Association between index finger and ring finger length ratios and polymorphism of homeobox A11 gene locus among Ningxia college students / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the association between the index finger and ring finger length ratio (2D ∶ 4D) and of four loci (rs6461992‚ rs6968828‚ rs7801581‚ rs17427875) polymorphism of homeobox (HOX) A11 gene among Ningxia college students. Methods Digit camera was used to collect frontal hand photos of 667 Han college students (348 males and 319 females) from Ningxia province; Image analysis software was used to mark the anatomical points and measure finger lengths of the index and ring fingers of both hands; multiplex PCR was used to detect each locus polymorphisms of HOXA11 gene; statistical software was used to compare and analyze the differences and associations of 2D ∶4D and gene polymorphisms between different genders. Results Among Ningxia Han college students‚ both left hand and right hand 2D ∶ 4D were significantly higher in females than those of in males (all P< 0. 05)‚ and there were no significant sex differences in right-left hand 2D ∶4D; the genotypes and allele frequencies of rs7801581 locus of HOXA11 gene differed significantly between genders (all P < 0. 05)‚ and none of the other locus polymorphisms showed any significant sex differences; only female left hand 2D ∶4D was significantly associated with rs6461992 locus genotype in the relationship between 2D ∶4D and HOXA11 polymorphisms (P<0. 05). Conclusion There were significant sex differences in 2D ∶ 4D among Han college students in Ningxia‚ and the rs6461992 locus polymorphism of HOXA11 gene may be associated with the formation of 2D ∶4D in females.

Corynoxine B targets at HMGB1/2 to enhance autophagy for α-synuclein clearance in fly and rodent models of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disease. It is featured by abnormal alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Macroautophagy (autophagy) is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process for degradation of cellular contents, including protein aggregates, to maintain cellular homeostasis. Corynoxine B (Cory B), a natural alkaloid isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Jacks., has been reported to promote the clearance of α-syn in cell models by inducing autophagy. However, the molecular mechanism by which Cory B induces autophagy is not known, and the α-syn-lowering activity of Cory B has not been verified in animal models. Here, we report that Cory B enhanced the activity of Beclin 1/VPS34 complex and increased autophagy by promoting the interaction between Beclin 1 and HMGB1/2. Depletion of HMGB1/2 impaired Cory B-induced autophagy. We showed for the first time that, similar to HMGB1, HMGB2 is also required for autophagy and depletion of HMGB2 decreased autophagy levels and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase III activity both under basal and stimulated conditions. By applying cellular thermal shift assay, surface plasmon resonance, and molecular docking, we confirmed that Cory B directly binds to HMGB1/2 near the C106 site. Furthermore, in vivo studies with a wild-type α-syn transgenic drosophila model of PD and an A53T α-syn transgenic mouse model of PD, Cory B enhanced autophagy, promoted α-syn clearance and improved behavioral abnormalities. Taken together, the results of this study reveal that Cory B enhances phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase III activity/autophagy by binding to HMGB1/2 and that this enhancement is neuroprotective against PD.

Analytical performance verification protocols and specifications of CD34 +cell enumeration by flow cytometry / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the analytical performance verification protocols and performance specifications of CD34+cell enumeration by flow cytometry for clinical laboratories.Methods:According to international guidelines and National Health Standard of China, we designed the performance verification protocols of CD34 +cell enumeration (including percent count and absolute count) by flow cytometry. Four quality assessment materials, three leukapheresis products and three samples of peripheral blood were selected to verify the precision, linearity, carryover, trueness and accuracy of FACSCanto Ⅱ measurement system, and the assessment criterion was set according to the detection technologies of clinical laboratories. Results:The CVs of intra-run precision of percent count and absolute count were 2.5% to 8.9% and 3.0% to 9.0%; the CVs of inter-run precision were 2.8% to 10.5% and 3.8% to 9.9%, respectively. The slopes of linearity regression equation of low range (3.6/μl to 123.6/μl) and high range (113.2/μl to 1196.3/μl) were 0.993 2 and 0.965 2, and R2 were 0.999 6 and 0.993 9, and the biases were -8.67% to 0.22%. The carryover of percent and absolute count were 0.07% and 0.00%. When percent count≤0.2% or absolute count≤20/μl, the absolute biases of trueness were in the range of ±0.006% or ±0.5/μl, and the absolute biases of accuracy were in the range of ±0.02% or ±0.9/μl; when percent count>0.2% or absolute count>20/μl, the relative biases of trueness were in the range of ±5.65%, and the relative biases of accuracy were in the range of ±8.19%. The verification results met the assessment criterion set in this study. Conclusions:The performance verification protocols and assessment criterion formulated in this study not only conform to the recommendations of domestic and foreign guidelines, but also conform to state of the detection technologies of native clinical laboratories, which can be taken as a reference of performance verification for clinical laboratories.

BRICS report of 2021: The distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical bacterial isolates from blood stream infections in China / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective:To report the results of national surveillance on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical bacterial isolates from bloodstream infections in China in 2021.Methods:The clinical bacterial strains isolated from blood culture from member hospitals of Blood Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System (BRICS) were collected during January 2021 to December 2021. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted by agar dilution or broth dilution methods recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). WHONET 5.6 was used to analyze data.Results:During the study period, 11 013 bacterial strains were collected from 51 hospitals, of which 2 782 (25.3%) were Gram-positive bacteria and 8 231 (74.7%) were Gram-negative bacteria. The top 10 bacterial species were Escherichia coli (37.6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (9.8%), coagulase-negative Staphylococci (6.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.6%), Enterococcus faecium (3.6%), Acinetobacter baumannii (2.8%), Enterococcus faecalis (2.7%), Enterobacter cloacae (2.5%) and Klebsiella spp (2.1%). The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus aureus were 25.3% and 76.8%, respectively. No glycopeptide- and daptomycin-resistant Staphylococci was detected; more than 95.0% of Staphylococcus aureus were sensitive to ceftobiprole. No vancomycin-resistant Enterococci strains were detected. The rates of extended spectrum B-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolated in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were 49.6%, 25.5% and 39.0%, respectively. The prevalence rates of carbapenem-resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 2.2% and 15.8%, respectively; 7.9% of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae was resistant to ceftazidime/avibactam combination. Ceftobiprole demonstrated excellent activity against non-ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Aztreonam/avibactam was highly active against carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The prevalence rate of carbapenem-resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii was 60.0%, while polymyxin and tigecycline showed good activity against Acinetobacter baumannii (5.5% and 4.5%). The prevalence of carbapenem-resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 18.9%. Conclusions:The BRICS surveillance results in 2021 shows that the main pathogens of blood stream infection in China are gram-negative bacteria, in which Escherichia coli is the most common. The MRSA incidence shows a further decreasing trend in China and the overall prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci is low. The prevalence of Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is still on a high level, but the trend is downwards.

The development trend of scientific research in the field of maternal and child health in the new era in China / 中国实用护理杂志

This commentary summarized the development trend of scientific research in the field of maternal and child health in China, based on the requirements of scientific innovation in the field of health care in China and the development goals of maternal and child health in the next ten years. Scientific research should be based on China's reality and solve China's problems; based on evidence-based evidence and promote its application and promotion; conduct interdisciplinary cooperation and promote the integrated development of disciplines; focus on academic frontiers and broaden international horizons.

Association between hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases gene family single-nucleotide polymorphisms and digit ratio / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the association between 8 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) gene family and human digit ratio (2D ∶ 4D). Methods Randomly selected 808 college students (400 males and 408 females) as subjects, the digit ratio of left and right fingers were measured and calculated using computer image software. Eight SNPs (rs1000283, rs2236903, rs5479, rs56303414, rs676387, rs4445895, rs2066474, rs8190478) in HSD11B and HSD17B gene families were genotyped by multiplex PCR. The association between 2D ∶4D and different genotypes was analyzed by One-Way ANOVA. Results Female left hand(L)2D ∶ 3D, L2D ∶4D, L3D ∶4D, right hand(R)2D ∶4D, R2D ∶5D were significantly higher than male (P0. 05). The genotypes frequency of the 8 SNPs were not significantly associated with digit ratio (2D ∶4D) in both males and females (P>0. 05). Conclusion There are significant gender differences in digit ratio in Ningxia Han college students, but there is no correlation between digit ratio and 8 SNPs in HSD11B and HSD17B gene families, suggesting that HSD11B and HSD17B gene families may have nothing to do with the formation of human digit ratio.

Digit ratio in men with schizophrenia / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the relationship between digit ratio and schizophrenia in men from Ningxia Han nationality. Methods Using anthropometry, digital camera was used to obtain finger photographs of both hands of 216 male subjects (nonnal control; 116, schizophrenia patient; 100). The anatomical points were marked and the length of each finger of both hands were measured by computer image analysis software (Image-Pro Plus 6 . 0 ) . Differences of the mean digit ratio of left and right hand 2D:3D, 2D:4D, 2D:5D, 3D:4D, 3D:5D, 4D:5D between the control group and the patient group were compared. The correlation between 2D :4D and onset age in the patient group were analyzed. Results Except for left and right hand 3D :4D, digit ratios in patient group were significantly higher than those in control group (2D :4D and 3D :5D in both hands, right hand 3D :5D, p all0. 05). Conclusion Digit ratio is related to the occurrence of schizophrenia in Ningxia Han male.

Effects of Apelin-13/putative receptor protein related to AT1 homodimer on behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effects of putative receptor protein related to ATI (APJ) homodimer on the behaviors-the proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HU-VECs). Methods HUVECs at logarithmic growth stage were randomly divided into PBS, Apelin-13 + TM1 (APJ monomer group) and Apelin-13 + PBS group (APJ homodimer group). Western blot and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Fligh Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to detect the expression of APJ and APJ homodimer in HUVECs, respectively. Real-Time Cell Analyzers (RT-CA) was used to detect the concentration of the maximum effect of Apelin-13. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8. The cell migration ability was detected by scratch test, and the number of tubes formed on matri-gel that made artificial basement membrane was counted. Results Western blot and MALDI-TOF MS showed that APJ and APJ homodimer were expressed in HUVECs. The EC50 of Apelin-13 was 2.26 x 10

Clinical efficacy of fire needling combined with cupping therapy on herpes zoster of acute stage and the effect on Th17/Treg cellular immune balance / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical efficacy between the combined therapy of fire needling and cupping, and western medication on herpes zoster of acute stage, as well as the effects on Th17 and Treg cells and inflammatory factors, i.e. IL-10 and IL-17 in the peripheral blood.@*METHODS@#Eighty patients with herpes zoster of acute stage were randomly divided into a combined therapy (fire needling plus cupping) group and a western medication group, 40 cases in each one. In the combined therapy group, the pricking and scattering techniques with fire needle were used at ashi points and Jiaji (EX-B 2) corresponding to the affected spinal segments; afterwards, cupping therapy was delivered. The combined treatment was given once daily. In the western medication group, valaciclovir hydrochloride tablet and vitamin B1 tablet were administered orally. The duration of treatment in each group was 10 days. Before each treatment from day 1 to day 10 and on day 11 , the score of symptoms and physical signs was observed in the two groups separately. Before each treatment from day 1 to day 10 and on day 11, 30, 60, the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) and skin lesion indexes were observed in the two groups. On day 60, the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia was recorded in the two groups. The levels of Th17 and Treg cells, Th17/Treg ratio in the peripheral blood, as well as serum levels of IL-10 and IL-17 were detected before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#From day 6 to day 10 during treatment and on day 11, the scores of symptoms and physical signs in the combined therapy group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05, P<0.01). On day 3, day 6 to day 10 during treatment and day 11, day 30, VAS scores in the combined therapy group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05, P<0.01). On day 60, the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia in the combined therapy group was lower compared with that in the western medication group (P<0.05). The blister arresting time and scabbing time in the combined therapy group were shorter than those of the western medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the level of Th17, and Th17/Treg ratio in the peripheral blood, as well as the serum levels of IL-10 and IL-17 were all lower in comparison with those in the western medication group (P<0.05). The curative and remarkably effective rate was 82.5% (33/40) in the combined therapy group, higher than 62.5% (25/40) in the western medication group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The early application of fire needling combined with cupping therapy can effectively treat herpes zoster of acute stage, relieve pain, and reduce the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia, which may be related to reducing the levels of Th17 and Treg cells, and Th17/Treg ratio in the peripheral blood, as well as the serum levels of IL-10 and IL-17 so that the cellular immune balance is modulated.

Body water percentage from childhood to old age

Total body water (TBW) increases with growth, but the body water percentage (TBW%) decreases with aging. The objective of our study was to delineate TBW% in males and females by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) from early childhood to old age. Methods: We enrolled 545 participants aged 3 to 98 years (258 male, 287 female). Among the participants, 256 had a normal weight and 289 were overweight. The TBW was measured by BIA, and TBW% was derived by dividing the TBW (L) value by body weight (kg). For analysis, we divided participants into the four age groups of 3–10, 11–20, 21–60, and ≥61 years. Results: In normal-weight subjects, the TBW% was similar at 62% between males and females in the 3–10-year group. It remained unchanged in males until and through adult life, then decreased to 57% in the ≥61-year group. In normal-weight female subjects, the TBW% decreased to 55% in the 11–20-year group, remained relatively unaltered in the 21–60-year group, then decreased to 50% in the ≥61-year group. In overweight subjects, the TBW% values in males, as well as females, were significantly lower as compared to those with normal weight. Conclusion: Our study showed that the TBW% in normal-weight males changes very little from early childhood to adult life compared to that of females, who showed a decrease in TBW% during the pubertal years. In normal-weight subjects of both sexes, the TBW% decreased after the age of 60 years. Overweight subjects had significantly lower TBW% as compared to those with normal weight.

c-MYC-mediated TRIB3/P62+ aggresomes accumulation triggers paraptosis upon the combination of everolimus and ginsenoside Rh2

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is abnormally activated in lung cancer. However, the anti-lung cancer effect of mTOR inhibitors as monotherapy is modest. Here, we identified that ginsenoside Rh2, an active component of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey., enhanced the anti-cancer effect of the mTOR inhibitor everolimus both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, ginsenoside Rh2 alleviated the hepatic fat accumulation caused by everolimus in xenograft nude mice models. The combination of everolimus and ginsenoside Rh2 (labeled Eve-Rh2) induced caspase-independent cell death and cytoplasmic vacuolation in lung cancer cells, indicating that Eve-Rh2 prevented tumor progression by triggering paraptosis. Eve-Rh2 up-regulated the expression of c-MYC in cancer cells as well as tumor tissues. The increased c-MYC mediated the accumulation of tribbles homolog 3 (TRIB3)/P62+ aggresomes and consequently triggered paraptosis, bypassing the classical c-MYC/MAX pathway. Our study offers a potential effective and safe strategy for the treatment of lung cancer. Moreover, we have identified a new mechanism of TRIB3/P62+ aggresomes-triggered paraptosis and revealed a unique function of c-MYC.

The nucleocapsid protein of rice stripe virus in cell nuclei of vector insect regulates viral replication

Rice stripe virus (RSV) transmitted by the small brown planthopper causes severe rice yield losses in Asian countries. Although viral nuclear entry promotes viral replication in host cells, whether this phenomenon occurs in vector cells remains unknown. Therefore, in this study, we systematically evaluated the presence and roles of RSV in the nuclei of vector insect cells. We observed that the nucleocapsid protein (NP) and viral genomic RNAs were partially transported into vector cell nuclei by utilizing the importin α nuclear transport system. When blocking NP nuclear localization, cytoplasmic RSV accumulation significantly increased. In the vector cell nuclei, NP bound the transcription factor YY1 and affected its positive regulation to FAIM. Subsequently, decreased FAIM expression triggered an antiviral caspase-dependent apoptotic reaction. Our results reveal that viral nuclear entry induces completely different immune effects in vector and host cells, providing new insights into the balance between viral load and the immunity pressure in vector insects.

Evaluation of immune persistence of vaccine / 中华预防医学杂志

The evaluation methods of immune persistence include direct evaluation, indirect evaluation, model prediction, and meta-analysis and so on. Direct evaluation is the gold standard for evaluating the immune persistence of vaccines by quantifying the protective effect of vaccines on the onset and (or) infection of preventable diseases. Indirect evaluation of immune persistence by immunological surrogate indicators is more widely used in practice. In addition, mathematical models and meta-analysis can also be used to evaluate the immune persistence of vaccines. It is of great significance to select the appropriate evaluation method to analyze the immune persistence of the vaccine according to the specific situation.

Evaluation of the effects of different 14C-urea breath test products in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection / 中华消化杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effects of the cassette 14C-urea breath test kit, scintillation sampling bottle (solid-state scintillation method) and liquid scintillation 14C-urea breath test kit in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection. Methods:From January 7 to October 28, 2020, 239 patients were enrolled who visited Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. All subjects first received 14C-urea breath test.Within >1 to <7 days after gas collection, mucosal tissues were taken under gastroscopy for gold standard test, including biopsy and rapid urease test (RUT). If both biopsy and RUT indicated H. pylori positive, the result of gold standard test was H. pylori positive, and if both were negative, the result of gold standard test was H. pylori negative. If the results of biopsy and RUT were inconsistent, they were not included in the subsequent analysis. Based on the results of gold standard test, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the cassette 14C-urea breath test kit, scintillation sampling bottle, and liquid scintillation 14C-urea breath test kit in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection were analyzed. The safety of the test was evaluated by whether there were any adverse events during the test. Descriptive methods were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among the 239 subjects, 12 cases did not complete the test, 227 subjects finally completed the test. The test completion rate was 95.0% (227/239). No.008 patient was only included in the analysis of cassette 14C-urea breath test kit and scintillation sampling bottle because of lacking the result of liquid scintillation breath test. The results of gold standard test showed that among 227 patients, 87 cases were H. pylori positive, 118 cases were H. pylori negative. The results of biopsy and RUT were inconsistent in 22 cases, so they were not included in the subsequent analysis. Excluding No.008 patient, the results of gold standard test showed that 86 cases were H. pylori positive and 118 cases were negative. Based on the results of gold standard test, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of cassette 14C-urea breath test kit, scintillation sampling bottle, and the liquid scintillation 14C-urea breath test kit in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection were 91.9%, 100.0%, 96.6%, 100.0% and 94.4%, respectively; 95.4%, 97.5%, 96.6%, 96.5% and 96.6%, respectively; and 96.5%, 99.2%, 98.0%, 98.8% and 97.5%, respectively. Only one adverse event (right upper abdominal pain after eating) occurred. Combined with the patients condition, the adverse event was determined as the onset of chronic cholecystitis and it might not be related to the test medication. Conclusions:Cassette 14C-urea breath test kit, scintillation sampling bottle, and liquid scintillation 14C-urea breath test kit have reliable performance, good safety, and high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, which are worthy of clinical application.

Radiosensitization Effect and Mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyutang on Transplanted Esophageal Carcinoma in Nude Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the radiosensitization and underlying mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyutang on subcutaneous transplanted esophageal carcinoma. MethodThe subcutaneous xenograft model of human esophageal carcinoma ECA-109 in nude mice was induced and the model mice were divided into a model group， an irradiation group， a Xuefu Zhuyutang group， and a combination group， with six nude mice in each group. After the intervention， the transplanted tumors were removed and weighed， and the tumor inhibition rate of each group was calculated according to the formula. The protein expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） was detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The protein expression of mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， HIF-1α， VEGFA， and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2） in transplanted tumors was detected by Western blot. The mRNA expression of mTOR， HIF-1α， and VEGFA in transplanted tumors was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the conditions in the model group， the tumor weight decreased in the irradiation group and the Xuefu Zhuyutang group （P<0.05）， as well as the combination group （P<0.01）. Compared with the irradiation group， the combination group showed decreased tumor weight （P<0.05）， with tumor inhibition rate of 57.37%. Compared with the model group， the irradiation group， the Xuefu Zhuyutang group， and the combination group showed decreased protein expression of VEGFR2， p-mTOR， HIF-1α， and VEGFA （P<0.05， P<0.01） and reduced mRNA expression of mTOR， HIF-1α， and VEGFA （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the irradiation group， the combination group showed down-regulated protein expression of VEGFR2， p-mTOR， HIF-1α， and VEGFA （P<0.05， P<0.01） and reduced mRNA expression of mTOR， HIF-1α， and VEGFA （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionXuefu Zhuyutang can inhibit the growth of transplanted esophageal carcinoma ECA-109 in nude mice and shows an obvious radiosensitization effect in combination with radiotherapy. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the mTOR/HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling pathway to improve the hypoxic state of tumors.

Correlation of endoscopy findings with symptoms in patients undergoing gastroscopy: a prospective study / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation of endoscopy findings with symptoms in patients undergoing gastroscopy.Methods:Patients who underwent gastroscopy for the first time in Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January to December 2017 were included in the questionnaire survey. The participants were asked to report their main symptoms of the digestive tract in details, and gastroscopy was completed within 2 weeks. Final gastroscopic diagnosis was made based on both gastroscopy and pathology, then patients were divided into the major-lesion (peptic ulcer and malignancy) group and the non-major-lesion (chronic gastritis, reflux esophagitis and others) group. The correlation of gastrointestinal symptoms with gastroscopic findings was analyzed. The risk for major gastroscopic lesions (peptic ulcer and malignant tumors) was assessed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 5 885 patients completed the questionnaire, 5 496 (93.4%) of whom completed gastroscopy. The detection rates of peptic ulcer were 12.3% (373/3 028), 12.6% (52/412), 17.9% (49/273), 9.5% (64/675) and 9.2% (102/1 108) in patients with dyspepsia, reflux, alarm, other symptoms and no symptoms, respectively, the detection rates of malignant tumors were 1.2% (36/3 028), 0.7% (3/412), 7.7% (21/273), 0.7% (5/675) and 0.4% (4/1 108), respectively in these patients. The most common symptoms was dyspepsia, accounted for 58.3% (373/640) and 52.2% (36/69) patients with peptic ulcer and malignant tumors, respectively. Alarm symptoms were found in 30.4% (21/69) patients with malignant tumors, and 15.9% (102/640) peptic ulcer patients and 5.8% (4/69) malignant tumor patients had no gastrointestinal symptoms. Compared to asymptomatic individuals, patients with dyspepsia ( P<0.001, OR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.21-1.92) and those with warning symptoms ( P<0.001, OR=2.87, 95% CI: 2.02-4.08) had significantly increased risk for major lesions (peptic ulcer and malignant tumors) detected by gastroscopy. Conclusion:Although dyspepsia and alarm symptoms are positively associated with upper gastrointestinal malignancy and peptic ulcer, they are of limited predictive value for upper gastrointestinal diseases.

Observation of intestinal flora in patients with depression before and after antidepressant treatment based on 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing analysis / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To observe the results of 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing analysis of intestinal flora in patients with depression before and after antidepressant treatment.Methods:94 patients with major depression treated in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2020 to December 2020 were selected as the research objects. All patients were treated with paroxetine hydrochloride for 12 weeks. Fecal samples were collected before and after treatment. The patients were divided into effective group and ineffective group according to the treatment effect. 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing was used to detect the changes of flora before and after treatment.Results:There was significant difference in age and gender between the two groups (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in α diversity index such as Chao1, PD and Shannon index between effective group and ineffective group before and after treatment (all P>0.05). β diversity analysis showed that there was a graphical difference between the effective group and the ineffective group at baseline, but it did not show statistical significance after adjusting for age and gender (Adonis, P=0.078). Compared with the ineffective group, the effective group had fecal bacilli enrichment at baseline. β-diversity analysis showed that there was no clear pattern of microbiota changes in the effective group ( P=0.142) and ineffective group ( P=0.127) from baseline to post-treatment. After treatment, the abundance of Roche bacteria in the effective group increased significantly ( P=0.013, Cohen′s d=1.90), while the abundance of Flavonifractor decreased significantly ( P=0.01, Cohen′s=5.84). Before and after treatment, the samples of the ineffective group did not identify the genus with diversity through DESeq2. The logarithm ratio of the top ranked genera (top 12%) to the bottom ranked genera (bottom 12%) in the ineffective group increased significantly ( P=0.027, Cohen′s=1.1). Conclusions:The baseline fecal microbiota status may have an impact on the treatment outcome of depression, and improving the intestinal microbiota status may contribute to the remission of depression.

Study of electrophysiological mechanism of dopamine inhibiting insulin secretion by Kv channels / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the electrophysiological mechanism of dopamine inhibiting insulin secretion hv voltage-dependent potassium ( Kv) channels.Methods Islets and (3 cells were isolated from male SD rats.D,-like receptor agonist ( SKP38393), D2-like receptor agonist (Quinpirole) and antagonist (Epiclopride) were used according to the experiment.Insulin secretion was detected by insulin radioimmunoassay.Whole-cell j J patch-clamp technique was applied to detect Kv channel currents and action potential duration of p cells.Di- BAC4(3) staining was used to observe membrane potential.Results SKF38393 did not affect insulin secretion and the Kv channel currents.Quinpirole signifi cantly inhibited insulin secretion and increased Kv channel currents.Dopamine significantly inhibited insulin secretion, increased Kv channel currents and shortened action potential duration of p cells, which could be reversed by epiclopride.In addition, dopamine de-creased membrane potential of INS-1 cells.Conclusions Dopamine inhibits insulin secretion by acting on D2-like receptors, resulting in actived Kv channels, shortened action potential duration and decreased cell membrane potential.

Pharmacological insights into autophagy modulation in autoimmune diseases

As a cellular bulk degradation and survival mechanism, autophagy is implicated in diverse biological processes. Genome-wide association studies have revealed the link between autophagy gene polymorphisms and susceptibility of autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), indicating that autophagy dysregulation may be involved in the development of autoimmune diseases. A series of autophagy modulators have displayed protective effects on autoimmune disease models, highlighting the emerging role of autophagy modulators in treating autoimmune diseases. This review explores the roles of autophagy in the autoimmune diseases, with emphasis on four major autoimmune diseases [SLE, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), IBD, and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)]. More importantly, the therapeutic potentials of small molecular autophagy modulators (including autophagy inducers and inhibitors) on autoimmune diseases are comprehensively analyzed.

The Genotypes and Clinical Characteristics of Thalassemia on Children in Wuhan Region / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the genotypes and clinical characteristics of thalassemia on children in Wuhan region.@*METHODS@#A total of 159 patients diagnosed as thalassemia in Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from December 2017 to December 2019. The patients were retrospectively analyzed for their types of mutations, detection rates and clinical characteristics.@*RESULTS@#Among the 422 samples, 159 samples were finally diagnosed as thalassemia through genetic testing, the total detection rate was 37.68%. The detection rate of α, β and αβ-thalassemia was 17.30%, 20.14% and 0.24% respectively. Among α-thalassemia, αα/-SEA was the most common one, with a composition ratio of 68.49%(50/73), followed by αα/-α3.7 (19.18%), αα/-α4.2 (6.85%) and αα/ QS (1.37%). 9 types of β-thalassemia gene mutations were detected, and the most common three mutations were IVSII-654(C→T), with a composition ratio of 40.00%, CD41-42(-TTCT) (20.00%) and CD17(A→T)(16.47%). Two novel mutations of β-thalassemia, HBB: c.92-2A＞T and HBB:c.-23A＞G were detected. Among all the positive patients, 134 (84.28%) were 0-3 years old, 19 (11.95%) were 4-6 years old, and 6 (3.77%) were 7 years of age or older. There were 147 patients with mild anemia (92.45%), 11 patients with moderate anemia (6.92%), and 1 patients with severe anemia (0.63%). The MCV of 94(59.12%) patients was lower than 65 fL, and that of 51(32.08%) patients was between 65 fL and 80 fL, while 14(8.81%) patients was higher than 80 fL. MCV in β-thalassemia group was lower than that in α-thalassemia group, and the difference showed statistically significant (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The genotypes of thalassemia in children in Wuhan area are diverse, and most of them are mild thalassemia, and diagnosed under 3 years old. Children with β-thalassemia have smaller red blood cell volumes than those with α-thalassemia.