Major depressive disorder (MDD) has become an increasingly serious public health issue, characterized by high incidence and high disability rates. It often coexists with other mental health problems and physical diseases, with a significant negative impact on patients' quality of life. In clinical practice, MDD is considered a heterogeneous disease. The complexity of the pathological mechanisms and the variability in treatment responses lead to a lack of clear therapeutic targets, which complicates the treatment process. In recent years, with advancements in neuroscience, the crucial role of microglia in the pathogenesis of MDD has been revealed. As the main immune cells in the brain, microglia are not only involved in the regulation of neuroinflammation but also play important roles in neurogenesis and neuronal regulation in MDD. This article mainly discusses the role of microglia in the pathophysiological mechanisms of MDD, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for microglia as a potential target for the treatment of MDD.

Objective:To explore the effect of supplementing stem cell therapy with aerobic exercise in left ventricle remodeling after myocardial infarction.Methods:Sixty 6-week-old male Wistar rats had acute myocardial infarction induced by ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery. They were then randomly divided into a model group, a stem cell group, an exercise group and an observation group. Another ten healthy Wistar rats formed a sham operation group. The rats in the stem cell and observation groups were infused with a suspension of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through the tail vein. Beginning four weeks later, the exercise and observation groups underwent 60 minutes of aerobic treadmill exercise 5 days per week for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the eight weeks the rats′ exercise performance was evaluated using a graded treadmill exercise test. And after the last training session cardiac structure and function were detected using ultrasound imaging. Tissue was then collected from the left ventricles and the collagen volume fractions were calculated. The expression of myocardial brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), heavy chain β-myosin (β-MHC) and α-MHC mRNA was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCRs.Results:Compared with the sham operation group, the time and distance to exhaustion shortened significantly in the model group, with a significant decrease in the average maximum running speed, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricle shortening fraction (LVFS), expression of α-MHC and the α-MHC/β-MHC ratio. There was a significant increase in the average resting heart rate, collagen volume fraction, expression of BNP and β-MHC in the model group. Compared with the model group, there was a significant increase in the average LVEF and LVFS of the stem cell group as well as in the time and distance to exhaustion, maximum running speed, expression of α-MHC and in the α-MHC/β-MHC ratio of the observation group, but a significant decrease in the average collagen volume fraction of the stem cell group compared with the observation group, together with the resting heart rate, collagen volume fraction, the expression of BNP and of β-MHC. Compared with the stem cell group, the observation group showed a significant increase in the average time and distance to exhaustion, maximum running speed, expression of α-MHC and the α-MHC/β-MHC ratio, with a significant decrease in the average resting heart rate, collagen volume fraction, expression of BNP and β-MHC.Conclusion:Aerobic exercise or stem cell therapy alone can inhibit left ventricular remodeling and improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction, at least in rats. The combination of the two treatments has a synergistic effect and can further enhance the effect of stem cell therapy.

ObjectiveTo characterize a cluster epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19）on campus in Baotou city and provide evidence for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in universities. MethodsField epidemiological investigation was conducted to determine the confirmed cases and close contacts in the cluster epidemic of COVID-19 in a university of western China in 2022. Descriptive analysis was utilized to illustrate the epidemic timeline and schematic diagram. Real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR（RT-PCR） was used to detect the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 in the collected samples. ResultsA total of eight students were infected in the cluster epidemic on campus， including 2 confirmed cases and 6 asymptomatic cases. Case A1 infected other 7 students in the same dormitory or on the same floor by close contact. After a 10-day quarantine and medical observation， no further case was reported. The overall incidence rate was 1.22% and the incidence rate among close contacts was 2.24%. ConclusionThis cluster epidemic of COVID-19 is characterized by strong and fast transmission. Repeated contact with no personal protection in confined space is highly vulnerable to cluster epidemic. Prevention of cluster epidemics on campus remains crucial to contain the epidemic. Therefore， it is necessary to strengthen the management of campus containment， interrupt the transmission route， identify close contacts and implement quarantine management as early as possible to avoid the cluster epidemics on campus.

Aim To study the effect of baicalin on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in human fibroblast like synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis ( HFLS-RA) and its mechanism. Methods To confirm that baicalin alleviated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in HFLS-RA, immunofluorescence was used to observe the expression of NLRP3 before and after baicalin treatment. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, NF-κB p65, NL-RP3, ASC and caspase-1 after baicalin treatment for 48 h, and ELISA was employed to detect the contents of IL-1 and IL-18 in the supernatents. In order to explore the mechanism of baicalin alleviating the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, double luciferin and Westen blot analysis were applied to verify the corresponding relationship between let-7i-3p and PIK3CA. RT-qPCR was utilized to determine the expression of let-7i-3p and PI3K before and after baicalin intervention. let-7i-3p interference was used to verify whether baicalin mitigated the activation of enhanced NLRP3 inflammasomes. Results Baicalin (50, 100 mg · L

Objective:To summarize genotype-phenotype features and explore the long-term outcome of bilateral globus pallidus interna deep brain stimulation (DBS) in chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) patients.Methods:Seven patients who diagnosed with ChAc were included in this study from April 2016 to April 2018 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Whole-exome sequencing was used for gene analysis of the patients, and the genotype-phenotype features of these patients were recorded. All patients underwent the DBS surgery, and long term follow-up was conducted before surgery, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years after surgery. Patients were scored using the Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) to evaluate the long-term efficacy of DBS surgery.Results:The main clinical manifestations in all 7 patients were oro-faciol-ingual dyskinesia, limb chorea, dystonia, and dysarthria. Genetic testing found that all patients had VPS13A gene pathogenic variation, but the type of variation was different. The UHDRS motor score before bilateral pallidal DBS surgery was 37.00±16.68, which significantly improved to 19.67±5.99 at 1 year post-surgery, with average improvement of 46.8% ( t=5.20, P=0.003), to 23.86±8.99 at 3 years post-surgery, with average improvement of 35.5% ( t=3.08, P=0.022), and to 29.00±14.97 at 5 years post-surgery, with average improvement of 21.6% ( t=1.41, P=0.217). The symptoms of patients were most significantly improved in limb chorea and oro-facio-lingual dyskinesia. However, at the 5-year follow-up, severe dystonia and gait difficulties reoccurred in 3/7 and 4/7 of the patients, respectively. The patient′s dysarthria had not been effectively improved. Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of patients with ChAc are relatively consistent, but there is significant genetic heterogeneity. Bilateral pallidal DBS therapy is effective for patients with ChAc, but the long-term efficacy decreases with disease progression.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the preadmission follow-up condition of neonates hospitalized due to severe hyperbilirubinemia after discharge from the department of obstetrics and the influencing factors for follow-up compliance. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective case-control study was performed for the cases from the multicenter clinical database of 12 units in the Quality Improvement Clinical Research Cooperative Group of Neonatal Severe Hyperbilirubinemia in Jiangsu Province of China from January 2019 to April 2021. According to whether the follow-up of neonatal jaundice was conducted on time after discharge from the department of obstetrics, the neonates were divided into two groups: good follow-up compliance and poor follow-up compliance. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for follow-up compliance of the neonates before admission. RESULTS: A total of 545 neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia were included in the study, with 156 neonates (28.6%) in the good follow-up compliance group and 389 (71.4%) in the poor follow-up compliance group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low gestational age at birth, ≥10% reduction in body weight on admission compared with birth weight, history of phototherapy of siblings, history of exchange transfusion of siblings, Rh(-) blood type of the mother, a higher educational level of the mother, the use of WeChat official account by medical staff to remind of follow-up before discharge from the department of obstetrics, and the method of telephone notification to remind of follow-up after discharge were associated with the increase in follow-up compliance (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Poor follow-up compliance is observed for the neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia after discharge from the department of obstetrics, which suggests that it is necessary to further strengthen the education of jaundice to parents before discharge and improve the awareness of jaundice follow-up. It is recommended to remind parents to follow up on time by phone or WeChat official account.
Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal/therapy* ; Infant, Newborn ; Obstetrics ; Patient Discharge ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: To analyze the relationship between outdoor activity, screen time and 20 meter shuttle run test (20 m SRT) score among children and adolescents in Baoan District, Shenzhen, so as to provide scientific basis for the management and promotion of physical health of children and adolescents. Methods: Stratified cluster sampling was used to select students from 14 schools in 6 communities in Baoan District of Shenzhen, from April to May 2019. A self designed questionnaire was used to investigate demographic characteristics, outdoor activity duration and screen time of primary and middle school students. A total of 3 192 primary and secondary school students in grade 1-12 were selected from each school. Weight, height and 20 m SRT were measured. Results: About 985(30.9%) out of 3 192 primary and middle school students were estimated excellent on 20 m SRT test, with boys being higher than that of girls (34.7% vs 26.3%) ( χ 2=26.43, P <0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the group with outdoor activity <2 h/d, the excellent and good performers on 20 m SRT with outdoor activity time ≥2 h/d was higher( OR=1.38, 95%CI =1.12-1.70). Compared with students with screen time ≥2 h/d, the excellent and good performers on 20 m SRT with screen time <2 h/d was higher( OR=1.42, 95%CI=1.17-1.71). Compared with students with outdoor activity time < 2 h/d and screen time ≥ 2 h/d, students with outdoor activity time ≥2 h/d and video time < 2 h/d had a higher proportion of excellent score on 20 m SRT( OR=1.97, 95%CI =1.46-2.67). Conclusion Increasing outdoor activity and reducing screen time are helpful to improve the performance score of 20 m SRT among primary and secondary school students.

Chinese medicinal material from Fritillaria， Beimu in Chinese， is a commonly used antitussive and expectorant traditional Chinese herbal medicine， with the significant functions of clearing heat and moistening lung，resolving phlegm and relieving cough. Five kinds of Fritillaria were recorded in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia， including Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus， Fritillariae Ussuriensis Bulbus， Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus， Fritillariae Hupehensis Bulbus and Fritillariae Pallidiflorae Bulbus. At present， the reports on Fritillaria mainly focus on the pharmacological effect， chemical composition， identification of authenticity and other aspects， while there were few reports on harvesting and primary processing of original medicinal materials. Fritillaria medicines were perennial medicinal plant with various and complex varieties， their quality and curative effect were greatly affected by harvesting and processing in producing area. The processing method differed according to its variety. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus mainly from western Sichuan plateau， Fritillariae Pallidiflorae Bulbus from Xinjiang and Fritillariae Ussuriensis Bulbus from Northeast China were mostly harvested from June to July and sun dried directly or dried. But Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus and Fritillariae Hupehensis Bulbus from Yangtze River basin were harvested when the plants wilted at the beginning of summer， and auxiliary materials such as shell powder and lime must be added during the processing. At present， the drying methods of Fritillaria were still traditional， which is not suitable for large-scale production of cultivated products. Therefore， it is urgent to find a scientific， reasonable and efficient processing methods. Aimed at providing references for standardization production of Fritillaria， this paper made a textual research on the ancient and modern herbal literature， the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and other medicinal standards， combined with modern literature， the harvesting and processing methods of Fritillaria were sorted out and prospected.

The high shear wet granulation(HSWG) process of Chinese medicine has a complicated mechanism. There are many influencing factors that contribute to this process. In order to summarize the manufacturability of different kinds of materials in HSWG, this paper constructed a material library composed of 11 materials, including 4 Chinese medicine extracts and 7 pharmaceutical excipients. Each material was described by 22 physical parameters. Several binders were employed, and their density, viscosity and surface tension were characterized. Combining empirical constraints and the principle of randomization, 21 designed experiments and 8 verification experiments were arranged. The partial least squares(PLS) algorithm was used to establish a process model in prediction of the median granule size based on properties of raw materials and binders, and process parameters. The surface tension and density of binders, as well as the maximum pore saturation were identified as key variables. In the latent variable space of the HSWG process model, all materials could be divided into three categories, namely the Chinese medicine extracts, the diluents and the disintegrants. The granulation of Chinese medicine extracts required low viscosity and low amount of binder, and the resulted granule sizes were small. The diluent powders occupied a large physical space, and could be made into granules with different granule sizes by adjusting the properties of binders. The disintegrants tended to be made into large granules under the condition of aqueous binder. The combination use of material database and multivariate modeling method is conducive to innovate the knowledge discovery of the wet granulation process of Chinese medicine, and provides a basis for the formulation and process design based on material attributes.
Drug Compounding ; Excipients ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Particle Size ; Powders ; Tablets ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of gastrointestinal (GI) symptom spectrum in patients with Parkinson′s disease (PD), and to help the early identification of gastrointestinal symptoms and management of PD.Methods:One hundred PD patients in the Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2017 to August 2017 were enrolled in this study. They were assessed by face-to-face GI dysfunction questionnaire, including eight common symptoms involved in oropharynx, upper and lower digestive tract. The Spearman correlation analysis was performed.Results:The age of PD patients was (61.9±10.5) years, the ratio of male to female was 53∶47 and the disease duration was 4.0 (2.0, 6.0) years. There were 42 cases of Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) stage 1, 30 cases of H-Y stage 2 and 28 cases of H-Y stage 3 and above (24 cases of H-Y stage 3, three cases of H-Y stage 4 and one case of H-Y stage 5). Totally 58% (58/100) of PD patients had one or more GI symptoms. Constipation (42%, 42/100), dysdefecation (38%, 38/100) and salivation (28%, 28/100) were the top three of most common GI symptoms. Lower GI symptoms were the most common (57%, 57/100), followed by oropharyngeal symptoms (33%, 33/100), and upper GI symptoms (27%, 27/100). GI symptoms could appear in H-Y stage 1 patients, 26.1% (11/42) of which had 1-2 kinds of GI symptoms and over 20% of which had more than three kinds of GI symptoms. A total of 39.3% (11/28) of PD patients with H-Y stage ≥3 had more than three kinds of GI symptoms. The Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) score in patients with upper GI symptoms was 3.0 (2.0,6.5). The constipation symptom score in patients with constipation and dysdefecation was 19.0 (12.0,27.3). As for the clinical type of constipation, 66.7% (38/57) of them were mixed, 21.0% (12/57) were slow transit and 12.3% (7/57) were dysdefecation. In 38.6% (22/57) of the constipated patients, constipation symptoms occurred earlier than PD motor symptoms. Correlation analysis showed that H-Y stage was positively correlated with the course of PD, the number of GI symptoms, salivation, constipation, dysdefecation and constipation symptom scores.Conclusions:Constipation, dysdefecation and salivation were the most common GI symptoms in PD patients. PD patients had at least one GI symptom in the early stage (H-Y stage 1). Lower GI symptoms were more common than oropharyngeal symptoms and upper GI symptoms. With the development of PD, the number of GI symptoms, salivation, constipation and dysdefecation were aggravated, which were important for early symptomatic identification and disease management.