Objective To investigate the effect of catalpol(CAT)on necrotic apoptosis in acute myocardial infarction(AMI)rats.Methods Rat AMI model was constructed by ligating the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery.Sixty SPF grade SD male rats were randomly grouped into sham surgery group(Sham group),AMI model group(Model group),low-dose CAT group(CAT-L group,30 mg·kg-1 CAT),high-dose CAT group(CAT-H group,60 mg·kg-1 CAT),and high-dose CAT+RIP1 activator recombinant RIP1 group(CAT-H+rRIP1 group,60 mg·kg-1 CAT+8 μg·kg-1 rRIP1),12 in each group.CAT was administered by gavage once a day for a total of 4 weeks.Recombinant RIP1 was administered via tail vein injection and the next day for a total of 4 weeks.Sham group and Model group were given equal amounts of physiological saline by gavage and tail vein injection,respectively.The CAT-L group and CAT-H group were injected with physiological saline via the tail vein the next day while receiving gastric lavage.TUNEL staining was applied to observe the apoptosis of rat cardiomyocytes.Western Blot was applied to detect the expression of RIP1/RIP3/MLKL signaling pathway related proteins in rat myocardial tissue.Results The apoptosis rates of myocardial cells in the sham group,model group,CAT-L group,CAT-H group,and CAT-H+rRIP1 group were(4.23±0.63)％,(33.48±3.94)％,(13.50±1.86)％,and(29.62±3.08)％,respectively;the expression levels of RIP1 protein in myocardial tissue were 0.21±0.02,0.86±0.09,0.43±0.04,and 0.72±0.07,respectively;the expression levels of RIP3 protein were 0.30±0.03,0.94±0.09,0.49±0.05,and 0.83±0.08,respectively;the phosphorylation levels of MLKL protein were 0.35±0.04,1.13±0.11,0.64±0.06,and 0.97±0.10,respectively.The above indexes in Model group were compared with those in Sham group,and those in CAT-H group were compared with those in Model group and CAT-H+rRIP1 group,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Conclusion CAT may inhibit necrotic apoptosis of myocardial cells in AMI rats by down-regulating the RIP1/RIP3/MLKL signaling pathway.

Objective To clarify the understanding of types of laboratories and manufacturers for GB 9706.1-2020 Medical electrical equipment-Part 1:General requirements for basic safety and essential performance by laboratory proficiency testing for creepage distance and electrical clearance test.Methods An operation guide was formed according to the testing program in GB 9706.1-2020,and the homogeneity and stability of the samples were evaluated according to CNAS-GL003:2018 Guidance on Evaluating the Homogenneity and Stability of Samples Used for Proficiency Testing.Robust statistic methods were used to assess the quantitative parameters of the test results of the participating laboratories according to the requirements in GB/T 28043-2019 Statistical methods for use in proficiency testing by interlaboratory comparison;the results reported by the expert laboratories were used as the specified values of the qualitative parameters.SPSS 25.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results All the results of the crreepage distance and electrical clearance tests met the requirements for homogeneity and stability.Of the 46 laboratories involved in,37 ones did have comprehensive satisfactory determinations while the remained 9 ones not.Conclusion Some laboratories don't behave well in understanding the standard,which have to be reformed accordingly to enhance their proficiencies.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(10):54-59]

Purpose::Cerebral edema (CE) is the main secondary injury following traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs). It is challenging to be predicted timely. In this study, we aimed to develop a prediction model for CE by identifying its risk factors and comparing the timing of edema occurrence in TBI patients with varying levels of injuries.Methods::This case-control study included 218 patients with TBI caused by RTAs. The cohort was divided into CE and non-CE groups, according to CT results within 7 days. Demographic data, imaging data, and clinical data were collected and analyzed. Quantitative variables that follow normal distribution were presented as mean ± standard deviation, those that do not follow normal distribution were presented as median (Q 1, Q 3). Categorical variables were expressed as percentages. The Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors for CE. Logistic curve fitting was performed to predict the time to secondary CE in TBI patients with different levels of injuries. The efficacy of the model was evaluated using the receiver operator characteristic curve. Results::According to the study, almost half (47.3%) of the patients were found to have CE. The risk factors associated with CE were bilateral frontal lobe contusion, unilateral frontal lobe contusion, cerebral contusion, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and abbreviated injury scale (AIS). The odds ratio values for these factors were 7.27 (95% confidence interval ( CI): 2.08 -25.42, p = 0.002), 2.85 (95% CI: 1.11 -7.31, p = 0.030), 2.62 (95% CI: 1.12 -6.13, p = 0.027), 2.44 (95% CI: 1.25 -4.76, p = 0.009), and 1.5 (95% CI: 1.10 -2.04, p = 0.009), respectively. We also observed that patients with mild/moderate TBI (AIS ≤ 3) had a 50% probability of developing CE 19.7 h after injury (χ 2= 13.82, adjusted R2 = 0.51), while patients with severe TBI (AIS > 3) developed CE after 12.5 h (χ 2= 18.48, adjusted R2 = 0.54). Finally, we conducted a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of CE time, which showed an area under the curve of 0.744 and 0.672 for severe and mild/moderate TBI, respectively. Conclusion::Our study found that the onset of CE in individuals with TBI resulting from RTAs was correlated with the severity of the injury. Specifically, those with more severe injuries experienced an earlier onset of CE. These findings suggest that there is a critical time window for clinical intervention in cases of CE secondary to TBI.

Patients with congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD) manifest diverse symptoms from normospermia to azoospermia. Treatment for CUAVD patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) is complicated, and there is a lack of relevant reports. In this study, we describe the clinical features and evaluate the treatments and outcomes of CUAVD patients with OA. From December 2015 to December 2020, 33 patients were diagnosed as CUAVD with OA in Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China). Patient information, ultrasound findings, semen analysis, hormone profiles, and treatment information were collected, and the clinical outcomes were evaluated. Of 33 patients, 29 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Vasoepididymostomy (VE) or cross VE was performed in 12 patients, the patency rate was 41.7% (5/12), and natural pregnancy was achieved in one of the patients. The other 17 patients underwent testicular sperm extraction as the distal vas deferens (contralateral side) was obstructed. These findings showed that VE or cross VE remains an alternative treatment for CUAVD patients with OA, even with a relatively low rate of patency and natural pregnancy.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Vas Deferens/abnormalities* ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Epididymis/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; China ; Semen

Alkaloids are important active ingredients occurring in many traditional Chinese medicines, and alkaloid glycosides are one of their existence forms. The introduction of saccharide units improves the water solubility of alkaloid glycosides thus presenting better biological activity.Because of the low content in plants, alkaloid glycosides have been not comprehensively studied. In this study, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was employed to identify and analyze the alkaloid glycosides in Coptis chinensis, Phellodendron chinense, Menispermum dauricum, Sinomenium acutum, Tinospora sagittata and Stephania tetrandra. The results showed that except Tinospora sagittata, the other five herbal medicines contained alkaloid glycosides. Furthermore, the alkaloid glycosides in each herbal medicine were identified based on UV absorption spectra, quasimolecular ion peaks in MS, fragment ions information in the MS/MS, and previous literature reports. A total of 42 alkaloid glycosides were identified. More alkaloid glycosides were identified in C. chinensis and Menispermum dauricum, and eleven in C. chinensis were potential new compounds. Furthermore, the alkaloid glycosides in the water extract of C. chinensis were coarsely se-parated by macroporous adsorption resin, purified by column chromatography with D151 cation exchange resin, ODS and MCI, combined with semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography. Two new alkaloid glycosides were obtained, and their structures were identified by mass spectrometry and NMR data as(S)-7-hydroxy-1-(p-hydroxybenzyl)-2,2-N,N-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and(S)-N-methyltetrahydropalmatubine-9-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, respectively. This study is of great significance for enriching the information about the chemical composition and the in-depth development of C. chinensis. Meanwhile, it can provide a reference for rapid identification and isolation of alkaloid glycosides from other Chinese herbal medicines.
Glycosides/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Coptis chinensis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/analysis* ; Plant Extracts/chemistry* ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; Water ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Coptis/chemistry*

This study aimed to evaluate the ability of rete testis thickness (RTT) and testicular shear wave elastography (SWE) to differentiate obstructive azoospermia (OA) from nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). We assessed 290 testes of 145 infertile males with azoospermia and 94 testes of 47 healthy volunteers at Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China) between August 2019 and October 2021. The testicular volume (TV), SWE, and RTT were compared among patients with OA and NOA and healthy controls. The diagnostic performances of the three variables were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. The TV, SWE, and RTT in OA differed significantly from those in NOA (all P ≤ 0.001) but were similar to those in healthy controls. Males with OA and NOA were similar at TVs of 9-11 cm 3 ( P = 0.838), with sensitivity, specificity, Youden index, and area under the curve of 50.0%, 84.2%, 0.34, and 0.662 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.502-0.799), respectively, for SWE cut-off of 3.1 kPa; and 94.1%, 79.2%, 0.74, and 0.904 (95% CI: 0.811-0.996), respectively, for RTT cut-off of 1.6 mm. The results showed that RTT performed significantly better than SWE in differentiating OA from NOA in the TV overlap range. In conclusion, ultrasonographic RTT evaluation proved a promising diagnostic approach to differentiate OA from NOA, particularly in the TV overlap range.
Male ; Humans ; Azoospermia ; Rete Testis ; China ; Testis

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is the most common genetic cause of human male infertility. However, the effect of the extra X chromosome on different testicular cell types remains poorly understood. Here, we profiled testicular single-cell transcriptomes from three KS patients and normal karyotype control individuals. Among the different somatic cells, Sertoli cells showed the greatest transcriptome changes in KS patients. Further analysis showed that X-inactive-specific transcript ( XIST ), a key factor that inactivates one X chromosome in female mammals, was widely expressed in each testicular somatic cell type but not in Sertoli cells. The loss of XIST in Sertoli cells leads to an increased level of X chromosome genes, and further disrupts their transcription pattern and cellular function. This phenomenon was not detected in other somatic cells such as Leydig cells and vascular endothelial cells. These results proposed a new mechanism to explain why testicular atrophy in KS patients is heterogeneous with loss of seminiferous tubules but interstitial hyperplasia. Our study provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research and related treatment of KS by identifying Sertoli cell-specific X chromosome inactivation failure.
Animals ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Sertoli Cells/metabolism* ; Klinefelter Syndrome/genetics* ; Endothelial Cells ; Testis/metabolism* ; X Chromosome/metabolism* ; Mammals/genetics*

The regulation of spermatogonial proliferation and apoptosis is of great significance for maintaining spermatogenesis. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of the testis was performed to identify genes upregulated in spermatogonia. Using scRNA-seq analysis, we identified the spermatogonia upregulated gene origin recognition complex subunit 6 (Orc6), which is involved in DNA replication and cell cycle regulation; its protein expression in the human and mouse testis was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. To explore the potential function of Orc6 in spermatogonia, the C18-4 cell line was transfected with control or Orc6 siRNA. Subsequently, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays, flow cytometry, and western blot were used to evaluate its effects on proliferation and apoptosis. It was revealed that ORC6 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of C18-4 cells. Bulk RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis indicated that Orc6 was involved in the activation of wingless/integrated (Wnt)/ β-catenin signaling. Western blot revealed that the expression of β-catenin protein and its phosphorylation (Ser675) were significantly decreased when silencing the expression of ORC6. Our findings indicated that Orc6 was upregulated in spermatogonia, whereby it regulated proliferation and apoptosis by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Taking the Chinese city of Xiamen as an example, simulation and quantitative analysis were performed on the transmissions of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the influence of intervention combinations to assist policymakers in the preparation of targeted response measures. A machine learning model was built to estimate the effectiveness of interventions and simulate transmission in different scenarios. The comparison was conducted between simulated and real cases in Xiamen. A web interface with adjustable parameters, including choice of intervention measures, intervention weights, vaccination, and viral variants, was designed for users to run the simulation. The total case number was set as the outcome. The cumulative number was 4,614,641 without restrictions and 78 under the strictest intervention set. Simulation with the parameters closest to the real situation of the Xiamen outbreak was performed to verify the accuracy and reliability of the model. The simulation model generated a duration of 52 days before the daily cases dropped to zero and the final cumulative case number of 200, which were 25 more days and 36 fewer cases than the real situation, respectively. Targeted interventions could benefit the prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreak while safeguarding public health and mitigating impacts on people's livelihood.
COVID-19/prevention & control* ; China/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Machine Learning ; Pandemics/prevention & control* ; Policy ; Reproducibility of Results ; SARS-CoV-2

Objective: We aim to evaluate the morbidity and mortality of cancer attributable to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in China in 2016. Methods: Based on the cancer incidence and mortality rates, national population data, and population attributable fraction (PAF) in China, we calculated the number of incidence and death cases attributed to HPV infection in different areas, age groups, and gender in China in 2016. The standardized incidence and mortality rates for cancer attributed to HPV infection were calculated by using Segi's population. Results: In 2016, a total of 124 772 new cancer cases (6.32 per 100 000) were attributed to HPV infection in China, including 117 118 cases in women and 7 654 cases in men. Of these cancers, cervical cancer was the most common one, followed by anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, penile cancer, vaginal cancer, laryngeal cancer, oral cancer, and vulvar cancer. A total of 41 282 (2.03 per 100 000) deaths were attributed to HPV infection, of which 37 417 occurred in women and 3 865 in men. Most deaths were caused by cervical cancer, followed by anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, penile cancer, laryngeal cancer, vaginal cancer, oral cancer, and vulvar cancer. The incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer increased rapidly with age, peaked in age group 50-54 years, then decreased obviously. The morbidity and mortality rates of non-cervical cancer increased with age. The cancer case and death numbers in rural areas (57 089 cases and 19 485 deaths) were lower than those in urban areas (67 683 cases and 21 797 deaths). However, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of cervical cancer were higher in rural areas than in urban areas. There were no significant differences in ASIR and ASMR of non-cervical cancers between urban areas and rural areas. Conclusions: The incidence of cancers attributed to HPV infection in China was lower than the global average, but the number of incidences accounted largely, furthermore there is an increasing trend of morbidity and mortality. The preventions and controls of cervical cancer and male anal cancer are essential to contain the increases in cancer cases and deaths attributed to HPV infection.
China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology* ; Penile Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Registries ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Vaginal Neoplasms ; Vulvar Neoplasms