OBJECTIVES: To investigate the ethnic origin of Chuanqing people, one of the largest unidentified ethnic groups in Guizhou, China, and analyze its genetic relationships with surrounding populations. METHODS: Based on a self-developed microhaplotype system, we conducted genotyping and analyzed the genetic distribution of microhaplotype loci and their forensic applicability in Chuanqing population in Guizhou Province. Using the microhaplotype data from different intercontinental populations and previously reported data from Han population living in Guizhou Province, we systematically investigated the genetic background of Chuanqing people through population genetic approaches, including genetic distance estimation, principal component analysis, and phylogenetic tree construction. RESULTS: Among the studied population, the number of haplotype per microhaplotype ranged from 6 to 25. The average expected heterozygosity (He), observed heterozygosity (Ho), power of discrimination (PD), and probability of exclusion (PE) were 0.8291, 0.8301, 0.9387, and 0.6593, respectively. The cumulative power of discrimination (CPD) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) for these 33 loci were 1-2.62×10^-41 and 1-7.64×10^-17, respectively. Population genetic analyses revealed that the Chuanqing population had close genetic relationships with the East Asian populations, especially the local Guizhou Han population, Beijing Han population and the Han populations living in southern China. CONCLUSIONS The 33 microhaplotypes exhibit high levels of genetic diversity in the Guizhou Chuanqing population, highlighting their potentials for both forensic identification and parentage testing. The Han populations might have contributed a significant amount of genetic material to the Chuanqing population during the formation and development of the latter.
Humans ; China/ethnology* ; Ethnicity/genetics* ; Forensic Genetics/methods* ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Phylogeny ; East Asian People/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of the long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (LncRNA Meg3) in patients with the Wilson disease (WD) and its correlation with the severity of liver fibrosis and autophagy-related markers. METHODS: A total of 100 WD patients and 50 healthy individuals were enrolled from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine. Serum biomarkers, including platelet count, hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), type III procollagen N-terminal peptide (PIIINP), type IV collagen (C‑IV), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were measured, and the non-invasive indices APRI and FIB-4 were calculated. Peripheral blood levels of LncRNA Meg3, Beclin-1 and LC3B were detected using RT-qPCR, and liver stiffness (LSM) and shear wave velocity (SWV) were evaluated using two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE). The liver tissues from 10 WD patients and 10 patients with hepatic hemangioma were examined using histochemical staining, transmission electron microscopy, and RT-qPCR. RESULTS: The expression level of LncRNA Meg3 was significantly lower, while the levels of AST, ALT, HA, LN, PIIINP, C‑IV, APRI, FIB-4, LSM and SWV were significantly higher in WD patients than in the healthy individuals (all P<0.01). LncRNA Meg3 was negatively correlated with LSM, SWV, APRI, FIB-4, Beclin-1 and LC3B (P<0.05). ROC analysis demonstrated that LncRNA Meg3 effectively discriminated >F4 stage fibrosis (AUC=0.902) with a sensitivity of 92.9% and a specificity of 83.7% at the optimal cut-off value, outperforming APRI (AUC=0.746) and FIB-4 (AUC=0.661). The liver tissues from WD patients exhibited characteristic histopathological changes and lowered expression of LncRNA Meg3, which was negatively correlated with Beclin-1 and LC3B expressions (P<0.05). Liver fibrosis staging (7 S4 cases and 3 S3 cases) was significantly associated with LSM and SWV levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The expression level of LncRNA Meg3 is significantly decreased in WD patients, which is negatively correlated with the severity of liver fibrosis and closely related to the level of autophagy.
Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism* ; Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism* ; Adult ; Female ; Male ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration/metabolism* ; Case-Control Studies ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: Therapeutic angiogenesis has become a promising approach for treating ischemic heart disease (IHD). The present study aims to investigate the effects of Qishen Granule (QSG) on angiogenesis in myocardial ischemia (MI) and the potential mechanism. METHODS: In vivo study was conducted on rat model of myocardial infarction. QSG was performed daily at a dose of 2.352 g/kg for four weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiogram and pro-angiogenic effects were evaluated by Laser Doppler and CD31 expression. Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) was applied in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cell viability, wound healing and tube formation assay were used to test functions of HUVECs. ELISA and Western blots were used to assess protein expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2-delta-like 4-notch homolog 1 (BMP2-Dll4-Notch1) signaling pathway. RESULTS: The results showed that QSG improved heart function, cardiac blood flow and microvessel density in myocardial ischemic rats. In vitro, QSG protected HUVECs by promoting the cell viability and tube formation. QSG upregulated bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) and downregulated delta-like 4 (Dll4) and notch homolog 1 (Notch1) expressions both in rats and HUVECs. CONCLUSION QSG protected against MI by promoting angiogenesis through BMP2-Dll4-Notch1 pathway. BMP2 might be a promising therapeutic target for IHD.

Objective:To perform adenovirus detection and genetic evolutionary analysis on specimens from a fever outbreak in Kunming city.Methods:Pharyngeal swabs from typical febrile patients were collected and tested for nucleic acids of 30 common respiratory pathogens using TaqMan Array Card technology. The full-length sequences of three important genes of adenovirus, Penton base, Hexon and Fiber, were amplified, sequenced and typed using Nanopore high-throughput sequencing. A phylogenetic tree was constructed. Molecular variations and genetic evolution of the three genes were analyzed.Results:Five specimens were collected and all of them tested positive for adenovirus and Haemophilus influenzae. The sequences of the full-length coding regions of the Penton base, Hexon and Fiber genes were obtained by Nanopore sequencing. The homology of the three gene sequences in the five specimens was 100.0%, 99.9%-100.0% and 100.0% in nucleotide sequences, and 100.0% in amino acid sequences. The three genes in the specimens had the highest homology with those of the reference strain of human adenovirus type 3 (HAdV3, accession number: AY599834) in nucleotide sequences, which was 98.6%, 98.7% and 98.9%, respectively. Results of the phylogenetic analysis of the three genes were basically consistent. These Kunming strains were clustered into an independent clade with the reference HAdV3 strain and had a distant relationship with the strains isolated in foreign countries and Taiwan, China in the early years. They were closely related to the domestic and foreign strains in recent years and highly homologous to the 2019 Japanese strain (accession: LC703523) and the Guangzhou strain (accession: MZ540961). Compared with the reference strain, these Kunming strains had five amino acid variations in Penton base, 10 in Hexon and 11 in Fiber. Conclusions:All of the adenovirus strains isolated in this outbreak belong to P3H3F3 type based on the full-length sequences of Penton base, Hexon and Fiber genes. They share high homology with the domestic and foreign HAdV3 strains, including the reference strain. Compared with the reference strain, several amino acid mutations are identified in these Kunming strains, and most of them are in the high variability region or functional regions. M7L in the Hexon protein is an unique amino acid mutation site of Kunming strains.

Objective:To explore the characteristic of dynamic function network connectivity (dFNC) of resting brain networks in internet gaming disorder (IGD) adolescents.Methods:Forty-four adolescent IGD subjects (IGD group, male/female: 38/6) and fifty healthy controls (HC group, male/female: 40/10) were collected, and the subjects completed demographic questionnaires, Young internet addiction scale(YIAS), Chinese adolescents' maladaptive cognitions scale(CAMAS), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tests. The fMRI data were preprocessed on the Matlab platform, and the preprocessed data was divided into 64 components for group level independent component analysis.The dynamic functional connectivity of obtained 18 effective independent components was analyzed by sliding time window technique, and the difference of dynamic functional connectivity of brain triple network between the IGD group and HC group was compared using SPSS 22.0 software.Results:Four repeated dFNC states were identified through cluster analysis.Each state indicated that different functional networks had different connection strengths.State 3, the most frequent state, had been indicated that the whole brain network of the subject was in a state of weak functional connectivity.The second frequent state was state 1, which indicated enhanced functional connectivity within the subject's central executive network (CEN).State 2 had been indicated enhanced functional connectivity within the subject's salience network (SN).State 4 had been indicated generally enhanced functional connectivity in the subjects' brain networks, and this state was the least frequent.The results of non-parametric permutation test on the time attribute showed that compared with the HC group, the IGD group had a longer time score (IGD group: 0.24±0.19, HC group: 0.13±0.15, t=1.19, P<0.05, non-parametric substitution test) for state 1 with strong connectivity within the CEN, which was positively correlated with the YIAS score and game time ( r=0.418, P=0.003; r=0.515, P=0.004).Compared with HC group, the functional connectivity of ICD group between the internal insula of the SN and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was enhanced ( P<0.05, FDR corrected), while the average residence time in weakly connected state 3 was longer ( Z=2.09, P<0.05, nonparametric substitution test). Conclusions:The difference in dynamic functional connectivity of the triple network in the brain of IGD adolescents under resting state is mainly manifested by strong connections in CEN, functional connections between insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex in SN is enhanced, and weakening of overall functional connections, which may play an important role in the pathological mechanism of IGD.

Objective To analyze the risk factors of malnutrition in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy and construct a nomogram prediction model. Methods A total of 152 patients who received complete chemotherapy were selected as study subjects. After complete chemotherapy, the patients were divided into well-nourished group (n=46) and undernourished group (n=106) according to the nutritional evaluation results. Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the influencing factors of malnutrition in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy. A nomogram model was constructed to predict the risk of malnutrition in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve were used to verify the differentiation and consistency of the nomogram model. Results Among 152 patients with gastric cancer treated with chemotherapy, 106 were malnourished, the incidence rate was 69.74%. Male (95%CI, 1.232 to 6.292, P=0.014), no parenteral nutrition support during chemotherapy (95%CI, 1.528 to 7.781, P=0.003), hypoproteinemia (95%CI, 1.193 to 76.786, P=0.033), early satiety (95%CI, 1.259 to 82.652, P=0.030) were independent risk factors for malnutrition in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The area under ROC curve was 0.757 (95%CI, 0.680 to 0.833). The slope of calibration curve was close to 1, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was good (χ²=5.834, P=0.442). Conclusion Male, lack of parenteral nutrition support during chemotherapy, hypoproteinemia and early satiety are independent risk factors for malnutrition inpatients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The prediction nomogram model built on this basis has good differentiation and consistency.

Objective     To explore the relationship between preoperative fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in type 2 diabetic patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic lung resection, and provide a reference for prediction and prevention of PPCs in the clinic. Methods     A retrospective analysis was performed on the type 2 diabetic patients who underwent elective thoracoscopic lung resection for the first time in our hospital from January 2017 to March 2021. According to the level of FPG one day before the operation, the patients were divided into three groups: a hypoglycemia group (<6.1 mmol/L), a medium level blood glucose group (≥6.1 mmol/L and <8.0 mmol/L) and a high blood glucose group (≥8.0 mmol/L). Besides, the patients were divided into a PPCs group and a non-PPCs group according to whether PPCs occurred. The risk factors for PPCs were analyzed by logistic regression analysis, and the predictive value of preoperative FPG level on PPCs was estimated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results     A total of 130 patients were included, including 75 (57.7%) males and 55 (42.3%) females with an average age of 63.5±9.0 years. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared to non-PPCs patients, the level of preoperative FPG (P=0.023) and smoking history ratio (P=0.036) were higher and the operation time was longer (P=0.004) in the PPCs patients. High FPG level on preoperative day 1 and longer operation time were associated with PPCs risk. Besides, the preoperative FPG of 6.79 mmol/L was the threshold value to predict the occurrence of PPCs [AUC=0.653, 95%CI (0.559, 0.747), P=0.003]. Conclusion     There is a certain correlation between preoperative FPG level and postoperative PPCs, which may be used as an index to predict the occurrence of PPCs.

OBJECTIVE To analyze and identify the metabolites of isoimperatorin in normal rats in vivo. METHODS After the rats were intragastrically administered, the plasma, urine and feces samples of rats in normal and dosed groups were collected, and the samples were processed by solid phase extraction. Then, UHPLC-HRMS(Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS) high- resolution mass spectrometry was used to analyze biological samples, and the metabolites were screened and identified. RESULTS In both positive and negative ion modes, a total of 32 metabolites were accurately analyzed and identified based on the precise molecular masses obtained, chromatographic retention behavior, control mass spectral cleavage patterns, characteristic fragment ions, and relevant literature reports. The main metabolic pathways were furan ring opening, lactone hydrolysis, oxidation, methylation, glucuronidation, sulfation and their complex reactions. Among them, the glucuronidation product was discovered for the first time. CONCLUSION This study comprehensively clarifies the transformation pathways of isoimperatorin in rats, which can provide a basis for its pharmacodynamic study and metabolism study analysis of the other furocoumarins.

Objective:To understand the epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Yantai City, Shandong Province, and to provide scientific basis for the formulation and adjustment of brucellosis prevention and control strategy.Methods:The epidemic data, demographic data and case data of human brucellosis in Yantai City in 2019 were collected from the National Health Insurance Disease Control Information System and the epidemiological case survey of brucellosis in Shandong Province. Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the three distribution characteristics, clinical characteristics and infection routes of brucellosis.Results:In 2019, 158 cases of brucellosis were reported in Yantai City, with an incidence rate of 2.22/100 000 and no deaths. The incidence peak was from April to June, accounting for 43.67% (69/158). In addition to Changdao County, 12 other cities and districts had reported brucellosis cases, and Laizhou City had the largest number of reported cases, accounting for 39.87% (63/158). The ratio of men to women was 2.1 ∶ 1.0 (107 ∶ 51). The age of onset was mainly 40 - 69 years (75.95%, 120/158). Farmer was the main occupation, accounting for 83.54% (132/158). The main clinical manifestations were fever (114 cases), muscle and joint pain (107 cases), fatigue (95 cases), hyperhidrosis (85 cases). Patients had a clear history of livestock contact accounted for 58.86% (93/158). The main contact ways were breeding (68 cases) and slaughter (26 cases). Protective measures were taken in 18.28% (17/93) of the patients, and wearing gloves was the most common protective measure, accounting for 76.47% (13/17). The rate of hand washing after contact was 91.40% (85/93), of which 37.65% (32/85) were washed only with water and 62.35% (53/85) were washed with soap. The percentage of changing laundry after contact was 82.80% (77/93).Conclusions:The awareness and ability of personal protection of brucellosis key population in Yantai City are low. Improving the effectiveness of health education and behavior intervention is an important measure for prevention and control of the disease in the future.

Objective:To investigate and analyze a human brucellosis (hereinafter referred to as brucellosis) in Fushan District, Yantai City of Shandong Province, and to provide scientific basis for study the main risk factors and doing a good job in brucellosis prevention and control.Methods:Collect the epidemic data of one human brucellosis in Fushan District, Yantai City in 2017. The information comes from the infectious disease report information management system, the epidemiological case questionnaire of brucellosis in Shandong Province, and the medical records of medical institutions. The epidemic situation, cases and epidemiological investigation results were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Serological tests were carried out among 48 close contacts of the reported case and workers in the same village. Among the 3 positive cases, 2 cases had symptoms and positive bacterial culture results, which were diagnosed as confirmed cases. One patient was asymptomatic and negative bacterial culture, and was diagnosed as recessive infection. All of the three confirmed cases and one recessive infection involved in the epidemic had a history of close contact with infected animals, and without protective measures. The serological examination of 70 key people in the district was carried out and the results were all negative. A total of 166 sheep blood samples were collected, including 21 positive samples.Conclusions:The infectious source of this outbreak is the non-quarantine infected sheep. The main exposure factor is personal unprotected exposure to infected sheep. The key of prevention and control is to strengthen the monitoring and quarantine management of brucellosis among livestock, to improve the personal protection consciousness and ability of key population, and to improve the diagnosis ability of medical institutions in low epidemic areas.