A mannitol-modified emodin nano-drug restores the intestinal barrier function and alleviates inflammation in a mouse model of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disease of the colon that is characterized by mucosal ulcers. Given its increasing prevalence worldwide, it is imperative to develop safe and effective drugs for treating UC. Emodin, a natural anthraquinone derivative present in various medicinal herbs, has demonstrated therapeutic effects against UC. However, low bioavailability due to poor water solubility limits its clinical applications. METHODS: Emodin-borate nanoparticles (EmB) were synthesized to improve drug solubility, and they modified with oligomeric mannitol into microgels (EmB-MO) for targeted delivery to intestinal macrophages that express mannose receptors. UC was induced in a mouse model using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and different drug formulations were administered to the mice via drinking water. The levels of inflammation-related factors in the colon tissues and fecal matter were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intestinal permeability was evaluated using fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran. HE staining, in vivo imaging, real-time PCR, and western blotting were performed to assess intestinal barrier dysfunction. RESULTS: Both EmB and EmB-MO markedly alleviated the symptoms of UC, including body weight loss, stool inconsistency, and bloody stools and restored the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. However, the therapeutic effects of EmB-MO on the macroscopic and immunological indices were stronger than those of EmB and similar to those of 5-aminosalicylic acid. Furthermore, EmB-MO selectively accumulated in the inflamed colon epithelium and restored the levels of the gut barrier proteins such as ZO-1 and Occludin. CONCLUSIONS: EmB-MO encapsulation significantly improved water solubility, which translated to greater therapeutic effects on the immune balance and gut barrier function in mice with DSS-induced UC. Our findings provide novel insights into developing emodin-derived drugs for the management of UC.

Prevalence of abnormal glucose values and gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women in Xi'an from 2015 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) often have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence and characteristics of GDM in Xi'an from 2015 to 2021 since the implementation of China's "Two-Child policy" and to provide a clinical basis for the management of GDM. METHODS: We analyzed the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results of 152,836 pregnant women who underwent routine prenatal examination at the Northwest Women and Children's Hospital from 2015 to 2021. Additionally, we analyzed the GDM prevalence and characteristics. RESULTS: The prevalence of GDM in the Xi'an urban area was 24.66% and exhibited an increasing trend annually (χ2 for trend = 43.922, p < 0.001) and with age (χ2 for trend = 2527.000, p < 0.001). Consistent with this, the proportion of pregnant women aged 18-25 and 26-30 years decreased significantly with the annual growth (χ2 for trend = 183.279, p < 0.001 and χ2 for trend = 33.192, p < 0.001, respectively). The proportion of pregnant women aged 31-35 and 36-42 years increased gradually annually (χ2 for trend = 134.436, p < 0.001and χ2 for trend = 44.403, p < 0.001, respectively). Of the pregnant women diagnosed with GDM, 71.15% (65.05-74.95%) had abnormal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) values. The highest percentage of patients had a single abnormal OGTT value (68.31%; 65.77-70.61%), followed by two (20.52%; 18.79-22.55%) and three (11.17%; 10.11-11.85%) abnormal values (FPG and 1-h and 2-h plasma glucose (PG). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of GDM among pregnant women in Xi'an region was high, and it had a increasing trend over the period from 2015 to 2021. Notably, the proportion of elder pregnant women, aged 31-42 years, presented a significant rise after the implementation of the universal two-child policy. On the basis of the high incidence of GDM among elder pregnant women and the high rate of abnormal OGTT values (numbe ≥ 2) in pregnant women diagnosed with GDM, the management of GDM should be intensified, and relevant departments should pay more attention to pregnant women of advanced age.

A comprehensive analysis of listeriosis in 13 pregnant women and 27 newborns in Xi'an from 2011 to 2020.

Background: Listeriosis is a severe foodborne infection associated with high mortality. Pregnant women and newborns are at a particularly high risk of infection. However, the data on epidemiology of maternal-neonatal listeriosis in Xi'an are little known. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of maternal-neonatal listeriosis in Xi'an. Methods: A total of 40 cases of listeriosis confirmed by positive cultures [blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)] and admitted to the Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital (NWCH) from 2011 to 2020 were enrolled. Data from all patients were collected from the hospital's electronic medical records. Data analysis and epidemiological investigation were carried out by demographic information, time of onset, clinical and laboratory characteristics. Descriptive statistical indicators were obtained using SPSS21.0 and were expressed as median, mean, standard deviation and interquartile range. Results: The incidence of maternal and neonatal listeriosis in NWCH over the last decade was 5/100,000 and 10.4/100,000 respectively and Listeriosis was more likely to occur in spring and summer. The most common symptom was as follows: (I) maternal: fever (85%), abdominal pain (77%), vaginal fluid or colporrhagia (46%); (II) neonatal: respiratory distress (52%), fever (33%). Laboratary results were as follows: (I) maternal: elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (100%), white blood cells (WBC) or neutrophil (NEUT#) (85%), and monocyte counts (MONO#) (77%); (II) neonatal: increased WBC (81%), MONO# (81%), CRP (78%), NEUT# and lymphocytes (73%); and elevated protein (PRO) (95%) and WBC count (86%) in CSF while decreased in glucose (GLU) (73%). Compared to neonatal group, the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes in maternal group raise to a higher level (92% to 42%). The outcomes of maternal were favorable and 54% of them suffered acute chorioamnionitism. Yet neonatal deaths account for up to 33%. Conclusions: Listeriosis is a rare disease with extremely variable clinical characteristics in Xi'an. Our data indicated that unexplained fever, abdominal pain, signs of premature and respiratory symptoms accompanied by a progressive increase in WBC, CRP, NEUT#, MONO# even include WBC and PRO in CSF while GLU decreased, the possibility of an LM infection should be considered.

Laboratory analysis of positive rate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody among 53,273 children with respiratory tract infections in Xi'an from 2017 to 2020.

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) is an important pathogen that causes respiratory tract infections in children. Data on epidemiology of paediatric Mp infection in China are little known. The aim of this study was to investigate the infection of children with respiratory tract infection in Xi'an from 2017 to 2020, and to explore the epidemiological features of paediatric Mp infection in Northwest China during the past 4 years. Methods: A total of 53,273 paediatric patients diagnosed with respiratory tract infection as the first diagnosis were enrolled. Mp antibody was detected using passive agglutination method. Statistical analysis and epidemiological investigation were carried out on the test results according to different years, seasons, ages and genders. The differences among rates were analyzed by the χ2 test. The trends among the rates were analyzed by the Poisson regression. Results: A total of 14,375 Mp antibody positive patients were detected, with a total positive rate of 26.98%. The rate of Mp infection in 2017 was significantly higher than other years (χ2=431.700; P=0.000), and the rate showed a downward trend year by year [incidence rate ratios (IRR) =0.906; 95% CI: 0.892-0.921; P=0.000]. The rate of Mp infection increased gradually in the order of spring, summer, autumn and winter (IRR =1.078; 95% CI: 1.060-1.097; P=0.000), and peaked in winter (29.08%). As age increased, the positive rate of Mp infection also gradually increased (IRR =1.138; 95% CI: 1.134-1.143; P=0.000). The peak age of Mp infection was between 6 and 12 years, accounting for 51.71%, significantly more compared with other age groups (χ2=4203.000, P=0.000). Female children had significantly higher positive rates than male children (χ2=527.000; P=0.000). Conclusions: Mp infection mainly occurs related to year, season, age and gender. Understanding the epidemiological characteristics of paediatric Mp infection can contribute to timely treatment and diagnosis, and may improve the prognosis of children with Mp infection.

Effects of salvianolic acid on cerebral perfusion in patients after acute stroke: A single-center randomized controlled trial.

Hypoperfusion following acute stroke is common in the infarct core and periphery tissues. The present study evaluated the efficacy of salvianolic acid (SA) on the cerebral perfusion of patients who had suffered from acute stroke using perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (PWI) to examine the blood perfusion of the affected brain tissue prior to and following treatment. Patients who were admitted to PLA 153 Central Hospital within 72 h of acute stroke symptom onset and had a Glasgow coma scale ≥5 were randomized into two groups: SA and control groups. Patients in the SA group were administered SA 0.13 g/day for 14 days. PWI was performed for all patients at admission and post-treatment. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were applied to assess neurological function at admission and 3 months post treatment. A total of 159 patients were enrolled (85 patients in the SA group and 74 patients in the control group). A total of 62 patients in the SA group and 51 patients in the control group exhibited hypoperfusion in the ipsihemisphere of the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) lesion. In addition, relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), a ratio of the signal value of the region of interest in the same hemisphere of the DWI lesion to that of its mirror in the PWI CBV map, decreased significantly following treatment with SA compared with the control group in patients with hypoperfusion (P=0.02), which were indicated by PWI images at admission, in the DWI lesions or the surrounding areas. Additionally, there was no significant difference in patients with normal perfusion at admission in rCBV in DWI lesions or its surrounding area between the two groups at day 15. However, a significant improvement in NIHSS (P=0.001) and mRS (P=0.005) was indicated in the SA group compared with the control at day 90. The present study indicated that SA may improve the neurological dysfunction of patients with acute stroke, which may be explained by the increased perfusion of hypoperfused brain tissues.

Step-edge self-assembly during graphene nucleation on a nickel surface: QM/MD simulations.

Quantum chemical molecular dynamics simulations of graphene nucleation on the Ni(111) surface show that graphene creates its own step-edge as it forms. This "step-edge self-assembly" is driven by the formation of thermodynamically favorable Ni-C σ-bonds at the graphene edge. This dynamic aspect of the Ni(111) catalyst is in contrast to the commonly accepted view that graphene nucleates on a pre-existing, static catalyst step-edge. Simulations also show that, simply by manipulating the subsurface carbon density, preferential formation of single-layer graphene instead of multi-layer graphene can be achieved on nickel catalysts.