Objective:To analyze the genotypes distribution of common and rare thalassemia in people of reproductive age in Huadu district of Guangzhou,enhance the database of thalassemia.Methods:Peripheral blood samples were collected for genotype analysis in Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Huadu District from January 2016 to October 2022.Gap-PCR and Reverse dot blot hybridization were used to detect common thalassemia genotypes.DNA sequencing was performed in samples suspected of rare genotypes.Results:A total of 16 171 subjects were identified as thalassemia carriers,and the positive rate was 44.41％(16 171/36 412).The genotypes of 114 cases(0.31％)were rare.A total of 10 845 cases were identified as α-thalassemia carriers(29.78％),and--SEA/αα was the most common genotype in those people,followed by-α3.7/αα and-α4.2/αα.A total of 4 531 subjects were identified as common β-thalassemia carriers(12.44％).The most common β-thalassemia mutation in the population was β41-42/βN,followed by β654/βN and β-28/β N.A total of 681 subjects were identified as αβ thalassemia carriers(1.87％),among them--SEA/αα compounded withβ CD41-42/β N was the most common genotype.A total of 48 cases were identified as rare α-thalassemia carriers,14 types of mutations,in which Fusion gene/αα was the most common.A total of 52 cases were identified as rare β-thalassemia carriers,11 types of mutation,in which βSEA-HPFH/βN was the most common.Conclusion:The thalassemia genotypes in Huadu district are complex and diverse.We should attach great importance to the detection of rare thalassemia genotypes.

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) have been widely used in regenerative medicine, but there is limited research on the stability of UC-MSCs formulation during production. This study aims to assess the stability of the cell stock solution and intermediate product throughout the production process, as well as the final product following reconstitution, in order to offer guidance for the manufacturing process and serve as a reference for formulation reconstitution methods. Three batches of cell formulation were produced and stored under low temperature (2-8 ℃) and room temperature (20-26 ℃) during cell stock solution and intermediate product stages. The storage time intervals for cell stock solution were 0, 2, 4, and 6 h, while for intermediate products, the intervals were 0, 1, 2, and 3 h. The evaluation items included visual inspection, viable cell concentration, cell viability, cell surface markers, lymphocyte proliferation inhibition rate, and sterility. Additionally, dilution and culture stability studies were performed after reconstitution of the cell product. The reconstitution diluents included 0.9% sodium chloride injection, 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 1% human serum albumin, and 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 2% human serum albumin, with dilution ratios of 10-fold and 40-fold. The storage time intervals after dilution were 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h. The reconstitution culture media included DMEM medium, DMEM + 2% platelet lysate, 0.9% sodium chloride injection, and 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 1% human serum albumin, and the culture duration was 24 h. The evaluation items were viable cell concentration and cell viability. The results showed that the cell stock solution remained stable for up to 6 h under both low temperature (2-8 ℃) and room temperature (20-26 ℃) conditions, while the intermediate product remained stable for up to 3 h under the same conditions. After formulation reconstitution, using sodium chloride injection diluted with 1% or 2% human serum albumin maintained a viability of over 80% within 4 h. It was observed that different dilution factors had an impact on cell viability. After formulation reconstitution, cultivation in medium with 2% platelet lysate resulted in a cell viability of over 80% after 24 h. In conclusion, the stability of cell stock solution within 6 h and intermediate product within 3 h meets the requirements. The addition of 1% or 2% human serum albumin in the reconstitution diluent can better protect the post-reconstitution cell viability.

Based on transcriptome sequencing technology, the mouse model of prediabetes treated with Huangjing Qianshi Decoction was sequenced to explore the possible mechanism of treating prediabetes. First of all, transcriptome sequencing was performed on the normal BKS-DB mouse group, the prediabetic model group, and the Huangjing Qianshi Decoction treatment group(treatment group) to obtain differentially expressed genes in the skeletal muscle samples of mice. The serum biochemical indexes were detected in each group to screen out the core genes of Huangjing Qianshi Decoction in prediabetes. Gene Ontology(GO) database and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) database were used to conduct signaling pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was used to verify them. The results showed that the levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG), fasting insulin(FINS), insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR), total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) in the mouse model were significantly decreased after treatment with Huangjing Qianshi Decoction. In the results of differential gene screening, there were 1 666 differentially expressed genes in the model group as compared with the normal group, and there were 971 differentially expressed genes in the treatment group as compared with the model group. Among them, interleukin-6(IL-6) and NR3C2 genes, which were closely related to the regulation of insulin resis-tance function, were significantly up-regulated between the model group and the normal group, and vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA) genes were significantly down-regulated between the model group and the normal group. However, the expression results of IL-6, NR3C2, and VEGFA genes were adverse between the treatment group and the model group. GO functional enrichment analysis found that the biological process annotation mainly focused on cell synthesis, cycle, and metabolism; cell component annotation mainly focused on organelles and internal components; and molecular function annotation mainly focused on binding molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis found that it involved the protein tyrosine kinase 6(PTK6) pathway, CD28-dependent phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT) pathway, p53 pathway, etc. Therefore, Huangjing Qianshi Decoction can improve the state of prediabetes, and the mechanism may be related to cell cycle and apoptosis, PI3K/AKT pathway, p53 pathway, and other biological pathways regulated by IL-6, NR3C2, and VEGFA.
Animals ; Mice ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Prediabetic State ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Interleukin-6 ; Transcriptome ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; Insulin ; Cholesterol

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To analysis and determine MR signs of Harris score ARCO stages 2-4 in osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH). METHODS: Thirty-four patients with ONFH of ARCO stages 2 to 4 who underwent routine MR, T2 mapping, 3D-SPACE sequence examination and Harris score were retrospectively collected from January 2019 to June 2020, and 3 patients were excluded, and 31 patients were finally included, including 23 males and 8 females, aged from 18 to 62 years old with an average of(40.0±10.8) years old. Among them 21 patients with bilateral femoral head necrosis, totally 52 cases, including 17 with ARCO stage 2 patients, 24 ARCO stage 3, and 11 ARCO stage 4. MR imaging signs (femoral head collapse depth, ONFH index, bone marrow edema, hyperplasia, grade and T2 value of cartilage injury, and joint effusion) were scored and measured on the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) workstation, and the cartilage quantitative parameter T2 value was calculated and measured on Siemens postprocessing workstation. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between various MR signs and Harris score, and then multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine impact of MR signs on Harris hip score. RESULTS: Femoral head collapse depth(r=-0.563, P=0.000), grade of cartilage injury(r=-0.500, P=0.000), and joint effusion (r=-0.535, P=0.000) were negatively correlated with Harris score by Pearson correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that joint effusion(β=-6.198, P=0.001) and femoral head collapse depth(β=-4.085, P=0.014) had a significant negative impact on Harris hip score. CONCLUSION Femoral head collapse depth and joint effusion both had significant negative relationship with Harris hip score. It is recommended to routinely evaluate femoral head collapse depth and joint effusion quantitatively and gradedly, so as to efficiently and accurately assist clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Femur Head Necrosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Femur Head/diagnostic imaging* ; Bone Transplantation/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Treatment Outcome

Genetic risk factors have been shown to contribute to the development of sexual dysfunction. However, the role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene variants in the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) remains unclear. In this study, we recruited 1254 participants who underwent ED assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function-5. The MTHFR c.677C>T variant was also measured by fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No significant difference in the genotypic frequency of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism (CC, CT, and TT) was observed between men from the ED and non-ED groups. In addition, on binary logistic regression analysis, both crude and adjusted models showed that the risk of ED was not significantly associated with the C677T polymorphism. Interestingly, a significantly higher frequency of the 677TT polymorphism was found in severe and moderate ED (P = 0.02). The positive correlation between the MTHFR 677TT polymorphism and severe ED was confirmed by logistic regression analysis, even after adjusting for potential confounders (odds ratio [OR] = 2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-5.50, P = 0.02). These findings suggest a positive correlation between the MTHFR 677TT polymorphism and the risk of severe ED. Identification of MTHFR gene polymorphisms may provide complementary information for ED patients during routine clinical diagnosis.

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.
Adult ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Imatinib Mesylate/adverse effects* ; Incidence ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pyrimidines/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Benzamides/adverse effects* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic-Phase/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVE: Clinical characteristics and outcome in COVID-19 with brucellosis patients has not been well demonstrated, we tried to analyze clinical outcome in local and literature COVID-19 cases with brucellosis before and after recovery. METHODS: We retrospectively collected hospitalization data of comorbid patients and prospectively followed up after discharge in Heilongjiang Infectious Disease Hospital from January 15, 2020 to April 29, 2022. Demographics, epidemiological, clinical symptoms, radiological and laboratory data, treatment medicines and outcomes, and follow up were analyzed, and findings of a systematic review were demonstrated. RESULTS: A total of four COVID-19 with brucellosis patients were included. One patient had active brucellosis before covid and 3 patients had nonactive brucellosis before brucellosis. The median age was 54.5 years, and all were males (100.0%). Two cases (50.0%) were moderate, and one was mild and asymptomatic, respectively. Three cases (75.0%) had at least one comorbidity (brucellosis excluded). All 4 patients were found in COVID-19 nucleic acid screening. Case C and D had only headache and fever on admission, respectively. Four cases were treated with Traditional Chinese medicine, western medicines for three cases, no adverse reaction occurred during hospitalization. All patients were cured and discharged. Moreover, one case (25.0%) had still active brucellosis without re-positive COVID-19, and other three cases (75.0%) have no symptoms of discomfort except one case fell fatigue and anxious during the follow-up period after recovery. Conducting the literature review, two similar cases have been reported in two case reports, and were both recovered, whereas, no data of follow up after recovery. CONCLUSION These cases indicate that COVID-19 patients with brucellosis had favorable outcome before and after recovery. More clinical studies should be conducted to confirm our findings.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Brucellosis ; COVID-19 ; Retrospective Studies ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Treatment Outcome ; Case Reports as Topic

Objective To measure and analyze biological characteristics and aging phenotype of SHJH^hr mice and provide basic data for the application of the mouse model in aging mechanisms research and antiaging drug development. MethodsWith ICR mice of the same age as control group, the body mass growth data of SHJH^hr mice at the age of 3 to 16 weeks, the reproduction ability of 1 to 4 fetuses and the life cycle of SHJH^hr mice were measured. Blood routine (30 items) and serum biochemical indexes (25 items) of 6-week-old SHJH^hr mice were measured. The venous blood of 8-week-old SHJH^hr mice was collected for flow cytometry analysis to determine the content of immune cells. The aging bone structure of the cancellous bone and bone mineral density of SHJH^hr mice aged 4, 8 and 26 weeks were measured by micro-CT. Histopathological changes of bone and joint of 8-week-old mice were observed. ResultsCompared with ICR mice, the female and male body mass of SHJH^hr mice were significantly lower at the age of 16 weeks (P < 0.05), and the reproductive performance of female mice was low (P < 0.01) or did not have normal reproductive capacity. The shortest survival time of SHJH^hr mice was 57 weeks and the longest was 71 weeks, which was shorter than those of normal ICR mice, showing obvious rapid aging phenomenon. At the same time, some physiological and biochemical indexes of blood and pathological changes of bone and cartilage tissues also showed the accelerated aging and abnormality of animal physiological functions. ConclusionSHJH^hr mice have some biological characteristics of rapid aging as well as some physiological and pathological changes caused by aging.

Facial paralysis causes both physical pain and psychological distress to patients. It is difficult for a patient with facial paralysis to engage with a normal social life and at work. Progresses have been made in recent years in the treatment of facial paralysis. More attentions have been caught by masseteric to facial nerve transposition, which has advantages of adjacency in location, abundancy in nerve supply and reliability in the outcome and now has deemed an important option of facial reanimation. It has not been long since the application of the technique of masseteric to facial nerve transposition in China, therefore it still lacks a universal guidance on practice. In order to achieve the aim of better quality control and popularisation of the technique, hereby a consensus with suggestions on facial reanimation with masseteric to facial nerve transposition is proposed as the reference for surgeons specialised in facial reanimation. This consensus is proposed, discussed and drafted by experts from plastic and reconstructive surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, head and neck surgery and neurosurgery.