BACKGROUND:Previous brain studies have mostly focused on adults and fetuses,and the developmental characteristics of young children's brainstems have rarely been studied. OBJECTIVE:To observe the brainstem development characteristics of healthy young children and to explore the age-related differences and their correlation with sex. METHODS:From January 2019 to April 2022,a retrospective study of 3.0T MRI images of 174 children aged 2 to 6 years in the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University was conducted,and the median sagittal diameter,area and angle of the brainstem(including midbrain,pons and medulla oblongata)were measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There is an age-related increase in the anterior and posterior diameters of the midbrain,pons and medulla oblongata in the 2-5 years old group as well as in the longitudinal diameter and area of the midbrain,pons and medulla oblongata in the 2-6 years old group.Except for the longitudinal diameter of the medulla oblongata,all others show a positive correlation with age(r>0,P<0.05).In the 2-3 years old group and 4-5 years old group,the children are in the rapid growth and development stage,and these two age groups can be used as the key observation indicators for the development of young children.The anterior-posterior diameter,longitudinal diameter,area of the pons and total brainstem area are strongly correlated with age,which can be used as the key observation indicators for the brainstem development in young children.

BACKGROUND:As a unique structure of the cervical spine,the occurrence,development and progression of the uncovertebral joint directly affect the stability and range of motion of the cervical spine,and are also closely related to the pathogenesis of cervical spondylosis.A thorough understanding of the developmental characteristics of the uncovertebral joint is of great significance for the pathogenesis,diagnosis,and treatment of cervical spondylosis. OBJECTIVE:By using imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction technology to measure and observe the cervical uncinate process-related angle in a large sample of different age groups,the aim is to reveal the characteristics of its changes with age and vertebral growth,as well as its relationship with cervical spine stability. METHODS:Using a retrospective research design,we collected 1 447 cases of raw CT imaging data that meet the study requirements for complete cervical spine segments.The raw data were imported into Mimics 21.0 software in DICOM format for post-processing and measurement of angle of uncinate process and sagittal angle of uncinate process.The data were grouped based on gender,age,and side. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)With the increase of vertebral sequence,the angle of uncinate process increased in a V-shaped shape,and the lowest peak was at C5.The overall population showed a sharp peak with the increase of age,and the peak value mostly occurred in the age range of 30-39 years.(2)The sagittal angle of the uncinate process increased like a fishhook with the increase of the vertebral sequence,and the overall angle of the uncinate process increased with age,and the peak value mostly occurred in the age range of 20-29 years.The uncinate process angle and sagittal angle showed only partial significant differences between sides and genders(P<0.05).(3)It is concluded that the angle of the uncinate process increased with the increase of vertebral sequence in a V-shaped manner.The sagittal angle of the uncinate process increases like a fish hook with increasing vertebral order,while the two angles generally peak with increasing age.The angle of the uncinate process is about 131°,which may be closely related to the stability of the cervical spine,while the sagittal angle of the uncinate process is about 14°,and its function may play a certain role in limiting the excessive rotation of the cervical spine.

Background::Heterotaxy (HTX) is a thoracoabdominal organ anomaly syndrome and commonly accompanied by congenital heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to analyze rare copy number variations (CNVs) in a HTX/CHD cohort and to examine the potential mechanisms contributing to HTX/CHD.Methods::Chromosome microarray analysis was used to identify rare CNVs in a cohort of 120 unrelated HTX/CHD patients, and available samples from parents were used to confirm the inheritance pattern. Potential candidate genes in CNVs region were prioritized via the DECIPHER database, and PNPLA4 was identified as the leading candidate gene. To validate, we generated PNPLA4-overexpressing human induced pluripotent stem cell lines as well as pnpla4-overexpressing zebrafish model, followed by a series of transcriptomic, biochemical and cellular analyses. Results::Seventeen rare CNVs were identified in 15 of the 120 HTX/CHD patients (12.5%). Xp22.31 duplication was one of the inherited CNVs identified in this HTX/CHD cohort, and PNPLA4 in the Xp22.31 was a candidate gene associated with HTX/CHD. PNPLA4 is expressed in the lateral plate mesoderm, which is known to be critical for left/right embryonic patterning as well as cardiomyocyte differentiation, and in the neural crest cell lineage. Through a series of in vivo and in vitro analyses at the molecular and cellular levels, we revealed that the biological function of PNPLA4 is importantly involved in the primary cilia formation and function via its regulation of energy metabolism and mitochondria-mediated ATP production. Conclusions::Our findings demonstrated a significant association between CNVs and HTX/CHD. Our data strongly suggested that an increased genetic dose of PNPLA4 due to Xp22.31 duplication is a disease-causing risk factor for HTX/CHD.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for 6-month prognosis of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the 133 patients with TSCI who had been admitted to Department of Orthopaedics, The First Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University from January 2017 to August 2021. The patients with TSCI were categorized into an improved group ( n=82) and a non-improved group ( n=51) according to the improvements in the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading between admission and 6 months after injury. To identify the risk factors that might affect the prognosis of TSCI patients at 6 months after injury, univariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted of indicators such as gender, age, length of MRI spinal cord signal change, maximum canal compromise (MCC), maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC), brain and spinal cord injury center(BASIC)score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) within 3 days after injury, ASIA grading within 3 days after injury, mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 3 days after operation, and presence of complications. Results:The univariate analysis showed significant differences between the improved and non-improved groups in length of MRI spinal cord signal change, MCC, MSCC, BASIC, NLR within 3 days after injury, ASIA grading within 3 days after injury, MAP at 3 days after operation, and presence of complications (all P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that NLR ( OR=0.463, 95% CI: 0.287 to 0.748, P=0.002) and ASIA grading ( OR=11.684, 95% CI: 1.684 to 81.086, P=0.013) within 3 days after injury, as well as MAP at 3 days after operation ( OR=2.224, 95% CI: 1.306 to 3.787, P=0.003), were risk factors affecting the 6-month prognosis in TSCI patients. Conclusion:The NLR and ASIA grading within 3 days after injury, and MAP at 3 days after operation are risk factors that may affect the prognosis of TSCI patients at 6 months after injury.

Objective:To describe the characteristics and change trends of incidence, mortality and disease burden of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Qingdao from 2014 to 2020.Methods:We analyzed the incidence data of AMI retrieved from Qingdao Chronic Diseases Surveillance System. The average annual percent change (AAPC) of morbidity and mortality of AMI were evaluated by using Joinpoint log-linear regression model. Disability adjusted life year (DALY) was used to estimate disease burden of AMI in Qingdao.Results:A total of 70 491 AMI cases and 50 832 deaths of AMI occurred in Qingdao from 2014 to 2020. The age-standardized morbidity and mortality were 54.71/100 000 and 36.55/100 000, respectively. During 2014-2020, the AAPC of age-standardized morbidity was 2.86% (95% CI: 0.42%-5.35%), and 4.30% (95% CI: 1.24%-7.45%) in men and 0.78% (95% CI: -0.89%-2.47%) in women, respectively. The log-linear regression model showed that age-standardized morbidity in age groups 30-39, 40-49 years increased rapidly, with the AAPCs of 8.92% (95% CI: 2.23%-16.06%) and 6.32% (95% CI: 3.30%-9.44%), respectively. The trend was also observed in age groups 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59 years in men, with the AAPCs of 11.25% (95% CI: 3.54%-19.54%), 6.73% (95% CI: 2.63%-10.99%) and 6.72% (95% CI: 2.98%-10.60%), respectively. There was no significant change in age-standardized mortality. The DALY rate increased from 7.49/1 000 in 2014 to 8.61/1 000 in 2020, with the AAPC of 1.97% (95% CI: 0.36%-3.60%). Conclusions:The age-standardized morbidity of AMI in men increased in Qingdao, especially in those aged 30-49 years, while age-standardized mortality rate of AMI was relatively stable from 2014 to 2020. The burden of disease of AMI increased in both men and women.

The 2022 Fudan university doctorate academic public health forum hosted by the graduate school of Fudan university， the graduate work department of the party committee of Fudan university， and the school of public health of Fudan university was successfully held on December 10， 2022 in the school of public health of Fudan university. In the early stage， a total of 53 manuscripts from nationwide universities and research institutes were received， and 10 were selected as excellent papers to participate in the forum report. More than 100 teachers and students attended the forum. Focusing on the theme of " Adhering to the original ambition of scientific research to serve the country and practicing the mission of public health youth"， the major contents of the forums included excellent paper reports in the morning and round-table discussion in the afternoon. Experts and students conducted discussions and communications on prevention， control and management of public health emergencies. It is of great benefit for students to uphold the original intention，practice the mission and further improve public health research.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of witnessing domestic violence,and to explore the relationship between witness domestic violence in childhood and college students’ injury and violence behaviors. Methods: In October 2018, self-made questionnaire on “Health and Risky Behaviors among University Students in Anhui Province” was conducted among 4 034 college students from 4 universities in Hefei. Multivariate Logistic regression models (control of confounding factors) were used to explore the impact of childhood witnessing domestic violence on college students’ injury and violence. Results: Among 4 034 college students,the prevalence of witnessing domestic emotional violence,mild physical violence and severe physical violence in childhood was 27.6%,22.4%,10.7%,respectively. Univariate analysis showed that students with experiences of witness domestic emotional violence,mild physical violence and severe physical violence had higher rates of self-injury,physical,emotional,and sexual violence compared to those without domestic violence witness(P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that witnessing domestic severe physical violence,emotional violence in childhood associated positively with self-harm (OR=1.53,95%CI=1.05-2.23; OR=2.15,95%CI=1.51-3.04) and emotional violence (OR=1.65,95%CI=1.16-2.35; OR=2.57,95%CI=1.87-3.53). Witnessing domestic severe physical violence showed positive association with physical violence (OR=4.99,95%CI=2.58-9.62) and sexual violence (OR=8.68,95%CI=3.30-22.81) among college students (P<0.05). Conclusion The experiences of witness domestic violence can increases the risk of college student’s injury and violence behaviors,especially witness domestic severe physical violence.

Objective To investigate the morphological regularity of the thoracic pedicle screw in 4 to 12 years old children by the digital technology,and to provide the theoreticl basis for thoracic pedicle screw fixation in children.Methods A total of 60 healthy children aged from 4 to 12 years old with computed tomography(CT) data of thoracic spine were divided into three groups by age,each group 20 cases.Then they were examined by MIMICS software and the parameters of pedicle width(PW),pedicle height(PH),the length of screw path(SL),e angle and f angle were measured.Results The pedicle width,pedicle height,the SL of the pedicle generally showed a rising trend with advancing age.There were significant differences in the PW,PH and LS between the three group(P<0.05).The PW decreased and then increased.The PH and the LS increased with the vertebral order increased.There was no significant difference in e angle and f angle between the three groups(P>0.05).E angle of the pedicle generally showed a decreasing trend with increasing vertebral order,and e angle of T11 to T12 showed negative angle.The f angle showed a wavy descending trend.Conclusion There was significant difference in correlation parameters of thoracic pedicle with increasing age in healthy children,which indicates that the pedicle screw fixation for the kind of children should be performed based on 'the Principle of individualization' to improve the success rate of surgery.

Objective To evaluate the effect of nodosin,as an effective element extracted from rabdosiae serrae, on hepatocyte regeneration after partial liver transplantation.Methods Wistar rats were used as donors and SD rats as recipients.Rat models with partial liver transplantation were established by modified two-cuff technique.Twenty-four recipient rats were randomly assigned into the nodosin and control groups.In the nodosin group,nodosin at a dosage of 1 00 μg/ml was administered via tail venous route after liver transplantation.Peripheral plasma and liver specimen were obtained at postoperative 3 and 7 d.The levels of alanine transaminase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (ALT)and albumin (ALB)in the peripheral plasma were measured by spectrophotometry.Hepatic histomorphological changes were observed under light microscope.The positive cell count of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)antibody in the liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of phosphorylated protein kinase (p-AKT ), phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR),cyclin D1 and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 proteins were measured by western blot.The apoptosis of liver cells was detected by Annexin V method and TdT mediated-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL).Results Compared with the control group,the serum levels of ALT and AST were significantly lower at 3 d and 7 d after operation,whereas the ALB content was significantly higher in the nodosin group (all in P <0.05).And nodosin could alleviate the pathological injury of rat liver tissue after transplantation.The positive cell count of PCNA in the nodosin group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P <0.05).In the nodosin group,the expression levels of p-AKT,p-mTOR,cyclin D1 and HO-1 proteins were significantly higher than those in the control group (all in P <0.05).The quantity and percentage of apoptotic hepatocytes in the nodosin group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both in P <0.05).Conclusions Application of nodosin can decrease the quantity of apoptotic hepatocytes and accelerate hepatocyte proliferation after liver transplantation in rat models.

Objective To explore the effect of inhibiting placental growth factor ( PIGF ) by small interfering RNA ( siRNA) on migration, invasion and chemoresistance of human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC1.Methods Three specific siRNAs targeting PIGF (siRNA-PIGF) were designed.PANC1 cells were transfected with siRNA-PIGF by liposome transfection using untransfected cells as blank controls and nonspecific siRNA ( siRNA-NC) transfected cells as negative controls .The PIGF mRNA and protein expression was examined by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA.MTT method was used to assess the inhibition rate of chemotherapeutic reagents on cell proliferation .The abilities of migration and invasion were evaluated by Transwell assay.Results The inhibition rate of PIGF mRNA in PANC1 cells transfected by 3 siRNA-PIGF were (64.38 ±8.92)%, (70.48 ±7.72)% and (81.25 ±6.02)%, which was lowest in siRNA-PIGF-3 transfected cells.The expression of PIGF mRNA in PANC1 cells were decreased by (63.72 ±8.20)%at 24 h after siRNA-PIGF transfection compared with siRNA-NC transfected cells;and the level of PIGF protein in the supernatant of cultured PANC1 cells was lowered by (42.92 ±1.34)% compared with siRNA-NC transfected cells and by (46.25 ±3.64)% compared with untransfected cells at 48h after transfection, which all had significant difference .There was no statistical difference between untransfected and siRNA-NC transfected cells.After 3 ng/L gemicitabine treatment , the inhibition rate of cell proliferation in siRNA-PIGF group was even higher than that in siRNA-NC and untransfected group [(44.35 ±5.05)% vs(34.29 ±3.60)% and (31.01 ±1.08)%;both P<0.05], and no significant difference was not observed after 5-FU and adriamycin treatment.In migration and invasion assay , the number of transmembrane cells from siRNA-PIGF group was 38.1%and 28.2%of that from siRNA-NC group and 40.8% and 36.2% of that from untransfected group , which had statistical difference (all P<0.05).Conclusions PIGF silencing could significantly suppress the migration and invasion of PANC 1 cells and improve the sensitivity to gemicitabine .