Objective: To explore the efficacy and potential mechanisms of the ethanol extract of Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medic in contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Methods: CIN rat models and human renal proximal tubular cells (HK-2) with iopromide-induced injury were employed to mimic CIN conditions. The effect of Abelmoschus manihot extract on the rat models and HK-2 cells was evaluated. In rat models, kidney function, histology, oxidative stress and apoptosis were determined. In HK-2 cells, cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, and endoplasmic reticulum stress were assessed. Results: Abelmoschus manihot extract significantly improved structural and functional impairments in the kidneys of CIN rats. Additionally, the extract effectively mitigated the decline in cellular viability and reduced iopromide-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Mechanistic investigations revealed that Abelmoschus manihot extract prominently attenuated acute endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis by downregulating GRP78 and CHOP protein levels. Conclusions: Abelmoschus manihot extract can be used as a promising therapeutic and preventive agent in the treatment of CIN.

The adulteration and counterfeiting of herbal ingredients in medicinal and food homology (MFH) have a serious impact on the quality of herbal materials, thereby endangering human health. Compared to pharmaceutical drugs, health products derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are more easily accessible and closely integrated into consumers' daily life. However, the authentication of the authenticity of TCM ingredients in MFH has not received sufficient attention. The lack of clear standards emphasizes the necessity of conducting systematic research in this area. This study utilized DNA barcoding technology, combining ITS2, psbA-trnH, matK as universal barcode sequences, and DX, HH, JYH as specific barcode sequences, to identify the authenticity of commercial medicinal and food homology scented herbal teas. The aim was to investigate the authenticity of scented herbal tea products circulating in the market. The research results revealed that among 180 scented herbal tea samples, DNA barcodes were successfully obtained from 164 samples, while the remaining samples either lacked the target components or suffered severe DNA degradation, resulting in failed amplification. Combined with morphological identification studies, it was found that out of the 180 samples, 141 were authentic, accounting for 78.33% of the total samples, while 31 samples showed adulteration and 8 samples lacked the target components, accounting for 21.67% of the total samples. Additionally, water testing revealed that 5 samples of Carthamus tinctorius herbal tea exhibited the phenomenon of weight adulteration. This study exposed the presence of adulteration and weight adulteration in scented herbal tea products, highlighting the need for regulatory authorities to expedite the establishment of quality standards in scented herbal tea industry. These findings provide valuable insights for the rapid development of the scented herbal tea industry.

Objective:To carry out cytogenetic and molecular genetic analysis for two infertile patients carrying rare small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC).Methods:Two infertile patients who received reproductive and genetic counseling at CITIC Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Hospital on October 31, 2018 and May 10, 2021, respectively were selected as the study subjects. The origin of sSMCs was determined by conventional G banding, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq). Microdissection combined with high-throughput whole genome sequencing (MicroSeq) was carried out to determine the fragment size and genomic information of their sSMCs. Results:For patient 1, G-banded karyotyping and FISH revealed that he has a karyotype of mos47, XY, del(16)(p10p12), + mar[65]/46, XY, del(16)(p10p12)[6]/48, XY, del(16)(p10p12), + 2mar[3].ish mar(Tel 16p-, Tel 16q-, CEP 16-, WCP 16+ ). CNV analysis has yielded a result of arr[GRCh37]16p12.1p11.2(24999364_33597595)×1[0.25]. MicroSeq revealed that his sSMC has contained the region of chromosome 16 between 24979733 and 34023115 (GRCh37). For patient 2, karyotyping and reverse FISH revealed that she has a karyotype of mos 47, XX, + mar[37]/46, XX[23].rev ish CEN5, and CNV analysis has yielded a result of seq[GRCh37]dup(5)(p12q11.2)chr5: g(45120001_56000000)dup[0.8]. MicroSeq results revealed that her sSMC has contained the region of chromosome 5 between 45132364 and 55967870(GRCh37). After genetic counseling, both couples had opted in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Conclusion:For individuals harboring sSMCs, it is vital to delineate the origin and structural characteristics of the sSMCs for their genetic counseling and reproductive guidance. Preimplantation genetic testing after microdissection combined with high-throughput whole genome sequencing (MicroSeq-PGT) can provide an alternative treatment for carrier couples with a high genetic risk.

Objective To compare the interaction efficiency of three human-machine interaction modes with hand-touch control,eye movement control and voice control,based on a multi-channel human-machine interaction system in flight mission scenarios.Methods 20 pilots took part in the study and completed the first level(relatively simple)and second level(relatively complex)interactive experimental tasks in three human-computer interaction modes based on specific flight mission scenarios.The interaction efficiency indicators included the system's interaction time,response time,fusion calculation time,and number of errors.After the experiment was completed,the pilots conducted a subjective evaluation,which included the suitability of the interaction mode to the task,consistency with expected usage,fault-tolerance,effective feedback,and the tendency of the interaction mode to be applied in future flight fields.Results There were generally significant differences in interaction efficiency between hand-touch control,voice control,and eye movement control in flight mission scenarios,but the differences differed in first-level and second-level interaction tasks.Based on the comprehensive interaction experimental tasks at all levels,the experimental results obtained included:(1)the interaction time of hand-touch control was the shortest,the interaction time of voice control was the longest,and the main effect of the interaction mode was significant(F=18.214,P<0.001,η2=0.565);(2)The response time of hand-touch control was the shortest,while the response time of eye movement control was the longest.The main effect of interaction mode was significant(F=153.085,P<0.001,η2=0.944);(3)The fusion calculation time for hand-touch control was the shortest,while the fusion calculation time for voice control was the longest.The main effect of the interaction mode was significant(F=41.702,P<0.001,η2=0.777);(4)The errors in voice control were the least,while those in eye movement control were the most.The main effect of interaction mode was significant(χ2=22.845,P<0.001,φ=1.097);(5)The subjective evaluation scores of pilots on voice control were higher than those on eye movement control,and all had statistical significance(P<0.001,P<0.01).Conclusions This study focuses on flight interaction tasks and compares the interaction efficiency of three interaction modes of hand-touch control,voice control,and eye movement control,through a combination of experiments and subjective evaluations.The differences in various interaction efficiency indicators among different interaction modes are found,and the interaction modes have a significant impact on interaction efficiency.Hand-touch control has a significant advantage in interaction time efficiency,voice control has an advantage in accuracy for simple tasks,while eye movement control has relatively weak time efficiency and accuracy;Compared to eye movement control,pilots exhibit higher evaluations and tendencies towards voice control.The research results can provide reference for the future design,evaluation,and application of multi-modal interaction systems.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic potential of exosomes from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCsExo) for delivering specific circular RNAs (circRNAs) in treating premature ovarian failure (POF) is not well understood.This study aimed to explore the efficacy of HUMSCs-Exo in delivering hsa_circ_0002021 for POF treatment, focusing on its effects on granulosa cell (GC) senescence and ovarian function. METHODS: Bioinformatic analysis was conducted on circRNA profiles using the GSE97193 dataset from GEO, targeting granulosa cells from varied age groups. To simulate granulosa cell senescence, KGN cells were treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX). HUMSCs were transfected with pcDNA 3.1 vectors to overexpress hsa_circ_0002021, and the HUMSCsExo secreted were isolated. These exosomes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Western blotting to confirm exosomal markers CD9 and CD63. Co-culture of these exosomes with CTX-treated KGN cells was performed to assess b-galactosidase activity, oxidative stress markers, ROS levels, and apoptosis via flow cytometry.Interaction between hsa_circ_0002021, microRNA-125a-5p (miR-125a-5p), and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) was investigated using dual-luciferase assays and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). A POF mouse model was induced with CTX, treated with HUMSCs-Exo, and analyzed histologically and via immunofluorescence staining. Gene expression was quantified using RT-qPCR and Western blot. RESULTS: hsa_circ_0002021 was under expressed in both in vivo and in vitro POF models and was effectively delivered by HUMSCs-Exo to KGN cells, showing a capability to reduce GC senescence. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0002021 in HUMSCs-Exo significantly enhanced these anti-senescence effects. This circRNA acts as a competitive adsorbent of miR-125a-5p, regulating CDK6 expression, which is crucial in modulating cell cycle and apoptosis. Enhanced expression of hsa_circ_0002021 in HUMSCs-Exo ameliorated GC senescence in vitro and improved ovarian function in POF models by modulating oxidative stress and cellular senescence markers. CONCLUSION This study confirms that hsa_circ_0002021, when delivered through HUMSCs-Exo, can significantly mitigate GC senescence and restore ovarian function in POF models. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of POF and highlight the therapeutic potential of circRNA-enriched exosomes in treating ovarian aging and dysfunction.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and the risk factors of fungal sepsis in 25 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) among preterm infants in China, and to provide a basis for preventive strategies of fungal sepsis. Methods: This was a second-analysis of the data from the "reduction of infection in neonatal intensive care units using the evidence-based practice for improving quality" study. The current status of fungal sepsis of the 24 731 preterm infants with the gestational age of <34⁺⁰ weeks, who were admitted to 25 participating NICU within 7 days of birth between May 2015 and April 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. These preterm infants were divided into the fungal sepsis group and the without fungal sepsis group according to whether they developed fungal sepsis to analyze the incidences and the microbiology of fungal sepsis. Chi-square test was used to compare the incidences of fungal sepsis in preterm infants with different gestational ages and birth weights and in different NICU. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to study the outcomes of preterm infants with fungal sepsis, which were further compared with those of preterm infants without fungal sepsis. The 144 preterm infants in the fungal sepsis group were matched with 288 preterm infants in the non-fungal sepsis group by propensity score-matched method. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of fungal sepsis. Results: In all, 166 (0.7%) of the 24 731 preterm infants developed fungal sepsis, with the gestational age of (29.7±2.0) weeks and the birth weight of (1 300±293) g. The incidence of fungal sepsis increased with decreasing gestational age and birth weight (both P<0.001). The preterm infants with gestational age of <32 weeks accounted for 87.3% (145/166). The incidence of fungal sepsis was 1.0% (117/11 438) in very preterm infants and 2.0% (28/1 401) in extremely preterm infants, and was 1.3% (103/8 060) in very low birth weight infants and 1.7% (21/1 211) in extremely low birth weight infants, respectively. There was no fungal sepsis in 3 NICU, and the incidences in the other 22 NICU ranged from 0.7% (10/1 397) to 2.9% (21/724), with significant statistical difference (P<0.001). The pathogens were mainly Candida (150/166, 90.4%), including 59 cases of Candida albicans and 91 cases of non-Candida albicans, of which Candida parapsilosis was the most common (41 cases). Fungal sepsis was independently associated with increased risk of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (adjusted OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.04-2.22, P=0.030) and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (adjusted OR 2.55, 95%CI 1.12-5.80, P=0.025). Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure (adjusted OR=2.50, 95%CI 1.50-4.17, P<0.001), prolonged use of central line (adjusted OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.03-1.08, P<0.001) and previous total parenteral nutrition (TPN) duration (adjusted OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.06, P<0.001) were all independently associated with increasing risk of fungal sepsis. Conclusions: Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis are the main pathogens of fungal sepsis among preterm infants in Chinese NICU. Preterm infants with fungal sepsis are at increased risk of moderate to severe BPD and severe ROP. Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure, prolonged use of central line and prolonged duration of TPN will increase the risk of fungal sepsis. Ongoing initiatives are needed to reduce fungal sepsis based on these risk factors.
Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Sepsis/epidemiology* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology* ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology*

The clinical applications of acrosin activity are limited. We analyzed 61 578 male partners in infertile couples who visited the outpatient department of the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya (Changsha, China) between August 2014 and December 2019 to determine the reference ranges and thresholds for acrosin activity in infertile Chinese men; to determine whether correlations exist between acrosin activity and age, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, or sperm motility; and to evaluate whether acrosin activity could serve as an effective prognostic indicator for choosing between in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the clinic. The cut-off value for the normal reference range of acrosin activity for male partners in infertile couples was 24.78 μIU per 106 sperm. There was no significant association between acrosin activity and age, sperm concentration, semen volume, total sperm count, progressive motility, or total motile spermatozoa. A weak positive correlation was found between acrosin activity and normal sperm morphology. There was a statistically significant difference in abnormal acrosome morphology between the group with high acrosin activity (>24.78 μIU per 106 sperm) and the group with low acrosin activity (<24.78 μIU per 106 sperm). The group with a low IVF fertilization rate had a high index of abnormal acrosomal morphology at 21.2%, while the group with a high IVF fertilization rate had a low index of 0.2%. At an acrosin activity of <24.78 µIU per 106 sperm, in one cycle of the same patient, the fertilization rate, normal fertilization rate, and good-quality embryo rate for ICSI were significantly higher than those for IVF. Therefore, the most promising application of acrosin activity could be in the selection of ICSI over IVF for infertile male patients with complete fertilization failure or a low fertilization rate.

Objective: To analyze the impact of the sinonasal anatomic changes after endonasal endoscopic anterior skull base surgery on the nasal airflow and heating and humidification by computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and to explore the correlation between the postoperative CFD parameters and the subjective symptoms of the patients. Methods: The clinical data in the Rhinology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients received the endoscopic resection of the anterior skull base tumor were selected as the case group, and the adults whose CT scans had no sinonasal abnormalities were chosen as the control group. The CFD simulation was performed on the sinonasal models after reconstructed from the patients' sinus CT images during the post-surgical follow-up. All the patients were asked to complete the Empty Nose Syndrome 6-Item Questionnaire (ENS6Q) to assess the subjective symptoms. The comparison between two independent groups and the correlation analysis were carried out by using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman correlation test in the SPSS 26.0 software. Results: Nineteen patients (including 8 males and 11 females, from 22 to 67 years old) in the case group and 2 patients (a male of 38 years old and a female of 45 years old) in the control group were enrolled in this study. After the anterior skull base surgery, the high-speed airflow moved to the upper part of the nasal cavity, and the lowest temperature shifted upwards on the choana. Comparing with the control group, the ratio of nasal mucosal surface area to nasal ventilation volume in the case group decreased [0.41 (0.40, 0.41) mm^-1 vs 0.32 (0.30, 0.38) mm^-1; Z=-2.04, P=0.041], the air flow in the upper and middle part of the nasal cavity increased [61.14 (59.78, 62.51)% vs 78.07 (76.22, 94.43)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the nasal resistance decreased [0.024 (0.022, 0.026) Pa·s/ml vs 0.016 (0.009, 0.018) Pa·s/ml; Z=-2.29, P=0.022], the lowest temperature in the middle of the nasal cavity decreased [28.29 (27.23, 29.35)℃ vs 25.06 (24.07, 25.50)℃; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the nasal heating efficiency decreased [98.74 (97.95, 99.52)% vs 82.16 (80.24, 86.91)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the lowest relative humidity decreased [(79.62 (76.55, 82.69)% vs 73.28 (71.27, 75.05)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], and the nasal humidification efficiency decreased [99.50 (97.69, 101.30)% vs 86.09 (79.33, 87.16)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023]. The ENS6Q total scores of all patients in the case group were less than 11 points. There was a moderate negative correlation between the proportion of the inferior airflow in the post-surgical nasal cavity negatively and the ENS6Q total scores (r_s=-0.50, P=0.029). Conclusions: The sinonasal anatomic changes after the endoscopic anterior skull base surgery alter the nasal airflow patterns, reducing the efficiency of nasal heating and humidification. However, the post-surgical occurrence tendency of the empty nose syndrome is weak.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Hydrodynamics ; Air Conditioning ; Nose ; Nasal Cavity ; Skull Base/surgery*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for 7 families with gonadal mosaicism for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). METHODS: For the 7 families presented at the CITIC Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Hospital from September 2014 to March 2022, clinical data were collected. Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) was carried out for the mother of the proband from family 6. Peripheral venous blood samples of the probands, their mothers and other patients from the families, amniotic fluid samples from families 1 ~ 4 and biopsied cells of embryos cultured in vitro from family 6 were collected for the extraction of genomic DNA. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was carried out for the DMD gene, and short tandem repeat (STR)/single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based haplotypes were constructed for the probands, other patients, fetuses and embryos. RESULTS: The results of MLPA showed that the probands and the fetuses/probands' brothers in families 1 ~ 4, 5, 7 had carried the same DMD gene variants, whilst the probands' mothers were all normal. The proband in family 6 carried the same DMD gene variant with only 1 embryo (9 in total) cultured in vitro, and the DMD gene of the proband's mother and the fetus obtained through the PGT-M were normal. STR-based haplotype analysis showed that the probands and the fetuses/probands' brothers in families 1 ~ 3 and 5 have inherited the same maternal X chromosome. SNP-based haplotype analysis showed that the proband from family 6 has inherited the same maternal X chromosome with only 1 embryo (9 in total) cultured in vitro. The fetuses in families 1 and 6 (via PGT-M) were both confirmed to be healthy by follow up, whilst the mothers from families 2 and 3 had chosen induced labor. CONCLUSION Haplotype analysis based on STR/SNP is an effective method for judging gonad mosaicism. Gonad mosaicisms should be suspected for women who have given births to children with DMD gene variants but with a normal peripheral blood genotype. Prenatal diagnosis and reproductive intervention may be adapted to reduce the births of further affected children in such families.
Male ; Pregnancy ; Child ; Humans ; Female ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/diagnosis* ; Dystrophin/genetics* ; Mosaicism ; Exons ; Prenatal Diagnosis/methods* ; Nucleotides

Objective To analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Hunan Province from 2016 to 2020. Methods The data of HFMD in Hunan Province from 2016 to 2020 were collected from China's Disease Prevention and Control Information System. HFMD spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted by ArcGIS 10.2 software at county level, and spatial-temporal scan statistical analysis was performed by SaTScan 9.7 software. Results A total of 714 157 cases was reported in Hunan Province during 2016-2020, with an average annual incidence rate of 208.36/100 000. Global spatial autocorrelation showed that HFMD had a positive spatial correlation on the county scale in Hunan Province during this period. Local spatial autocorrelation indicated that the hot spots were mainly concentrated in the north of central Hunan, the east of central Hunan and the west of Hunan. Spatial-temporal scanning analysis revealed the first class clusters (RR = 6.65, P< 0.001) covering 34 counties in northern and central Hunan, mainly distributed in Yueyang City, Changsha City, Zhuzhou City, Yiyang City and Xiangtan City from May 2018 to June, and the second class clusters (RR = 3.02, P < 0.001) covering 40 counties in western Hunan and central and southwest Hunan from April 2016 to June 2016. Conclusion HFMD incidence exhibits seasonal and regional characteristics in Hunan Province. The prevention and control of HFMD should be guided by combining the characteristics of spatial-temporal clustering.