Zirconium dioxide(ZrO2)is a suitable solid phase microextraction(SPME)fiber coating due to its high thermal and chemical stability and excellent adsorption.Similarly,polydopamine(PDA)can also be utilized as SPME fiber coating because of its strong oxidation resistance and stability,desired adsorption as well as environmental friendliness.In this work,a novel zirconium dioxide-doped polydopamine(ZrO2@PDA)SPME fiber coating was quickly fabricated on the stainless steel(SS)by cyclic voltammetry(CV)using the etched SS wire as working electrode,a Pt rod as counter electrode and a saturated calomel electrode as reference electrode.Coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection(HPLC-UV),the extraction performance of the fabricated SS@ZrO2@PDA fiber was evaluated using typical aromatic compounds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs),ultraviolet filters(UvFs),phthalate acid esters(PAEs)and chlorophenols(CPs).The SS@ZrO2@PDA fiber showed excellent extraction capability for PAHs and PAEs,however,poor extraction capability for UvFs and no extraction capability for CPs.Therefore,PAHs were selected as target analytes and the key experimental factors on extraction efficiency were optimized.Under the optimized conditions,good linearity was obtained for the developed SPME-HPLC-UV method with the SS@ZrO2@PDA fiber.The limits of detection(LODs,S/N=3)were 0.018-0.082 μg/L.The developed method was successfully applied to determination of trace PAHs in different actual water samples with recoveries of 86.7%-102.4%and RSDs less than 8.2%.In addition,the fabricated novel fiber was simple to prepare and exhibited high stability,good reproducibility and long service life.

The quality control of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is the core issue to ensure the modernization,industrialization and internationalization of TCM.Compared with other detection methods,electrochemical analysis method has many advantages such as high sensitivity,fast detection speed and low cost,making it an important means of quality control for TCM and having broad development prospects.This article reviewed the research progress of electrochemical methods in quality control of TCM in recent years,discussed the application of electrochemical fingerprinting technique in identification of TCM,and comprehensively summarized the application of electrochemical technology in analyzing effective components and harmful substances in TCM,including flavonoids,alkaloids,quinones,glycosides,heavy metals and pesticide residues.Finally,the development prospects of electrochemical methods in the field of quality control of TCM were discussed.

Objective To explore the protective mechanism of icariin on neuronal oxidative damage,providing a basic pharmacological basis for the treatment of cognitive impairment.Methods Glutamate was used to induce oxidative stress injury in HT22 cells.HT22 cells were divided into control group(normal cultured cells),model group(glutamate injury model)and experimental-L,-M,-H groups(5,10 and 20 μmol·L-1 icariin pretreatment for modeling,respectively).Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)method;cytotoxicity was detected by lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)method;reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels were detected by flow cytometry;superoxide dismutase(SOD)levels were detected by biochemical kits;the expression levels of Kelch-like epichlorohydrin-related protein-1(Keap1),nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)were detected by Western blotting;the corresponding mRNA expression was detected by real-time fluorescence quantification polymerose chain reaction.Results The cell viability of control group,model group and experimental-L,-M,-H groups were(100.00±1.31)％,(66.38±2.44)％,(72.07±4.95)％,(82.41±3.57)％and(87.97±4.98)％;LDH release were(0.48±0.52)％,(18.82±2.09)％,(15.32±1.17)％,(10.37±1.39)％and(6.51±0.87)％;ROS level were(14.23±1.13)％,(41.74±1.60)％,(35.69±1.08)％,(33.28±1.69)％and(30.32±2.03)％;SOD levels were(54.84±1.17),(37.95±1.13),(48.02±1.28),(50.56±1.34)and(52.55±1.04)U·mg-1;Keap1 protein levels were 0.36±0.01,0.52±0.03,0.46±0.04,0.39±0.09 and 0.35±0.12;Nrf2 protein levels were 0.29±0.02,0.13±0.08,0.18±0.03,0.21±0.11 and 0.26±0.04;catalase(CAT)mRNA levels were 1.01±0.08,0.81±0.06,0.90±0.04,1.05±0.15 and 1.33±0.26;SOD mRNA levels were 1.09±0.12,0.83±0.03,0.86±0.08,0.94±0.08 and 1.09±0.16.Among the above indicators,the differences between the model group and the control group were statistically significant(all P＜0.01);the differences between the experimental-M,-H groups and the model group were statistically significant(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).Conclusion Icariin may activate the Keap1/Nrf2/antioxidant response element(ARE)signaling pathway,regulate the expression of related proteins,and reduce the level of ROS to effectively alleviate oxidative stress injury in neuronal cells.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of male with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) autoantibody.Methods:The clinical data of 246 patients with DM and anti-MDA5 autoantibodies hospitalized by Jiangsu Myositis Cooperation Group from 2017 to 2020 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Chi-square test was performed to compared between counting data groups; Quantitative data were expressed by M ( Q1, Q3), and rank sum test was used for comparison between groups; Single factor survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test; Cox regression analysis were used for multivariate survival analysis. Results:①The male group had a higher proportion of rash at the sun exposure area [67.1%(47/70) vs 52.8%(93/176), χ2=4.18, P=0.041] and V-sign [50.0%(35/70) vs 30.7%(54/176), χ2=8.09, P=0.004] than the female group. The male group had higher levels of creatine kinase [112(18, 981)U/L vs 57 (13.6, 1 433)U/L, Z=-3.50, P<0.001] and ferritin [1 500 (166, 32 716)ng/ml vs 569 (18, 14 839)ng/ml, Z=-5.85, P<0.001] than the female group. The proportion of ILD [40.0%(28/70) vs 59.7%(105/176), χ2=7.82, P=0.020] patients and the red blood cell sedimentation rate[31.0(4.0, 101.5)mm/1 h vs 43.4(5.0, 126.5)mm/1 h, Z=-2.22, P=0.026] in the male group was lower than that of the female group, but the proportion of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (PR-ILD) [47.1%(33/70) vs 31.3%(55/176), χ2=5.51, P=0.019] was higher than that of the female group. ②In male patients with positive anti-MDA5 antibodies,the death group had a shorter course of disease[1.0(1.0, 3.0) month vs 2.5(0.5,84) month, Z=-3.07, P=0.002], the incidence of arthritis [16.7%(4/24) vs 42.2%(19/45), χ2=4.60, P=0.032] were low than those in survival group,while aspartate aminotransferase (AST)[64(22.1, 565)U/L vs 51(14,601)U/L, Z=-2.42, P=0.016], lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) [485(24,1 464)U/L vs 352(170, 1 213)U/L, Z=-3.38, P=0.001], C-reactive protein (CRP) [11.6(2.9, 61.7) mg/L vs 4.95(0.6, 86.4) mg/L, Z=-1.96, P=0.050], and ferritin levels [2 000(681, 7 676) vs 1 125 (166, 32 716)ng/ml, Z=-3.18, P=0.001] were higher than those in the survival group, and RP-ILD [95.8%(23/24) vs 22.2%(10/45), χ2=33.99, P<0.001] occurred at a significantly higher rate. ③Cox regression analysis indicated that the course of disease LDH level, and RP-ILD were related factors for the prognosis of male anti-MDA5 antibodies [ HR (95% CI)=0.203(0.077, 0.534), P=0.001; HR (95% CI)=1.002(1.001, 1.004), P=0.003; HR (95% CI)=95.674 (10.872, 841.904), P<0.001]. Conclusion:The clinical manifestations of male anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients are different from those of female. The incidence of ILD is low, but the proportion of PR-ILD is high. The course of disease, serum LDH level, and RP-ILD are prognostic factors of male anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients.

Objectives: To investigated the safety and efficacy of treating patients with acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and elevated levels of N-terminal pro-hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with levosimendan within 24 hours of first medical contact (FMC). Methods: This multicenter, open-label, block-randomized controlled trial (NCT03189901) investigated the safety and efficacy of levosimendan as an early management strategy of acute heart failure (EMS-AHF) for patients with NSTEMI and high NT-proBNP levels. This study included 255 patients with NSTEMI and elevated NT-proBNP levels, including 142 males and 113 females with a median age of 65 (58-70) years, and were admitted in the emergency or outpatient departments at 14 medical centers in China between October 2017 and October 2021. The patients were randomly divided into a levosimendan group (n=129) and a control group (n=126). The primary outcome measure was NT-proBNP levels on day 3 of treatment and changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline on day 5 after randomization. The secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in NT-proBNP levels from baseline, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization and at 6 months after hospitalization, safety during the treatment, and health economics indices. The measurement data parameters between groups were compared using the t-test or the non-parametric test. The count data parameters were compared between groups using the χ² test. Results: On day 3, the NT-proBNP levels in the levosimendan group were lower than the control group but were statistically insignificant [866 (455, 1 960) vs. 1 118 (459, 2 417) ng/L, Z=-1.25,P=0.21]. However, on day 5, changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline in the levosimendan group were significantly higher than the control group [67.6% (33.8%,82.5%)vs.54.8% (7.3%,77.9%), Z=-2.14, P=0.03]. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in the NT-proBNP levels on day 5 between the levosimendan and the control groups [77.5% (100/129) vs. 69.0% (87/126), χ²=2.34, P=0.13]. Furthermore, incidences of MACE did not show any significant differences between the two groups during hospitalization [4.7% (6/129) vs. 7.1% (9/126), χ²=0.72, P=0.40] and at 6 months [14.7% (19/129) vs. 12.7% (16/126), χ²=0.22, P=0.64]. Four cardiac deaths were reported in the control group during hospitalization [0 (0/129) vs. 3.2% (4/126), P=0.06]. However, 6-month survival rates were comparable between the two groups (log-rank test, P=0.18). Moreover, adverse events or serious adverse events such as shock, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia were not reported in both the groups during levosimendan treatment (days 0-1). The total cost of hospitalization [34 591.00(15 527.46,59 324.80) vs. 37 144.65(16 066.90,63 919.00)yuan, Z=-0.26, P=0.80] and the total length of hospitalization [9 (8, 12) vs. 10 (7, 13) days, Z=0.72, P=0.72] were lower for patients in the levosimendan group compared to those in the control group, but did not show statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Early administration of levosimendan reduced NT-proBNP levels in NSTEMI patients with elevated NT-proBNP and did not increase the total cost and length of hospitalization, but did not significantly improve MACE during hospitalization or at 6 months.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Simendan/therapeutic use* ; Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Peptide Fragments ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Biomarkers ; Prognosis

Objective To explore the risk factors for intracranial infection in patients after neurosurgery,con-struct and validate a Nomogram prediction model.Methods Data of 978 patients who underwent neurosurgery in a hospital in Nanjing from January 1,2019 to December 31,2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Independent risk fac-tors were screened through logistic univariate and multivariate analyses.Modeling variables were screened through Lasso regression.A Nomogram model was constructed and internally validated by logistic regression.Effectiveness of the model was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curve and decision curve.Results Among 978 patients underwent neurosurgery,293 had postoperative intracranial infection,with an inci-dence of healthcare-associated infection of 29.96％.There was no significant difference in age,gender,proportion of coronary heart disease,cerebral infarction,diabetes and hypertension between the infected group and the non-in-fected group(all P＞0.05).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that postoperative intracranial hypertension,fe-ver,increased neutrophil percentage in blood routine examination,turbid cerebrospinal fluid,positive Pan's test,decreased glucose concentration,abnormal ratio of cerebrospinal fluid/serum glucose,positive microbial culture,absence of indwelling external ventricular drainage tubes,presence of indwelling lumbar cistern drainage tubes,use of immunosuppressive agents,and long duration of surgery were independent risk factors for postoperative intracra-nial infection in patients who underwent neurosurgery(all P＜0.05).Fifteen variables were screened out through Lasso regression.Fourteen variables were finally included for modeling after collinear screening,missing data impu-tation(random forest method)and checking pairwise interaction items.A Nomogram prediction model was con-structed,with the area under ROC curve,sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of 0.885,0.578,0.896,and 0.704,respectively.Internal validation of the model was conducted.The modeling and validation groups presented similar effects.The calibration curve and decision curve also indicated that the model had good predictive efficacy.Conclusion The constructed Nomogram prediction model for postoperative intracranial infection after neurosurgery is scientific,and the prediction indicators are easy to obtain.The model presents with high stability,reliability,and application value,thus can provide reference for the assessment of postoperative intracranial infection after neuro-surgery.

Objective To analyze the prevalence of coronary heart disease among community residents over 18 years old in Jinjiang district of Chengdu city,Sichuan province,and explore its associated factors,so as to provide a reference for the prevention and control of coronary heart disease in communities.Methods From October 15 to November 10 in 2021,a total of 5220 adult residents from 33 communities in Jinjiang were selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling for face-to-face questionnaire survey,physical examination,and laboratory blood test.Binary Logistic regression was employed to predict the factors associated with coronary heart disease among adult residents in Jinjiang.Results The crude and standard prevalence rates of coronary heart disease among 5220 adult residents were 3.39% and 2.11%,respectively.Logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=1.068,95%CI=1.051-1.086,P<0.001),depressive symptoms (OR=1.639,95%CI=1.037-2.591,P=0.034),regular exercise (OR=0.584,95%CI=0.378-0.902,P=0.015),elevated blood pressure (OR=3.529,95%CI=2.344-5.312,P<0.001),dyslipidemia (OR=2.152,95%CI=1.291-3.587,P=0.003),and core knowledge score of chronic diseases (OR=1.144,95%CI=1.066-1.228,P<0.001) were associated with coronary heart disease among adult residents in Jinjiang.Conclusions The prevalence of coronary heart disease is high among adult residents in Jinjiang district of Chengdu.The urban residents who are older,have depressive symptoms,lack of exercise,elevated blood pressure,dyslipidemia,and score higher on core knowledge of chronic diseases are prone to coronary heart disease.
Adult ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Risk Factors ; Coronary Disease/epidemiology* ; Hypertension ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Dyslipidemias ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence

Vascular wall-resident stem cells (VW-SCs) play a critical role in maintaining normal vascular function and regulating vascular repair. Understanding the basic functional characteristics of the VW-SCs will facilitate the study of their regulation and potential therapeutic applications. The aim of this study was to establish a stable method for the isolation, culture, and validation of the CD34⁺ VW-SCs from mice, and to provide abundant and reliable cell sources for further study of the mechanisms involved in proliferation, migration and differentiation of the VW-SCs under various physiological and pathological conditions. The vascular wall cells of mouse aortic adventitia and mesenteric artery were obtained by the method of tissue block attachment and purified by magnetic microbead sorting and flow cytometry to obtain the CD34⁺ VW-SCs. Cell immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the stem cell markers (CD34, Flk-1, c-kit, Sca-1), smooth muscle markers (SM22, SM MHC), endothelial marker (CD31), and intranuclear division proliferation-related protein (Ki-67). To verify the multipotency of the isolated CD34⁺ VW-SCs, endothelial differentiation medium EBM-2 and fibroblast differentiation medium FM-2 were used. After culture for 7 days and 3 days respectively, endothelial cell markers and fibroblast markers of the differentiated cells were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and q-PCR. Furthermore, the intracellular Ca²⁺ release and extracellular Ca²⁺ entry signaling were evaluated by TILLvisION system in Fura-2/AM loaded cells. The results showed that: (1) High purity (more than 90%) CD34⁺ VW-SCs from aortic adventitia and mesenteric artery of mice were harvested by means of tissue block attachment method and magnetic microbead sorting; (2) CD34⁺ VW-SCs were able to differentiate into endothelial cells and fibroblasts in vitro; (3) Caffeine and ATP significantly activated intracellular Ca²⁺ release from endoplasmic reticulum of CD34⁺ VW-SCs. Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) was activated by using thapsigargin (TG) applied in Ca²⁺-free/Ca²⁺ reintroduction protocol. This study successfully established a stable and efficient method for isolation, culture and validation of the CD34⁺ VW-SCs from mice, which provides an ideal VW-SCs sources for the further study of cardiovascular diseases.
Mice ; Animals ; Endothelial Cells ; Cell Differentiation/physiology* ; Stem Cells ; Adventitia ; Fibroblasts ; Cells, Cultured ; Antigens, CD34/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical efficacy and health economic value of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for the prenatal screening of common fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. METHODS: 10 612 pregnant women from October 2017 to December 2019 presented at the antenatal screening clinic of the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University were selected as the study subjects. Results of NIPT and invasive prenatal diagnosis and follow-up outcome for the 10 612 pregnant women were retrospectively analyzed and compared. Meanwhile, NIPT data for two periods were analyzed for assessing the health economic value of NIPT as the second- or first-tier screening strategy for the prenatal diagnosis of fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13. RESULTS: The NIPT was successful in 10 528 (99.72%) subjects, with the sensitivity for fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13 being 100%, 92.86% and 100%, and the positive predictive value (PPV) being 89.74%, 61.90% and 44.44%, respectively. The PPV of NIPT for sex chromosome aneuploidies was 34.21%. Except for one false negative case of trisomy 18, the negative predictive value for trisomy 21, trisomy 13 and other chromosomal abnormalities were 100%. For pregnant women with high risk by serological screening, advanced maternal age or abnormal ultrasound soft markers, NIPT has yielded a significantly increased high risk ratio. There was no statistical difference in the PPV of NIPT among pregnant women from each subgroup. NIPT would have higher health economic value as a second-tier screening until 2019, while compared to 2015 ~ 2017, its incremental cost-effectiveness ratio as a first-tier screening had declined clearly. CONCLUSION The screening efficacy of NIPT for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 for a mixed population is significantly better than conventional serological screening, but it is relatively low for sex chromosomal abnormalities. NIPT can also be recommended for populations with relatively high risks along with detailed pre- and post-test genetic counselling. From the perspective of health economics, except for open neural tube defects, it is possible for NIPT to replace the conventional serological screening in the future as its cost continues to decrease.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Trisomy/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Prenatal Diagnosis/methods* ; Down Syndrome/genetics* ; Aneuploidy ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Trisomy 18 Syndrome/genetics* ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations ; Fetus

【Objective】 To investigate the main causes of blood donor deferral in domestic blood center. 【Methods】 The causes of donor deferral were classified into 12 categories as previous medical history, drug use, alcohol consumption, menstrual period, underweight, abnormal blood pressure, abnormal body temperature, abnormal hemoglobin (Hb), lipemic blood, positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and others according to the comparison indicators of Asia-Pacific Blood Network (APBN) and the national standard Blood Donor Health Examination Requirements. The relevant data of the top 3 causes of donor deferral, voluntarily reported by the members of Practice Comparison Working Group of China’s Mainland Blood Collection and Supply Institutions from 2014 to 2019, were collected and a histogram was generated. 【Results】 The median donor deferral rate of 20 domestic blood centers from 2014 to 2019 was 12.14%, with the lowest at 0.18% and highest at 32.32%, respectively. The top three causes for donor deferral were elevated ALT, abnormal Hb and abnormal blood pressure in year 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019; elevated ALT, lipemic blood and abnormal blood pressure in 2016; elevated ALT, abnormal Hb, and lipemic blood in 2017. 【Conclusion】 The main causes of donor deferral were elevated ALT, abnormal Hb, abnormal blood pressure and lipemic blood.