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.

ObjectiveThis study aims to identify potential risk factors， establish a nomogram prediction model and propose intervention strategies for iron deficiency anemia （IDA） in late pregnancy. MethodsQuestionnaire surveys and routine blood tests were performed on pregnant women who received regular antenatal check-ups at Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital from July 2022 to December 2023. Of the 500 cases enrolled， 482 completed the trial and were divided into IDA and non-IDA groups based on the presence of IDA in the third trimester. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were employed to identify risk factors for IDA， while R software was used to construct a nomogram prediction model. ResultsThe incidence of IDA in late pregnancy was 19.92% （96/482）. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between IDA in late pregnancy and factors such as economic independence， preconception body mass index （BMI）， number of pregnancies， and regular iron supplementation during pregnancy （P<0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression showed that economic independence （P=0.031， OR=0.583） and regular iron supplementation during pregnancy （P<0.001， OR=5.337） were protective factors against IDA. Conversely， a low preconception BMI （P=0.021， OR=2.375） and three or more pregnancies （P=0.015， OR=2.253） emerged as significant risk factors. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve （AUC） for the nomogram predicting IDA was 0.84， with an optimal cutoff value of -1.481， a sensitivity of 81.2% and a specificity of 75.1%. ConclusionsThe incidence of IDA in late pregnancy is quite high. A low preconception BMI and three or more pregnancies are risk factors， while economic independence and regular iron supplementation are protective factors. These insights have enabled the construction of a prediction model， which， in turn， could provide guidance for prediction and treatment of IDA in late pregnancy.

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of Baishile Capsules regulating SHH/Gli1 signaling pathway on hippocampal neurogenesis of depression model rats.Methods Totally 32 SD rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,fluoxetine(5.4 mg/kg)group and Baishile Capsules(2.88 g/kg)group,with 8 rats in each group.A depression rat model was established using chronic unpredictable mild stress and single cage feeding method.The model was established and administered simultaneously for 21 consecutive days.Depression-like behavior in rats were evaluated by sucrose preference experiment and open field experiment,ELISA was used to detect brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)contents in rat serum and hippocampal tissue,the number of BrdU,BrdU/DCX,BrdU/NeuN positive cells in dentate gyrus of the hippocampus was observed by immunofluorescence,immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to detect the fluorescence intensity and protein expression of SHH,Gli1,Smo,Ptch in hippocampal tissue.Results Compared with the control group,the degree of sucrose preference significantly decreased in the model group(P<0.01),the number of horizontal and vertical movements significantly decreased(P<0.01),the contents of BDNF in serum and hippocampal tissue significantly decreased(P<0.05),the number of BrdU,BrdU/DCX,BrdU/NeuN positive cells in dentate gyrus of the hippocampus significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the fluorescence intensity and protein expression of SHH,Gli1,Smo,Ptch in hippocampal tissue significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the degree of sucrose preference and the number of horizontal and vertical movements in fluoxetine group and Baishile Capsule group increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01),the contents of BDNF in serum and hippocampal tissue significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the number of BrdU,BrdU/DCX,BrdU/NeuN positive cells in dentate gyrus of the hippocampus significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05),the fluorescence intensity and protein expressions of SHH,Gli1,Smo,Ptch in hippocampal tissue significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Baishile Capsule can promote the hippocampus neurogenesis in depression model rats by regulating SHH/Gli1 signaling pathway,and play an antidepressant role.

Objective To construct a lentiviral vector for overexpression of bone morphogenetic protein 7(BMP7)in mice,and the effect of BMP7 overexpression on the expression of Jagged1 in mouse aortic endothelial cells and the calcification of the co-cultured vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)were analyzed.Methods According to the target gene information Mouse-BMP7(NM_007557.3)and plasmid information pLVX-zsGreen-C1,gene sequence synthesis was carried out to construct BMP7 overexpression lentivirus.The efficiency of BMP7 overexpression lentivirus infection was detected by qPCR;the expression of Jagged1 protein in aortic endothelial cells from infected mice was detected by Western blot.The endothelial cells with lentivirus overexpressing BMP7 were co-cultured with VSMCs,and the calcification of VSMCs was observed by alizarin red staining.Results BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector was successfully constructed and transfected into aortic endothelial cells.qPCR test results showed that the expression level of BMP7 mRNA was significantly increased in the BMP7 overexpression group than that in the normal control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference in the expression of BMP7 mRNA between the empty vector control group and the normal control group(P>0.05).Western blot results showed that the expression level of Jagged1 protein in endothelial cells of mouse in the BMP7 overexpression group was significantly lower than that in the normal control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference in the expression level of Jagged1 protein in endothelial cells between the empty vector control group and the normal control group(P>0.05).The results of alizarin red staining showed that the calcification of VSMCs was significantly increased after co-cultured with endothelial cells infected with BMP7 lentivirus.Conclusion Mouse BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector was successfully constructed,and overexpression of BMP7 can reduce the expression of Jagged1 in mouse aortic endothelial cells and promote the calcification of co-cultured VSMCs.

Objective To evaluate the clinical application of automatic coagulation detection assembly line in high-throughput specimen detection.Methods The relevant information of sodium citrate anticoagulation samples in Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from June to August 2021 was collected,inclu-ding sample collection time,receiving time,instrument sucking time,test completion time,and whether it pas-sed autoverification or not.The sample pretreatment time,testing time and turnaround time(TAT)of the au-tomatic coagulation detection assembly line were compared before and after installation,and the detection speed of the automatic coagulation detection assembly line was evaluated.Results The automatic coagulation detection line was expected to detect 650-900 samples per hour.The increase in the number of turbidimetric tests would slow down the detection speed of the instrument.Automatic coagulation detection assembly line test specimen to clinic and ward of pretreatment time and testing time were shorter than single detection,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The automatic coagulation detection assembly line could shorten TAT(P＜0.05).After the application of automatic coagulation detection assembly line,the autoveri-fication rate was 25.6％.Conclusion The automatic coagulation detection assembly line is suitable for high-throughput specimen detection in laboratory.Compared with stand-alone coagulation detection,the automatic coagulation detection assembly line could shorten TAT and testing time,and help to reduce the work pressure of laboratory personnel.

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the treatment status of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in China.Methods:Data of chronic phase (CP) and accelerated phase (AP) CML patients diagnosed from January 2006 to December 2022 from 77 centers, ≥18 years old, and receiving initial imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib or flumatinib-therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China with complete data were retrospectively interrogated. The choice of initial TKI, current TKI medications, treatment switch and reasons, treatment responses and outcomes as well as the variables associated with them were analyzed.Results:6 893 patients in CP ( n=6 453, 93.6%) or AP ( n=440, 6.4%) receiving initial imatinib ( n=4 906, 71.2%), nilotinib ( n=1 157, 16.8%), dasatinib ( n=298, 4.3%) or flumatinib ( n=532, 7.2%) -therapy. With the median follow-up of 43 ( IQR 22-75) months, 1 581 (22.9%) patients switched TKI due to resistance ( n=1 055, 15.3%), intolerance ( n=248, 3.6%), pursuit of better efficacy ( n=168, 2.4%), economic or other reasons ( n=110, 1.6%). The frequency of switching TKI in AP patients was significantly-higher than that in CP patients (44.1% vs 21.5%, P<0.001), and more AP patients switched TKI due to resistance than CP patients (75.3% vs 66.1%, P=0.011). Multi-variable analyses showed that male, lower HGB concentration and ELTS intermediate/high-risk cohort were associated with lower cytogenetic and molecular responses rate and poor outcomes in CP patients; higher WBC count and initial the second-generation TKI treatment, the higher response rates; Ph + ACA at diagnosis, poor PFS. However, Sokal intermediate/high-risk cohort was only significantly-associated with lower CCyR and MMR rates and the poor PFS. Lower HGB concentration and larger spleen size were significantly-associated with the lower cytogenetic and molecular response rates in AP patients; initial the second-generation TKI treatment, the higher treatment response rates; lower PLT count, higher blasts and Ph + ACA, poorer TFS; Ph + ACA, poorer OS. Conclusion:At present, the vast majority of newly-diagnosed CML-CP or AP patients could benefit from TKI treatment in the long term with the good treatment responses and survival outcomes.

Objective:To explore the genetic characteristics of a child with comorbid 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome and Rett syndrome (RTT).Methods:A male infant who was admitted to Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in May 2020 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the infant was collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from the infant and his parents, and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing.Result:The patient, a 4-day-old male infant, had presented with poor response, poor intake, feeding difficulties, and deceased at 8 months after birth. WES revealed that he has harbored a 0.643 Mb deletion in the 16p11.2 region, which encompassed key genes of the 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome such as ALDOA, CORO1A, KIFF22, PRRT2 and TBX6. His father has carried the same deletion, but was phenotypically normal. The deletion was predicted to be pathogenic. The child was also found to harbor a maternally derived c. 763C>T (p.R255X) hemizygous variant of the MECP2 gene, which was also predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+ PS4+ PM2_Supporting). Conclusion:The 16p11.2 deletion and the MECP2: c.763C>T (p.R255X) variant probably underlay the pathogenesis in this infant.

A boy,aged 7 months,presented with severe global developmental delay(GDD),refractory epilepsy,hypotonia,nystagmus,ocular hypertelorism,a broad nasal bridge,everted upper lip,a high palatal arch,and cryptorchidism.Genetic testing revealed a de novo heterozygous missense mutation of c.364G>A(p.E122K)in the EEF1A2 gene,and finally the boy was diagnosed with autosomal dominant developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 33 caused by the EEF1A2 gene mutation.This case report suggests that for children with unexplained infancy-onset severe to profound GDD/intellectual disability and refractory epilepsy,genetic testing for EEF1A2 gene mutations should be considered.This is particularly important for those exhibiting hypotonia,nonverbal communication,and craniofacial deformities,to facilitate a confirmed diagnosis.

Objective To monitor the antifungal resistance of clinical isolates of Candida spp.in the East China region.Methods MALDI-TOF MS or molecular methods were used to re-identify the strains collected from January 2018 to December 2022.Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method.The susceptibility test results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of 2022 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)documents M27 M44s-Ed3 and M57s-Ed4.Results A total of 3 026 strains of Candida were collected,65.33％of which were isolated from sterile body sites,mainly from blood(38.86％)and pleural effusion/ascites(10.21％).The predominant species of Candida were Candida albicans(44.51％),followed by Candida parapsilosis complex(19.46％),Candida tropicalis(13.98％),Candida glabrata(10.34％),and other Candida species(0.79％).Candida albicans showed overall high susceptibility rates to the 10 antifungal drugs tested(the lowest rate being 93.62％).Only 2.97％of the strains showed dose-dependent susceptibility(SDD)to fluconazole.Candida parapsilosis complex had a SDD rate of 2.61％and a resistance rate of 9.42％to fluconazole,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida glabrata had a SDD rate of 92.01％and a resistance rate of 7.99％to fluconazole,resistance rates of 32.27％and 48.24％to posaconazole and voriconazole non-wild-type strains(NWT),respectively,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida tropicalis had resistance rates of 29.55％and 26.24％to fluconazole and voriconazole,respectively,resistance rates of 76.60％and 21.99％to posaconazole and echinocandins non-wild-type strains(NWT),and a resistance rate of 2.36％to echinocandins.Conclusions The prevalence and species distribution of Candida spp.in the East China region are consistent with previous domestic and international reports.Candida glabrata exhibits certain degree of resistance to fluconazole,while Candida tropicalis demonstrates higher resistance to triazole drugs.Additionally,echinocandins resistance has emerged in Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida tropicalis,and Candida parapsilosis.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of single center adult chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase(CML-CP).Methods:Clinical data of 41 adult CML-CP patients in Department of Hematology,Shanghai Fengxian District Central Hospital from January 2015 to May 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients between＜60 years group and ≥ 60 years group were compared.Results:The 41 patients included 27(65.9％)males and 14(34.1％)females.The median age of the patients was 56(19-84)years,with 22 cases(53.7％)＜60 years and 19 cases(46.3％)≥60 years.Univariate analysis indicated that the proportions of patients with comorbidities,intermediate/high-risk Sokal score,myelofibrosis,and lactate dehydrogenase ≥1 000 U/L were significantly increased in ≥60 years group compared with＜60 years group at initial diagnosis(all P＜0.05).There were no statistical differences in the distribution of sex,ELST score,white blood cell count,platelet count,peripheral blood basophil percentage,peripheral blood eosinophil percentage and bone marrow primitive cell percentage between the two groups(P＞0.05).The proportion of patients taking reduced-dose imatinib in≥60 years group significantly increased(P＜0.001).Patients＜60 years had a higher proportion of molecular biological remission after treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs)than patients ≥ 60 years(P＜0.001).The incidence of non-hematologic adverse reactions to TKI therapy significantly increased in patients ≥ 60 years(P＜0.001).Multivariate analysis showed that no adverse factors affecting the efficacy and prognosis of TKI.Conclusion:Compared with adult CML-CP patients＜60 years,patients ≥ 60 years gain fewer benefits from TKI treatment and increased adverse reactions.