Objective To observe the repair effect and mechanism of Danhuang Powder-containing serum on high glucose-induced vascular endothelial cell injury.Methods Danhuang Powder-containing serum was prepared.Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)were cultured to be divided into control group,recombinant human epidermal growth factor(called"growth factor"for short)group,Danhuang Powder group,high glucose group,high glucose+growth factor group,and high glucose+Danhuang Powder group.After corresponding intervention in each group for 48 hours,the cell ultrastructure and autophagy were observed under transmission electron microscope,apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry,and the protein expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),epidermal growth factor(EGF)and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF)in the cells were detected by Western Blot.Results(1)The intra-mitochondrial ridges in the control group were clearly visible,autophagosomes and autolysosomes were fewer;mitochondria in the high glucose group were swollen and irregular,and appeared vacuolated;and the more typical autophagy-like structures were seen in the high glucose+Danhuang Powder group.(2)Compared with the high glucose group and high glucose+growth factor group,the apoptosis rate of cells in the high glucose+Danhuang Powder group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the high glucose group and the high glucose+growth factor group,the protein expression levels of VEGF,EGF and bFGF in the cells of the high glucose+Danhuang Powder group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Danhuang Powder-containing serum can reduce the high glucose-induced damage in HUVEC cells,and its mechanism may be related to the activation of mitochondrial autophagy,and the inhibition of apoptosis,as well as the up-regulation of the expression of VEGF,EGF and bFGF.

Objective:To analyze the etiological features and clinical characteristics of herpes zoster cases under 20 years old in Beijing City from 2017 to 2021.Methods:Herpes zoster cases were collected from a surveillance system in Beijing City from December 2017 to April 2021. The cases included individuals under 20 years old from seven sentinel hospitals located in two districts (Miyun District and Changping District). The basic information, the rash date of rash onset and the location and number of lesions were investigated at the first visit to the hospital, and the lesion swab samples were collected for laboratory testing. A telephone follow-up was conducted 21 days after the onset of the rash to investigate the degree of pain, duration of the rash and duration of pain. The individuals who still experienced neuralgia were further investigated for their pain condition at 90 days after the onset of the rash, to discover cases with postherpetic neuralgia. DNA was extracted from the rash fluid, and the ORF62 gene region was amplified and sequenced to obtain the viral sequence. The wild-type strain or chickenpox vaccine strain was identified by using sequence alignment, and the clinical characteristics of cases with different varicella vaccinations were compared.Results:A total of 78 herpes zoster cases under 20 years old were investigated during 2017-2021 in Beijing City, and 61 cases completed the follow-up survey. The age range of 61 cases was 1.83 to 20.54 years with a median age of 17.50 years. There were 36 males (59.02%) and 25 females (40.98%). Among them, there were 29 cases with the chickenpox vaccine immunization history (18 cases with one dose, 5 cases with two doses and 6 cases with unknown doses), 13 cases with no vaccination history and 19 cases with unknown vaccination history. Among the 78 cases, the herpetic fluid samples of 64 cases were positive for VZV, including 62 cases identified as wild-type strains and two cases as vaccine strains. The two vaccine strain cases were both 2-year-old girls who had received one dose of varicella vaccine and developed herpes zoster 3 months and 13 months after vaccination. Among the 29 cases with chickenpox vaccine immunization history, the majority had 10 to 49 lesions, accounting for 58.62% (17 cases). The trunk was the most common site of lesions, accounting for 44.83% (13 cases). About 51.72% (15 cases) reported "no or mild" pain intensity. The median ( Q1, Q3) scores for the worst pain, duration of pain and the time to crusting of lesions in the herpes zoster cases were 3 (1.5, 5) points, 10 (1.5, 12.5) days and 10 (6.5, 13) days, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the constituent ratio of the location of lesions, number of lesions and pain degree among the cases with vaccination history, without vaccination history and with unknown vaccination history ( P>0.05). There was also no statistically significant difference in the distribution of pain score, duration of lesions and duration of pain across the three groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Wild strains are the predominant pathogens in herpes zoster cases under 20 years old in Beijing City during 2017-2021. The varicella vaccination has no significant impact on the clinical manifestations of herpes zoster cases.

Objective:To analyze the etiological features and clinical characteristics of herpes zoster cases under 20 years old in Beijing City from 2017 to 2021.Methods:Herpes zoster cases were collected from a surveillance system in Beijing City from December 2017 to April 2021. The cases included individuals under 20 years old from seven sentinel hospitals located in two districts (Miyun District and Changping District). The basic information, the rash date of rash onset and the location and number of lesions were investigated at the first visit to the hospital, and the lesion swab samples were collected for laboratory testing. A telephone follow-up was conducted 21 days after the onset of the rash to investigate the degree of pain, duration of the rash and duration of pain. The individuals who still experienced neuralgia were further investigated for their pain condition at 90 days after the onset of the rash, to discover cases with postherpetic neuralgia. DNA was extracted from the rash fluid, and the ORF62 gene region was amplified and sequenced to obtain the viral sequence. The wild-type strain or chickenpox vaccine strain was identified by using sequence alignment, and the clinical characteristics of cases with different varicella vaccinations were compared.Results:A total of 78 herpes zoster cases under 20 years old were investigated during 2017-2021 in Beijing City, and 61 cases completed the follow-up survey. The age range of 61 cases was 1.83 to 20.54 years with a median age of 17.50 years. There were 36 males (59.02%) and 25 females (40.98%). Among them, there were 29 cases with the chickenpox vaccine immunization history (18 cases with one dose, 5 cases with two doses and 6 cases with unknown doses), 13 cases with no vaccination history and 19 cases with unknown vaccination history. Among the 78 cases, the herpetic fluid samples of 64 cases were positive for VZV, including 62 cases identified as wild-type strains and two cases as vaccine strains. The two vaccine strain cases were both 2-year-old girls who had received one dose of varicella vaccine and developed herpes zoster 3 months and 13 months after vaccination. Among the 29 cases with chickenpox vaccine immunization history, the majority had 10 to 49 lesions, accounting for 58.62% (17 cases). The trunk was the most common site of lesions, accounting for 44.83% (13 cases). About 51.72% (15 cases) reported "no or mild" pain intensity. The median ( Q1, Q3) scores for the worst pain, duration of pain and the time to crusting of lesions in the herpes zoster cases were 3 (1.5, 5) points, 10 (1.5, 12.5) days and 10 (6.5, 13) days, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the constituent ratio of the location of lesions, number of lesions and pain degree among the cases with vaccination history, without vaccination history and with unknown vaccination history ( P>0.05). There was also no statistically significant difference in the distribution of pain score, duration of lesions and duration of pain across the three groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Wild strains are the predominant pathogens in herpes zoster cases under 20 years old in Beijing City during 2017-2021. The varicella vaccination has no significant impact on the clinical manifestations of herpes zoster cases.

Objective To investigate the-75 G/A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of apolipoprotein A1 gene(apoA1)and its association with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)in pregnant women and to provide references for the exploration in the molecular genetic basis of GDM.Methods A total of 626 GDM patients and 1022 normal pregnant women,ie,the controls,were included in the study.The genotyping of apoA1-75 G/A polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)analysis.Total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and glucose(Glu)were measured by enzymatic methods.Plasma insulin(INS)was measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay.The protein levels of apoA1 and apoB were measured by the turbidimetric immunoassay.Results Allele frequencies of G and A were 0.718 and 0.282 in the GDM group and 0.713 and 0.287 in the control group,respectively.Distribution of the genotype frequencies was found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both the GDM and control groups.There was no significant difference in the frequencies of alleles G and A and the genotypes of apoA1-75 G/A polymorphism between the GDM and the control group(P>0.05).In the GDM group,the carriers with the genotype AA were associated with significantly higher levels of TC,HDL-C,and apoA1 than those with genotypes GG and GA did(all P<0.05).After the GDM patients were divided into obese and non-obese subgroups,the genotype-related apoA1 variation was observed only in obese patients,while the genotype-related TC and HDL-C variations were evident in non-obese patients(P<0.05).In the control group,carriers of genotypes AA and GA had higher systolic blood pressure(SBP)and HDL-C than the carriers of genotype GG did(all P<0.05).Carriers of genotypes AA had significantly lower Glu levels than carriers of genotypes GG and GA did(P<0.05).The control subjects were further divided into subgroups according to their body mass index(BMI).Analysis of the subgroups showed that AA carriers were associated with higher SBP levels in the obese control women only,while lower Glu levels were evident in both obese and non-obese control women.Conclusion These results suggest that-75 G/A polymorphism in the apoA1 gene is not associated with GDM.However,the genetic variation is closed associated with the plasma apoA1,HDL-C,and TC levels in GDM patients and plasma HDL-C,Glu,and SBP levels in the control subjects.The apoA1 variant-associated lipids and SBP variation is BMI dependent in both groups.

Objective To study and compare the clinical effects of cervical pessary and progesterone for preventing preterm birth in singleton pregnant women with a short cervical length(CL).Methods This study was a prospective cohort study.A total of 148 pregnant women with CL≤25 mm,as determined by ultrasound examination performed before 28 weeks of pregnancy,were included in the study.All subjects were admitted to West China Second Hospital,Sichuan University between August 2020 and December 2022.According to their treatment plans,the pregnant women were divided into a cervical pessary group(n=55)and a progesterone group(n=93).Spontaneous preterm birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy was defined as the main outcome index.Preterm birth(abortion)or spontaneous preterm birth(abortion)before 37,34,32,30,and 28 weeks of pregnancy,mean extended gestational age,neonatal morbidity,and neonatal mortality were the secondary outcome indicators.The pregnancy outcomes and the neonatal outcomes of the two groups were compared and statistically analyzed.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of preterm birth(including iatrogenic preterm birth,spontaneous preterm birth,and abortion)before 37,34,32,30,and 28 weeks between the cervical pessary group and the progesterone group.When iatrogenic preterm birth was excluded,the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth before 37 weeks was lower in the cervical pessary group(23.6%)than that in the progesterone group(41.9%),with the difference between the two groups being statistically significant(P=0.024).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth(including miscarriage)before 34,32,30,and 28 weeks.There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of neonatal morbidity,the rate of transfer to the neonatal care unit after birth,and the neonatal mortality rate between the two groups.Multivariate logistic analysis showed that treatment with cervical pessary was a protective factor for spontaneous preterm birth before 37 weeks compared to progesterone therapy.Conclusion Using cervical pessary to prevent spontaneous preterm birth in singleton pregnant women with a short cervical length in the second trimester can significantly reduce the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth before 37 weeks.

Objective To determine the levels of arsenic in food in Chongqing city,and to assess the levels of dietary arsenic exposure and the associated potential health risks in residents of Chongqing city.Methods By using the monitoring data on arsenic levels in food in Chongqing between 2018 and 2023 in combination with the local dietary survey data for Chongqing from the 2018 China Nutrition and Health Survey Program,and adopting the 2-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation,we made an estimate of the dietary arsenic exposure levels of Chongqing residents.The margin of exposure(MOE)method was applied to assess both non-carcinogenic risks(skin damage)and carcinogenic risks(lung cancer and urinary system cancers)associated with dietary intake of arsenic.Results Out of 4900 food samples,the detection rate of arsenic was 36.40％,with the average levels ranging from the median bound(MB)of 0.020 7 to the upper bound(UB)of 0.023 4 mg/kg.The highest average levels were found in rice and its products,with an MB of 0.0981 and a UB of 0.098 5 mg/kg.The daily average exposure to inorganic arsenic for residents of different ages,sexes,and places of residence was highest in individuals aged 3 to 6,with an MB of 1.046 μg/(kg·d)and a UB of 1.116 μg/(kg·d),and lowest among individuals aged 60 and older.Arsenic exposure was higher in males than that in females and higher in people living in rural areas compared to those in urban areas.In terms of non-carcinogenic risks,the MOE values for inorganic arsenic were always higher than 1 in various populations.As for carcinogenic risks,the MOE values were all less than 100 in various populations.Rice and its products were the main source of dietary arsenic exposure in Chongqing,accounting for 69.97％to 74.37％of the total exposure.Conclusion The non-carcinogenic risk caused by dietary arsenic exposure in Chongqing is relatively low,but there may be a certain level of carcinogenic risk.Continued attentions should be given to dietary arsenic exposure levels in young children.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread worldwide and threatened human's health. With the passing of time, the epidemiology of coronavirus disease 2019 evolves and the knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 infection accumu-lates. To further improve the scientific and standardized diagnosis and treatment of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in China, the Chinese Society of Perinatal Medicine of Chinese Medical Association commissioned leading experts to develop the Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection under the guidance of the Maternal and Child Health Department of the National Health Commission. This recommendations includes the epidemiology, diagnosis, management, maternal care, medication treatment, care of birth and newborns, and psychological support associated with maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is hoped that the recommendations will effectively help the clinical management of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective:To analyze the costs and effectiveness of five common screening modes and genetic screening for thalassemia in China in order to find the optimal way and provide evidence for the implementation of thalassemia prevention and control projects in Hunan Province.Methods:From June 2020 to April 2021, 12 971 couples from 14 cities and autonomous prefectures in Hunan Province were selected as the study population. The diagnosis of thalassemia was based on the results of genetic testing. Results of routine blood test and hemoglobin electrophoresis were collected and analyzed. The efficacy of five screening modes, at the cut-off value of <80 fl or 82 fl for the mean corpuscular volume (MCV), was analyzed by positive predictive value, negative predictive value, Jorden index and cost-effectiveness ratio. Sensitivity analysis was used to assess the feasibility of genetic screening at different costs after fixing the costs of routine blood and hemoglobin electrophoresis. The five thalassemia screening models are as follows: Mode 1: The woman had a blood routine test first. If the result was positive, the spouse required a blood routine test. If both results were positive, a thalassemia gene test should be offered to the couple. Mode 2: Both husband and wife were screened by blood routine and hemoglobin electrophoresis. If one or both of them were positive, both would be tested for thalassemia gene. Mode 3: The couple received blood routine tests initially. If either was positive, both should receive hemoglobin electrophoresis testing. If either was positive, both parties will conduct thalassemia gene testing. Mode 4: The woman was screened by blood routine and hemoglobin electrophoresis. If any one of them was positive, the woman would be tested for thalassemia gene. If the gene test result was positive, the spouse should receive thalassemia gene. Mode 5: Both spouses conducted a blood routine test. If either was positive, both would conduct hemoglobin electrophoresis test. If both were positive, both spouses should receive thalassemia gene testing. Gene testing mode: The woman would be tested for thalassemia, and her spouse would have thalassemia test too if her result was positive.Results:When using MCV<80 fl as the cut-off for diagnosing thalassemia, the Youden indices of the five prenatal screening modes in Hunan Province were 0.551, 0.639, 0.898, 0.555 and 0.356, while when using MCV<82 fl as the cut-off, the Youden indices were 0.549, 0.629, 0.851, 0.548 and 0.356. When the MCV cut-off value was <80 fl, the missed diagnosis rates of the five screening modes were 44.44%, 0.00, 0.00, 18.52% and 62.96%, and the cost-effectiveness ratios were 21 709, 250 939, 76 870, 138 463 and 92 860 yuan (RMB)/couple, respectively. When the price of genetic testing was lower than 55 yuan (RMB), the cost-effectiveness ratio of genetic screening was lower than that of Mode 3.Conclusions:MCV<80 fl can be considered as the positive criteria in blood routine screening for thalassemia in Hunan Province, and the cost-effectiveness ratio of Mode 3 (the couple received blood routine tests initially. If either was positive, both should receive hemoglobin electrophoresis testing. If either was positive, both parties will conduct thalassemia gene testing) is the best. Genetic screening has certain advantages with the decreasing price.

Nerve regeneration in adult mammalian spinal cord is poor because of the lack of intrinsic regeneration of neurons and extrinsic factors - the glial scar is triggered by injury and inhibits or promotes regeneration. Recent technological advances in spatial transcriptomics (ST) provide a unique opportunity to decipher most genes systematically throughout scar formation, which remains poorly understood. Here, we first constructed the tissue-wide gene expression patterns of mouse spinal cords over the course of scar formation using ST after spinal cord injury from 32 samples. Locally, we profiled gene expression gradients from the leading edge to the core of the scar areas to further understand the scar microenvironment, such as neurotransmitter disorders, activation of the pro-inflammatory response, neurotoxic saturated lipids, angiogenesis, obstructed axon extension, and extracellular structure re-organization. In addition, we described 21 cell transcriptional states during scar formation and delineated the origins, functional diversity, and possible trajectories of subpopulations of fibroblasts, glia, and immune cells. Specifically, we found some regulators in special cell types, such as Thbs1 and Col1a2 in macrophages, CD36 and Postn in fibroblasts, Plxnb2 and Nxpe3 in microglia, Clu in astrocytes, and CD74 in oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, salvianolic acid B, a blood-brain barrier permeation and CD36 inhibitor, was administered after surgery and found to remedy fibrosis. Subsequently, we described the extent of the scar boundary and profiled the bidirectional ligand-receptor interactions at the neighboring cluster boundary, contributing to maintain scar architecture during gliosis and fibrosis, and found that GPR37L1_PSAP, and GPR37_PSAP were the most significant gene-pairs among microglia, fibroblasts, and astrocytes. Last, we quantified the fraction of scar-resident cells and proposed four possible phases of scar formation: macrophage infiltration, proliferation and differentiation of scar-resident cells, scar emergence, and scar stationary. Together, these profiles delineated the spatial heterogeneity of the scar, confirmed the previous concepts about scar architecture, provided some new clues for scar formation, and served as a valuable resource for the treatment of central nervous system injury.
Mice ; Animals ; Gliosis/pathology* ; Cicatrix/pathology* ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Astrocytes/metabolism* ; Spinal Cord/pathology* ; Fibrosis ; Mammals ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled

Objective:To compare oxytocin combined with ergometrine with oxytocin alone in terms of primary prophylaxis for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) at the time of cesarean section (CS).Methods:This was a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled interventional study comparing ergometrine combined with oxytocin and oxytocin alone administered at CS. From December 2018 to November 2019, a total of 298 parturients were enrolled in 16 hospitals nationwide. They were randomly divided into experimental group (ergometrine intra-myometrial injection following oxytocin intravenously; 148 cases) and control group (oxytocin intra-myometrial injection following oxytocin intravenously; 150 cases) according to 1∶1 random allocation. The following indexes were compared between the two groups: (1) main index: blood loss 2 hours (h) after delivery; (2) secondary indicators: postpartum blood loss at 6 h and 24 h, placental retention time, incidence of PPH, the proportion of additional use of uterine contraction drugs, hemostatic drugs or other hemostatic measures at 2 h and 24 h after delivery, the proportion requiring blood transfusion, and the proportion of prolonged hospital stay due to poor uterine involution; (3) safety indicators: nausea, vomiting, dizziness and other adverse reactions, and blood pressure at each time point of administration.Results:(1) The blood loss at 2 h after delivery in the experimental group [(402±18) ml] was less than that in the control group [(505±18) ml], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). (2) The blood loss at 6 h and 24 h after delivery in the experimental group were less than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of PPH, the proportion of additional use of uterine contraction drugs, hemostatic drugs or other hemostatic measures at 2 h and 24 h after delivery, the proportion requiring blood transfusion, and the proportion of prolonged hospital stay due to poor uterine involution (all P>0.05). (3) Adverse reactions occurred in 2 cases (1.4%, 2/148) in the experimental group and 1 case (0.7%, 1/150) in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). The systolic blood pressure within 2.0 h and diastolic blood pressure within 1.5 h of drug administration in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05), but the blood pressure of the two groups were in the normal range. Conclusion:The use of ergometrine injection in CS could reduce the amount of PPH, which is safe and feasible.