Objective To explore the application value of anhydrous ethanol as an alternative to methanol in the preparation of chromosomal specimens from peripheral blood lymphocytes, and to establish a set of quantitative analytical methods for objectively evaluating the effectiveness of specimen preparation. Methods Residual blood samples from routine laboratory slide preparation were used for lymphocyte culture. The standard slide preparation method was employed. The fixative in the control group was methanol and glacial acetic acid (3∶1). Four experimental groups were set up based on the ratio of anhydrous ethanol to glacial acetic acid in the fixative (volume ratios of 3∶1, 5∶1, 7∶1, and 9∶1 for experimental groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). A chromosomal analysis was conducted using an automated chromosome scanning/image analysis system to evaluate the morphology and dispersion of metaphase chromosomes in both control and experimental groups. Comparisons were made between the control and experimental groups regarding the dic + r aberration rate, ace aberration rate, chromosomal aberration rate, chromosome dispersion index, chromosome overlapping ratio, and dispersion index/overlapping ratio. Results Microscopic evaluation revealed that the preparation quality of experimental groups 1 and 2 was comparable to the control group. No statistically significant differences were observed in dic + r aberration rate between each of the experimental groups and the control (P > 0.05). All experimental groups except group 4 showed no significant differences in ace aberration rate and chromosome aberration rate compared with the control group (P > 0.05). Experimental groups 1 and 2 showed no significant differences in chromosome dispersion index, overlapping ratio, and dispersion index/overlapping ratio compared with the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion A mixture of anhydrous ethanol and glacial acetic acid at a 5∶1 ratio is recommended for use as a fixative in the preparation of chromosomal specimens from peripheral blood lymphocytes. A quantitative index system for assessing the quality of chromosomal specimens was established, enabling objective evaluation of slide preparation effectiveness.

Aim To study the effect of different hepa- ry.Methods First, heparin derivatives with different rin sulfation patterns on bleomycin induced lung inju- sulfation patterns,6-desulfated heparin (6-DeH) and N-acetvlated heparin ( N-AcH ) , were synthesized.Secondly, the effect of these compounds on BLM-in¬duced bronchial epithelial cell ( BEARS-2B) injury was evaluated via lactate dehydrogenase activity, MTT experiment, Annexin V/ PI staining and Hoechst 33258 staining.Then , immunofluorescence staining and West¬ern blotting were used to investigate the shedding of Svndecan-1 and the activation of c-Met by 6-DeH/Akt j j signaling pathway.Finally, a BLM-induced lung injury mouse model was used to further verify the protective effect of 6-DeH by HE staining, Svndecan-1 immunos- taining,bodv weight change,and survival rate.Results In the BLM-induced BEARS-2B injury model, 6- DeH was selected as the best candidate, which exerted their effect by competitively binding to BLM, thereby reducing the damage of heparan sulfate barrier (Svnde- can-1 ) on cell surface, and improving cell survival by activating the downstream c-Met/Akt pathway.In the BLM-induced lung injury mouse model, it was further confirmed that 6-DeH reduced the shedding of Svnde- can-1 in the early stage, and delayed the lung injury and fibrosis process.Conclusions 6-DeH protects the bronchial epithelial cells against BLM-induced lung in¬jur)' through inhibiting the shedding of Svndecan-1 and activating the c-Met/Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Norepinephrine infusion decreases hypotension after spinal anesthesia during cesarean section. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of norepinephrine infusion and ephedrine bolus against post-spinal hypotension in parturients. METHODS: In this double-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial, parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section were randomly allocated to receive norepinephrine infusion (0.05 μg·kg-1·min-1) just before spinal anesthesia continuing for 30 min or ephedrine bolus (0.15 mg/kg) just before spinal anesthesia. A rescue bolus (5 μg norepinephrine for the norepinephrine group, and 5 mg ephedrine for the ephedrine group) was administered whenever hypotension occurred. Our primary outcome was the incidence of hypotension within 30 min of spinal anesthesia administration. Secondary outcomes included maternal and neonatal outcomes 30 min after spinal block, and neonatal cerebral oxygenation 10 min after birth. RESULTS: In total, 190 patients were enrolled; of these patients, 177 were included in the final analysis. Fewer patients suffered hypotension in the norepinephrine group than in the ephedrine group (29.5% vs. 44.9%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28-0.95, P = 0.034). Moreover, the tachycardia frequency was lower in the norepinephrine group than in the ephedrine group (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.11-0.44, P < 0.001), and patients suffered less nausea and vomiting (OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.11-0.70, P = 0.004). There was no difference in Apgar scores and umbilical arterial blood gas analysis between the two groups. However, neonatal cerebral regional saturations were significantly higher after birth in the norepinephrine group than in the ephedrine group (mean difference: 2.0%, 95% CI: 0.55%-3.45%, P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing elective cesarean section with spinal anesthesia, norepinephrine infusion compared to ephedrine bolus resulted in less hypotension and tachycardia, and exhibited potential neonatal benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02542748; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT02542748.
Anesthesia, Spinal/adverse effects* ; Cesarean Section/adverse effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Hypotension/prevention & control* ; Infant, Newborn ; Phenylephrine ; Pregnancy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Vasoconstrictor Agents/therapeutic use*

Objective To investigate the clinical features, laboratory findings, chest CT findings and treatment of patients with COVID-19, and to analyze their relationship with prognosis. Methods From January to February 2020, the clinical data on the 42 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the Wenzhou Sixth People′s Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Results The clinical symptoms of the 42 cases included fever (35 cases), cough (26 cases), fatigue (14 cases), aspiration (9 cases), sore throat (4 cases), muscle ache (5 cases), headache (2 cases), nausea (4 cases), diarrhea (6 cases) and abdominal pain (1 case).The absolute number of blood lymphocyte decreased to different degrees in 22 cases.Fourteen cases had lactate dehydrogenase obviously, with no obvious change in procalcitonin.The imaging manifestations were cloud-like and ground-glass-like high density shadows scattered outside the lungs, small flaky consolidation and bronchus inflating sign were seen locally.A few images showed diffuse high density, most of the lesions showed consolidation or striate change, and local fibrosis was formed in the lower lobes of both lungs. Conclusion Fever and cough are the first symptoms of COVID-19, and a few cases are associated with shortness of breath and diarrhea, accompanied by different degrees of systemic symptoms, but most of the patients improve their conditions after active antivirus, anti-infection, systematic symptoms improvement and supportive treatment.The disease is highly infectious and its condition changes rapidly.Therefore, early detection, early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of the whole body as soon as possible are the keys to treatment.

The chemical constituents of Viburnum taitoense Hayata were investigated using column chromatography silica gel and Sephadex LH-20, etc. Seven pentacyclic triterpenoids were isolated and their structures were elucidated by spectral data and physicochemical properties as 3β,6β-dihydroxy olean-11,13(18)-dien-28-acid (1), 3β-hydroxy olean-11,13(18)-diene-28-acid (2), 12-ene-olean-28-acid-3β-palmitate (3), 3β-acetylcocodiol (4), corosolic acid (5), uvaol (6) and ursolic acid (7). Among them, compound 1 is a new oleanane type triterpenoid and its absolute configuration was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Compounds 2-5 were isolated from this genus for the first time. All the compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, and compound 5 showed significant inhibitory activity against nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells with an IC₅₀ of 25.52 ± 0.56 μmol·L^-1 when compared to the positive control, quercetin (IC₅₀ of 25.46 ± 0.62 μmol·L^-1).

BACKGROUND: Previous Caucasian studies have described venous thromboembolism in pregnancy; however, little is known about its incidence during pregnancy and early postpartum period in the Chinese population. We investigated the risk of venous thromboembolism in a “real-world” cohort of pregnant Chinese women with no prior history of venous thromboembolism. METHODS: In this observational study, 15,325 pregnancies were identified in 14,162 Chinese women at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong between January 2004 and September 2016. Demographic data, obstetric information, and laboratory and imaging data were retrieved and reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age at pregnancy was 32.4±5.3 years, and the median age was 33 years (interquartile range, 29–36 yr). Pre-existing or newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus was present in 627 women (4.1%); 359 (0.7%) women had pre-existing or newly detected hypertension. There was a small number of women with pre-existing heart disease and/or rheumatic conditions. Most deliveries (86.0%) were normal vaginal; the remaining were Cesarean section 2,146 (14.0%). The incidence of venous thromboembolism was 0.4 per 1,000 pregnancies, of which 83.3% were deep vein thrombosis and 16.7% were pulmonary embolism. In contrast to previous studies, 66.7% of venous thrombosis occurred in the first trimester. CONCLUSION: Chinese women had a substantially lower risk of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and the postpartum period compared to that of Caucasians. The occurrence of pregnancy-related venous thromboembolism was largely confined to the early pregnancy period, probably related to the adoption of thromboprophylaxis, a lower rate of Cesarean section, and early mobilization.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cesarean Section ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Observational Study ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnant Women ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Venous Thromboembolism ; Venous Thrombosis

ObjectiveIopromide can induce injury to HK-2 cells, but its exact mechanism remains poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the influence of iopromide on ROS-NLRP3 inflammasome signaling in HK-2 cells.MethodsHK-2 human renal tubular epithelial cells were divided into six groups: control and iopromide at 37, 74, 111, 148 and 185 mgI/mL. The HK-2 cells in the latter five groups were treated with different concentrations of iopromide for 24 hours. Then the ROS level in the cells was detected by 2′,7′-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining and flow cytometry and the protein expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, NF-κB and TNF-α determined by Western blot.ResultsThe ROS level was significantly increased in the HK-2 cells treated with iopromide at 37 mgI/ml (4103.89±98.89), 74 mgI/mL (4450.12±108.90), 111 mgI/mL (5050.85±606.76), 148 mgI/mL (6210.57±145.74) and 185 mgI/ml (7105.13±426.63) as compared with that in the control group (2551.71±84.00) (P<0.05). Western blot showed markedly upregulated expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β and TNF-α in the HK-2 cells in all the latter five groups in comparison with the control (P<0.05) and an increased level of NF-κB after treated with iopromide at ≥111 mgI/ml (P<0.05).ConclusionIopromide may induce injury to HK-2 cells by activating the ROS-NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) represents the most common intramural mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract, but the synchronous occurrence of GIST in the stomach and gynecological cancer is rare. We present a unique case of a 56-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with the synchronous development of GIST and an isolated parenchymal splenic metastasis of ovarian cancer. She underwent a wide local excision of gastric lesions with splenectomy. A morphological (histological and immunohistochemical) study established a spindle-cell type of gastrointestinal tumor that expressed CD117, and a parenchymal recurrence of ovarian papillary serous adenocarcinoma. The patient has remained alive and disease-free for 30 months since the last operation. A small GIST concomitant with an isolated parenchymal splenic metastasis of ovarian cancer is rarely encountered. The coexistence of GIST with other malignancies constitutes an intriguing oncologic model. Surgeons are advised to be alert against possible primary GIST accompanying other neoplasms.
Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; complications ; Radiography ; Splenic Neoplasms ; secondary

OBJECTIVETo analyze the molecular characteristics and genetic correlations of Vibrio cholerae isolates in Hainan in 2008, so as to provide pathogenic proof to diagnose the plague.

METHODSSeventy six cholera strains were isolated from this cholera epidemic.69 strains were obtained from patients, 7 were isolated from external environment, among which, one was from patient's toilet, one from water sample, three were isolated from fish pond near patient's home, one came from swab of the patient vomit on the ground of health center and one from swab of kitchen knife from Hainan University canteen respectively. With conventional aetiological methods, pulse-field gel electrophoresis was conducted and the patterns of the 76 isolates were analyzed. The PFGE image was analyzed using BioNumerics (Version4.0, Applied Maths BVBA, Belium). Image bands were identified and similarity coefficient was automatically generated.

RESULTSSeventy six strains were isolated from Vibrio cholerae outbreaks in Hainan in 2008.5 PFGE patterns of patient's isolates in June were the same, sharing a similarity coefficient of 100%. 70 PFGE patterns of patients and water in October and November were completely same, the similarity coefficient being 100%. But they were not same as that of June. 1 PFGE pattern of isolate from the sample in Hainan University was different, only sharing a similarity coefficient of 79.7%, which showed no correlation with the outbreak.

CONCLUSIONDifferent outbreaks of Vibrio cholera occurred in Hainan in 2008. The epidemic in October and November at different counties was one outbreak. The pollution of water in environment was an important factor for outbreak.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; methods ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholera ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; DNA, Bacterial ; Disease Outbreaks ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; methods ; Humans ; Vibrio cholerae ; classification ; isolation & purification

Objective To compare the plasma proteome among male normotensive, prehypertensive, and hypertensive subjects. Methods Plasma proteome was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in this case-control study among well matched male normotensive, prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects (n = 26 each). Results The results showed that there were 22 differentially expressed protein spots among the protein samples derived from the 3 groups which corresponded to 18 proteins associated with inflammation and immunity, lipid metabolism, transport, coagulation and fibrinolysis, cell proliferation and apoptosis, and antioxidation. Conclusion Proteins were differentially expressed in male subjects with various blood pressure levels.