Value of Combined Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2/7 Testing in the Assessment of Infected Preterm Labor.

Objective: To analyze the clinical significance of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), members of the bone morphogenetic protein family, in infectious preterm birth, to provide references for future prevention and management of IPB. Methods: The study participants were 20 pregnant women with IPB admitted to between January 2022 and January 2023 (research group) and 20 concurrent normal pregnancies (control group). Serum BMP2, BMP-7 inflammatory factors were quantified. Differences in BMP2 and BMP-7 were identified. The Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analyzed the evaluation value of BMP2 and BMP-7 on infectious preterm birth and adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women, and Pearson correlation coefficient determined the correlation of the two with inflammatory factors levels. Results: The research group was higher in serum BMP2 and BMP-7 levels than control group (P < .05). The joint detection by BMP2 and BMP-7 had a sensitivity of 80.00% and a specificity of 90.00% in diagnosing infectious preterm birth (P < .05), and its sensitivity and specificity in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in infectious preterm birth pregnant women were 100.0% and 66.67%, respectively (P < .05). According to Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, there was an obvious positive relationship between BMP-2 and BMP-7 and inflammatory factors in research group (P < .05). Conclusions: BMP-2 and BMP-7 are elevated in IPB and are linked to inflammatory factor levels. Joint detection of BMP2 and BMP-7 shows promising potential for evaluating infectious preterm birth.

Lactation prescription plus acupoint stimulation improves breastfeeding quality and alleviates breast tenderness in parturients undergoing cesarean section.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study primarily discusses the influence of lactation prescription plus acupoint stimulation on breastfeeding quality and breast tenderness of parturients after cesarean section (CS). METHODS: First, 149 parturients presented between July 2018 and July 2021 for CS were selected, including 74 cases (test group) treated with lactation prescription plus acupoint stimulation and 75 cases (control group) intervened by routine western medicine nursing intervention. The breastfeeding status, milk yield at 48 hours postpartum, breast tenderness (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS), neonatal weight at 42 days after delivery, and laboratory indexes (white blood cell count, WBC; adrenocorticotropin, ACTH; prolactin, PRL) were compared between the two cohorts. Finally, multivariate analysis was carried out using the logistic regression model to identify factors leading to low milk production in mothers 48 hours after CS. RESULTS: The test group was observed with a higher exclusive breastfeeding rate, higher milk yield at 48 hours postpartum, and milder breast tenderness (lower VAS score) than the control group. Higher neonatal weight at 42 days postpartum was also determined in the test group versus the control group. Moreover, the PRL at 3 days postpartum in the test group was statistically higher than that prenatal and at 1 day postpartum and the control group; markedly elevated WBC and reduced ACTH were observed at 1 d and 3 d postpartum compared with the prenatal, but no significant differences were identified between the test and control groups. According to the Logistic regression analysis, breast tenderness (P=0.009) was an independent risk factor for low lactation in mothers at 48 hours after CS. CONCLUSION: Lactation prescription plus acupoint stimulation has a positive effect on improving the breastfeeding quality of parturients after CS and relieving breast tenderness, which is worth promoting clinically.

[Effect of Wangbuliuxing combined with massage on breastfeeding and lactation function in cesarean section women].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Wangbuliuxing (semen vaccariae) combined with massage at breast and acupoint on breastfeeding and lactation function in cesarean section women. METHODS: A total of 120 cases of cesarean section women were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine nursing. On the basis of the control group, the observation group was treated with oral administration of Wangbuliuxing decoction, twice a day for 7 days; in addition, massage at breast and acupoint (Zhongfu [LU 1], Yunmen [LU 2], Danzhong [CV 17], 2 min per acupoint per time) was given, twice a day for 7 days. The onset time of lactation, 48-hour postpartum lactation volume, breast swelling and pain, 42-day postpartum breastfeeding were compared between the two groups; the serum levels of prolactin at 48 and 72 h after delivery were measured, and the body mass of newborns at birth and 42 d after delivery were recorded. RESULTS: The onset time of lactation in the observation group was earlier than that in the control group (P<0.05), the 48-hour postpartum lactation volume was higher than the control group (P<0.05), and the breast swelling pain 48 h after delivery was lighter than the control group (P<0.05). Forty-two days after delivery, the success rate of breastfeeding in the observation group was 91.7% (55/60), which was higher than 76.7% (46/60) in the control group (P<0.05). At 48 and 72 h after delivery, the level of serum prolactin in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). On 42 d after delivery, the body mass of newborns in the two groups was higher than that at birth (P<0.05), and that in the observation group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Wangbuliuxing combined with massage at acupoint and breast could significantly shorten the onset time of lactation, improve the lactation volume, effectively improve breast swelling and pain, increase breastfeeding rate and promote the growth and development of newborns.

Down-regulated miR-124-3p enhanced the migration and epithelial-stromal transformation of endometrial stromal cells extracted from eutopic endometrium in subjects with adenomyosis by up-regulating Neuropilin 1.

MiR-124-3p regulates the biological function of endometrial cancer cells. However, the role of miR-124-3p in adenomyosis (AM) has not been reported. Hence, we hypothesized that miR-124-3p also regulated the development of AM. The expressions of miR-124-3p and Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) in AM endometrial tissues were evaluated by Quantitative Real-time-PCR (qPCR). Endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) were isolated from the eutopic endometrial tissue of women with AM and further identified using immunofluorescence. Then the target of miR-124-3p was predicted by Starbase V2.0 and verified by dual-luciferase assay. After transfection of miR-124-3p mimic, inhibitor, or NRP1 overexpression plasmids, the viability and migration of ESCs were measured by Cell counting kit -8 (CCK-8) and wound healing assays, respectively. The expressions of NRP1 and epithelial-stromal transformation (EST)-related factors were evaluated by Quantitative Real-time-PCR (qPCR) or Western blot. MiR-124-3p was down-regulated and NRP1 was up-regulated in AM eutopic endometrial tissues. NRP1 was targeted by miR-124-3p. The extracted ESCs were Vimentin-positive and Cytokeratin-negative. MiR-124-3p mimic decreased viability, migration, and the expressions of NRP1, Vimentin, N-cadherin, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9) in ESCs while increasing the expression of E-cadherin. MiR-124-3p inhibitor and NRP1 overexpression had the contrary effect of miR-124-3p on ESCs. Furthermore, NRP1 overexpression offset the effect of miR-124-3p mimic on viability, migration, and expressions of NRP1 and EMT-related factors in ESCs. MiR-124-3p regulated the migration and EMT of ESCs by down-regulating NRP1.