Background: Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications. Methods: A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18–45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were established. Correlations with body-composition metrics, ethnicity, and the menstrual cycle were investigated. Results: The HPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high precision (intra- and inter-assay CVs < 15%), accuracy, and sensitivity. All eight hormones exhibited significant age-related declines (P < 0.001 for seven hormones; P = 0.001 for 11-OH A4). Notably, 11-OH A4 levels were significantly lower in the 35–45-yr (3.05 nmol/L) and 25–34-yr (3.09 nmol/L) age groups than in the 18–24-yr (3.57 nmol/L) age group, whereas no significant difference was observed between the 35–45-yr and 25–34-yr age groups. Weak negative correlations were observed between the body mass index and corticosterone and cortisone levels, whereas ethnicity and the menstrual cycle showed no significant associations with hormone levels. Conclusions We developed an HPLC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneously quantifying eight adrenocortical hormones, including 11-OH A4, and defined age-specific reference intervals for reproductive-aged Chinese women. These findings advance the clinical utility of adrenocortical hormones in diagnosing and managing reproductive disorders.

Objective:To explore effect of Astragalus polysaccharides(APS)through TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway on intesti-nal immune inflammation of rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome based on fecal microbiota transplantation.Methods:Rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome were fed with high-fat and low-protein diet and subjected to exhaustive swimming,transplant flora microbiota after intervention of APS.General condition,changes in weight gain,time of weight exhaustion swimming,spleen index and thymus index were tested.Pathological manifestations of duodenal tissue inflammation were observed by HE staining.Serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations of rats were determined by ELISA.Protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB p65 and IκBα in colon were determined by Western blot.Results:Compared with model group,general condition rating,changes in weight gain and time of weight exhaustion swimming in APS-FTG group were increased significantly(P<0.01);spleen index and thymus index were increased;pathological manifestations of duodenal inflammation were significantly relieved;serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were decreased significantly(P<0.01),TLR4 and NF-κB p65 levels in colon were decreased significantly(P<0.05 and P<0.01),IκBα level was in colon increased significantly(P<0.01).Conclusion:APS improves intestinal microbiota of rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome and inhibits TLR4/NF-κB pathway activation through intestinal flora,thus improving intestinal immune inflammation status in rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome.

Objective:To explore effect of Astragalus polysaccharides(APS)through TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway on intesti-nal immune inflammation of rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome based on fecal microbiota transplantation.Methods:Rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome were fed with high-fat and low-protein diet and subjected to exhaustive swimming,transplant flora microbiota after intervention of APS.General condition,changes in weight gain,time of weight exhaustion swimming,spleen index and thymus index were tested.Pathological manifestations of duodenal tissue inflammation were observed by HE staining.Serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations of rats were determined by ELISA.Protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB p65 and IκBα in colon were determined by Western blot.Results:Compared with model group,general condition rating,changes in weight gain and time of weight exhaustion swimming in APS-FTG group were increased significantly(P<0.01);spleen index and thymus index were increased;pathological manifestations of duodenal inflammation were significantly relieved;serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were decreased significantly(P<0.01),TLR4 and NF-κB p65 levels in colon were decreased significantly(P<0.05 and P<0.01),IκBα level was in colon increased significantly(P<0.01).Conclusion:APS improves intestinal microbiota of rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome and inhibits TLR4/NF-κB pathway activation through intestinal flora,thus improving intestinal immune inflammation status in rats with dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

The syndrome of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency (DSSD) is relatively common globally. Although the pathogenesis of DSSD remains unclear, evidence has suggested that the gut microbiota might play a significant role. Radix Astragali, used as both medicine and food, exerts the effects of tonifying spleen and qi. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) comprises a macromolecule substance extracted from the dried root of Radix Astragali, which has many pharmacological functions. However, whether APS mitigates the immune disorders underlying the DSSD syndrome via regulating gut microbiota and the relevant mechanism remains unknown. Here, we used DSSD rats induced by high-fat and low-protein (HFLP) diet plus exhaustive swimming, and found that APS of moderate molecular weight increased the body weight gain and immune organ indexes, decreased the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and endotoxin, and suppressed the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-‍κB (TLR4/NF-‍κB) pathway. Moreover, a total of 27 critical genera were significantly enriched according to the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). APS increased the diversity of the gut microbiota and changed its composition, such as reducing the relative abundance of Pseudoflavonifractor and Paraprevotella, and increasing that of Parasutterella, Parabacteroides, Clostridium XIVb, Oscillibacter, Butyricicoccus, and Dorea. APS also elevated the contents of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Furthermore, the correlation analysis indicated that 12 critical bacteria were related to the body weight gain and immune organ indexes. In general, our study demonstrated that APS ameliorated the immune disorders in DSSD rats via modulating their gut microbiota, especially for some bacteria involving immune and inflammatory response and SCFA production, as well as the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. This study provides an insight into the function of APS as a unique potential prebiotic through exerting systemic activities in treating DSSD.
Rats ; Animals ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Spleen ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Astragalus Plant/metabolism* ; Immune System Diseases/drug therapy* ; Body Weight

Autologous ozonized blood transfusion(AOBT) is a therapy of re-transfusion of 100-200 mL of autologous blood after shaking and agitation with appropriate amount of oxygen-ozone in vitro. The oxidation of blood through the strong oxidation of ozone can enhance the non-specific immune response of the body, regulate the internal environment and promote health. This therapy has been increasingly applied in clinical practice, while no unified standard for the operation process in terms of ozone concentration, treatment frequency and treatment course had been established. This operation process of AOBT is primarily explored in order to standardize the operation process and ensure its safety and efficacy.

Objective:To explore the construction and application of the standard process of thirst management for patients undergoing endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas.Methods:From June 2020 to October 2021, 160 patients with endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas who were admitted to the Neurosurgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui Provincial Hospital) were selected by convenience sampling. The patients were randomly divided into test group and control group, 80 cases in each group. The control group implemented routine nursing to prevent postoperative thirst, while the test group established a standard process of thirst management and implemented thirst prevention and interventions according to the process. The thirst intensity, thirst pain and resting salivary flow rate between the two groups was compared.Results:The thirst intensity scores of patients in the test group at 2, 6 and 24 hours after operation were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-8.696, -10.008, -4.305; P<0.01) . The score of thirst pain in the test group was lower than that in the control group, and the resting salivary flow rate at 6 and 24 hours after operation were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-9.488, -4.124, -2.631; P<0.01) . Conclusions:The standard process of thirst management can reduce the postoperative thirst intensity of patients with pituitary adenomas surgery and improve their thirst feeling, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Danshu Capsule in the treatment of chronic cholecystitis and gallstones through a large-sample, multicenter, open-label real-world research. Methods A total of 9579 patients with chronic cholecystitis and/or gallstones who were treated in 329 hospitals of China from January 2017 to December 2019 were enrolled and divided into gallstones group with 1148 patients, chronic cholecystitis group with 5360 patients, and chronic cholecystitis+gallstones group with 3071 patients.All patients were treated with oral administration of Danshu Capsule at a frequency of 1-2 capsules/time, three times a day after meals, for 4 consecutive weeks.Abdominal pain, biliary dyspepsia, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes, and imaging findings of the biliary system were recorded before and after treatment to evaluate the efficacy of medication, and adverse drug reactions were monitored to evaluate the safety of Danshu Capsule.The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data before and after treatment, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison between any two groups.The paired chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data before and after treatment; the Kruskal-Wallis H method was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the Logistic regression analysis and the Nemenyi test was used for further comparison between two groups. Results After treatment with Danshu Capsule, all patients had significant reductions in the overall incidence rate of pain induced by lipid meal ( χ 2 =32.422, P < 0.001), the frequency, duration, and degree of pain ( Z =-1.985, -2.887, and-3.178, all P < 0.05), the symptom scores of abdominal distension, abdominal fullness, belching, and nausea (all P < 0.001), and the total symptom score of biliary dyspepsia ( Z =-4.128, P < 0.001);there were also significant reductions in the TCM syndrome scores of right upper quadrant pain, bitter taste, acid regurgitation, chest distress, abdominal distension, poor appetite, and heaviness of limbs (all P < 0.05) and a significant reduction in total TCM syndrome score ( Z =3.860, P < 0.001).Subgroup analysis showed that after treatment, the gallstones group, the chronic cholecystitis group, and the chronic cholecystitis+gallstones group had significant reductions in the degree, frequency, and duration of pain, the symptom score of biliary dyspepsia, and TCM syndrome score (all P < 0.05), as well as a significant reduction in the number of patients with pain induced by lipid meal ( P < 0.001).The chronic cholecystitis group had significantly greater reductions in the score of pain frequency, the score of pain duration, the score of pain degree compared with the other two groups (all P < 0.05).Ultrasound examination showed that after treatment, all patients had significant reductions in poor sound transmission of gallbladder, gallbladder wall thickness, incidence rate of gallbladder wall thickening or roughness, and the number and size of gallstones (all P < 0.05).Danshu Capsule showed an overall response rate of 74.75% in the treatment of gallbladder wall lesion and an overall response rate of 67.40% in the treatment of gallstones.A total of 84 patients reported adverse events, mainly gastrointestinal symptoms, and the overall incidence rate of adverse reactions was 0.87%. Conclusion Danshu Capsule can significantly alleviate the symptom of pain and improve the symptoms of biliary dyspepsia, TCM syndrome, and gallbladder imaging findings in patients with chronic cholecystitis and/or gallstones, with a low incidence rate of adverse reactions, and therefore, it is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of chronic cholecystitis and gallstones.

The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) puts higher demands on critical care medicine. Lots of studies have been conducted to solve COVID-19-related problems. Therefore, we reviewed the annual progress for COVID-19-related issues including antivirals threapies, respiratory support and immunomodulatory therapies and other critical issues, including the effect of antibiotic on mitochondrial damage and its relationship with sepsis, the goal and direction of antimicrobial de-escalation, drug prophylaxis of constipation, bleeding in gastrointestinal disorders and management of critical illness in the informalization era and so on. We hope to provide reference for clinical and scientific research work of the intensivists.

Objective:To study the predictive value of the amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) within 6 hours and 3 days after birth and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) on the adverse neurobehavioral development of asphyxiated preterm infants at the correction age of 6 months.Methods:From December 2017 to June 2019, 50 asphyxiated preterm infants who were delivered at the obstetrical department transferred to the division of neonatology in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were monitored by aEEG within 6 hours after birth, then once a day for at least 4 h. MRI was administered at 40 weeks of corrected age, neuromotor developmental function of the infants was assessed by the Geisel developmental diagnostic scale at 6 months of corrected age, then the infants were divided into good prognosis group and poor prognosis group according to the assessment results. SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis.The software of SPSS 19.0 was used to analyze the data.Independent sample t-test and χ 2 test were used to analyze the difference between the two groups.The relationship between aEEG grading and MRI, and their predictive value for adverse neurobehavioral development were analyzed at 6 months of corrected age. Results:The degree of white matter damage( H=24.896) and intracranical hemorrhage( H=29.245) of premature infants with different aEEG clinical grades were different (both P<0.01) on MRI. The sensitivity of aEEG within 6 hours and 3 days after birth on predicting poor prognosis was 96.2% and 97.8%, the specificity was 56.2% and 62.5%, the negative predictive value was 98.2% and 99.0%, the positive predictive value was 37.8% and 52.3%, the correct index was 52.4% and 60.3%, respectively. The aEEG was combined with MRI, the sensitivity (90.0%, 97.0%), specificity (89.0%, 99.0%), negative predictive value (99.2%, 99.5%), positive predictive value (80.6%, 88.5%), and correct index (79%, 96%) were all improved. Conclusion:The combination of aEEG grading and MRI can improve the prognostic value on neurodevelopmental prognosis, and provide a better evaluation basis for clinical follow-up and intervention of asphyxiated premature infants with brain injury.