic information were collected using questionnaires. Pregnant women's diets during the past three months were collected using Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs), and dietary patterns were extracted using principal component analysis. In addition, the association between dietary patterns and risk of GDM was examined using a multivariable logistic regression model.
Results:
A total of 1 689 pregnant women were included, with a median age of 28.53 (interquartile range, 2.47) years and a median gestational age of 26.00 (interquartile range, 2.00) weeks. Five dietary patterns were identified according to pregnant women's types of diets, including meat-based diets, dessert-fruit-refined grain diets, plant-based diets, eggs-milk-nut diets and whole-grain diets, with a cumulative contribution rate of 58.76%. The prevalence of GDM was 24.57% (415 cases) among the study subjects. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that pregnant women with scores in the highest quartile (Q4) of the meat-based diets had an increased risk of GDM (OR=1.372, 95%CI: 1.043-2.055) relative to those with scores in the lowest quartile (Q1), and pregnant women with Q4 scores of the dessert-fruit-refined grain diets had an increased risk of GDM (OR=1.743, 95%CI: 1.397-2.432) relative to those with Q1 scores, while pregnant women with Q4 scores of the plant-based diets had a reduced risk of GDM (OR=0.382, 95%CI: 0.346-0.613) relative to those with Q1 scores.
Conclusion
A plant-based dietary pattern may reduce the risk of GDM, while meat-based and dessert-fruit-refined grain dietary patterns may increase the risk of GDM.
8.Re-examining near-death experiences from the perspective of consciousness research
Yan LI ; Yan CHEN ; Chengcheng NI ; Meiqi LI ; Yuran PAN ; Nantu HU ; Junfeng FENG ; Steven LAUREYS ; Haibo DI
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2022;55(6):491-496
Near-death experience is a unique consciousness, a self-related, mysterious and unexplainable experience, which occurs in life-threatening and non-life-threatening situations, and could be classified as"classical near-death experiences"and"near-death-like experiences (NDEs-like)", respectively. The classical near-death experience corresponds to the internal awareness experienced in unresponsive conditions, which can be used to explore the disconnected states of consciousness of human beings. Meanwhile, the near-death-like experience is a more heterogeneous state, which brings more possibilities for future research. This article reviews the research progress of near-death experiences in different situations, such as cardiac arrest, syncope and meditative state, etc. Researchers found that people with rapid eye movement invasion are more likely to have NDEs and ketamine-induced general anesthesia can be used as a reversible and safe experimental model. Although many physiological and psychological explanations of near-death experiences have been proposed, the definition of the phenomenon, the mechanisms by which it occurs and the identification of near-death experiences remain controversial. Research on near-death experiences in China is still in its infancy. As a field of consciousness research, near-death experiences can be used to explore the mechanism of human consciousness in an unresponsive state, and to provide a new direction for the scientific research of clinical consciousness.
9.Re-examining near-death experiences from the perspective of consciousness research
Yan LI ; Yan CHEN ; Chengcheng NI ; Meiqi LI ; Yuran PAN ; Nantu HU ; Junfeng FENG ; Steven LAUREYS ; Haibo DI
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2022;55(6):491-496
Near-death experience is a unique consciousness, a self-related, mysterious and unexplainable experience, which occurs in life-threatening and non-life-threatening situations, and could be classified as"classical near-death experiences"and"near-death-like experiences (NDEs-like)", respectively. The classical near-death experience corresponds to the internal awareness experienced in unresponsive conditions, which can be used to explore the disconnected states of consciousness of human beings. Meanwhile, the near-death-like experience is a more heterogeneous state, which brings more possibilities for future research. This article reviews the research progress of near-death experiences in different situations, such as cardiac arrest, syncope and meditative state, etc. Researchers found that people with rapid eye movement invasion are more likely to have NDEs and ketamine-induced general anesthesia can be used as a reversible and safe experimental model. Although many physiological and psychological explanations of near-death experiences have been proposed, the definition of the phenomenon, the mechanisms by which it occurs and the identification of near-death experiences remain controversial. Research on near-death experiences in China is still in its infancy. As a field of consciousness research, near-death experiences can be used to explore the mechanism of human consciousness in an unresponsive state, and to provide a new direction for the scientific research of clinical consciousness.
10.The significance of dissecting the laryngeal nerve in operation of thyroid tumour
Zhen HUANG ; Meiqi HU ; Weigang XU
China Oncology 2006;0(08):-
Background and purpose:There is controversial about dissecting the laryngeal nerve in operation of thyroid tumour in clinic. We adopted the methods of exposure of recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN) to study their deficiencies and benefits. Methods:We reviewed review 456 cases of thyroid tumour who were operated. In 266 cases, RLN was unveiled generally. In 190 cases that RLN was not exposed, had subtotal thyroidectomy with protection of amatomical region.Results:RLN injury did not occur in the exposure group. 4 cases occurred in non-exposure group(3 cases of temporary RLN injury and 1 case of permanent RLN injury). Among the 3 cases of temporary RLN injury, one was caused by the large size of tumour, the other two were caused by the location of thyroid tumor. One case of permanent RLN injury was a case of reoperation for recurrence.Conclusions:The familiarity of the anatomy and variation of RLN, and the exposure of RLN in thyroid operation, can reduce the rate of the RLN injury.


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