[Objective]To establish the reference intervals of thyroid hormones in pregnant women from Sanming city and compare them with those from other areas in China.[Methods]The study recruited 605 pregnant women and 229 non-pregnant healthy women who visited Sanming First Hospital between March 29 and June 28,2023.Blood samples were se-quentially collected from the participants to determine the serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),free triiodo-thyronine(FT3)and free thyroxine(FT4).The reference intervals of thyroid hormones were established by using a percen-tile range of P2.5 to P97.5 and their changes in different periods of pregnancy were analyzed and compared with those from oth-er areas in China.[Results]There were significant differences in levels of TSH,FT4 and FT3 at different periods of pregnan-cy(all P<0.05).Compared with non-pregnant women,women in first trimester had significantly decreased levels of TSH and FT4,but similar level of FT3.Since the second trimester,TSH level displayed rising tendency,while FT3 and FT4 lev-els showed gradual decrease.The reference intervals of thyroid hormones in the first,second and third trimester of pregnan-cy in Sanming city were TSH(0.068,2.943)μU/mL,FT3(4.302,6.888)pmol/L,FT4(8.240,14.719)pmol/L;TSH(0.419,3.274)μU/mL,FT3(4.074,6.629)pmol/L,FT4(6.726,11.980)pmol/L;TSH(0.422,3.570)μU/mL,FT3(3.741,5.850)pmol/L,FT4(6.103,10.347)pmol/L,respectively.Significant differences were found in the reference in-tervals of thyroid hormones during pregnancy among different areas in China.[Conclusions]The levels of TSH,FT3,FT4 during pregnancy are different from those during non-pregnancy,and also significantly differ in different periods of preg-nancy.Reference intervals of thyroid hormones in pregnant women are affected by various factors such as geographic loca-tion,ethnicity and laboratory test method,etc.Therefore,establishing the population-specific reference intervals of thy-roid hormones will benefit for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease in pregnant women from Sanming city.

Objective To assess the prevalence of mycoplasma genitalium(MG)in patients attending sexually transmitted disease(STD)clinic in Guangzhou,and to provide an epidemiological foundation for clinical treatment and laboratory diagnostics.Methods Utilizing real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR),we analyzed MG DNA in 2,749 clinical specimens collected from 2,722 outpatients in the Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University from July 2019 to December 2021.Concurrent testing for MG,Chlamydia trachomatis(CT),and Neisseria gonorrhoeae(NG)was performed on 2,382 of these specimens.Patient data extracted from medical records were used to investigate the correlation between STD symptoms and MG infection.Results The investigation revealed that the overall prevalence of MG infection was 4.4%among the sampled patients(120 out of 2,722),with a higher prevalence in males(4.9%,or 87 out of 1,790)compared to in females(3.5%,or 33 out of 932).Notably,the prevalence decreased with increasing age.The highest incidence of MG infection was observed in females aged 18～25 years(6.4%,or 18 out of 281),while the lowest was in males aged 46 years and above(1.5%,or 5 out of 342),showing a statistically significant variation across age groups(P<0.05).Among males with urethritis symptoms,MG positive rate was significantly higher at 7.3%(42 out of 574).The rate of single MG infection was prominent,accounting for 89.9%(71 out of 79)in MG-positive male patients and 61.5%(16 out of 26)in MG-positive female patients.Co-infection rate of MG with CT was 1.2%in females and 0.3%in males,indicating a significant dif-ference(P<0.05).Conclusion The findings suggest a relatively high prevalence of MG infection and co-infection with CT among STD clinic attendees in Guangzhou,particularly in the younger demographic.The study underscores the need for early screening and vigilant surveillance of MG to mitigate its transmission among sexually active popula-tions at high risk.

BACKGROUND: The clinical features of enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have been reported in some Western countries, but data in China are very limited. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of enthesitis in Chinese patients with PsA and compared them with those in other cohorts. METHODS: Patients with PsA enrolled in the Chinese Registry of Psoriatic Arthritis (CREPAR) (December 2018 to June 2021) were included. Data including demographics, clinical characteristics, disease activity measures, and treatment were collected at enrollment. Enthesitis was assessed by the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC), Maastricht ankylosing spondylitis enthesitis score (MASES), and Leeds enthesitis index (LEI) indices. A multivariable logistic model was used to identify factors related to enthesitis. We also compared our results with those of other cohorts. RESULTS: In total, 1074 PsA patients were included, 308 (28.7%) of whom had enthesitis. The average number of enthesitis was 3.3 ± 2.8 (range: 1.0-18.0). More than half of the patients (165, 53.6%) had one or two tender entheseal sites. Patients with enthesitis had an earlier age of onset for both psoriasis and arthritis, reported a higher proportion of PsA duration over 5 years, and had a higher percentage of axial involvement and greater disease activity. Multivariable logistic regression showed that axial involvement (odds ratio [OR] 2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-3.08; P <0.001), psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04; P = 0.002), and disease activity score 28-C reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01-1.55; P = 0.037) were associated with enthesitis. Compared with the results of other studies, Chinese patients with enthesitis had a younger age, lower body mass index (BMI), a higher rate of positive human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27, more frequent dactylitis, and a higher proportion of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs' (csDMARDs) use. CONCLUSIONS Enthesitis is a common condition among Chinese patients with PsA. It is important to evaluate entheses in both peripheral and axial sites.
Humans ; Arthritis, Psoriatic/drug therapy* ; East Asian People ; Enthesopathy/complications* ; Registries ; Severity of Illness Index ; Spondylarthritis/epidemiology*

Objective:To explore the relationship between 18F-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI)-42 SUV max of primary gastric cancer and clinicopathological factors of patients. Methods:Fifty-one patients (31males, 20 females, age: 51(47, 65) years) with gastric cancer who underwent 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT before surgical resection in Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from February 2022 to January 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinicopathological factors that might affect tumor SUV max (including gender, age, tumor location, pathological type, histological grade, Lauren classification, vascular and(or) neural invasion, programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, pathologic(p)T stage, pN stage and pTNM stage) were evaluated by the univariate analysis (Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test) and multivariate analysis (multiple linear regression analysis). Results:The sensitivity of 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT in the diagnosis of patients with primary gastric cancer was 82.35% (42/51). The diagnostic sensitivities for early gastric cancer (T1) and locally advanced gastric cancer (T2-T4) were 59.09%(13/22) and 100%(29/29), respectively. The SUV max of primary lesion was 4.90(1.71, 12.51). The univariate analysis showed that SUV max of primary gastric cancer was related to tumor location ( z=-2.00, P=0.046), pT stage ( H=36.94, P<0.001), pN stage ( z=-3.89, P<0.001), pTNM stage ( H=31.49, P<0.001) and vascular and(or) nerve invasion ( z=-5.22, P<0.001), but not related to pathological type, histological grade, Lauren typing, and PD-L1 expression ( z values: from -1.78 to -0.09, all P>0.05). pT stage was found to be a significant independent factor for SUV max in primary gastric lesion by multivariate analysis ( t=2.52, P=0.015). Conclusions:The 18F-FAPI-42 SUV max of primary tumor was related to tumor location, pT stage, pN stage, pTNM stage, and vascular and(or) nerve invasion; pT stage is an independent factor affecting tumor SUV max. The ability of 18F-FAPI-42 PET/CT to detect gastric cancer is mainly affected by pT stage.

Objective In this study,we attempted to investigate whether Electroacupuncture(EA)could promote the autophagy function in macrophages of inflammatory skin tissues by activating CB2 receptor,thus relieving inflammatory pain induced by CFA in mice,and whether activation of CB2 receptor in NR8383 macrophages cell line can simulate the effect of EA on the autophagy function and mitochondrial damage.Methods Inflammatory pain model was induced by CFA injection into the planta the hind paw of wildtype and CB2 knockout mice.EA or sham EA was applied on the left Huantiao(GB30)and Yanglingquan(GB34)sites.Thermal hyperalgesia was determined with the Hargreaves test.Mechanical sensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments.NR8383 microphage cell line was used to study the effect of CB2 activation on macrophage function induced by CFA.The expression level of autophagy protein LC3 and p62 in wildtype and CB2 knockout mice skin tissue and NR8383 cell line were determined by Western blot.And flow cytometry analysis was applied to detect damaged mitochondria and mitochondrial superoxide.Results CFA significantly reduced the thermal and mechanical pain threshold in both wildtype and CB2 knockout mice,comparing with the vehicle control groups(P<0.01).EA significantly inhibited thermal and mechanical hyperpathia induced by CFA in wildtype mice(P<0.05),but had no effect on CB2 knockout mice with CFA(P>0.05).CFA significantly increased the expression of p62 protein and decreased LC3-II/I ratio,which was inversed by EA in wildtype mice but wasn't affected by EA in CB2 knockout mice.CFA increased the expression of p62 protein and decreased LC3-II/I ratio in NR8383 cell line,which were inversed by CB2 agonist AM1241.CFA increased mitochondria damage,which were then attenuated by CB2 agonist AM1241.Conclusion The analgesic effect of EA on inflammatory pain induced by CFA was mediated by activation of CB2 receptor,which promoted the autophagy function and the clearance of damaged mitochondria in macrophage.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, characterized by highly hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a major regulator involved in cellular response to changes of oxygen levels, supporting the adaptation of tumor cells to hypoxia. Bruceine D (BD) is an isolated natural quassinoid with multiple anti-cancer effects. Here, we identified BD could significantly inhibit the HIF-1α expression and its subsequently mediated HCC cell metabolism. Using biophysical proteomics approaches, we identified inhibitor of β-catenin and T-cell factor (ICAT) as the functional target of BD. By targeting ICAT, BD disrupted the interaction of β-catenin and ICAT, and promoted β-catenin degradation, which in turn induced the decrease of HIF-1α expression. Furthermore, BD could inhibit HCC cells proliferation and tumor growth in vivo, and knockdown of ICAT substantially increased resistance to BD treatment in vitro. Our data highlight the potential of BD as a modulator of β-catenin/HIF-1α axis mediated HCC metabolism.

Objective:To explore influence on physical development of children aged 18 months from HIV-positive mothers for prevention mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and provide evidence for the improvement PMTCT program.Methods:This retrospective case control study was conducted in 554 HIV negative infants aged 18 months whose HIV positive mothers had received PMTCT services reported through PMTCT system database from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017 and 1 109 healthy infants born in 2017, whose mothers were healthy, in Lingshan, Luzhai, and Hengxian counties, ranking top three counties with high HIV infection prevalence, in Guangxi. PMTCT data and physical development data such as height, weight and head circumference of children aged 18 months were collected. The physical dysplasia in the infants was defined as at least one of the three main indicators of height, weight and head circumference below the normal range.Results:The number of HIV-positive mother and their infants in the case group were 667 and 554 respectively, and the PMTCT rates were 91.15 % (608/667) and 96.57 % (535/554) respectively. HIV positive rate, mortality rate and mother to child transmission rate of the infants aged 18 months were 1.44 % (8/554), 3.07 % (17/554) and 1.91 % (8/418) respectively, and the physical examination results of the infants aged 18 months showed that the physical dysplasia rate was 30.51 % (169/554). Among the 1 109 infants in the control group, the physical dysplasia rate was 9.83 % (109/1 109). The difference between the case group and the control group was significant ( P<0.01). Conclusion:The PMTCT rates of HIV positive mother and their children were more than 90.00 %, respectively. However, poor physical development rate of infants aged 18 months were more than 30.00 %. The possible influence of PMTCT on physical development of the infants aged 18 months of HIV positive mother’s needs to be further studied.

Objective To improvethe control of infection source by improving the continuous quality of sputum disposal management. Methods PDCA method based on the management of tuberculosis sputum disposal of the hospital quality improvement. The cross-sectional survey of tuberculosis ward in 32 cases of hospital patients, as control group.PDCA first round of "sputum cup distribution and use of work flow" for quality improvement,the reason leading the work flow of workers to nurse led work flow,the improved cross-sectional survey in 36 cases of hospital patients as experimental group 1.Aiming at the problem of low utilization rate of special sputum cup in the improvement of the first round of PDCA,the improvement of the sputum cup was carried out,On this basis, the "special sputum disposal Cup" was designed to obtain the national patent authorization. After the second round of improvement, the cross-sectional investigation in 35 patients in the hospital,as the experimental group 2.Results After two rounds of PDCA improvement,experimental group 2 groups compared with control,bedside sputum cup configuration was not in place rate decreased from 53.1% (17/32)to 0,the difference was statistically significant(Χ2=24.916,P<0.05);configuration after the sputum cup unused rate from 53.1%(17/32)down to 8.6%(3/35),the difference was statistically significant(Χ2=15.846,P<0.05).Conclusion PDCA method can improve the quality of management standard sputum disposal. Ward sputum cup ration is standardized sputum disinfection ward-based nurse intervention and leading sputum cup release, ward can improve the sputum cup ration, improved sputum containers (sputum cup) can improve patient compliance standard of spitting.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Yiqi Huatan prescription in the treatment of patients with systolic hypertension ( qi -deficiency and phlegm type ) .Methods 120 patients with systolic hypertension (qi-deficiency and phlegm type) were selected,and they were randomly divided into observation group and control groupaccording to randomized,double-blind method,with 60 cases in each group.The control group received conventional western medicine treatment , the observation group was given compound Qima capsule combined with conventional western medicine .After treatment , the treatment effect was evaluated , and the levels of inflammatory factors were observed.Results The total effective rate between the two groups had no statistically significant difference (χ2 =0.565,P>0.05).The systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the observation group after treatment were (129.77 ±5.56)mmHg,(79.48 ±4.83)mmHg,respectively,which were significantly lower than before treat-ment [(171.15 ±18.81)mmHg,(94.42 ±8.71)mmHg] and those in the control group after treatment [(135.48 ± 7.81)mmHg,(83.81 ±5.29)mmHg] ( t=6.223,8.936,12.365,8.114,all P<0.05).After treatment,the levels of CRP,IL-6,TNF -in the observation group were (3.07 ±0.28) mg/L,(0.08 ±0.04) ng/L and (5.08 ± 1.03)ng/L,respectively,which were significantly lower than before treatment [(5.24 ±0.49) mg/L,(0.22 ± 0.05)ng/L,(9.42 ±2.49)ng/L,t=6.248,9.246,8.335,5.234,5.012,6.214,all P<0.05] and those in the control group after treatment [(4.18 ±0.19)mg/L,(0.12 ±0.05)ng/L,(6.11 ±2.07)ng/L,t=9.246,5.112, 5.012,all P<0.05].Conclusion Yiqi Huatan prescription in the treatment of systolic hypertension of qi -deficiency and phlegm type can achieve good therapeutic effect , the mechanism may be related with reducing inflammatory factors.

Objective To investigate the expressions of Apaf-1 and Caspase-9 protein in ovarian serous carcinoma(OSC) and their clinicopathological significance.Methods The expressions of Apaf-1 and Caspase-9 protein in 45 cases of OSC,60 cases of ovarian serous cystadenomas and 32 cases of ovarian borderline serous cystadenomas were detected by immunohistochemical SP method.The relationship between the expressions of these two proteins and the clinicopathological features of OSC and the correlation between Apaf-1 and Caspase-9 expressions in OSC were analyzed.Results The positive rates of Apaf-1 in OSC,ovarian serous cystadenoma and ovarian borderline serous cystadenoma were 24.4%(11/45),75.0%(45/60) and 46.9%(15/32),the difference was statistically significant (χ2=26.734,P<0.01).Apaf-1 expression was correlated with pathological grade,clinical stage and lymph nodes metastasis (χ2=6.318,7.565,5.554,P<0.05).The expression rates of Caspase-9 in OSC,ovarian serous cystadenoma and ovarian borderline serous cystadenoma were 28.9%(13/45),83.3%(50/60) and 56.3%(18/32),the difference was statistically significant (χ2=31.682,P<0.01).The expression of Caspase-9 was correlated with pathological grade,clinical stage and lymph nodes metastasis (χ2=5.750,4.391,5.466,P<0.05).In OSC,the expressions of Apaf-1 and Capase-9 were positively correlated (k=0.433,P=0.003).Conclusion The low expressions of Apaf-1 and Caspase-9 in OSC may be related to the occurrence and development of OSC.