Research progress of ProTide technology and its application in the development of antiviral drugs / 药学学报

ProTide technology is a kind of prodrug design strategy invented by the team of Christopher McGuigan. ProTides are aryloxyphosphoramidates (or aryloxyphosphonamidates) which contain a phosphorus atom combined with an amino acid ester and an aryloxy group. These prodrugs can efficiently cross the cell membrane and escape from the first rate-limiting step of phosphorylation, which afford effective solutions to the drawbacks of current nucleoside analogues. At present, ProTide technology has been extensively applied in the field of antiviral research. It has been successful in providing a number of approved drugs and clinical candidates, such as sofosbuvir and so much more, highlighting the promising future in drug discovery. This review summarizes the brief history and characteristics of ProTide technology, as well as its application in the exploration of antiviral drugs.

Factors influencing the sperm retrieval rate of microdissection testicular sperm extraction in patients with nonmosaic Klinefelter syndrome / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

To investigate the factors affecting the sperm retrieval rate of microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) in patients with nonmosaic Klinefelter syndrome (KS), 64 patients with nonmosaic KS who underwent micro-TESE in the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Peking University Third Hospital (Beijing, China) between January 2016 and December 2017 were included in the study. Data on medical history, physical examination and laboratory examination results, and micro-TESE outcomes were collected. Patients were divided into two groups according to micro-TESE outcomes. The following factors were compared between the two groups by the Mann‒Whitney U test or Student's t-test based on the distribution (nonnormal or normal) of the factors: age, testicular size, follicle-stimulating hormone level, luteinizing hormone level, testosterone level, and anti-Müllerian hormone level. The overall success rate of sperm retrieval was 50.0%. Correlation analysis showed that testicular volume was positively correlated with testosterone level. Using a logistic regression model, age and anti-Müllerian hormone levels were found to be better predictors for the sperm retrieval rate than the other parameters.

Enzalutamide and olaparib synergistically suppress castration-resistant prostate cancer progression by promoting apoptosis through inhibiting nonhomologous end joining pathway / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Recent studies revealed the relationship among homologous recombination repair (HRR), androgen receptor (AR), and poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP); however, the synergy between anti-androgen enzalutamide (ENZ) and PARP inhibitor olaparib (OLA) remains unclear. Here, we showed that the synergistic effect of ENZ and OLA significantly reduced proliferation and induced apoptosis in AR-positive prostate cancer cell lines. Next-generation sequencing followed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses revealed the significant effects of ENZ plus OLA on nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and apoptosis pathways. ENZ combined with OLA synergistically inhibited the NHEJ pathway by repressing DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and X-ray repair cross complementing 4 (XRCC4). Moreover, our data showed that ENZ could enhance the response of prostate cancer cells to the combination therapy by reversing the anti-apoptotic effect of OLA through the downregulation of anti-apoptotic gene insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor ( IGF1R ) and the upregulation of pro-apoptotic gene death-associated protein kinase 1 ( DAPK1 ). Collectively, our results suggested that ENZ combined with OLA can promote prostate cancer cell apoptosis by multiple pathways other than inducing HRR defects, providing evidence for the combined use of ENZ and OLA in prostate cancer regardless of HRR gene mutation status.

FOXA1 in prostate cancer / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Most prostate cancers initially respond to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). With the long-term application of ADT, localized prostate cancer will progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), metastatic CRPC (mCRPC), and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), and the transcriptional network shifted. Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) may play a key role in this process through multiple mechanisms. To better understand the role of FOXA1 in prostate cancer, we review the interplay among FOXA1-targeted genes, modulators of FOXA1, and FOXA1 with a particular emphasis on androgen receptor (AR) function. Furthermore, we discuss the distinct role of FOXA1 mutations in prostate cancer and clinical significance of FOXA1. We summarize possible regulation pathways of FOXA1 in different stages of prostate cancer. We focus on links between FOXA1 and AR, which may play different roles in various types of prostate cancer. Finally, we discuss FOXA1 mutation and its clinical significance in prostate cancer. FOXA1 regulates the development of prostate cancer through various pathways, and it could be a biomarker for mCRPC and NEPC. Future efforts need to focus on mechanisms underlying mutation of FOXA1 in advanced prostate cancer. We believe that FOXA1 would be a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer.

Investigation and analysis of airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To investigate the species, concentration and seasonal trends of main airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City. Methods: The Department of allergy, Beijing Shijitan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University conducted a cross-sectional study about monitoring the airborne allergenic pollen from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022 by the gravitational method in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City, which include Yuquan District, Xincheng District, Huimin District, Saihan District, Tuoketuo County, Helingeer County, Tumotezuoqi County, Wuchuan County and Qingshuihe County. Daily pollens were counted and identified by optical microscopy, and the data were analyzed. Results: The airborne allergenic pollen was collected every month all year round in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot city. Through the whole year of the total quantity of pollens ranged from 24 850 to 50 154 grains per 1 000 mm2 and two peaks of pollen concentration in air were observed,which happened in spring (from March to May) and in summer and autumn (from July to September). In spring, the main pollens were tree pollens, which principally distributed in Populus pollen (18.29%), Ulmus pollen (8.36%), Pinus pollen (6.20%), Cupressaceae pollen (5.23%), Betulaceae pollen (2.73%), Salix pollen (1.80%) and Quercus pollen (1.16%). In summer and autumn, the main pollens were weed pollens, which mainly included Artemisia pollen (42.73%), Chenopodiaceae pollen or Amaranthaceae pollen (7.46%), Poaceae pollen (2.26%), Humulus pollen or Cannabis pollen (0.60%). Conclusion: There were two peaks of main airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City. In the spring peak of pollen, the main airborne pollens were tree pollens. In the summer and autumn peak of pollen, the main airborne pollens were weed pollens. The Artemisia pollen was the most major airborne pollen in this area.

Investigation and analysis of airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To investigate the species, concentration and seasonal trends of main airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City. Methods: The Department of allergy, Beijing Shijitan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University conducted a cross-sectional study about monitoring the airborne allergenic pollen from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022 by the gravitational method in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City, which include Yuquan District, Xincheng District, Huimin District, Saihan District, Tuoketuo County, Helingeer County, Tumotezuoqi County, Wuchuan County and Qingshuihe County. Daily pollens were counted and identified by optical microscopy, and the data were analyzed. Results: The airborne allergenic pollen was collected every month all year round in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot city. Through the whole year of the total quantity of pollens ranged from 24 850 to 50 154 grains per 1 000 mm2 and two peaks of pollen concentration in air were observed,which happened in spring (from March to May) and in summer and autumn (from July to September). In spring, the main pollens were tree pollens, which principally distributed in Populus pollen (18.29%), Ulmus pollen (8.36%), Pinus pollen (6.20%), Cupressaceae pollen (5.23%), Betulaceae pollen (2.73%), Salix pollen (1.80%) and Quercus pollen (1.16%). In summer and autumn, the main pollens were weed pollens, which mainly included Artemisia pollen (42.73%), Chenopodiaceae pollen or Amaranthaceae pollen (7.46%), Poaceae pollen (2.26%), Humulus pollen or Cannabis pollen (0.60%). Conclusion: There were two peaks of main airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City. In the spring peak of pollen, the main airborne pollens were tree pollens. In the summer and autumn peak of pollen, the main airborne pollens were weed pollens. The Artemisia pollen was the most major airborne pollen in this area.

Effectiveness evaluation of pharyngeal swabs combined with anal swabs as multidrug-resistant organisms admission screening in intensive care unit / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of pharyngeal swabs combined with anal swabs as multidrug-resistant organism(MDRO)admission screening for patients in intensive care unit(ICU),and provide reference for healthcare-associated infection(HAI)prevention and control strategies.Methods Patients who underwent MDRO admission screening by pharyngeal swabs combined with anal swabs within 24 hours of admission to an ICU of a hospital in Shanghai from August 1 to December 31,2022 were included as the experimental group,and those who underwent MDRO admission screening only by pharyngeal swabs from August 1 to December 31,2021 were as the control group.Positive rate of screening,occurrence and pathogen of HAI between the two groups,as well as the sensitivity and specificity of combined admission screening for MDRO in the experimental group were compared.Results A total of 917 patients were included in the study,with 442 cases in the experimental group and 475 cases in the control group.The positive rates of admission screening for MDRO in the experimental and control groups were 7.40％and 3.37％,respectively.The incidences of HAI with MDRO in the experimental and control groups were 2.71％and 5.68％,respectively.Incidences of digestive system HAI with MDRO in the experimental and control groups were 0.68％and 2.32％,respectively.Differences were all statistically significant(all P＜0.05).The area under the ROC curve of admission screening by pharyngeal swabs combined with anal swabs for predicting HAI with MDRO in patients were 0.897(P＜0.01,95％CI:0.802-0.993).The sensitivity and specificity of admi-ssion screening for MDRO by pharyngeal swabs combined with anal swabs in the experimental group were 72.73％and 97.65％,respectively.Conclusion The combination of pharyngeal swabs and anal swabs can be used as an ICU admission screening method for MDRO,and has an important clinical application value.

Study of clinical characteristics in patients with gp210 antibody-positive primary biliary cholangitis / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic value of liver function in a large samples of patients with anti-glycoprotein 210 (gp210 antibody) positive primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 931 PBC cases in Beijing You'an Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from 2010 to 2019. According to the detection of gp210 antibody, 318 cases were divided into gp210 antibody positive group (positive group) and 613 cases were divided into gp210 antibody negative group (negative group). The differences in demographic, medical history, clinical indicators, B-ultrasound and pathological indicators as well as the histopathological basis were compared between the two groups. SPSS 16.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Measurement data were analyzed by t-test or rank sum test, and enumeration data by χ2 test. Multivariate analysis was used for logistic test, and and survival analysis was used for prognosis. Results: The positive and the negative groups were compared. The ratio of male to female was significantly higher in positive than negative group (1:5.35 vs. 1:9.73, P＜0.05), and the difference was statistically significant. The proportion of hormone use in history of past diagnosed and treated was higher in positive than negative group (12.9% vs. 3.47%, P＜0.05), and the difference was statistically significant. The detection of biochemical indexes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were higher in positive than the negative group (51.1 U/L vs. 41.1 U/L, 62.6 U/L vs. 49.6 U/L, 24.1 μmol/L vs. 17.9 μmol/L, 228.3 U/L vs. 169.6 U/L, 203.9 U/L vs. 147.6 U/L), (P＜0.05), and the differences were statistically significant. Antinuclear antibody (ANA)-positive rate, high titer ratio and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were higher in positive than negative group (95.2% vs. 81.6%, 69.7% vs. 48.8%, 17.2 g/L vs. 16.2 g/L), (P＜0.05), and the differences were statistically significant. The incidence of liver failure was higher in positive than negative group (P＜0.05). CK7 and inflammation score were higher in positive group than negative group in liver histopathological observations (0.83±0.53 vs. 0.28±0.47; 1.06±0.39 vs. 0.54±0.65), (P＜0.05), and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: The illness condition of patients with gp210 antibody positive PBC is more severe than patients with gp210 antibody negative PBC, and the incidence of liver failure is significantly increased. Cholangiocytes may be the histopathological basis of the clinical characteristics of gp210 antibody positive PBC patients.

The Legal Correspondence of Sexual Self-Defense Capability Assessment / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To understand the legal application and case deposition of assessment opinions of sexual self-defense capability, and to explore the necessity of legal correspondence in the sexual defense capability assessment.@*METHODS@#According to the self-made questionnaire, the cases of sexual self-defense capability assessment completed by the Academy of Forensic Science from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2018 were statistically analyzed through telephone interviews and referrals.@*RESULTS@#Among the 69 cases, 3 cases (4.3%) had complete sexual self-defense capability, 30 cases (43.5%) had weakened sexual self-defense capability, 32 cases (46.2%) had no sexual self-defense capability, and 4 cases (5.8%) were not suitable for assessment. Among the 30 cases with weakened sexual self-defense ability, 15 cases were filed and investigated by public security authorities for rape and 15 cases were not. The inconsistent rate of disposition was 1∶1. Among the 15 rape cases filed and investigated by the public security authorities, 10 cases were arrested and prosecuted by the procuratorate and sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment by the court, while the other 5 cases were not arrested and prosecuted by the procuratorate, with an inconsistent rate of disposition being 2∶1.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The legal application of the assessment opinion on the weakening of sexual self-defense capability is inconsistent, and the judicial disposition is confusing. It is imperative to unify and correspond the classification of sexual self-defense capability with the legal requirements.

MiR-4484 regulates the expression of integrin α 6 in gastric cancer tissues and its significance / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the expression of integrin α 6 (ITGA6), miR-4484 and the pathologic stage of gastric cancer. Methods: Gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric mucosa tissues adjacent to cancer (>5 cm from tumor margin) of 30 patients with primary gastric cancer who underwent direct surgical resection without adjuvant therapy from June to September 2017 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University were selected. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of miR-4484 and ITGA6, western blot was used to detect the expression level of ITGA6 protein, dual luciferase reporter gene was used to verify the relationship between ITGA6 and miR-4484. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between miR-4484 and ITGA6 expression levels in gastric cancer tissues. Results: The expression level of ITGΑ6 in gastric cancer (32.30±13.47) was higher than that in matched normal gastric tissues (24.55±10.25, P=0.015), the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.660 and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 43.3% and 96.7%, respectively. The expression level of miR-4484 in gastric cancer (4.11±2.87) was lower than that of matched normal gastric tissues (5.75±2.80, P=0.029), the area under the ROC curve was 0.690 and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 30.0% and 86.7%, respectively. The expression level of miR-4484 was negatively correlated with ITGA6 in gastric cancer tissues (r=-0.621, P<0.001). The expression level of ITGA6 protein in gastric cancer tissues (0.65±0.19) was higher than that in normal adjacent tissues (0.26±0.12, P<0.001). Compared with ITGA6 3'UTR wild-type+ miR-NC group, ITGA6 3'UTR wild-type+ miRNA mimics group had lower luciferase activity (50.69±5.10, 34.00±1.19, P<0.001), while the luciferase activity of ITGA6 3'UTR wild-type+ ASO miR-4484 group was higher than that of ITGA6 3'UTR wild-type+ miR-NC group (82.44±6.37, 50.69±5.10, P<0.001), indicated that ITGA6 was the direct target gene of miR-4484. The expression levels of miR-4484 in T1, T2, T3 and T4 (4a and 4b) gastric cancer tissues were 9.98±2.24, 5.28±2.03, 2.92±2.04 and 4.11±2.87, respectively, with statistical significance (P<0.001). The expression levels of ITGA6 in N0, N1, N2 and N3 gastric cancer tissues were 29.55±8.32, 21.71±3.75, 24.60±8.79 and 40.69±15.83, respectively, with statistical significance (P=0.022). The expression levels of miR-4484 in N0, N1, N2 and N3 gastric cancer tissues were 5.01±3.52, 5.48±2.76, 5.88±1.83 and 2.30±1.56, respectively, with statistical significance (P=0.032). The expression levels of ITGA6 in M0 and M1 gastric cancer tissues were 26.28±7.66 and 52.08±8.12, respectively, with statistical significance (P<0.001). The expression levels of miR-4484 in M0 and M1 gastric cancer tissues were 4.95±2.74 and 1.34±0.80, respectively, with statistical significance (P<0.001). Conclusions: ITGA6 is upregulated in gastric cancer tissues, while miR-4484 is downregulated in the gastric cancer group, and its expression level is related to the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer. ITGA6 is the direct target gene of miR-4484, implicates that miR-4484 may inhibit the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer by regulating the expression of ITGA6. Both miR-4484 and ITGA6 may be the new prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets of gastric cancer.

Analysis of characteristics of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Inner Mongolian grassland region of China / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) as well as the distribution and sensitization characteristics of Chenopodiaceae pollen in Inner Mongolia grassland of northern China. Methods: From May 2015 to August 2015, using stratified, cluster and random sampling, a field interviewer-administered survey study and skin prick test (SPT) were conducted in six areas of Inner Mongolia grassland (Xilinhot, Erenhot, Duolun, Tongliao, Jarud, Kailu), and pollen monitoring was carried out in the above six areas from January 1 to December 31 of 2015. The clinical characteristics of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR, distribution and sensitization characteristics of Chenopodiaceae pollen in these regions were observed. SAS software 9.4 was used for data processing. Results: A total of 6 043 subjects completed the study. The prevalence of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR was 13.2% (795/6 043). The highest prevalence was found in the 18-39 age group. Subjects from urban areas showed higher prevalence of SAR than rural areas (61.2% vs 37.9%, P<0.001). There was significant regional difference in the prevalence rate of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR among the above six areas (Xilinhot 21.5%, Erenhot 17.8%, Duolun 8.9%, Tongliao 6.9%, Jarud 15.3%, Kailu 9.7%, P<0.001). The main clinical symptoms of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR were sneezing (96.5%) and nasal itching (92.2%). Eye itching was more obvious among the ocular symptoms (69.1%), while fatigue (32.1%) and drowsiness (31.5%) were more prominent among other related symptoms. Among comorbidities of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR, allergic conjunctivitis accounted for 71.4% (568/795), food allergy accounted for 86.7% (689/795) and asthma accounted for 16.7% (133/795). The peak of Chenopodiaceae pollen spread was in August. The prevalence of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR was positively correlated with the concentration of Chenopodiaceae pollen (R2=0.78, P=0.043). The SPT positive rate of Chenopodiaceae pollen was 21.2% (1 282/6 043), and Xilinhot had the highest rate in six regions (28.0%, 236/842). Conclusions: The prevalence of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR in Inner Mongolia grassland stays at a high level. Sneezing is the most obvious symptom of SAR. The peak of Chenopodiaceae pollen spread is in August and the prevalence of Chenopodiaceae pollen induced SAR is positively correlated with the pollen concentration.

Diagnostic value of Pentacam anterior segment analyzer examination parameters on early keratoconus / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To analyze the diagnostic value of Pentacam anterior segment analyzer examination parameters on early keratoconus.<p>METHODS: Retrospective control study. Totally 100 patients(124 eyes)with keratoconus who were treated in the hospital between January 2019 and January 2020 were selected as study group. According to the severity of Amsler-Krumeich classification, patients with keratoconus were divided into mild group(51 eyes), moderate group(43 eyes)and severe group(30 eyes), and another 30 normal people with past history of myopia and astigmatism(30 eyes)were selected as control group. The Pentacam anterior segment analyzer parameters \〖horizontal central curvature of 3mm diameter range(K1), vertical central curvature of 3mm diameter range(K2), maximum refractive power of corneal anterior surface(Kmax), corneal astigmatism(Cyl), corneal thickness at the thinnest(thinnest local), ROC curve was used to analyze the sensitive indicators in the diagnosis of early keratoconus.<p>RESULTS:The K1, K2, Kmax, Cyl, ISV, IVA, KI and ACD in study group were significantly higher than those in control group(<i>P</i><0.05)while the thinnest local and ACV were significantly lower than those in control group(<i>P</i><0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the K1, K2, Kmax, Cyl, thinnest local, ISV, IVA, KI, ACV and ACD among patients with different degrees of keratoconus(<i>P</i><0.05), and the K1, K2, Kmax, Cyl, ISV, IVA, KI and ACD in moderate group and severe group were significantly higher than those in mild group(<i>P</i><0.05)while the thinnest local and ACV were significantly lower than those in mild group(<i>P</i><0.05), and there were significant differences in the parameters between moderate group and severe group(<i>P</i><0.05). ROC diagnostic curve results showed that Kmax, thinnest local, ISV, IVA and KI were sensitive indicators for diagnosing keratoconus(AUC>0.85), of which ISV had the highest diagnostic value.<p>CONCLUSION: Pentacam anterior segment analyzer can effectively measure the keratoconus parameters. There are differences in the parameters among patients with different degrees of keratoconus. Kmax, thinnest local, ISV, IVA and KI are sensitive indicators for diagnosing early keratoconus, and Pentacam anterior segment analyzer examination parameters have a higher diagnostic value on early keratoconus.

Antioxidant activities of 10 active compounds from Clematis filamentosa Dunn. and their protective effects on H / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the protective effects of the 10 compounds from Clematis filamentosa Dunn, on H

Evaluation of Nurse Practitioners' Professional Competence and Comparison of Assessments Using Multiple Methods: Self-Assessment, Peer Assessment, and Supervisor Assessment

Purpose@#Nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly important in healthcare as they play a key role in leading advanced nursing practices. Assessing their professional competence is essential. The aim of this study was to evaluate NPs' professional competencies based on at a collaborative model around NP self and compare different methods of assessment. @*Methods@#This is a cross-sectional study, and a purposive sample of 211 participants in the teaching hospital was used. Methods used were self-assessment (nurse practitioners), peer assessment (physicians and nurses) and supervisor assessment (head nurses). @*Results@#The competence of nurse practitioners was rated as moderate (mean score = 3.45 of a possible 5; SD = 0.59). However, each method resulted in differences in competence for total scores and dimensions. The highest competence was in direct patient care (mean = 3.55, SD = 0.53), and the lowest score was in monitoring the quality of patient care (mean = 3.30, SD = 0.82). post hoc analysis shown that supervisor assessment rated professional competence significantly lower than the method of self-assessment and peer assessment (F = 10.07, p < .001). @*Conclusion@#NPs require an increased effort to continuous learning for enhancing professional competencies. Moreover, using multiple methods for assessment to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation of NPs’ professional competence.

Evaluation of Nurse Practitioners' Professional Competence and Comparison of Assessments Using Multiple Methods: Self-Assessment, Peer Assessment, and Supervisor Assessment

Purpose@#Nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly important in healthcare as they play a key role in leading advanced nursing practices. Assessing their professional competence is essential. The aim of this study was to evaluate NPs' professional competencies based on at a collaborative model around NP self and compare different methods of assessment. @*Methods@#This is a cross-sectional study, and a purposive sample of 211 participants in the teaching hospital was used. Methods used were self-assessment (nurse practitioners), peer assessment (physicians and nurses) and supervisor assessment (head nurses). @*Results@#The competence of nurse practitioners was rated as moderate (mean score = 3.45 of a possible 5; SD = 0.59). However, each method resulted in differences in competence for total scores and dimensions. The highest competence was in direct patient care (mean = 3.55, SD = 0.53), and the lowest score was in monitoring the quality of patient care (mean = 3.30, SD = 0.82). post hoc analysis shown that supervisor assessment rated professional competence significantly lower than the method of self-assessment and peer assessment (F = 10.07, p < .001). @*Conclusion@#NPs require an increased effort to continuous learning for enhancing professional competencies. Moreover, using multiple methods for assessment to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation of NPs’ professional competence.

Investigation on seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infections among neonates in Fujian Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infections among neonates in Fujian Province, so as to provide insights into the development of interventions for the prevention and control of congenital toxoplasmosis. Methods A total of 1 045 neonates delivered in Fujian Province from 2017 to 2018 were recruited, including 387 preterm infants and 658 full-term infants. Umbilical cord blood was sampled from all neonates, and the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was detected and compared between preterm and full-term infants. In addition, elbow venous blood samples were collected from neonates’mothers, and the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was detected and compared between preterm and full-term infants’mothers. Results The overall seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was 9.38% among the 1 045 neonates in Fujian Province. The seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was 18.35% in the 387 preterm infants, and there was no significant difference in the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody between male and female infants (17.69% vs. 18.75%, χ2 = 0.07, P > 0.05). The seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was 4.10% in the 658 full-term infants, and there was no significant difference in the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody between male and female infants (4.14% vs. 4.08%, χ2 = 0, P > 0.05). In addition, the overall seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was 15.02% in all neonates’ mothers, and the seroprevalence was significantly greater in preterm infants’mothers than in full-term infant’s mothers (20.93% vs. 11.55%, χ2 = 16.79, P < 0.01). Conclusions The seroprevalence of T. gondii infections is significantly higher in preterm infants and their mothers than in full-term infants and their mothers. Prenatal detection of T. gondii infections and health education pertaining to toxoplasmosis prevention and control knowledge are required to be strengthened to effectively reduce the incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Working Memory of Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Brain Trauma Based on fNIRS / 法医学杂志

Objective To discuss the activation characteristics of the prefrontal cortex of people with mild cognitive impairment （MCI） due to brain trauma during working memory tasks. Methods The psychological experiment design software E-prime was used and N-back paradigm was adopted as working memory task. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy （fNIRS） was used to detect changes in cortical oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations of 22 channels within the prefrontal lobe of 24 people with MCI due to brain trauma （study group） and 27 healthy volunteers （control group） with matching gender and age. Behavioral data, such as the number of keystroke errors and reaction time, were recorded simultaneously. Independent samples t test and non-parametric test were used to compare the mean value of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration change, the number of key errors and the mean value of reaction time of the two groups in each task. Results （1） The differences in the number of errors and reaction time between the two groups in 1-back and 2-back tasks had statistical significance （P<0.05）.The main effects of task load and group were both significant （task F=14.11, P=0.001 1; group F=10.39, P=0.001 5）. （2） During the 1-back task, the differences in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration changes of the 22 channels between the two groups had no statistical significance （P>0.05）. During the 2-back task, the differences in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration changes of the two groups in channel 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21 and 22 had statistical significance （P<0.05）. （3） In the 1-back task, the left frontal pole and dorsolateral prefrontal area in both groups were activated. In the 2-back task, the activation areas of the control group were the left frontal pole area and the left dorsolateral prefrontal area, while that of the study group almost covered most of the left and right frontal pole areas, which were scattered and the right area was activated, too. Conclusion Patients with MCI due to brain trauma have obvious working memory impairment, and during the 2-back working memory task, the activation of the prefrontal lobe decreased, but the activation range was wider.

Establishing the lower limits of total serum testosterone among Chinese proven fertile men who received treatment of assisted reproductive technology / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Testosterone (T) plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis because extremely low levels of intratesticular T lead to correspondingly low serum levels of total T (tT), severe disorders of spermatogenesis, and male sterility. However, there is little consensus on the lower limits of serum tT in proven fertile men undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments in Chinese or other Asian populations. We aimed to establish the reference range of serum tT based on a population of 868 fertile Chinese men undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) treatments. We defined a fertile man as having had a live baby with his partner as recorded in our IVF registration system. The lower limits of serum tT were established using a Siemens IMMULITE 2000 chemiluminescent system. The 1st, 2.5th, and 5th percentiles and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 3.6 (95% CI: 2.7-4.1) nmol l-1, 4.3 (95% CI: 4.1-5.0) nmol l-1, and 5.6 (95% CI: 4.8-5.8) nmol l-1, respectively. Using the linear correlation of serum tT between the Siemens platform and a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry platform, the calculated lower limits of serum tT were also established for fertile Chinese men undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET treatments, which will benefit the clinical diagnosis and treatment of male infertility during such procedures.

Development and performance test of the environment scale of unintentional injury in the home for children aged 0-6 years old in urban area of China / 中华预防医学杂志

To develop the environment scale of unintentional injury in the home for children aged 0-6 years living in urban area of China, and test its validity and reliability. The content of the environment scale was established through the literature review, expert consultation and pilot study. A total of 1 104 children aged 0-6 years in urban area of Changsha were enrolled in this study by using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method. The questionnaire was used to collect the basic information of children, the incidence of unintentional injury and the status of home environment. The reliability of the scale was tested by using Cronbach's α coefficient and split-half reliability coefficient. The content validity and construct validity were tested by using Pearson correlation analysis and factor analysis. All children were divided into two groups according to the incidence of unintentional injury in the home and the discrimination validity of the scale was tested by using -test. The scale had 54 items in 6 dimensions. The number of eligible questionnaires was 1 074, including 554 (51.6%) from boys and 519 (48.3%) from children under 3 years old. The incidence rate of unintentional injury and in-home injury was 18.34% (197 children) and 10.71% (115 children). The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α) coefficient for the scale was 0.87 and the split-efficacy reliability coefficient was 0.82, both meeting the standard of reliability above 0.70. The Pearson correlation coefficient between each dimension and the whole scale ranged from 0.53 to 0.84 (all values <0.001). The common factor cumulative variance contribution rate of the scale was 58.34%. There were 54 items with factor loadings greater than 0.30. The root mean square error of approximation, comparative fit index and goodness-of-fit index were 0.07, 0.61 and 0.71, respectively. The score of scale in children with injury was significantly higher than that in children without injury (0.022). The validity and reliability of the environment scale for unintentional injury in the home for children aged 0-6 years old in the urban area of China are good.

Observation on Choroidal Thickness of School-aged Children and Relevant Factors / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

@#【Objective】To observe macular choroidal thickness and topographical variation in Chinese healthy and myopic children and to investigate the correlated factors. 【Methods】 A total of 196 myopic children treated at Hainan Province Eye Hospital were selected and divided into hyperopia ，emmetropia，low，moderate and severe myopia groups according to their spherical equivalents（SE）. Axial length（AXL），subfoveal choroidal thickness（SFCT）and 1 mm ，3 mm nasal，temporal，superior，and inferior to the foveal choroidal thickness were recorded. Forty- five students from Tung Wah Group of Hospital′s MA Kam Chan Memorial Primary School in Hong Kong were also recruited in this 1-year longitudinal study. Children were grouped to myopic group and emmetropic or hyperopic group according to SE ，thickness changes of choroid were compared among children with or without myopic shift. The correlation among choroidal SE，and AXL variations were also investigated.【Results】Mean SFCT was 250（204~314）μm. The choroid was thinner at the nasal and inferior sectors ，the thinnest being at 3mm nasal to the fovea ，and the thickest at 1mm temporal to the fovea. Choroidal thickness in all orientations became thinner with progressively descending refractive degree. SFCT and 1 mm around fovea decreased most compared with other surrounding directions in all groups（Kruskal- Wallis test，P < 0.05）. The choroidal thickness in subfovea and other sectors got thinned after 1 year follow-up time（Pair t test，P < 0.05）.The variation of the choroidal thickness in fovea and surrounding positions was positively correlated with the change of SE and negatively related to the change of the AXL. The myopic group had a faster descent of SE and a faster growth of AXL than the emmetropic or hyperopic group. SFCT and surrounding choroidal thickness showed a progressive descent in the myopic group，but a slight decrease in the emmetropic or hyperopic groups.【Conclusions】There is significant topographic variation of choroidal at different regions of the macular. The choroidal thickness decreases faster in myopes. SFCT is more sensitive to myopic progression compared with surrounding regions.