1.Effects of Huoxue Xiaoyi Formula (活血消异方) on Tfh Cells and the JAK/STAT Pathway in Ectopic Tissues of Ovarian Endometriosis Model Rats
Weisen FAN ; Yongjia ZHANG ; Yaqian WANG ; Hong LEI ; Huiting YAN ; Ruijie HOU ; Xin WANG ; Yu TAO ; Ruihua ZHAO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(14):1473-1480
ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Huoxue Xiaoyi Formula (活血消异方, HXF) in treating ovarian endometriosis (OEM) from the perspective of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway. MethodsForty-five female SD rats with normal estrous cycles were randomly divided into three groups, HXF group, model group, and normal group, with 15 rats in each group. A rat model of OEM was established by autologous endometrial tissue implantation. After successful modeling, the treatment group received HXF at 5.85 g/(kg·d) by gavage for 14 consecutive days. The model group and normal group received 1 mL/d of normal saline by gavage. RNA-sequencing data from human proliferative-phase endometriotic and normal endometrial tissues were downloaded from the GEO database. Transcriptomic sequencing was used to analyze gene expression in rat ovarian ectopic tissues and normal uterine tissues, and comparisons were made with human data to verify JAK/STAT pathway activation in proliferative-phase ectopic tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expression of CXC chemokine receptor 5 (CXCR5) and interleukin-21 (IL-21) in rat ovarian ectopic and normal uterine tissues. Western Blotting was performed to detect the protein levels of IL-21, IL-21 receptor (IL-21R), Janus kinase 1 (JAK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Tfh cell infiltration was analyzed using immune cell infiltration methods. ResultsGene set enrichment analysis showed that the JAK/STAT pathway was significantly activated in human proliferative-phase endometriotic tissues compared to normal endometrial tissues. Similarly, the JAK/STAT pathway was markedly activated in rat ovarian ectopic tissues in the model group compared to the normal group, but suppressed in the HXF group compared to the model group. Compared with normal uterine tissues, ovarian ectopic tissues in the model group showed increased Tfh cell infiltration scores, higher CXCR5 and IL-21 expression, and elevated levels of IL-21, IL-21R, JAK1, STAT6, and Bcl-2 proteins. Compared with the model group, HXF group showed reduced CXCR5 and IL-21 expression and decreased protein levels of IL-21, IL-21R, JAK1, STAT6, and Bcl-2. ConclusionHXF may suppress activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in ovarian endometriotic tissues by inhibiting IL-21 secretion from Tfh cells.
2.Design and baseline characteristics of a population-based birth cohort in Shanghai
Huiting YU ; Xin CUI ; Zhou LIANG ; Renzhi CAI ; Lan CHEN ; Naisi QIAN ; Weixiao LIN ; Shan JIN ; Chunfang WANG ; Chen FU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(1):11-15
ObjectiveTo introduce the basic design, development plan and objectives of a population-based birth cohort in Shanghai, and further present the main data and baseline characteristics of enrolled participants in the cohort, and to provide key information for reproductive health-related studies. MethodsThe Shanghai population-based birth cohort initiated on January 1, 2005, included newborns born in Shanghai every year and their parents, and collected information on reproductive health, reproductive treatment, birth characteristics, growth and development status, as well as the incidence, treatment and death of diseases by employing data linkage technology and investigations. This formed a birth cohort spanning the entire life cycle. ResultsAs of October 2022, a total of 2 978 538 newborns and their parents were included in the cohort. Among them, 2 905 135 (97.54%) were naturally conceived (NC), and 73 403 (2.46%) were born through assisted reproductive technologies (ART). The average age of parents was (32.56±4.12) years old for females and (34.62±5.34) years old for males in the ART group, which was higher than (28.02±4.71) years and (30.07±5.54) years for parents in the NC group. Among parents, females and males aged 30 and above accounted for 77.12% and 85.08%, respectively, which were higher than that of parents (35.28% for females and 49.66% for males) in the NC group. Furthermore, the percentage of parents with a college degree or above in the ART group was 73.23% for females and 73.66% for males, which were higher than those in the NC group (49.98% and 50.91%, respectively). The multiple births rate in the ART group was 33.81%, which was higher than that in the NC group (1.88%). The incidence of premature birth and low birth weight in the ART group were 24.47% and 19.08%, respectively, which was higher than that in the NC group (5.47% and 3.73%). ConclusionThe comprehensive collection of reproductive health-related information in the birth cohort in Shanghai can provide essential resources to determine the influence of genetics, environment, reproductive treatment and other related factors on the health of offspring after birth.
3.Overview of the establishment of Shanghai twin birth cohort
Shan JIN ; Naisi QIAN ; Weixiao LIN ; Liping FANG ; Lei CHEN ; Bo FANG ; Tian XIA ; Chunfang WANG ; Huiting YU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(1):16-20
ObjectiveTo establish the Shanghai twin birth cohort (STBC) and analyze the effects of genetic factors, shared environment, and non-shared environment interactions on birth health and growth and development of newborns. MethodsBased on the population-wide birth cohort in Shanghai, a comprehensive survey was conducted on the families with double and multiple babies born after January 1, 2015 to collect information on birth health, growth and development, and the family environment of the babies. ResultsBy December 31, 2021, a total of 7 195 pairs (14 405 cases) of twins were successfully included in the STBC survey. The average birth length of twins was 47.2 cm and average birth weight was 2 465.3 g. Heterozygous twins accounted for 69.05% and preterm babies accounted for 57.07%. The average age of the mothers of twins was 31.82 years, and the average age of the fathers was 33.87 years, with more than 80% of the parents having a college degree or above. 44.50% of the mothers used assisted reproductive technologies, 7.40% had illnesses during pregnancy, and 15.90% were exposed to passive smoking during pregnancy. During the survey period, the average monthly increase in the length of the twin infants was 2.09 cm, and the average monthly weight gain was 0.53 kg. ConclusionThe incidence of adverse outcomes such as maternal cesarean section rate, preterm birth, and low birth weight is higher in the twin birth population. Information on birth health as well as growth and development in childhood and adolescence in the twin birth population is collected based on STBC, which can provide a solid data foundation for studying children’s chronic non-communicable diseases, psychological and behavioral disorders and other complex health problems caused by the combined effects of genetics and the environment.
4.Application of Bayesian probabilistic linkage model in birth and death data linking
Huiting YU ; Renzhi CAI ; Weixiao LIN ; Jingyi NI ; Naisi QIAN ; Tian XIA ; Fan WU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(1):98-103
ObjectiveTo elucidate the principles and methods of the Bayesian probabilistic linkage model, and to demonstrate the effect of applying the model in linking birth and death data. MethodsThrough the Shanghai birth and death registration system, data of 199 025 infants born in 2017 and 1 512 infants who died in 2017 and 2018 were collected. After cleaning the data, the data were divided into monthly blocks and fully linked. The Jaro-Winkler algorithm and Euclidean distance were employed to measure the similarity of fields for matching. A Bayesian probabilistic linkage model was constructed and the linking effect was evaluated using a confusion matrix. ResultsUsing the Bayesian probabilistic linkage model, the birth and death data of infants were effectively linked, revealing that 36.71% of infants who died in Shanghai were born outside the city, and the probability of infant death was 2.6‰. The confusion matrix of the test set showed a recall rate of 0.86, precision of 0.76, and an F-score of 0.81. ConclusionThe practical application of Bayesian probabilistic linkage demonstrates a good model performance, enabling the establishment of birth-death cohorts that more accurately reflect the true levels of infant mortality. Utilizing this technique to integrate data from different departments can effectively improve research efficiency in the field of public health.
5.Nested case-control study on children with severe birth defects in Shanghai
Naisi QIAN ; Shan JIN ; Wenwei ZHENG ; Lei CHEN ; Bo FANG ; Chunfang WANG ; Tian XIA ; Huiting YU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(5):463-468
ObjectiveTo design a prospective nested case-control study based on a city-wide birth cohort of Shanghai, so as to understand their health status and explore the influencing factors of birth defects. MethodsBased on the birth registration covering the entire city of Shanghai, the nested case-control study of children with severe birth defects was designed. Children born with severe birth defects were selected as the case group, and healthy children were matched as the control group. Basic information, health status, maternal pregnancy history, and survival outcome of children both in the case group and the control group were collected through medical history review and home visits. The logistic regression model was used for multivariate analysis. ResultsA total of 18 875 infants born between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2021, were included, among which 11 500 (60.93%) were children with severe birth defects and 7 375 (39.07%) were healthy children. The logistic regression model analysis showed that being male (OR=1.20, 95%CI:1.13‒1.29), non-Shanghai residency (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.06‒1.25), multiple births (OR=8.41, 95%CI:6.25‒11.30), artificial insemination (OR=2.31, 95%CI:1.34‒3.99), in vitro fertilization (IVF) (OR=1.85, 95%CI:1.44‒2.38), maternal exposure to radiation (OR=1.83, 95%CI:1.07‒3.14), maternal illness during pregnancy (OR=1.61, 95%CI:1.49‒1.74), experiencing a traumatic event during pregnancy (OR=2.34, 95%CI:1.88‒2.92), paternal chemical exposure (OR=1.88, 95%CI:1.32‒2.69), paternal radiation exposure (OR=1.65, 95%CI: 1.18‒2.33), family history of birth defects (OR=8.18, 95%CI: 3.96‒16.89), being overweight before pregnancy (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.07‒1.27), being obese before pregnancy (OR=1.15, 95%CI:1.03‒1.30), and being excessively obese before pregnancy (OR=1.52, 95%CI:1.26‒1.83) were risk factors for the occurrence of birth defects. Analysis by type of birth defect found that prematurity was a risk factor for cardiac malformations and cheilopalatoschisis (OR=27.87, 95%CI: 20.84‒37.27), especially ranking first in cardiac malformations. ConclusionAfter controlling for influencing factors, maternal overweight, obesity, and excessive obesity before pregnancy, artificial insemination, and IVF are independent risk factors for the occurrence of birth defects. Choosing a healthy lifestyle, improving physical and mental health during pregnancy, and controlling BMI during pregnancy are beneficial in reducing the risk of birth defects.
6.The Association between Screen Time Behavior in Early Childhood,Outdoor Activities and their Interaction with Hyperactive Behavior in Preschool Children
Huiting CHEN ; Yulan WU ; Feixiang ZENG ; Dongyan WEN ; Weiying LIU ; Ruoqing CHEN ; Lvping LI ; Yu JIN
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2024;45(6):891-901
[Objective]To investigate the association between screen content and the frequency of screen exposure at the age of one and a half years and hyperactive behavior in preschool,and to explore how the association is affected by the interaction between outdoor activities and screen behaviors,which could provide theoretical basis and feasible solutions for the prevention and intervention of behavioral problems in childhoood.[Methods]The survey was conducted from June 2022 to June 2023 in Huicheng District,Huizhou (China) stratified by whole cluster sampling methods. Parents and teachers of 5648 children in 61 kindergartens were sampled for questionnaire surveys. The Conners Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) was used to investigate hyperactive behavior. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate basic demographic information of children,screen content,frequency of screen exposure and outdoor activities at the age of one and a half years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the association between video screen behavior and hyperactive behavior and its interaction with outdoor activities by controlling for covariates such as children's age,gender,and parental education.[Results]Result showed the overall prevalence of 3.2% for hyperactive behavior,2.1% for conduct problems,2.1% for hyperactivity problems,1.3% for inattention-passivity problems,and 0.9% for hyperactivity index. After adjusting for confounding factors,multiple logistic regression analysis showed that screen exposure of "two to four times a week" at one and a half years old was associated with an increased detection rate of hyperactive behaviors in preschool children,with an estimated ORs (95% CI) of 1.682 (1.141,2.480). Daily screen exposure was associated with increased detection rates of hyperactive behavior,conduct problems,hyperactivity issues,inattention-passivity problems,and hyperactivity index in pre-school age. The estimated ORs (95% CI) were 2.136 (1.218,3.746),2.321 (1.185,4.546),2.300 (1.208,4.380),2.776 (1.267,6.085) and 3.640 (1.525,8.687),respectively. But the above associations were not found in children who were engaged in daily outdoor activities at the age of one and a half years (P value for interaction<0.001). No association was found between screen content and hyperactive behavior (P>0.05).[Conclusions]Frequency of screen exposure in early childhood is significantly associated with hyperactive behavior problems in preschool,and outdoor activities could weaken the correlation between high-frequency screen exposure and hyperactive behavior,suggesting that parents and schools should prioritize scientifically guiding children's video viewing behavior and outdoor activities,ensuring a well-arranged daily life,to lay a good foundation for the healthy development of children's behavior.
7.Analysis of clinical implementation of nursing group standard for oxygen therapy in adult patients
Xiaojiu QI ; Huiting WANG ; Yu XU ; Zheng HUANG ; Zhixia ZHANG ; Hongwen MA ; Yunyan XIANYU ; Su ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2024;59(14):1726-1731
Objective To understand the implementation of the nursing group standards for oxygen inhalation therapy in clinical practice,and to provide a reference for improving the nursing practice of oxygen therapy.Methods A convenience sampling method was used to investigate nurses from 902 hospitals in 24 provinces and municipalities directly under the central government using a self-designed questionnaire from December 15th,2022,to January 14th,2023.The content of questionnaire included whether they had implemented the recommendations of the oxygen therapy standards,the knowledge of safety related to oxygen therapy,and the components of oxygen therapy prescriptions,the indications used for patients receiving oxygen therapy and practice status of oxygen therapy.Results A total of 10481 questionnaires were returned,of which 10447 were valid,with a valid questionnaire recovery rate of 99.68%.63.14%of the nurses indicated that the hospital had organized training on oxygen therapy standards.Only 47.82%of nurses know the correct use of the Venturi mask.41.90%of nurses could indicate the correct indicator of flow adjustment.31.88%of the nurses stated that they will adjust the oxygen flow rate based on the oxygenation status of carbon dioxide storage patients.Only 19.56%of nurses indicated that humidification is applied in oxygen therapy based on the oxygen flow and duration.Conclusion Even though nurses had received training related to oxygen therapy standards,the level of knowledge of oxygen therapy standards was still low;therefore continuous systematic training was needed,and the implementation of the content of oxygen therapy standards needed to be further standardized.Healthcare institutions would focus on organizing systematic training and maintaining the training effect,enhancing infrastructure and providing support for implementation.Recommendation to the nursing administration is to explore how to comprehensively and continuously implementing the oxygen therapy nursing standards with the ultimate goal of providing patients safer and more accurate oxygen therapy.
8.Evaluation of effects of Mycobacterium marinum on macrophages through a metabolomics analysis
Lu YANG ; Zhenzhen WANG ; Ying SHI ; Huiting ZHONG ; Yuanyuan YU ; Han MA ; Yanqing CHEN
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2024;57(11):1037-1044
Objective:To analyze changes in energy metabolism and oxylipin metabolism in macrophages after stimulation by Mycobacterium marinum ( M. marinum) using targeted metabolomics, and to provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the immune defense by macrophages against M. marinum infections. Methods:Mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages were obtained from the bilateral femurs of mice, and cultured cells were divided into two groups: the active M. marinum group and the inactivated M. marinum group. Bacterial suspensions were prepared using M. marinum clinical isolates; the active M. marinum group was treated with live M. marinum suspensions for 12 hours, while the inactivated M. marinum group with inactivated M. marinum suspensions for 12 hours. Cell morphology was observed through microscopy, and cell length was measured. Cell lysates collected from both groups were subjected to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis to detect energy and oxylipin metabolites. A t-test was utilized to compare the lengths of macrophages between the two groups, while principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis were conducted to identify differential metabolites. Results:Under the microscope, macrophages in the active M. marinum group formed more granuloma-like cell aggregates compared with those in the inactivated M. marinum group; the macrophages were significantly thinner and longer in the inactivated M. marinum group (439.52 ± 91.67 μm) than in the active M. marinum group (289.96 ± 70.11 μm, P < 0.001). Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis of energy metabolism and oxylipin metabolism in macrophages demonstrated good separation between the two groups. As for the energy metabolism, a total of 12 differential metabolites were identified, with the amino acid metabolism showing the most significant changes. Specifically, there was a significant increase in the content of L-citrulline, while the content of L-leucine and serine decreased. As for the oxylipin metabolism, 20 differential metabolites were identified, with the arachidonic acid metabolism showing the most significant changes. Conclusions:Macrophages stimulated by live M. marinum exhibited altered amino acid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism compared with those stimulated by inactivated M. marinum, characterized by an increase in L-citrulline content, a decrease in L-leucine and serine levels, and alterations in arachidonic acid content.
9.Evaluation of the performance of a 34-layer ResNet model-based artificial intelligence application in the diagnosis of skin diseases
Yajie ZHU ; Feng LU ; Mahmood Syed Mohammad Nooruddin ; Xin LIU ; Xiaohong LI ; Jianbin YU ; Huiting DONG
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2023;56(10):948-952
Objective:To evaluate the performance of Autoderm, an artificial intelligence application, in the diagnosis of skin diseases in Chinese patients.Methods:Totally, 920 patients with confirmed skin diseases were prospectively recruited in the Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Every patient provided 1 clinical image, which was uploaded onto the Autoderm application for the diagnosis of skin diseases. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the Autoderm application were estimated, and the kappa values for the diagnostic agreement between the Autoderm application and dermatologists were calculated.Results:Among the 920 patients, 871 (94.7%) could be diagnosed with an Autoderm′s in-distribution skin disease, whereas 49 (5.3%) had out-of-distribution skin diseases. According to the top 1 and 3 diagnoses given by the Autoderm application for the 920 patients separately, its mean diagnostic sensitivities were 41.8% and 65.8%, mean specificities 96.8% and 91.5%, and mean accuracies 92.9% and 89.9%, respectively, and there was moderate overall agreement between the Autoderm application and dermatologists (κ = 0.420, 0.464, respectively). However, for an out-of-distribution skin disease, the Autoderm application could output 5 definitely false diagnoses.Conclusion:Autoderm may be used as as clinical decision support tool for the diagnosis of common skin diseases in most Chinese patients, with moderate diagnostic sensitivity, high specificity, and high accuracy, but misdiagnosis may occur.
10.Clinical characteristics of chronic Q fever: an analysis of 12 cases
Xuehan ZHANG ; Huiting LIU ; Yu WANG ; Hongwei FAN ; Zhenjie WANG ; Yang JIAO
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2023;22(10):1062-1067
Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of chronic Q fever.Methods:The epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory results, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of 12 patients with chronic Q fever admitted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2008 to December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Of the12 cases, there were 11 males and 1 female with a median age at diagnosis of 58 years (47-68). The median time interval between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 9.5 months (4.0-28.5). Ten patients had fever, and the common symptoms included weakness ( n=6), weight loss ( n=5) and shortness of breath ( n=3). Seven patients presented with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Among the 12 patients, 1 patient suffered from cardiac valve and artery involvement at the same time, 8 patients suffered from infective endocarditis, and 1 patient suffered from aneurysm. No definite infection site was found in 2 patients. Seven of the 12 patients (58.3%) had elevated serum creatinine. Rheumatoid factors were detected in 8 patients, all of which were elevated. Nine patients were treated with doxycycline/minocycline plus hydroxylchloroquine and 3 patients were treated with doxycycline/minocycline. Patients were followed up for 3 months to 14 years, 7 patients stopped antibiotics after 12 to 30 months and were in stable condition. One patient died of heart failure 6 months after diagnosis and 1 patient lost follow-up. Three patients diagnosed in 2022 were still under treatment and in stable condition. Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of chronic Q fever lack of specificity and may involve multiple systems. Endocarditis and mycotic aneurysm are common complications. For long-term fever with new heart valve function damage or mycotic aneurysm patients, chronic Q fever should therefore be considered.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail