ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Wendan Ningxin granules （WNG） on susceptibility to atrial fibrillation （AF） in mice with inflammatory injury. Methods100 C57BL/6 mice were divided into a blank control group， a model group， a low-dose WNG group （2.34 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， a high-dose WNG group （4.68 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and an amiodarone positive control group （0.091 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， with 20 mice in each group. Except for the blank control group， mice in other groups received intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide （LPS） to establish an inflammatory injury model. Treatment groups received continuous intragastric administration of their respective interventions for four weeks. During the fourth week， the treatment groups received LPS injections concurrently with their treatments. The blank control and model groups received distilled water （10 mL·kg^-1·d^-1） by gavage， with a gavage volume of 10 mL·kg^-1 for all groups， once daily. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Sirius red staining were used to observe atrial tissue morphology and fibrosis degree. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） in mouse atrial tissue. Electrophysiological detection was performed using a multi-channel electrophysiology mapping system to measure AF inducibility， AF duration， and atrial effective refractory period （AERP）. High-resolution optical mapping was used to measure action potential duration （APD） dispersion， conduction heterogeneity index， and calcium transient （CaT） dispersion. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mRNA expression of proteins related to diastolic calcium leakage in mouse atria： Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ（CaMKⅡ）， ryanodine receptor 2（RyR2）， sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase （SERCA）， and sodium-calcium exchanger （NCX）. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of CaMKII， RyR2， SERCA， and NCX proteins in myocardial tissue from each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure serum levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）. ResultsPathological staining results showed that compared with the blank control group， the model group exhibited disrupted atrial tissue structure， inflammatory cell infiltration， atrial fibrosis， and diffuse infiltration of numerous brown α-SMA positive cells in the atrial interstitium （P<0.01）. AF could be induced by electrical stimulation with a longer duration. AERP was shortened， while APD dispersion， conduction heterogeneity index， and CaT dispersion were increased （P<0.01）. The expression of proteins associated with diastolic calcium leakage， including CaMKⅡ， RyR2， and NCX1， showed elevated mRNA and protein levels， whereas SERCA2a mRNA and protein expression decreased （P<0.05）. Serum levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， intervention with WNG alleviated cardiac structural damage， reduced inflammatory cell infiltration， improved atrial fibrosis， and reduced the diffuse infiltration of α-SMA positive cells （P<0.01）. AF inducibility and AF duration upon electrical stimulation were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， AERP was prolonged （P<0.05）， mRNA and protein expression of CaMKⅡ， RyR2， and NCX1-proteins associated with diastolic calcium leakage-were reduced， whilst mRNA and protein expression of SERCA2a increased （P<0.05）， and serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionBoth low‑ and high‑dose WNG can effectively reduce susceptibility to inflammation-related AF. The mechanism by which WNG reduce AF susceptibility may be related to regulating proteins involved in sarcoplasmic reticulum diastolic calcium leak， thereby improving cardiac electrical remodeling， and alleviating inflammation-induced myocardial fibrosis， thus improving cardiac structural remodeling.

Dysphagia is the main complication of chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Recently, the advancement of multidisciplinary treatment has achieved a higher tumor control rate, but also a higher incidence of late radiation-induced dysphagia in head and neck cancer. Radiation-induced dysphagia leads to prolonged unnatural feeding, nutritional deficiency, weight loss, and also has a major risk for silent aspiration and aspiration pneumonia, which significantly reduces the quality of life of patients. Besides, late radiation-induced dysphagia is the main reason for limiting the intensity of treatment. Therefore, it is of great significance to deeply understand the pathogenesis of radiation-induced dysphagia and actively explore effective prevention and treatment measures to improve the survival rate and quality of life in head and neck cancer. This paper summarizes the pathogenesis, occurrence, risk factors of radiation-induced dysphagia in head and neck cancer, as well as the progress in the measurement and reporting methods, prevention and treatment strategies.

Objective:To investigate the molecular features of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) caused by coxsackievirus A10 (CVA10) in Qingdao and analyze the clinical features of mild and severe cases.Methods:A total of 6 677 cases of HFMD routinely monitored by Qingdao Women and Children Hospital from 2014 to 2021 were enrolled. Throat swab samples were collected. Clinical data of these cases were retrospectively analyzed. Virus nucleic acid was extracted from the samples and the serotypes of enteroviruses were identified. The VP1 genes of CVA10 strains were amplified and sequenced. A phylogenetic tree based on the VP1 gene sequences was constructed using MEGA7. 0 software. SPSS23.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results:There were 285 cases positive for CVA10, including 183 males and 102 females, and children under five years old accounted for 89.8%. Most of CVA10 infection occurred between the months of April to September. The count of white blood cells, the percentage of neutrophils, the concentration of hemoglobin, and the levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase were significantly higher in severe patients than in mild patients. Besides, chest radiography and brain CT revealed more abnormalities in severe patients, and the duration of ECG monitoring was longer in them. Compared with mild cases, severe cases developed rash early than fever with rash mostly on buttocks ( P<0.05). Phylogenetic analysis showed that most of the CVA10 strains circulating in Qingdao between 2014 and 2021 belonged to clade Ⅰ, and there were two variations A23V and I283V in the amino acid sequence of clade Ⅰ. Conclusions:This study showed that children of all ages were susceptible to CVA10, especially those under five years old. CVA10 showed complex and diverse epidemic trends in different regions and years.

Objective:To investigate and analyze the effect of ubiquitin-editing protein A20 on monocytes activity in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Methods:Twenty-four VAP patients (VAP group) and twelve healthy controls (control group) were included from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between February 2019 and September 2019. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (both infection site and non-infection site) were collected from VAP patients, while PBMCs were collected from healthy controls. A20 level in CD14 + monocytes were measured. CD14 + monocytes and CD4 + T cells were purified from VAP patients. CD14 + monocytes were transfected by A20 siRNA. Transfected CD14 + monocytes were directly/indirectly co-cultured with autologous CD4 + T cells. The secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) by CD4 + T cells was investigated. Transfected CD14 + monocytes were directly/indirectly co-cultured with NCI-H889 cells. Cytotoxicity, and cytokines/granzyme B level, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)/Fas ligand (FasL) level was assessed. Student t test or SNK-q test was used for comparison. Results:VAP group had elevated percentage of circulating CD14 +A20 + cells than control group [(66.14±19.62)% vs. (52.52±13.71)%, P<0.05], and also had increased A20 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) than control group [(268.0±72.56) vs. (197.4±60.01), P<0.05]. The percentage of CD14 +A20 + cells in BALF from infection site was higher than from non-infection site in VAP group [(66.14±19.62)% vs. (52.52±13.71)%, P<0.05], while A20 MFI in infection site was also up-regulated compared with non-infection site [(268.0±72.56) vs. (197.4±60.01), P<0.05]. In direct contact co-culture, A20 siRNA transfected CD14 + monocytes, which were purified from peripheral blood and BALF of VAP patients, induced elevated percentage of IFN-γ and IL-17 secreting CD4 + T cells than un-transfection or control siRNA transfection ( P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences of CD4 +IFN-γ + or CD4 +IL-17 + percentages among un-transfection, control siRNA transfection, and A20 siRNA transfection ( P>0.05). A20 siRNA transfected CD14 + monocytes, which were purified from peripheral blood and BALF of VAP patients, induced increased target cell death in both direct and indirect contact co-culture than un-transfection or control siRNA transfection ( P<0.05). Tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, granzyme B level and TRAIL MFI was also up-regulated ( P<0.05). There was no remarkable difference of target cell death between direct and indirect contact co-culture ( P>0.05). Conclusions:A20 was increasingly expressed in monocytes of VAP patients, and might dampen the activity of monocytes.

Based on ASP.NET framework, The Intelligent Estimated System for Rational Deployment of Medical Equipment (MERDIS) is designed and developed with SQL Server 2012 database and C# language. The system is used to realize the rational deployment suggestions and evaluation of medical equipment in hospitals. The system input the data of hospital medical equipment and clinical pathway into the database, and then feedback the deployment information to users which are calculated by big data information, so as to achieve the purpose of giving rational deployment of hospital medical equipment.
Databases, Factual ; Equipment Design ; Hospitals

Repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) with homologous chromosomes as templates is the hallmark of meiosis. The critical outcome of meiotic homologous recombination is crossovers, which ensure faithful chromosome segregation and promote genetic diversity of progenies. Crossover patterns are tightly controlled and exhibit three characteristics: obligatory crossover, crossover interference, and crossover homeostasis. Aberrant crossover patterns are the leading cause of infertility, miscarriage, and congenital disease. Crossover recombination occurs in the context of meiotic chromosomes, and it is tightly integrated with and regulated by meiotic chromosome structure both locally and globally. Meiotic chromosomes are organized in a loop-axis architecture. Diverse evidence shows that chromosome axis length determines crossover frequency. Interestingly, short chromosomes show different crossover patterns compared to long chromosomes. A high frequency of human embryos are aneuploid, primarily derived from female meiosis errors. Dramatically increased aneuploidy in older women is the well-known "maternal age effect." However, a high frequency of aneuploidy also occurs in young women, derived from crossover maturation inefficiency in human females. In addition, frequency of human aneuploidy also shows other age-dependent alterations. Here, current advances in the understanding of these issues are reviewed, regulation of crossover patterns by meiotic chromosomes are discussed, and issues that remain to be investigated are suggested.
Cell Division/physiology* ; Chromosome Segregation/physiology* ; Humans ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Recombination, Genetic

The purpose of this study is to reveal the protective effect of rib cage on scoliotic spine by comparing the different effect of rib cage on the stability of normal spine and Lenke1 scoliotic spine. Firstly, according to X-ray computed tomography (CT) image data, four spinal finite element models (SFEMs), including normal spine without rib cage (N1), normal spine with normal rib cage (N2), scoliotic spine without rib cage (S1) and scoliotic spine with deformed rib cage (S2), from the first thoracic vertebrae to the sacral vertebrae (T1～S) were established. Secondly, the natural vibration characteristics of the four SFEMs were obtained by modal analysis. Finally, the maximum vibration amplitudes of the four SFEMs under external excitation were obtained by steady-state analysis. As shown in results, compared with N1, the maximum deformation of N2 segment T4～T6 in the -axis (coronal axis), -axis (sagittal axis) and -axis (vertical axis) directions decreases by 38.44%, 53.80% and 33.72%, respectively. Compared with S1, the maximum deformation of S2 segment T4～T6 in the -axis direction, -axis direction and -axis directions decreases by 44.26%, increases by 32.80% and decreases by 49.23%, respectively. As it can be seen, for normal spine, the rib cage can improve the stability of the whole spine in three directions; for the Lenke1 scoliotic spine, the rib cage can reduce the vibration of the scoliotic spine in the -axis and -axis directions and improves the stability of the whole spine in the two directions, while in the -axis direction, for the serious severe anteversion of scoliotic spine, the deformed rib cage exacerbates the vibration of the scoliotic spine in this direction and destroys the stability of the scoliotic spine in the -axis direction. This study reveals the biomechanical characteristics of rib caged influence on the stability of the scoliotic spine and it has guiding significance for the study of daily protection methods and protective tools for scoliotic patients.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Rib Cage ; Scoliosis ; physiopathology ; Spine ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vibration

Objective To establish the three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model of thoracolumbosacral T1-S spine based on the computed tomography (CT) images of patients with scoliosis and study its dynamic characteristics. Methods The established scoliotic model was validated by axial compression and shear loading, and the predicted responses were in good agreement with the experimental data. The modal and harmonic analyses were performed using the ABAQUS software, and during the harmonic analysis, the dynamic response of the model was collected at frequencies 5 Hz and 10 Hz. Results From the modal analysis, the first fourth-order modal was extracted. The first- and second-order resonant frequencies of the model were 1.097 Hz and 1.384 Hz, respectively, and the vibration mode was longitudinal bending and lateral bending, respectively. The distribution of the second- and third-order modal resonant frequencies were 5.688 Hz and 28.090 Hz, and the vibration mode was vertical vibration and twisting around the long axis, respectively. The peak amplitude in the harmonic analysis appeared near the modal frequencies, and the average amplitude of vertebral body of the lateral convex segment was larger than that of other segments of the scoliotic spine. Under the vibration frequencies of 5 Hz and 10 Hz, the stress inhomogeneously concentrated on the concave and convex sides of the segments of the vertebral deformity as well as on the intervertebral disc. Conclusions The segments of the spinal deformity in patients with scoliosis were the weak links of their spines and more vulnerable to damage in a vibrating environment. Patients with scoliosis should avoid a vibrating environment, particularly in a sensitive frequency range. The research outcomes provide methodological assistance and mechanical analysis references for the protection, rehabilitation treatment, and clinical pathological studies of patients with scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Inherent modal analysis and harmonic response analysis on the human normal lumbosacral vertebraehave been reported, but there is a lack of comparative research on their modal analysis results before and after pediclescrew fixation.OBJECTIVE: To explore the dynamic characteristics of human lumbosacral vertebrae using three-dimensional finiteelement method.METHODS: Finite element model of lumbosacral vertebrae (L1-S1) before and after pedicle screw fixation was developedand validated based on CT images, and the modal analysis and harmonic response analysis were then conducted.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Representative nodes were selected at the spinous process segments of L1, L3 andL5, and numbered as A, B, and C, respectively. (2) The maximum displacement of each node in Y and Z directions oflumbosacral vertebral model after internal fixation was significantly decreased compared with those of the normallumbosacral vertebral model, suggesting that screw fixation system plays a protective role in lumbosacral vertebrae, andreduces its amplitude under external load, thus diminishing its sensitivity to external load. (3) The lumbosacral vertebralmodal analysis can provide basis for further study on dynamic analysis, and the parameters such as natural frequency,modal shape and vibration amplitude of the lumbar spine have been determined.

BACKGROUND: In the patients with congenital scoliosis, the spinal motor units exhibit developmental disorders and poor range of motion. It has been found that the compensation ability of coronal lumbosacral region (L4-S1) is associated with the occurrence of non-compensable trunk migration postoperatively.OBJECTIVE: To establish the three-dimensional finite element models of coronal lumbosacral region of normal and patients with congenital scoliosis and to compare the strain, displacement, stress and stiffness under different loading conditions among models.METHODS: One normal subject and two congenital scoliosis patients with different coronal lumbosacral region flexibility were selected, DICOM image datawere obtained by spiral CT scanning at the lumbosacral region, and then imported into MIMICS software, and a three-dimensional model was established according to the gray values of each tissue on CT,followed by simplified by GEOMAGIC, and finally imported into ABAQUS foftware to conduct a mechanic analysis under different loading conditions.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Under different lateral forces, in the three models, the maximum stress mainly distributed on the frontal region of L4 cortical bone, and maximum displacement concentrated on L5. (2) There was no significant change in the stress distribution in the two scoliosis models, but the compensable model showed larger displacement change, and its stiffness was significantly less than that of the non-compensable model, indicating that the compensable model is easy to deform. (3) These findings suggest that three-dimensional finite element model is helpful to perform a biomechanical analysis for coronal lumbosacral region of congenital scoliosis, among which, a compensable model exhibits large displacement, suggesting a good flexibility.