The effect of overweight or obesity on the negative conversion time of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To investigate the relationship between the body mass index (BMI) levels and the negative conversion time of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid in adult coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and the asymptomatic persons. Methods　Asymptomatic infected patients and confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to Chengdu Public Health Clinic Center from February 2021 to November 2021 were dynamically included. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the objects were collected, and the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing of the objects during their hospitalization was continuously monitored, and the negative nucleic acid conversion time was recorded. The t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test, χ2 test or Fisher's exact probability method examine were used to distribute characteristics of each group of variables and the connection between different variables, respectively. Then the variables showed differences in distribution (P<0.05) between different BMI groups were included in the multivariate Cox proportional risk regression model. Results　A total of 253 subjects ranged from 18 to 63 years old, with M(P25, P75) age of 37.0 (30.0, 47.0) years old, were included in this study. The male to female ratio was 4.16 to 1. The BMI was (23.97±3.33) kg/m2. 50.59% (128/253) of the objects were overweight or obese, and 78.13% (100/128) were overweight. The negative time of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid conversion of all subjects ranged from 1 to 71 days, with M(P25, P75) of 7.0 (2.0, 18.0) days (P<0.001). The negative time of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid conversion of the normal weight or the thin, and the overweight or obese were 5.00 (2.00, 19.00) and 8.00 (2.00, 17.75) days respectively. The results of multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression model showed that the BMI levels may not be associated with the negative conversion time of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid (HR=1.090, 95%CI: 0.843-1.410, P=0.510). Conclusions　Adult asymptomatic persons and confirmed COVID-19 patients are mainly middle-aged and young males, and overweight or obesity is relatively common. Overweight or obesity cannot be considered as an independent factor influencing the negative conversion time of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid.

Prevalence and factors influencing depressive symptoms among children with dyslexia in China / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the prevalence and factors influencing depressive symptoms among children with dyslexia in China.@*Methods@#A total of 6 298 children in grades 3-5 were recruited from eight primary schools in Baoan, Shenzhen. The Questionnaire for Children s Reading Ability, the Dyslexia Checklist for Chinese Children, the Pupil Rating Scale Revised Screening for Learning Disabilities, and the Children s Depression Inventory short version were used.@*Results@#The prevalence of dyslexia was 2.76%( n =174). The rate of depressive symptoms in children with dyslexia (37.36%) was higher than children without dyslexia (18.17%)( χ 2=40.94, P ＜0.01). Compared with children without dyslexia, children with dyslexia had an increased risk of depressive symptoms ( OR=2.65, 95%CI=1.87-3.75, P ＜0.01). In addition, the average time that a mother spent with her child every day was one of the factors influencing depressive symptoms. The risk of depressive symptoms was lower in children who spent ≥3 h with their mothers than children who spent <1 h(3-4 h: OR=0.54, 95%CI=0.36-0.81； 5-6 h: OR=0.51, 95%CI=0.34-0.78 ; ≥7 h: OR=0.47, 95%CI=0.32-0.69, P ＜0.01).@*Conclusion@#The rate of depressive symptoms in children with dyslexia was shown to be high. Increasing the time that mothers spend with their children every day is helpful in preventing the occurrence of depression in children.

Correlation between physical fitness and reading ability among school aged children / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To determine the association between physical health fitness with Chinese reading ability of schoolaged children, so as to provide evidence for improving children s reading ability.@*Methods@#A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 923 school aged children in grades 2-6 in a primary school in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The questionnaire included basic demographic information and Dyslexia Checklist for Chinese Children and the Pupil Rating Scale Revised Screening. At the same time, participants underwent physical fitness tests which included an assessment of height, weight, and lung capacity, as well as a 50 meter run, sit forward bend, one minute skipping rope task, sit ups, and a 50 × 8 round trip.@*Results@#A total of 59 children were identified with dyslexia. Normal children achieved higher scores than children with dyslexia in the total physical health score, as well as the one minute skipping rope score, one minute sit up score, and sitting forward score ( P <0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the reading ability of girls was higher than that of boys ( β =-3.04, P <0.01), and the children who regularly participated in more intense physical activity and who had higher fitness scores had a higher reading ability ( β =-1.68, -0.08, P <0.01). Children s reading ability increased significantly with parental educational level( P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#Gender, parents education level, physical exercise intensity, and children s physical fitness were identified as influencing factors of school age children s reading ability. A positive correlation was found between children s physical health level and reading ability.

Effects of learning and lifestyle behaviors during home confinement on depressive and anxiety symptoms among primary school students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To examine the changes of depressive and anxiety symptoms in school aged children during home confinement and to identify possible influence of learning and lifestyle behaviors on mental health changes.@*Methods@#The population of this study were obtained from the "Tongji Mental Health Cohort". Two primary schools in Wuhan were selected through cluster sampling and students in grade 2-5 were surveyed. This study was divided into two stages. In the first stage (T1=during home learning), a total of 2 588 valid questionnaires were collected. In the second phase (T2=during school learning), 2 424 children were followed up successfully. Combining the results of the depression and anxiety symptoms of the two surveys of children respectively to classify the children s psychological outcomes. Association between home learning and lifestyle behaviors with the change of psychological symptoms in school aged children were estimated by disordered multi classification Logistic regression.@*Results@#The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms were 28.9% and 21.0% in school aged children at T1, 35.6% and 30.6% at T2, respectively. The aggravation and persistence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children were partly related to their home learning and lifestyle behaviors. Concentration in class（ OR=0.63，95%CI =0.45-0.89）, frequent interaction with teachers ( OR =0.74, 95% CI = 0.57- 0.95 ), participation in physical exercise at home ( OR =0.60, 95% CI =0.41-0.87) was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in children. Time spent on playing video games ( OR =1.15, 95% CI =1.06-1.24) and fear of infection with coronavirus disease 2019 ( OR =1.83, 95% CI =1.39-2.42) were positively associated with anxiety in children. Boys（ OR=0.70， 0.63 ） were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety symptoms than girls.@*Conclusion@#The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among school aged children increased when they went back to school after home confinement, suggesting more attention are needed for mental health intervention among school aged children.

Association between factors affecting language development and Chinese dyslexia among primary students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the association between factors affecting language development and Chinese dyslexia, providing scientific evidence for prevention and intervention of dyslexia.@*Methods@#Twelve elementary schools were selected in Baoan, Shenzhen. The parents and head teachers of 12 868 children in grade 3-5 were surveyed by the Questionnaire for Children s Reading Ability, the Dyslexia Checklist for Chinese Children and the Pupil Rating Scale Revised Screening for Learning Disabilities.@*Results@#The prevalence rate of dyslexia was 2.71%, with 349 children suffering from dyslexia. Gender, parental education and occupations, family income, whether parents work away from home before their child was 3 years old, average time mother spends with her child daily and number of languages spoken in family had statistical significance on dyslexia(all P <0.05). After adjusting for parental education and occupations, and family income, the children who spent more than 1 hour with their mothers per day had a significantly reduced risk of dyslexia (1-2: OR =0.46; 3-4: OR =0.45; 5-6: OR =0.40; >7 h: OR =0.36, P <0.05); the children living in families where two languages were used for communication had a significantly reduced risk of dyslexia( OR=0.74, 95%CI=0.57-0.96, P =0.02). Children with a history of language development disorders had a significantly increased risk of dyslexia( OR=17.30, 95%CI=7.86-38.09, P <0.01).@*Conclusion@#Increase of time mother spend with their child daily and paying more attention to the children with a history of language development disorders can help to prevent the occurrence of dyslexia.

FGFR1 is an independent prognostic factor and can be regulated by miR-497 in gastric cancer progression

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) has been reported in gastric cancer to be a prognostic factor. However, miR-497-targeted FGFR1 has not been explored in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. The present study intended to revalidate the prognostic significance of FGFR1 in patients with gastric cancer, and the mechanism of miR-497-regulated FGFR1 was investigated in gastric cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels were assayed by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. The targeted genes were predicted by a bioinformatics algorithm and confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay. Cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining was used to evaluate the apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. FGFR1 was frequently up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and associated with poor overall survival in patients with gastric cancer. Interestingly, FGFR1 loss-of-function resulted in a significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. In addition, we found that miR-497 was inhibited in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, while overexpression of miR-497 could suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. Importantly, bioinformatics analysis and experimental data suggested that FGFR1 was a direct target of miR-497, which could inhibit FGFR1 expression when transfected with miR-497 mimics. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of FGFR1 reversed the growth inhibition and apoptosis of miR-497 mimics in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. These findings suggested that overexpression of miR-497 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in gastric cancer through the suppression of FGFR1.

Regulation of UC-MSC on Immune Inflammatory Thrombophilia in MRL/lpr Mice / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the immune repair effect of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) on inflammatory disorders and thrombophilia state of MRL/lpr mice by detecting the expression change of peripheral blood CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells and the levels of plasma inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and thrombosis indicators TF, FIB.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty five MRL/lpr mice were divided into control (C) group, UC-MSC one time treatment (UT1) group and UC-MSC three time treatments (UT3) group. UC-MSC cell suspension was injecled via tail vein and these mice were feeded in SPF environment. The blood samples were taken from the mice every 2 weeks after 16(th) week. FCM was used to detect the expression of CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells in peripheral blood, ELISA assay was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and thrombosis indicators TF, FIB.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of peripheral blood CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells in treatment groups increased during 16(th) to 18(th) week, dropped and tended to be stable since 20(th) week, and lower than those in control group. The levels of plasma TNF-α and IL-6 in treatment group decreased since 16(th) week and significantly lower than those in control group (P < 0.05). The levels of plasma TF and FIB in treatment group decreased since 16(th) week. The level of plasma TF in treatment group was significantly lower than those in control group (P < 0.05) since 18(th) week.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>UC-MSC can repair the immune inflammatory microenvironment disorders of MRL/lpr mice through its immunomodulatory effect. UC-MSC contribute to repair of immune inflammatory thrombophilia of MRL/lpr mice.</p>

Systemic lupus erythematosus and immune-inflammatory thrombophilia / 中国实验血液学杂志

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with causes including activation of innate and adaptive immune systems. SLE patients are with a high risk of thrombosis, which may be due to disease activation, immune complexes, toxic antibodies and high level of inflammation. This article discusses neutrophil/NET factor, antibody factor, platelet factor and particle factor which is involved in coagulation pathways and thrombus formation mechanism under the state of immune disorders in SLE.

Immunomodulatory effect of UC-MSC on function of immunocytes of rats with collagen type II induced arthritis / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to observe the influence of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) on the peripheral blood CD4(+)CD25(+)regulatory T cells (Treg), Th17 cells and neutrophils in rats with collagen type II-induced arthritis(CIA), and to explore the regulating effect of UC-MSC transplantation on immunocyte subgroup. The rats wee divided into 3 groups: CIA group (model group), UC-MSC treated group and blank control group. The CIA rats were injected with UC-MSC via tail vein. The percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) cells in peripheral blood and the expression of NCD11b on neutrophil surface in CIA rates was detected by flow cytometry (FCM), and the serum interleukin-17 (IL-17) was observed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that the mean fluorescence intensity(MFI) of NCD11b and the level of IL-17 in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group, and the ratio of CD4(+)CD25(+) cells were significantly lower (P < 0.05). The MIF of NCD11b and the level of IL-17 in the UC-MSC treated group were significantly lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05), while the proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg increased (P < 0.05). Since the fifth week, the above indicators in the UC-MSC group have almostly approached the control group. It is concluded that the UC-MSC can increase peripheral blood Treg proportion in CIA rat, inhibit the secretion of Th17 and the activity of neutrophils, reduce the immune inflammation reaction, decrease the release of proinflammatory factor, and induce immune reconstruction.

The Application Development of Plant-Based Environmental Protection Plasticizer.

Present research is aimed towards designing and development of environmental protection plasticizers using the fractionation heavy component in the industrial production of corn stalks as raw material. The plant-based rubber oil (PBRO) plasticizers are the reactants of the dihydric alcohols (Polyols) in heavy component with phthalic anhydride (PA) (the molar ratio of Polyols/PA as 2 : 1) at the temperature range of 180 -190ºC. The main advantage is that this substance does not contain any of the sixteen hazardous substances of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and 38 hazardous substances of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) recorded in EU REACH regulation. In plasticization of NBR, the dosage of PBRO can reach 25 phr (parts per hundreds of rubber), but the plasticizing effects of PBRO is inferior to common rubber oil (paraffin oil, naphthenic oil, aromatic hydrocarbon oil and Dioctyl phthalate). In plasticization of SBR, the maximum amount of PBRO is 20 phr. Although the mechanical properties decrease; the aging resistance and thermal stability (the temperature of maximum weight losses of PBRO as 302ºC) are slightly higher than that of common rubber oil.

Inhibition of 5-HT3 Receptors-activated Currents by Cannabinoids in Rat Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study investigated the modulatory effect of synthetic cannbinoids WIN55,212-2 on 5-HT3 receptor-activated currents (I5-Hr3) in cultured rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons using whole-cell patch clamp technique.The results showed that:(!) The majority of examined neurons (78.70％) were sensitive to 5-HT (3-300 μmol/L).5-HT induced inward currents in a concentrationdependent manner and the currents were blocked by ICS 205-930 (1 μmol/L),a selective antagonist of the 5-HT3 receptor; (2) Pre-application of WIN55,212-2 (0.01-1 μmol/L) significantly inhibited I5-HT3 reversibly in concentration-dependent and voltage-independent manners.The concentration-response curve of 5-HT3 receptor was shifted downward by WIN55,212-2 without any change of the threshold value.The EC50values of two curves were very close (17.5±4.5) μmol/L vs.(15.2±4.5) μmol/L and WIN55,212-2 decreased the maximal amplitude of I5-HI3 by (48.65±4.15)％; (3) Neither AM281,a selective CBI receptor antagonist,nor AM630,a selective CB2 receptor antagonist reversed the inhibition of I5-HT3by WIN55,212-2; (4) When WIN55,212-2 was given from 15 to 120 s before 5-HT application,inhibitory effect was gradually increased and the maximal inhibition took place at 90 s,and the inhibition remained at the same level after 90 s.We are led to concluded thatWIN55,212-2 inhibited I5-Hr3 significantly and neither CB1 receptor antagonist nor CB2 receptor antagonist could reverse the inhibition of I5-HT3 by WIN55,212-2.Moreover,WIN55,212-2 is not an open channel blocker (OCB) of 5-HT3 receptor.WIN55,212-2 significantly inhibited 5-HT-activated currents in a non-competitive manner.The inhibition of I5-HT3 by WIN55,212-2 is probably new one of peripheral analgesic mechanisms of WIN55,212-2,but the mechanism by which WIN55,212-2 inhibits I5-HT3 warrants further investigation.

Role of Axonal Guidance Factor Netrin-1 in Human Placental Vascular Growth / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study investigated the role of netrin-1 in placental vascular development.In vitro rat aortic ring assay and in vivo Matrigel plug assay were conducted to exmaine the effect of netrin-1 on angiogenesis.Human placental microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) were isolated and cultured and their viability,migration and tubular formation were studied,in order to examine the effects of netrin-1.The results showed that netrin-1 potently stimulated neovascularization in a mouse Matrigel plug in vivo and the sprouting of endothelial cells in rat aortic rings in vitro.In addition,netrin-1 enhanced the viability,migration and tube formation of HPMECs.Our study suggested that netrin-1 could significantly promote the formation of blood vessels of human placenta and may be a potential target for developing new therapeutic strategies for placental vasculature-related diseases.

Quality of life and the efficacy of rehabilitation in patients with acute stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To analyze the quality of life(QOL)of patients with acute stroke,and to explore the effects of early specialized rehabilitation on their QOL.Methods Seventy patients with acute stroke were randomly divided into a rehabilitation group(n =35)and a control group(n =35).The rehabilitation group received specialized rehabilitation treatment while the control group received self-rehabilitation.QOL we evaluated with the short form-36(SF-36)instrument before and after.Results Before treatment,QOL scores in the both groups were much lower than the norms for healthy people.The differences on each dimension of the SF-36 were not statistically significant between the two groups.The SF-36 scores of both groups improved during the experiment,but after 1 month and 6 months the improvement on each SF-36 dimension was significantly better in the rehabilitation group than in the control group.Conclusions The QOL of patients with acute stroke is significantly impaired,but specialized rehabilitation treatment is effective in improving it.

Evaluation of"J"-shaped Uterine Incision during Caesarean Section in Patients with Placenta Previa: A Retrospective Study / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of"J"-shaped uterine incision for caesarean section for patients diagnosed with placenta previa.A total of 55 consecutive cases of placenta previa treated in Union Hospital were retrospectively analyzed over a period of two years and 10 months.The subjects were divided into two groups with respect to the uterine incision.Twenty-four pregnant women with placenta previa who were indicated for caesarean.section underwent the procedure using a new"J"-shaped uterine incision and 31 pregnant women with placenta previa received caesarean section that used the traditional transverse incision.The two groups were compared in terms of operation time,estimated blood loss,infant expulsion time,exhaust time and postoperative recovery.Meanwhile,comparison was also made in neonatal clinical data between the two groups.Compared with the"J"-shaped incision group,the traditional incision group had a lower Apgar scores(P<0.05).However,there existed no statistically significant differences in the overall time of operation and postoperative period of breaking wind(P>0.05).It is concluded that,with caesarean section for placenta previa patients,the"J"-shaped uterine incision significantly decreases intraoperative blood loss and facilitates the fetal delivery.

Effect of Different Concentrations of Neogenin on Proliferation,Apoptosis and Related Proliferative Factors in Human Trophoblasts / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The underlying effect of different concentrations of neogenin on proliferation,apoptosis and the related proliferative factors in human trophoblasts was explored in order to understand the function of neogenin during placentation.TEV-1 cell line was cultured and the expression of netrin-1was detected by using indirect cellular immunofluorescence.Exponentially growing TEV-1 cells were treated by different concentrations of neogenin(0,1,5,10,50 ng/mL)for 24 h.Cell viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide(MTT)assay.TEV-1 cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry(FCM).The expression of netrin-1 mRNA and protein in TEV-1 cells was examined by using real-time PCR and Western blot,respectively.It was found that immunoreactivity for netrin-1 was observed in cytoplasm of the trophoblasts.Immediately after treatment with different concentrations of neogenin for 24 h,the netrin-1 expression began to increase.Real-time PCR revealed that the expression level of netrin-1 mRNA was 37.59±10.25 times higher than control group when TEV-1 cells were exposed to 50 ng/mL neogenin(P<0.01),and the same tendency was seen by using Western blot.MTT results showed that proliferation of TEV-1 cells was independent of neogenin.Meanwhile,apoptosis was significantly increased to(22.15±6.15)% at50 ng/mL neogenin and(6.55±0.25)% without neogenin(P<0.01).It is suggested that neogenin regulates proliferation and apoptosis of TEV-1 cells.And it can enhance the ability of TEV-1 ceils to express netrin-1 in a dose-dependent manner.Neogenin may play an important biological role in the normal human pregnancy and contribute to the physiological pregnancy process.

IL-24 Expression at Maternal-fetal Interface and Its Roles in Trophoblast Invasion / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

In this study, the expression of IL-24 at maternal-fetal interface and the roles in extravillous trophoblast (the TEV-1 cell line) invasion were examined. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of IL-24 in villi and decidual tissue. The proliferation of TEV-1 cells under the effect of IL-24 was measured by MTT assay. The invasiveness of TEV-1 cells under the effect of recombinant IL-24 (rhIL-24) was examined by transwell system. Immunohistochemical detection showed that IL-24 was expressed in the villi and decidual tissue, and distributed in villous column,trophoblasts, stroma and blood vessels. The proliferation of TEV-1 cells was not inhibited by rhIL-24of various concentrations. The examination of invasion in vitro showed that rhIL-24 could inhibit the invasion of TEV-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The results suggested IL-24 could inhibit the invasion of TEV-1 cells. Therefore, IL-24 produced by maternal-fetal interface in human first trimester pregnancy may influence the invasion of trophoblasts and is involved in normal pregnancy.

Changes in Number and Biological Function of Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Hypertension Disorder Complicating Pregnancy / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

To examine the changes in number and function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)from peripheral blood (PB) in hypertension disorder complicating pregnancy (HDCP), 20 women with HDCP and 20 normal pregnant women at the third trimester were studied. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) from PB were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. EPCs were identified by positive expression of both CD34 and CD133 under fluorescence microscope and positive expression of factor Ⅷ as shown by immunocytochemistry. The number of EPCs was flow-cytometrically determined. Proliferation and migration of EPCs were measured by MTT assay and modified Boyden chamber assay, respectively. The adhesion activity of EPCs was detected by counting the number of the adherent cells. The results showed that, compared with normal pregnant women, the number of EPCs was significantly reduced in HDCP (4.29%±1.21% vs 15.32%±2.00%, P<0.01), the functional activity of EPCs in HDCE such as proliferation (13.45%±1.68% vs 18.45%±1.67%), migration (37.25 ± 7.28 cells/field vs 67.10±9.55 cells/field) and adhesion activity (20.65±5.19 cells/field vs 34.40±6.72 cells/filed) was impaired (P<0.01). It is concluded that the number and function of EPCs are significantly decreased in HDCP.

Effects of Atractylodes Macrocephala on the Cytomembrane Ca2+-activated K+ Currents in Cells of Human Pregnant Myometrial Smooth Muscles / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The study examined the inhibitory effect of Atractylodes macrocephala (AM) on the uterine contraction during premature delivery and explored its electrophysiological mechanism by studying the effects of AM on the Ca2+-activated K+ currents of pregnant human myometrial smooth muscle cells with or without the treatment with interleukin-6. Single cells were acutely isolated from pregnant human myometrial smooth muscles. Whole-cell Ca2+-activated K+ currents were recorded by using an Axopatchl-D amplifier. The cells were divided into three groups: group A in which AM was added into perfusate, group B, in which intefleukin-6 was added into perfusate) and group C in which AM was added into perfusate after addition of interleukin-6. IL-6 10 ng/mL inhibited Bkca by 36.9%±13.7% as compared with control (P<0.01). AM at 2 mg/mL raised Bkca by 36.7%±22.6% or 45.2%±13.7% with or without the treatment of IL-6, respectively (P<0.01). It is concluded that AM was able to enhance the Bkca of pregnant human myometrial smooth muscle cells treated or un- treated with interleukin-6 and its effect on the Bkca IL-treated cells was stronger that its effect on Bkca of untreated cells. Our results suggested that AM can help to maintain the membrane potentials and the resting status of pregnant human myometrial smooth muscle cells.