BACKGROUND:Premature birth is a major global health problem associated with high mortality and morbidity.White matter injury is the most common brain injury in preterm infants.Salvia miltiorrhiza is a traditional herbal plant that is commonly used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in Asian countries. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the therapeutic effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza on white matter injury in preterm infants. METHODS:Eighteen neonatal male Sprague-Dawley rats at 3-day gestational age were selected and randomized into normal group,white matter injury group,and Salvia miltiorrhiza group.Animal models of preterm white matter injury were established by permanent ligation of the right common carotid artery in the latter two groups.Rats in the Salvia miltiorrhiza group were given intraperitoneal injection of Salvia miltiorrhiza(5 mg/kg·d)for 7 consecutive days.Normal group and white matter injury group were given the same volume of PBS for intervention.On the 14th day after modeling,the rats were sacrificed.Brains were pathologically observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining under microscope,and the expression levels of myelin basic protein and CC1 in brain tissue were visualized using immunofluorescence.Furthermore,liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze possible pathways for the action of Salvia miltiorrhiza. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the white matter injury group,the structure of the corpus callosum was irregular and the cells appeared swollen and necrotic.In addition,induction of white matter injury resulted in significantly reduced myelin formation,with irregular and loosely arranged nerve fibers and significantly decreased myelin sheaths.Interestingly,white matter injury rats treated with Salvia miltiorrhiza had reduced cellular swelling,reduced lesions,and increased myelin sheaths.The expression of myelin basic protein was closely related to myelin formation,and CC1 was a marker of myelin oligodendrocytes.Salvia miltiorrhiza significantly up-regulated the expressions of myelin basic protein and CC1 in white matter injury rats(P＜0.000 1),indicating that Salvia miltiorrhiza alleviated white matter injury.Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed that the therapeutic effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza in the rat model of white matter injury was closely related to the regulation of complement and coagulation cascades.To conclude,Salvia miltiorrhiza may be a potential therapeutic agent for treating preterm white matter injury.

Objective:To analyze the seroepidemiological characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among adolescents aged 0-14 years in Henan Province and to evaluate the effectiveness of the childhood hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) immunization program.Methods:From September 2021 to March 2022, a total of 4 883 adolescents aged 0-14 years were selected from 25 villages or communities of 18 provincial-level cities in Henan Province by using the multi-stage random cluster sampling method. Demographic data were collected through questionnaires. The 3 ml of blood samples were collected from individuals aged 0-4 years and 5 ml of blood samples were collected from individuals aged 5-14 years to test HBsAg, HBcAb and HBsAb. Data on vaccination were collected through Henan Provincial Immunization Information System and hepatitis B cases in Henan Province were collected through China Infectious Disease Reporting System. The effectiveness of the childhood HepB immunization program was analyzed.Results:The average age of 4 883 subjects was (7.32±2.81) years old. The positive rates of HBsAg and HBcAb were 0.1% (7/4 883) and 1.0% (50/4 883), and the population standardized rates were 0.3% and 1.7%. In 2002, the positive rate of HBsAg among adolescents aged 0-14 years in Henan Province was 3.39%. Compared with that in 2002, the number of chronic HBV infections among adolescents in Henan Province in 2022 decreased by about 0.7 million. In 2002, the vaccination rate of newborns who completed all three doses of vaccine was 6.26%. In 2003, the vaccination rate of the hepatitis B vaccine rose rapidly, reaching 90% in 2013 for the first time. After 2014, the vaccination rate in Henan Province continued to remain above 95%. The proportion of cases among children aged 1-4 years in clinical reports decreased from 0.43% (1 108/256 566) in 2006 to 0.01% (78/80 655) in 2021. The proportion of cases among adolescents aged 5-19 years decreased from 18.21% (46 710/256 566) in 2006 to 1.1% (827/80 655) in 2021.Conclusions:From 2002 to 2022, the positive rate of HBsAg among adolescents aged 0-14 years has decreased significantly in Henan Province. The effectiveness of the HepB immunization program for children is good.

Objective:To analyze the seroepidemiological characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among adolescents aged 0-14 years in Henan Province and to evaluate the effectiveness of the childhood hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) immunization program.Methods:From September 2021 to March 2022, a total of 4 883 adolescents aged 0-14 years were selected from 25 villages or communities of 18 provincial-level cities in Henan Province by using the multi-stage random cluster sampling method. Demographic data were collected through questionnaires. The 3 ml of blood samples were collected from individuals aged 0-4 years and 5 ml of blood samples were collected from individuals aged 5-14 years to test HBsAg, HBcAb and HBsAb. Data on vaccination were collected through Henan Provincial Immunization Information System and hepatitis B cases in Henan Province were collected through China Infectious Disease Reporting System. The effectiveness of the childhood HepB immunization program was analyzed.Results:The average age of 4 883 subjects was (7.32±2.81) years old. The positive rates of HBsAg and HBcAb were 0.1% (7/4 883) and 1.0% (50/4 883), and the population standardized rates were 0.3% and 1.7%. In 2002, the positive rate of HBsAg among adolescents aged 0-14 years in Henan Province was 3.39%. Compared with that in 2002, the number of chronic HBV infections among adolescents in Henan Province in 2022 decreased by about 0.7 million. In 2002, the vaccination rate of newborns who completed all three doses of vaccine was 6.26%. In 2003, the vaccination rate of the hepatitis B vaccine rose rapidly, reaching 90% in 2013 for the first time. After 2014, the vaccination rate in Henan Province continued to remain above 95%. The proportion of cases among children aged 1-4 years in clinical reports decreased from 0.43% (1 108/256 566) in 2006 to 0.01% (78/80 655) in 2021. The proportion of cases among adolescents aged 5-19 years decreased from 18.21% (46 710/256 566) in 2006 to 1.1% (827/80 655) in 2021.Conclusions:From 2002 to 2022, the positive rate of HBsAg among adolescents aged 0-14 years has decreased significantly in Henan Province. The effectiveness of the HepB immunization program for children is good.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features of 17q12 microdeletion cases before and after delivery, and provide a reference for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on five fetuses diagnosed with 17q12 microdeletion by single nucleotide polymorphism array in Quanzhou Women's and Children's Hospital between April 2020 and June 2023. Clinical data including prenatal ultrasonography findings, genetic causes, parental clinical features, and postnatal outcomes were summarized and analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis.Results:The five fetuses had normal results of karyotype analysis of amniotic fluid, but carried a microdeletion of 1.4 to 1.8 Mb in the 17q12 region of the chromosome, involving 20 genes listed in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database. Pedigree verification was performed on all five cases and the results indicated one maternally inherited case with the mother having polycystic kidneys complicated by left hydronephrosis, one de novo case, and three paternally inherited cases with one father having multiple cysts in both kidneys and two fathers showing no abnormalities. Multiple abnormalities were found in the five fetuses by prenatal ultrasonography, including enhanced renal parenchymal echogenicity in four cases and pyelectasis in one case. Two cases chose to terminate the pregnancies, while the other three continued the pregnancies to full term. Postnatal follow-ups showed that one case was normal in growth and development with no abnormalities by renal ultrasound; one case developed polycystic kidney; one case with normal renal ultrasound findings had a speech disorder and symptoms of suspected autism at the age of three. Conclusions:The main manifestation of 17q12 microdeletion is enhanced renal parenchymal echogenicity in the fetal stage and postnatal polycystic kidney. In prenatally diagnosed cases, pedigree verification is necessary as an objective and scientific genetic counseling is helpful in pregnancy decision-making.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infections caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) continue to pose a significant global public health challenge. Currently, the approved treatments for CHB are limited to interferon and nucleos(t)ide analogs, both of which have their limitations, and achieving a complete cure remains an elusive goal. Therefore, the identification of new therapeutic targets and the development of novel antiviral strategies are of utmost importance. Natural products (NPs) constitute a class of substances known for their diverse chemical structures, wide-ranging biological activities, and low toxicity profiles. They have shown promise as potential candidates for combating various diseases, with a substantial number demonstrating anti-HBV properties. This comprehensive review focuses on the current applications of NPs in the fight against HBV and provides a summary of their antiviral mechanisms, considering their impact on the viral life cycle and host hepatocytes. By offering insights into the world of anti-HBV NPs, this review aims to furnish valuable information to support the future development of antiviral drugs.
Humans ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use* ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Hepatocytes

In order to develop a simple and efficient site-directed mutagenesis solution, the Gibson assembly technique was used to clone the cyclin dependent kinase 4 gene with single or double site mutations, with the aim to simplify the overlap extension PCR. The gene fragments containing site mutations were amplified using a strategy similar to overlap extension PCR. Meanwhile, an empty plasmid was digested by double restriction endonucleases to generate a linearized vector with a short adaptor overlapping with the targeted gene fragments. The gene fragments were directly spliced with the linearized vector by Gibson assembly in an isothermal, single-reaction, creating a recombinant plasmid. After the recombinant plasmids were transformed into competent Escherichia coli DH5α, several clones were screened from each group. Through restriction analysis and DNA sequencing, it was found that the randomly selected clones were 100% target mutants. Since there was neither tedious multiple-round PCR amplification nor frequent DNA extraction operation, and there was no need to digest the original plasmid, this protocol circumvents many factors that may interfere with the conventional site-directed mutagenesis. Hence, genes with single or multiple mutations could be cloned easily and efficiently. In summary, the major defects associated with overlap extension PCR and rolling circle amplification were circumvented in this protocol, making it a good solution for site-directed mutagenesis.
Clone Cells ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutation ; Plasmids/genetics* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods*

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease with unknown etiology, and patients with poor response to ursodeoxycholic acid and obeticholic acid may eventually progress to liver cirrhosis and even liver failure. Liver transplantation is the only effective treatment method for PBC at present. This article elaborates on liver transplantation, survival time after liver transplantation, complications, recurrence of PBC after liver transplantation, and prospects and challenges of liver transplantation in patients with PBC, so as to provide a reference for clinical outcome and treatment after liver transplantation for PBC.

Objective:To explore the clinical application value of fetal heart quantification (fetal HQ) in the analysis of 24-segment spherical index (SI) of fetal heart in normal second and third trimestries.Methods:In July 2019, sixty-five normal singletons with gestational age (GA) of 28(24, 31) weeks were examined by echocardiography in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. The global spherical index (GSI) of the heart was measured and the dynamic images of the standard four chamber view were collected. Twenty-four-segment SI of the left and right ventricles were measured by using the fetal HQ analysis system and the correlation between SI and gestational age was analyzed.Results:There were no significant correlations between GSI, SI of left and right ventricles and gestational age ( r s=-0.22-0.14, all P>0.05). The SI of the first segment of left ventricle was lower than those of the other 23 segments (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences of SI among the second to the eleventh segments of the left ventricle (all P>0.05). In the 13th to the 24th segments of the left ventricle, the closer to the apex of the heart, the greater the SI of the segment were noted (all P<0.05). For the right ventricle, the closer to the apex of the heart, the greater the SI of the 4th to the 24th segments were found (all P<0.05), and there were no significant differences in SI among the first to third segment( P>0.05). The success rate of fetal HQ software was 95.4%. Conclusions:The 24-segment SI of RV and LV provides a feasible and reliable quantitative method which allows for the assessment of fetal heart function from the four-chamber view.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative intravitreal conbercept (IVC) as an adjunct to pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in the treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).Methods:A systematic search in EMbase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Chinese periodical full text database (CNKI), Wanfang database and VIP database were conducted, studies about the effectiveness and safety of IVC combined with PPV in the management of PDR were collected.Two researchers independently screened the studies according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, and extracted the data.The quality of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) was evaluated by the modified Jadad scale, and the quality of the cohort study or case-control study was evaluated by the Newcastle Ottawa scale (NOS). Rev Man 5.3 was applied for data analysis.Results:A total of 11 RCTs, 2 cohort studies and 10 case-control studies involving 1 625 patients and 1 844 eyes were included.The final Jadad score for each RCT was more than 3, and the final NOS score for each cohort study and case-control study was more than 5.The results of Meta-analysis showed that the total effectiveness of treatment was significantly higher in the preoperative IVC group than that in the simple PPV group ( RR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.21-1.42, P<0.001). The average operation duration was significantly shorter in the preoperative IVC group compared with that in the simple PPV group (MD=-21.11, 95% CI: -26.39--15.83, P<0.001). The level of VEGF was significantly lower in the preoperative IVC group than that in the simple PPV group (MD=-15.33, 95% CI: -19.40--11.26, P<0.001). Preoperative IVC could reduce the incidences of intraoperative bleeding, iatrogenic retinal breaks, postoperative recurrent vitreous hemorrhage and temporary increase of intraocular pressure, with statistically significant differences between them (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:Preoperative intravitreal injection of conbercept shows better effect and safer than vitrectomy alone, and it has no serious side effect.

Objective:To summarize experience and effect of the stylized operation step in the neck endoscopic thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).Methods:The clinical data of 51 patients who underwent transthoracic breast approach scarless neck endoscopic thyroidectomy (SET) from January 2018 to September 2019 in Tungwah Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively analyzed. The operative procedure used stylized operation steps: establishment of operating space, three-step method thyroidectomy, central lymph node dissection (CLND), close operating space.Results:Among 51 patients, 25 cases underwent unilateral thyroidectomy plus isthmic resection, 26 cases underwent total/near-total thyroidectomy, and 16 cases underwent preventive CLND. The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) was exposed in all 51 cases, the external branches of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) was exposed in 35 cases, no procedure was converted into open neck incision thyroidectomy. Forty-two cases were followed up, 2 cases had postoperative hoarseness and unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, which were recovered 55 and 75 d after operation respectively. There was no bucking, voice blunt or permanent low calcium. One patient had abnormal sensation of neck skin after operation, and recovered gradually 3 months after operation.Conclusions:The stylized operation step in the SET can increase safety of surgery.