[ß-Thalassemia among Newborns in Wuhan Region and Its Influence Factors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the screening of ß-thalassemia among newborns in Wuhan region, so as to explore the influencing factors of Hb A in dried blood spot. METHODS: Concentrations of Hb A,Hb A2,Hb F in the dried blood spots collected from 99 275 neonates in Wuhan region were analyzed by Sebia capillary electrophoresis. The screening result of ß-thalassemia was interpretated accroding to the ratio of each group, the suspicious ß-thalassemia newborns were recalled and the gene of thalassemia in those newborns was checked. RESULTS: Among 99 275 newborns, 1 408 positive patients were found, and the positive rate of screening was 1.41%. A total of 350 patients with gene mutation were found among 709 ß-thalassemia suspicious patients. There were significantly statistical differences of positive predictive value among Hb A levels in different groups and there were also significantly statistical differences of positive predictive values among gestational weeks in different groups. No significantly statistical differences were observed among different genetic defects and phenotypes of heterozygous ß-thalassemia in Hb A concentrations. Postnatal day and gestational age were significantly and positively associated with Hb A concentrations. CONCLUSION: The capillary electrophoresis is an effective screening method for ß-thalassemia of full-term neonate. Postnatal day and gestational age is associated with the pencentage of Hb A.

Regulatory T Cells: A New Target of Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Atherosclerosis / 中国结合医学杂志

Inflammation and immune disorders are integral to the occurrence and progression of atherosclerosis (AS). With the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in immune regulation attracting attention, it has been widely accepted that Treg decrease and dysfunction are involved in AS pathogenesis. Chinese medicine (CM) has the advantages of being dual-directional, multi-targeted, and having minimal side effects in immune regulation. The anti-atherosclerosis effects of CM via Treg modulation have been revealed in clinical and animal studies. Therefore, this article reviews existing research on Tregs, the relationship between Tregs and AS, and the progress of CM for treating and prevention of atherosclerotic cardio-cerebrovascular diseases by regulating Tregs. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, CM treatment targeting Treg cells might provide a promising and novel future approach for prevention and treatment of AS.

Effect of Gestational Weight Gain on Associations Between Maternal Thyroid Hormones and Birth Outcomes.

Purpose: The aim was to investigate the associations between maternal thyroid parameters within the normal ranges during early pregnancy and birth outcomes, and further to examine whether the associations were modified by gestational weight gain (GWG). Methods: Maternal serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3) concentrations within the normal ranges during early pregnancy were measured from 8,107 pregnant women in Wuhan, China. The associations between maternal thyroid parameters and birth outcomes (birth weight, birth length, and low birth weight) were analyzed using multivariable adjusted regression models, and effect modification by pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) category and GWG were further evaluated. Results: Maternal TSH and FT4 concentrations were negatively associated with birth weight, and the latter only occurred in normal weigh women with inadequate and excessive GWG, as well as in both underweight and overweight women with excessive GWG (e.g., ß = -359.33 g, 95% CI: -700.95, -17.72 in underweight women with excessive GWG for per unit increase of FT4 concentrations). Moreover, maternal FT4 and FT3 concentrations were associated with increased risk for low birth weight, and the latter only occurred in normal weigh women with inadequate GWG (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.00, 6.36 for per unit increase of FT3 concentrations). These associations still persist when maternal thyroid parameters were modeled as quintiles. Main conclusion: Maternal normal thyroid function during early pregnancy with excessive and inadequate GWG may adversely influence fetal growth.

[Assessment on ecological integrity of typical lakes, reservoirs and wetlands in Tianjin, China]. / å¤©æ´¥å¸‚å ¸åž‹æ¹–åº“æ¹¿åœ°ç”Ÿæ€å®Œæ•´æ€§è¯„ä»·.

The ecological health assessment of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands can provide decision-making basis for ecosystem restoration and management. We selected 20 typical lakes, reservoirs and wetlands sampling points in Tianjin, based on physical, chemical, and biological community indicators data (zooplankton, phytoplankton, benthos, fish, large aquatic plants, riparian plants) obtained during the survey from August to September 2018. We constructed an index of ecological integrity (IEI) including physical integrity, chemical integrity, and biological integrity to evaluate their ecological health. The reference points were selected based on three aspects using standardized methods: habitat environmental quality index (QHEI), water quality status, and disturbance of human activities. The analytic hierarchy process was used to calculate the weight of the three indicators. The evaluation results of the ecological integrity of typical lakes, reservoirs and wetlands in Tianjin were finally obtained. The results showed that: 1) Among all the samples, "healthy" points accounted for 5.0%, "good" points accounted for 20.0%, "general" points accounted for 35.0%, "worse" points accounted for 30.0%, and "poor" points accounted for 10.0%. Ecological health status of typical lakes, reservoirs and wetlands in Tianjin was at a general level, with a trend that the west was better than the east with significant spatial differences. 2) Reference points were selected based on the combination of habitat score, water quality conditions, and human activity disturbance. Water quality indicators could reduce subjectivity when selecting reference points and promote the application of ecological integrity evaluation. 3) The applicability verification results showed that IEI could better characterize the health status of each point, and the discrimination efficiency was obvious, which was suitable for evaluating the ecological health of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands.

[Genetic Analysis and Prenatal Diagnosis for Thalassemia of Pregnant Women in Wuhan Area of China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the common genotypes of thalassemia of the pregnant woman in Wuhan area of China, and to make the prenantal gentic diagnosis for the fetus at high risk of thalassemia. METHODS: A total of 357 pregnant woman with the primary positive screening in Wuhan area were included in this study. Genotypes were measured with PCR-flow cytometry, and fluorescence hybridization was used for detecting thalassmia gene. The husbands of the pregnant women with thalassmia were recalled for genetic analysis of thalassemia, and 9 cases of fetuses with high risk of thalassemia were detected by amniocontesis after genetic counseling. RESULTS: In 357 cases of the pregnant women in Wuhan area, the 214 cases were diagnosed as thalassemia, 80 cases were diagnosed as alpha thalassemia (up to 90%), whose genotypes were determind as --SEA/αα (78.75%) and -α3.7/αα (15.00%), while 133 cases were determind with genotype of IVS-2-654/N (43.61%), CD41-42/N (20.30%) and CD17/N (19.55%) in beta thalassemia (up to 80%). 9 prenatal diagnosis continued pregnancy included 1case of -α3.7/--SEA, 1 case of -α3.7/αα, 2 cases of --SEA/αα, 2 cases of IVS-2-654/N and 3 cases of normal, however, the pregnancy in prenatal diagnosis of -α3.7/--SEA voluntarily was terminated after genetic counseling. Follow-up results after delivery were consistent with prenatal diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Minor and static thalassemia were very common in Wuhan area. Genetic detection after primary screening, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in pregnant women could provide a theoretical basis for the development of regional specific prevention of intermedius and critical thalassemia which is meaning for rearing and bearing better children.

[Prevalence and Genetic Analysis of ß-Thalassemia in Neonates in Wuhan Area of China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ß-thalassemia genotypes in neonates in Wuhan area of China and their characteristics of molecular epidemiology. METHODS: A total of 2721 neonates in Wuhan who were positive in primary screening for ß-thalassemia were included in this study. Genotypes of ß-thalassemia gene were determined with PCR-flow cytometry and fluorescence hybridization assay. RESULTS: There were 537 cases of ß-thalassemia with over 15 kinds of genotypes, and 19 cases of α-composite ß-thalassemia with 8 genotypes. Thalassemia minor appeared mostly in ß-thalassemia, including 229 cases of IVS-2-654/N (42.64%), 121 cases of CD41-42/N (22.53%), 76 cases of CD17/N.(14.15%), 39 cases of CD26/N (7.26%) and 27 cases of CD27-28/N (5.03%) and the total ratio reached to 91.62%, however, 1 case of thalassemia intermediate was -29/IVS-2-654, and the genotype of 2 cases of thalassemia major was CD27-28/IVS-2-654 and CD41-42/IVS-2-654. The mutation frequency of IVS-2-654, CD41-42 and CD17 was higher in ß-thalassemia, as follows: 42.93%, 22.36% and 14.13%, respectively. CONCLUSION: ß-Thalassemia minor is the majority of the neonants thalassemia in Wuhan area. The gene frequency of deletion type, such as IVS-2-654/N, CD41-42/N and CD17/N, is higher.

Puerarin alleviates delayed-type hypersensitivity via cytokine inhibition by modulating Th1/Th2 balance.

Puerarin has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine, which possesses various physiological properties, including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer activities. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of puerarin on delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) induced by ovalbumin (OVA) in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. The results showed that puerarin significantly attenuated DTH, resulting from a decrement in footpad swelling, reduction in inflammatory cell as well as a decline in anti-OVA IgG in serum. In the homogenized supernatant of footpad tissues, the classic Th1-cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-γ was suppressed following puerarin treatment. Furthermore, a high dose of puerarin inhibited interleukin (IL)-4 production, the classic Th2-cytokine. The concanavalin A stimulation and MTT assays indicated a suppressive effect of puerarin on Th1 response via decreasing IFN-γ production in OVA-primed lymphocytes. Detailed studies revealed that puerarin modulated the Th1/Th2 balance in DTH responses, attributing to lower T-bet/GATA binding protein-3 mRNA and protein level ratios, which led to the shift change of IFN-γ/IL-4 with puerarin treatment. These findings demonstrate that puerarin alleviated inflammation in DTH triggered by OVA application via curbing inflammatory cytokines by modulating the Th1/Th2 balance. These results suggest that puerarin may be an alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of DTH.

[Prevalence and Genotype Analysis of Newborn α-Thalassemia in Wuhan Area of China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genotypes of newborn α-thalassemia and to analyze its characteristics of molecular epidemiology in Wuhan area. METHODS: The newborn α-thalassemia gene in 1376 cases with positive confirmed in the primary screening in Wuhan area was detected by PCR, flow cytometry and FISH. RESULTS: The α-thalassemia in 436 newborns and α- ß-composite thalassemia in 10 newborns were confirmed by detection in Wuhan area. The majority of thalassemia cases [up to 92.20% (402/436)] were found to be minor and static type thalassemia including 237 cases of -SEAαα (54.36%), 135 cases of -α3.7 / αα (30.96%) and 30 case of -α4.2/αα (6.88%), however, the intermediate type -α3.7/-SEA was found in 1 newborn. The -SEA/detetion, -α3.7/detetion and -α4.2/detetion were major in the detetion, the frequency was 54.12%, 32.29% and 7.13%, respectively; while the αCS mutation, αQS mutation and αWS mutation were less in the mutation, their frequency was 3.7%, 2.45% and 0.22% respectively. CONCLUSION: The minor and static type newborn thalassemia is most common, the incidence of detetion type -SEA/αα, -α3.7/αα and α4.2/αα is more high in Wuhan area of china.

[Assessing the benthic ecological status in Yangtze River Estuary using AMBI and M-AMBI].

Both AMBI and M-AMBI could effectively assess the benthic ecological status of estuaries and coastal systems with soft sediments, and show the response of benthic communities to human pressures and natural changes. To monitor the ecological status of Yangtze River Estuary, macroinvertebrate samples and environmental data were collected in April 2009. Results showed that the benthic habit of Yangtze River Estuary was disturbed to various degrees, especially in the watersheds of Hangzhou Bay, coastal areas of Zhoushan islands and in the inner part of Yangtze River Estuary, which was related to land resourced discharges, eutrophication and large amounts of coastal projects. No significant difference was found between the calculation results of AMBI and M-AMBI based on density and biomass, as indicated by one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Compared with AMBI, M-AMBI could be more effective to assess the ecological status of Yangtze River Estuary because M-AMBI matched the community structure and environmental variables better. Moreover, according to results of Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis, significant negative relationships were found between the eutrophication index both in the surface and bottom water layers and M-AMBI, but no significant relationship was found between the eutrophication index and AMBI. Therefore, M-AMBI could be more suitable in indicating the eutrophication stress of Yangtze River Estuary.

[Study on the changes of macrobenthos communities and their causes in Bohai Bay].

Based on the analysis of macrobenthos samples collected from Bohai Bay, China in 2011 and the data obtained from the nearly the same sampling area during last six years, as well as the hydrological conditions, nutrients and dissolved oxygen, the characteristics of the changes in macrobenthos communities and their response to environmental variables were derived. Results showed that the distribution of the values of species number, abundance, biomass, richness index and diversity index reflected a gradient from the coastline to the open sea with the higher values concentrated at the open sea in the north part of Haihe estuary. The macrobenthos communities showed an obvious fluctuation over last six years, composed of three nodes. The first time node was in 2005 and 2008, the total species number, abundance and biomass maintained relatively high; the second time node was in 2009 and 2010, the values of the above three indices were the lowest in the three time nodes due to the increasing anthropogenic disturbances and natural changes; the third time node was in 2011, the values of the above three indices were the highest since many effective environmental protection measures had been carried out, indicating that the macrobenthos communities were recovered to a certain degree. The integrated impacts from the physical, chemical and biological variables induced by natural changes and anthropogenic disturbances, such as over-fishing, coastal land reclamation and sewage discharge were the triggers for the changes of macrobenthos communities. Furthermore, the variation characteristics of macrobenthic communities and environmental factors were generally in accordance with each other.