Objective To establish an "human serum - porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAEC) - human platelets" in vitro model and explore the mechanism of xenotransplantation-related coagulation dysfunction mediated by immune complexes - platelet FcγRⅡa (CD32a) receptor. Methods Healthy human serum was co-incubated with PAEC to prepare the supernatant containing immune complexes, which was then used to stimulate healthy human platelets, or directly treated with the serum of xenogeneic liver transplant recipients. Flow cytometry was used to detect platelet activation markers CD62P and surface IgG binding levels, and the platelet adhesion function was evaluated by platelet-PAEC adhesion experiments. CD32a blocking antibody IV.3 and SYK blocker SKYIN 4 were used to clarify the signaling pathways. Results The supernatant from the co-incubation of healthy human serum and PAEC could significantly induce platelet activation and endothelial adhesion. The use of the serum from xenogeneic liver transplant recipients could also significantly induce platelet activation. Antibody IV.3 and SYK blocker SKYIN 4 could significantly inhibit these effects. Conclusions In xenotransplantation, the immune complexes formed by human serum antibodies and porcine endothelial antigens may induce abnormal platelet activation through the platelet CD32a receptor, which is an important mechanism of non-complement-dependent post-transplant coagulation dysfunction, providing a new target for the intervention of coagulation complications in xenotransplantation.

BackgroundMonitoring the blood concentrations of antipsychotic drugs and their metabolites can guide the adjustment of clinical treatment plans， improving therapeutic efficacy while reducing adverse effects. However， there is currently a lack of a method that can accurately and efficiently quantitatively detect multiple antipsychotic drugs and their metabolites. ObjectiveTo establish a ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS） method for the simultaneous identification and quantitation of 12 antipsychotic drugs and their main metabolites in human serum. MethodsUsing UPLC-MS/MS technology， protein precipitation method was employed for sample pretreatment. An Agela Technologies Durashell C₈ chromatographic column （50 mm×3.0 mm， 5 μm） was selected for chromatographic separation with gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.4 mL/min， and the total analysis time was 5 minutes. The column temperature was 40℃. The mass spectrometry detection was carried out in the multiple reaction monitoring （MRM） mode， and the isotope internal standard method was used for quantification. ResultsThe relative standard deviation （RSD） of the internal standard normalization matrix effect factor for 12 antipsychotic drugs and their main metabolites at low and high quality concentrations was all less than 15%. The extraction recovery rate was 85% to 115%. They showed good linear relationships within their respective standard curve ranges （r>0.995）. At low， medium， and high quality concentrations， the accuracy was 85.24% to 114.71%， and the RSD of intra-batch and inter-batch precision was all ≤14.15%， with good stability. ConclusionAll the analytical performance indicators of this method meet the verification requirements， providing an analytical means for the quantitative detection of antipsychotic drugs and their main metabolites in human serum. ［Funded by The Third Batch of Science and Technology Projects in Chaozhou City in 2023 （number， 202303GY02）］

ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity. Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), MEG based on optically pump magnetometer (OPM) has the advantages of higher sensitivity, better spatial resolution and lower cost. However, most of the current studies are clinical studies, and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology. Pain, a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon, induces intricate alterations in brain activity, exhibiting notable sex differences. Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG, specific properties remain elusive, and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain (induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)) on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique, to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception, and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling. MethodsThis study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA (100 μl, 50% in saline) in the left hind paw, with control groups receiving saline. Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection. For MEG recording, anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield, undergoing two 15-minute sessions: a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase. Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms, generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range. ResultsMEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared, before and after saline/CFA injections. Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre- and post-saline/CFA injections. Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states. Remarkably, female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states. Furthermore, despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment, female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection. ConclusionThese results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts. Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection, highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state. Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals. In addition, the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.

Objective:To study the correlation between iodine level in drinking water and conventional water quality indicators.Methods:From June 2017 to July 2018, a simple random sampling method was used to select administrative villages (communities) from 88 counties (cities, districts) in Guizhou Province with a sampling size greater than 5%. One drinking water sample was collected from each administrative village (community), and conventional water quality indicators (including fluorine, aluminum, mercury, selenium, sulfate, total dissolved solids and total hardness) were tested in accordance with the methods outlined in the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality" (GB 5749-2006). The cerium sulfate catalytic spectrophotometric method was employed to test drinking water iodine level. Spearman method was utilized to analyze the correlation between iodine level in drinking water and conventional water quality indicators.Results:A total of 904 drinking water samples were tested, with a median iodine level of 1.90 μg/L and a range of 0.10 - 36.70 μg/L. There were 899 administrative villages (communities) with a water iodine level of less than 10 μg/L, accounting for 99.45%. There were only 5 administrative villages (communities) with a water iodine level of greater than 10 μg/L, accounting for 0.55%. Correlation analysis revealed that in Guizhou Province, the iodine level in drinking water was positively correlated with the levels of fluorine, aluminum, sulfate, total dissolved solids, and total hardness [correlation coefficients ( r) = 0.11, 0.07, 0.07, 0.08, 0.07, P < 0.05], and was a negatively correlated with mercury and selenium levels ( r = - 0.12, - 0.12, P < 0.001). Conclusions:External environment in Guizhou Province is generally deficient in iodine. The iodine level in drinking water is positively correlated with the levels of fluorine, aluminum, sulfate, total dissolved solids, and total hardness, and negatively correlated with the levels of mercury and selenium.

Objective:To investigate the distribution of iodine in drinking water in external environment and the iodine nutrition status of key population in Guizhou Province, and to provide a basis for further precise implementation of prevention and control strategy of "adapting to local conditions, providing classified guidance, and scientifically supplementing iodine".Methods:From April to September 2023, a survey on the iodine level of residents' drinking water was conducted in administrative villages (neighborhood committees, hereafter referred to as administrative village) in 88 counties (districts) of 9 cities (prefectures) in Guizhou Province. At the same time, one township (town) was selected from each of the five districts of east, west, south, north and center of each county (district). From each township (town), 40 non-boarding students aged 8 - 10 years old from one primary school and 20 pregnant women were selected. Household edible salt sample and once random urine sample were collected for detection of salt iodine and urinary iodine levels.Results:The survey covered 16 492 administrative villages in 1 481 townships (towns), 88 counties (districts), 9 cities (prefectures) throughout the province. A total of 51 531 samples of residents' drinking water were collected, with a median water iodine level of 1.50 μg/L and a range of 0.01 - 98.70 μg/L. Among them, there were 16 284, 208, and 0 administrative villages with median water iodine levels < 10, 10 - < 40, and 40 - 100 μg/L, respectively, accounting for 98.74%, 1.26%, and 0, respectively. A total of 26 491 samples of household edible salt were collected from children and pregnant women, with a median salt iodine levels of 27.6 mg/kg. The coverage rate of iodized salt was 99.6% (26 395/26 491), and the qualified iodized salt consumption rate was 97.0% (25 708/26 491). And 17 657 urine samples from children and 8 834 urine samples from pregnant women were collected, with median urinary iodine levels of 222.1 and 164.4 μg/L, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in urinary iodine levels among children of different genders and ages ( Z = - 6.08, H = 19.17, P < 0.001). The results of correlation analysis showed that there was no correlation between urinary iodine of children and pregnant women and water iodine ( r = 0.01 0.02, P > 0.05), while urinary iodine of pregnant women was positively correlated with salt iodine ( r = 0.02, P = 0.041). Conclusions:The external environment of Guizhou Province is generally deficient in iodine. Under the universal salt iodization policy, children have sufficient iodine nutrition, and pregnant women have an appropriate level of iodine nutrition. Comprehensive prevention and control measures, mainly based on universal salt iodization, should be continuously carried out to eliminate the harm of iodine deficiency.

Objective:To establish a TaqMan-MGB probe-based method for detecting the polymorphic loci C677T and A1298C of the MTHFR gene.Methods:Specific primers and TaqMan-MGB probes targeting the C677T and A1298C polymorphic loci of the MTHFR gene were designed and optimized based on the gene sequence information.A real-time quantitative PCR detection system was established.Gradient dilution experiments were conducted to determine the limit of detection,and reproducibility experiments were performed to evaluate detection consistency.Specificity was validated using wild-type and mutant plasmid templates.The method was applied to detect 56 clinical samples,and its accuracy and practicality were assessed through comparison with traditional Sanger sequencing.Results:The TaqMan-MGB probe method demonstrated high specificity for detecting the C677T and A1298C loci,with no cross-reactivity between wild-type and mutant probes,enabling accurate genotype differentiation.Sensitivity experiments revealed detection limits of 1.13 × 103 copies/μL for C677T and 8.39 × 101 copies/μL for A1298C.Reproducibility experiments showed coefficients of variation below 1％,indicating stable and reliable results.Among the 56 clinical samples,the overall detection rate for the C677T locus was 86.99％,and for the A1298C locus,it was 97.92％.The TaqMan-MGB method exhibited good concordance with Sanger sequencing results.Conclusion:The TaqMan-MGB method exhibits high specificity,sensitivity,and excellent reproducibility in detecting the polymorphic loci C677T and A1298C of the MTHFR gene,making it suitable for rapid detection in large-scale clinical samples.This method provides an effective molecular diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis and prevention of folate-related diseases.

Objective To analyze the correlation between right atrial strain at various stages and various influencing factors in patients with pulmonary hypertension,and to explore the role of right atrial strain in the assessment of pulmonary hypertension.Methods A total of 239 cases diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension who underwent echocardiography and complete right heart catheterization at hospital from October 2021 to December 2023 were included.Conventional ultrasound parameters such as right heart strain,right atrial area(RA area),inferior vena cava diameter(IVC diameter),and collapse rate of the inferior vena cava(IVC diameter changes)were measured.The heart rate(HR)corresponding to the ultrasound images were recorded.General information such as age and gender,as well as catheter data including mean right atrial pressure(mRAP),mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP),and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),were collected.The relationship between right atrial strain and its influencing factors was analyzed,and further analysis was conducted by dividing into shunt group and non-shunt group based on the presence or absence of left-to-right shunt disease.Results The correlation with RA reservoir strain(RASr)from high to low is RV global strain(RV4CSL),RV free wall strain(RVFWSL),RA area,IVC diameter,mRAP,age,HR,and PVR;the correlation with RAconduit strain(RAScd)from high to low is RV4CSL,RVFWSL,RA area,IVC diameter,mRAP,age,PVR,and HR;the correlation with RA contraction strain(RASct)from high to low is RA area,RV4CSL,RVFWSL,mRAP,IVC diameter,and HR.The collapse rate of the inferior vena cava is correlated with strain at various stages of the right atrium;gender is correlated with RASr and RASct.Conclusions Right atrial strain can reflect changes in right atrial function,with the highest correlation to right ventricular strain and right atrial area.Right atrial strain can indicate the severity of right ventricular function and right atrial remodeling,serving as an evaluative index for the condition and treatment outcomes of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Objective To investigate the effects of ischemia time and storage periods on RNA quality in fresh-frozen breast cancer(BC)and esophageal cancer(EC)tissue samples in order to establish evidence-based protocols for biobank sample management.Methods The tumor(T)and paired normal(N)tissue samples from 6 cases of BC and 6 cases of EC were collected and cryopreserved in Biobank,Shantou Central Hospital.Mirror paraffin-embedded tissues were simultaneously prepared into sections for morphological analysis.The samples were divided into two groups of<15 min and 15-30 min according to ischemia time,and RNA quality was analyzed at 4 storage periods of 8-10 months(T1),14-16 months(T2),26-28 months(T3)and 38-40 months(T4).Results In 96 analyzed samples,93.8%(90/96)exhibited high quality(RIN≥6),with 89.6%(43/48)in BC and 97.9%(47/48)in EC.Significant differences in RIN were observed between BC group and EC group(8.050 vs.8.600,P=0.009).In EC group,RIN value was significantly negatively correlated with RNA yield(P<0.001).Moreover,RIN values of tumor-normal pairs exhibited markedly significant differences(7.550 vs.9.000,P<0.001).In contrast,no significant difference was detected in BC group(8.200 vs.7.700,P=0.348).Statistical analysis showed that RIN value was positively correlated with 28S/18S(P<0.001),but had no correlation with tumor content(P=0.676)and necrotic content(P=0.055).Neither ischemia time(<15 min vs.15-30 min:8.200 vs.8.300,P=0.932)nor storage periods(T1-T4:8.400,7.700,8.450,8.600,P=0.163)compromised RNA quality.Conclusion Organ origin and tissue type could influence RNA quality of fresh-frozen tissue samples.However,limited ischemia time(≤30 min)and long-term storage period(38-40 months)do not adversely affect RNA quality in fresh-frozen breast cancer and esophageal cancer tissue samples.

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is an early and significant cardiac structural charac-teristic that contributes to the onset and progression of heart failure(HF).Its mainly structural feature is the abnormally enlarged cardiomyocyte.Effective intervention targets for abnormally en-larged cardiomyocyte remain to be identified.Previous studies have shown that the cellular shape and size can be regulated by the actin related protein 2/3(Arp2/3)complex,which is an actin-binding protein complex involved in the actin nucleation and assembly.However,the roles of the Arp2/3 complex in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy remain unknown.Here our study identifies its no-vel roles in the occurrence and development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.We found that mRNA levels of all subunits from the Arp2/3 complex are significantly upregulated(P<0.05)in the an-giotensin II(Ang Ⅱ)-induced neonatal rat primary and H9c2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.Fur-ther studies showed that siRNA-directed ARPC2 silencing inhibits the reactivation of fetal genes and enlargement of cardiomyocyte area induced by Ang Ⅱ in neonatal rat primary cardiomyocytes(NRCMs)and H9c2 cells(P<0.05).In addition,the upstream activators of the Arp2/3 com-plex including SH3 protein interacting with Nck,90 kD(SPIN90)and Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1(Rac1)/WASp family Verprolin-homologous protein-2(WAVE-2)are upregu-lated(P<0.05)in Ang Ⅱ-induced neonatal rat primary and H9c2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy,indicating the excessive activation of the Arp2/3 complex.We further show that CK666,a specif-ic Arp2/3 complex inhibitor,prevents the reactivation of fetal genes and the enlargement of car-diomyocyte area induced by Ang Ⅱ in NRCMs and H9c2 cells(P<0.05).Our results reveal that the Arp2/3 complex plays a crucial role in Ang Ⅱ-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy,which is beneficial to further studies about the molecular mechanisms by which the Arp2/3 complex regu-lates pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Objective:To establish a TaqMan-MGB probe-based method for detecting the polymorphic loci C677T and A1298C of the MTHFR gene.Methods:Specific primers and TaqMan-MGB probes targeting the C677T and A1298C polymorphic loci of the MTHFR gene were designed and optimized based on the gene sequence information.A real-time quantitative PCR detection system was established.Gradient dilution experiments were conducted to determine the limit of detection,and reproducibility experiments were performed to evaluate detection consistency.Specificity was validated using wild-type and mutant plasmid templates.The method was applied to detect 56 clinical samples,and its accuracy and practicality were assessed through comparison with traditional Sanger sequencing.Results:The TaqMan-MGB probe method demonstrated high specificity for detecting the C677T and A1298C loci,with no cross-reactivity between wild-type and mutant probes,enabling accurate genotype differentiation.Sensitivity experiments revealed detection limits of 1.13 × 103 copies/μL for C677T and 8.39 × 101 copies/μL for A1298C.Reproducibility experiments showed coefficients of variation below 1％,indicating stable and reliable results.Among the 56 clinical samples,the overall detection rate for the C677T locus was 86.99％,and for the A1298C locus,it was 97.92％.The TaqMan-MGB method exhibited good concordance with Sanger sequencing results.Conclusion:The TaqMan-MGB method exhibits high specificity,sensitivity,and excellent reproducibility in detecting the polymorphic loci C677T and A1298C of the MTHFR gene,making it suitable for rapid detection in large-scale clinical samples.This method provides an effective molecular diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis and prevention of folate-related diseases.