Integration of lipidomics and metabolomics reveals plasma and urinary profiles associated with pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections and its severity.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant contributor to lower respiratory infections in children. However, the lipidomics and metabolics bases of childhood M. pneumoniae infections remain unclear. In this study, lipidomics and metabolomics analyses were conducted using UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap XL mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry on plasma (n = 65) and urine (n = 65) samples. MS-DIAL software, in combination with LipidBlast and Fiehn BinBase DB, identified 163 lipids and 104 metabolites in plasma samples, as well as 208 metabolites in urine samples. Perturbed lipid species (adjusted p < 0.05) were observed, including lysophosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanol amines, and triglycerides. Additionally, differential metabolites (adjusted p < 0.05) exhibited associations with amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and energy metabolism. Thirteen plasma metabolites, namely l-hydroxyproline, 3-phosphoglycerate, citric acid, creatine, inosine, ribitol, α tocopherol, cholesterol, cystine, serine, uric acid, tagatose, and glycine, showed significant associations with disease severity (p < 0.05) and exhibited distinct separation patterns in M. pneumoniae-infected bronchitis and pneumonia, with an area under the curve of 0.927. Nine of them exhibited either positive or negative correlations with neutrophil or lymphocyte percentages. These findings indicated significant systemic metabolic shifts in childhood M. pneumoniae infections, offering valuable insights into the associated metabolic alterations and their relationship with disease severity.

Emergency tracheal intubation peri-operative risk factors and prognostic impact after esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: Emergent endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a serious complication after Oesophagectomy. It is still unclear that perioperative risk factors and prognosis of these patients with ETI. METHODS: Between January 2015 and December 2018, 21 patients who received ETI after esophagectomy were enrolled (ETI group) at the department of thoracic surgery, Fujian Union hospital, China. Each study subject matched one patient who underwent the same surgery in the current era were included (control group). Patient characteristics and perioperative factors were collected. RESULTS: Patients with ETI were older than those without ETI (p = 0.022). The patients with history of smoking in ETI group were significantly more than those in control group (p = 0.013). The stay-time of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) in ETI group was significantly longer than that in control group (p = 0.001). The incidence of anastomotic leak or electrolyte disorder in ETI group was also higher than that in control group (p = 0.014; p = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis indicated history of smoke (HR 6.43, 95%CI 1.39-29.76, p = 0.017) and longer stay time of PACU (HR 1.04, 95%CI 1.01-1.83, p = 0.020) both were independently associated with higher risks of ETI. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 47.6% in patients with ETI and 85.7% in patients without ETI (HR 4.72, 95%CI 1.31-17.00, p = 0.018). COX regression analysis indicated ETI was an independent risk factor affecting the OS. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that history of smoking and longer stay-time in PACU both were independently associated with higher risks of ETI; and ETI was an independent risk factor affecting the OS of patients after esophagectomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was retrospectively registered with the registration number of ChiCTR2000038549.

[Sex differences in clinical outcomes of extremely preterm infants/extremely low birth weight infants: a propensity score matching study]. / è¶ æ—©äº§å„¿/è¶ ä½Žå‡ºç”Ÿä½“é‡å„¿ä¸´åºŠç»“å±€çš„æ€§åˆ«å·®å¼‚ï¼šä¸€é¡¹å€¾å‘æ€§è¯„åˆ†åŒ¹é ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of sex on the clinical outcome of extremely preterm infants (EPIs)/extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWIs) by propensity score matching. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the medical data of 731 EPIs or ELBWIs who were admitted from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2020. These infants were divided into two groups: male and female. A propensity score matching analysis was performed at a ratio of 1:1. The matching variables included gestational age, birth weight, percentage of withdrawal from active treatment, percentage of small-for-gestational-age infant, percentage of use of pulmonary surfactant, percentage of 1-minute Apgar score ≤3, percentage of mechanical ventilation, duration of mechanical ventilation, percentage of antenatal use of inadequate glucocorticoids, and percentage of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. The two groups were compared in the incidence rate of main complications during hospitalization and the rate of survival at discharge. RESULTS: Before matching, compared with the female group, the male group had significantly higher incidence rates of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), severe intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and patent ductus arteriosus (P<0.05), while after matching, the male group only had a significantly higher incidence rate of BPD than the female group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the rate of survival at discharge between the two groups before and after matching (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Male EPIs/ELBWIs have a higher risk of BPD than female EPIs/ELBWIs, but male and female EPIs/ELBWIs tend to have similar outcomes.

Theoretical study on the light-emitting mechanism of circularly polarized luminescence molecules with both thermally activated delayed fluorescence and aggregation-induced emission.

Circularly polarized luminescence molecules with both thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) have been reported recently and are thought as potential candidates for circular polarized organic light-emitting diodes. Since the study of these kinds of systems is quite limited, it is of great importance to reveal the relationship between the geometry and the light-emitting mechanism. In this paper, the TADF and AIE mechanisms were studied based on the study of a series of binaphthalene-containing luminogenic enantiomers in both toluene and solid phases. It was found that there was no influence on the light-emitting properties of enantiomers except for the electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The radiative rates for both molecules were enhanced in the solid phase, while the non-radiative rates were significantly suppressed. Both factors can induce the AIE phenomenon. Based on the calculation of the decay rates and adiabatic excitation energy of the excited states, we found that the TADF mechanisms of the two molecules were different. One is realized by the up-conversion process between S1 and T1, while a two-step process is involved for the other. Our theoretical research successfully elucidates the experimental measurement and illustrates the AIE and TADF mechanism, which could provide valuable insights for the design of highly efficient CPL emitters.

Urine metabolic profiles in paediatric asthma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Asthma is a global problem and complex disease suited for metabolomic profiling. This study explored the candidate biomarkers specific to paediatric asthma and provided insights into asthmatic pathophysiology. METHODS: Children (aged 6-11 years) meeting the criteria for healthy control (n = 29), uncontrolled asthma (n = 37) or controlled asthma (n = 43) were enrolled. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed on urine samples of the patients to explore the different types of metabolite profile in paediatric asthma. Additionally, we employed a comprehensive strategy to elucidate the relationship between significant metabolites and asthma-related genes. RESULTS: We identified 51 differential metabolites mainly related to dysfunctional amino acid, carbohydrate and purine metabolism. A combination of eight candidate metabolites, including uric acid, stearic acid, threitol, acetylgalactosamine, heptadecanoic acid, aspartic acid, xanthosine and hypoxanthine (adjusted P < 0.05 and fold-change >1.5 or <0.67), showed excellent discriminatory performance for the presence of asthma and the differentiation of poor-controlled or well-controlled asthma, and area under the curve values were >0.97 across groups. Enrichment analysis based on these targets revealed that the Fc receptor, intracellular steroid hormone receptor signalling pathway, DNA damage and fibroblast proliferation were involved in inflammation, immunity and stress-related biological progression of paediatric asthma. CONCLUSION: Metabolomic analysis of patient urine combined with network-biology approaches allowed discrimination of asthma profiles and subtypes according to the metabolic patterns. The results provided insight into the potential mechanism of paediatric asthma.

Non-invasive urinary metabolomic profiles discriminate biliary atresia from infantile hepatitis syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal cholestatic disorders are a group of hepatobiliary diseases occurring in the first 3 months of life. The most common causes of neonatal cholestasis are infantile hepatitis syndrome (IHS) and biliary atresia (BA). The clinical manifestations of the two diseases are too similar to distinguish them. However, early detection is very important in improving the clinical outcome of BA. Currently, a liver biopsy is the only proven and effective method used to differentially diagnose these two similar diseases in the clinic. However, this method is invasive. Therefore, sensitive and non-invasive biomarkers are needed to effectively differentiate between BA and IHS. We hypothesized that urinary metabolomics can produce unique metabolite profiles for BA and IHS. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterize urinary metabolomic profiles in infants with BA and IHS, and to identify differences among infants with BA, IHS, and normal controls (NC). METHODS: Urine samples along with patient characteristics were obtained from 25 BA, 38 IHS, and 38 NC infants. A non-targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics method was used in conjunction with orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) to explore the metabolomic profiles of BA, IHS, and NC infants. RESULTS: In total, 41 differentially expressed metabolites between BA vs. NC, IHS vs. NC, and BA vs. IHS were identified. N-acetyl-D-mannosamine and alpha-aminoadipic acid were found to be highly accurate at distinguishing between BA and IHS. CONCLUSIONS: BA and IHS infants have specific urinary metabolomic profiles. The results of our study underscore the clinical potential of metabolomic profiling to uncover metabolic changes that could be used to discriminate BA from IHS.

[Metabonomics of Syndrome Markers in Infantile Bronchial Asthma Episode].

Objective To analyze urinary metabolites of bronchial asthma children patients with phlegm-heat obstructing Fei syndrome (PHOFS) and non-PHOFS using gas chromatography-mass spec- trometry/mass spectrometer ( GC-MS/MS) , thus performing research on syndrome markers. Methods Totally 44 bronchial asthma children patients with PHOFS and non-PHOFS in onset of asthma were recrui- ted. Another 29 healthy children were also recruited. Their urine samples were analyzed by GC-MS/MS. The profiles were analyzed using orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) , vari- able importance in the projection (VIP) , and non-parametric test to determine intergroup differential metabolites. Abnormal metabolic pathways were determined by Metaboanalyst. Results Compared with the health control group, contents of fourteen substances like inositol, uric acid, stearic acid, and so on de- creased, and mino-malonic acid content increased in asthma episode children (P <0. 05). The process was mainly involved in 5 metabolic pathways such as lysine degradation and biosynthesis, pyruvate me- tabolism, and so on. Compared with the non-PHOFS group in bronchial asthma episode, contents of nine substances like oxalic acid, L-threonine, pyrimidine, and so on decreased in the PHOFS group (P < 0. 05). The process was mainly involved in 5 metabolic pathways such as pentose phosphate pathway, inositol phosphate metabolism, and so on. Conclusions Urinary metabolites are different in infantile bronchial asthma episode and healthy children. Metabolic biomarkers and pathways exist in different syn- dromes in bronchial asthma episode.

[Metabolomics analysis of Tripterygium wilfordii formulation based on theory of detoxicity compatibility].

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. induced-hepatotoxicity was the main limitation for its usage in clinic. Qingluo Tongbi formulation showed obvious attenuation for hepatotoxicity in clinic and fundamental research in vivo. To explore the potential mechanism of the attenuation, we conducted a study on the plasma metabolomic profiles of T. wilfordii and Qingluo Tongbi formulation in rats by a sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method. In plasma samples, a total of 72 compounds were analyzed by EI source MS, and were successfully identified by matching NIST database. The semi-quantification results were then calculated by OPLS-DA model with SIMCA-P 13.0 software. The three groups were clearly distinguished in OPLS-DA score plot. In addition, the observation values of Qingluo Tongbi formulation showed the obvious trend towards the control levels, suggesting the detoxicity effect of the formulation. Variation metabolites were further analyzed by VIP and One Way ANOVAs, and the results showed a significant increase in compounds of glycogenic amino acids, such as alanine, proline, serine and glutamine after the administration of T. wilfordii, indicated that the tissue proteins were decomposed and amino acids were leakage into blood. Qingluo Tongbi formulation could reverse the amino acids into normal level. On the contrary, the levels of glucose, lactic acid and hydroxy butyrate decrease, and the formulation can relieve the disorder in the levels of lactic acid, suggesting the regulation of the energy metabolism. Additionally, the level of branched chain amino acid was decreased, suggested the toxicity was induced, but the formulation cannot increase it into the normal levels. Nevertheless, all the above results suggested that the classical Qingluo Tongbi formulation displayed the liver protection effect by adjusting the amino acid levels and regulating the energy metabolism. Qingluo Tongbi formulation was developed based on traditional Chinese medicine theory "detoxicity compatibility", and contained Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen to nourish blood and absorb clots. Modern pharmacology suggested that its liver protection effect was correlated with the promotion of protein synthesis. Another important herb is Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., which can regulate the energy metabolism. Both were consistent with the metabolomic results in this study, which explained the potential mechanism of "detoxicity compatibility" theory. Therefore, the currently developed metabolomic approach and the obtained results would be highly useful for the comprehensive toxicity studies for other herbal medicines and various complex deoxicity formulations.

The antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of sirtinol, a sirtuin inhibitor on human lung cancer cells by modulating Akt/ß-catenin-Foxo3a axis.

Sirtuins, NAD(+)-dependent deacetylases, could target both histones and nonhistone proteins in mammalian cells. Sirt1 is the major sirtuin and has been shown to involve various cellular processes, including antiapoptosis, cellular senescence. Sirt1 was reported to be overexpressed in many cancers, including lung cancer. Sirtinol, a specific inhibitor of Sirt1, has been shown to induce apoptosis of cancer cells by elevating endogenous level of reactive oxygen species. In the study, we investigated the effect of sirtinol on the proliferation and apoptosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) H1299 cells. The results of proliferation assay and colony formation assay showed the antigrowth effect of sirtinol. The annexin-V staining further confirmed the apoptosis induction by sirtinol treatment. Interestingly, the levels of phosphorylated Akt and ß-catenin were significantly downregulated with treating the apoptotic inducing doses. On the contrary, sirtinol treatment causes the significantly increased level of FoxO3a, a proapoptotic transcription factor targeted by Sirt1. These above results suggested that sirtinol may inhibit cell proliferation of H1299 cells by regulating the axis of Akt-ß-catenin-FoxO3a. Overall, this study demonstrates that sirtinol attenuates the proliferation and induces apoptosis of NSCLC cells, indicating the potential treatment against NSCLC cells by inhibiting Sirt1 in future applications.

A Review of Mobile Device Interventions for Continuous Nursing of Patients Undergoing Maintenance Haemodialysis.

Background: Maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) has been one of the most important renal replacement therapies for patients with end-stage renal disease in recent years. Continuous nursing is considered a prerequisite for high-quality healthcare and is crucial for medical staff, patients and their families. Providing continuous nursing services for patients with chronic diseases via mobile medical means can effectively improve the quality of life of medical staff. Objective: To summarise the application of various mobile device intervention methods for medical patients receiving MHD to provide a reference for the development of mobile health in the continuous nursing of patients undergoing this procedure. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and CNKI. The literature on the application of various mobile medical methods for nursing patients receiving MHD, both domestic and international, is retrospectively reviewed. The current research results and the existing problems are summarised. Results: A total of 18 studies were reviewed, which showed that Chinese researchers have preliminarily explored the relevant problems of applying mobile healthcare to the continuous nursing of patients receiving haemodialysis and have achieved some effective applications. Based on the "Internet+" medical concept, providing follow-up, health guidance, psychological counselling and other continuous nursing services for patients with chronic diseases via mobile medical means can effectively improve the work efficiency of medical staff, as well as the self-management ability and compliance of patients. Conclusion: Mobile health has great potential and prospects in the continuous nursing of patients receiving MHD, For instance, a WeChat-based intervention could improve patients' satisfaction and trust in nurses. But it also requires further research and improvement to ensure its quality and safety.

Theoretical insight into the inelastic electron tunneling spectra of an anil derivative.

First-principles simulations have been employed to simulate the inelastic electron tunneling (IET) spectra of the enol and keto forms of an anil molecular switch and to analyze them with respect to the character of the vibrational normal modes. When the molecules are sandwiched between Au plates, the dominant IET signatures appear at very similar voltages for both forms, but their intensities are clearly different, which makes IET an efficient technique to probe the molecular state of the switch. The IET-active modes are also similar for both anil forms and consist of in-plane molecular motions, CC and ring stretching, and C-H bending motions. Moreover, the IET activity of the vibrational modes specific to the enol and keto forms, i.e., those involving bending motions of the C-O-H and C-N-H groups, respectively, demonstrates that IET spectroscopy is an efficient technique to distinguish unambiguously between the two states of the keto/enol switch.

[Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation based on electro-oculogram signal regulation for children with mental retardation: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at Changqiang (GV 1) based on the modulation of electro-oculogram (EOG) signal for children with mental retardation, and explore the evaluation effect of the goal attainment scale (GAS) in children with mental retardation. METHODS: Sixty children with mental retardation were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, with 30 cases in each one. The children in the control group were treated with conventional rehabilitation, 5 times a week. On the basis of the control group, TEAS at Changqiang (GV 1) under the modulation of EOG signal was adopted in the treatment group. When the similarity between the collected EOG signal and the template was within the range of EOG threshold, one electric stimulation was triggered at Changqiang (GV 1) for 20 s (continuous wave, 70-100 Hz in frequency, 0.1-0.2 ms in pulse width), lasting 30 min in each treatment, the intervention was given twice a week. One course of treatment was composed of 4 weeks, and 3 courses were required in total in the two groups. The infant-junior high school student's social living ability scale (S-M) and GAS were scored and compared before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of self-living ability in the treatment group and communication ability in the control group were higher than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). The scores of collective activity and motor ability in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, GAS scores were higher than before treatment in both groups (P<0.001), and the score in the treatment group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TEAS under the modulation of EOG signal is conductive to improving the collective, motor and self-living abilities of the children with mental retardation and promoting children's individual goals. Compared with the standard score of S-M, the T value of GAS can better reflect the subtle progress of individual.

Processed Dietary Patterns during Pregnancy Are Associated with Low Birth Weight at Term among Women of Advanced and Non-Advanced Age.

Inappropriate dietary intake during pregnancy is a key factor in low birth weight (LBW). This study compares LBW between healthy and processed dietary patterns by focusing on women of advanced maternal age. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 327 postpartum women in Taiwan. The participants were assigned to two groups according to their age (≥35 years, n = 151; and 20−34 years, n = 176). An online questionnaire asked women how often they consumed 27 food items during their pregnancy. The prevalence of LBW was higher in the processed dietary pattern (79.3%) than in the healthy pattern (13.78%, p < 0.001). LBW was positively correlated with advanced maternal age (≥35 ages), low pre-pregnancy weight (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2), insufficient gestational weight gain (GWG), and processed dietary patterns. Older mothers were 5.8 times more likely to have infants with LBW (odds ratio = 5.8; 95% confidence interval 2.0−16.6). A processed dietary pattern was 9.4 times more likely to result in LBW. Insufficient GWG was significantly positively associated with LBW (OR = 4.0; 95%CI 1.4−11.6). Maternal diet during pregnancy is an important modifiable factor for LBW. Prenatal advice should emphasize optimal nutrition, especially in older and underweight women.

Long Noncoding RNA NTT Context-Dependently Regulates MYB by Interacting With Activated Complex in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) mediates the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular, infectious, and metabolic diseases. This study examined the role of lncRNA NTT in the development and progression of cancer. METHODS: The expression of NTT was determined using tissues containing complementary DNA (cDNA) from patients with liver, lung, kidney, oral, and colon cancers. The expression of cis-acting genes adjacent to the NTT locus (CTGF, STX7, MYB, BCLAF1, IFNGR1, TNFAIP3, and HIVEP2) was also assessed. We used knockdown and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to identify the cis-acting genes that interact with NTT. RESULTS: NTT was most significantly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while a higher NTT level correlated with a shorter survival time of patients with HCC. Multivariate analysis indicated NTT was not an independent predictor for overall survival. MYB was significantly upregulated, and its increased expression was associated with dismal survival in HCC patients, similar to the results for NTT. NTT knockdown significantly decreased cellular migration. ChIP of HCC cell lines revealed that NTT is regulated by the transcription factor ATF3 and binds to the MYB promoter via the activated complex. Additionally, when NTT was knocked down, the expression of MYB target genes such as Bcl-xL, cyclinD1, and VEGF was also downregulated. NTT could play a positive or negative regulator for MYB with a context-dependent manner in both HCC tissues and animal model. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that NTT plays a key role in HCC progression via MYB-regulated target genes and may serve as a novel therapeutic target.

[Electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B2) induced down-regulation of OX-42 and P2X4 in lumbar spinal cord contributes to its analgesic after-effect in rats with chronic constriction injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Jiaji" (EX-B2) at different time points on the expression of OX-42 (a monoclonal antibody with specific expression of complement receptor-3 in spinal microglial cells) and purinergic receptor P2X4 (P2X4) in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, as well as the possible after-effect mechanism of EA analgesia in neuropathic pain. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, immediately after EA group, 0.5-hour after EA group, 1-hour after EA group, 2-hour after EA group, 4-hour after EA group, 12-hour after EA group, and 24-hour after EA group, with 6 rats in each group. The rats in the model group and the EA groups were used to establish a model of CCI-induced neuropathic pain, and those in the immediately after EA group and the 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 12 and 24 hours after EA groups were treated with EA at bilateral L3 and L5 "Jiaji" points for 20 min after 7 d of modeling. Samples were collected immediately and at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 12, and 24 hours after EA, and for the rats in the blank group and the model group, samples were collected after fixation the rats for 20 min. Heat pain threshold was observed before and after intervention, and immunohistochemistry was used to measure the protein expression of OX-42 and P2X4 in the spinal cord lumbar enlargement. RESULTS: After 7 days of modeling (before intervention), compared with the blank group, the heat pain threshold had a significant reduction in the model group and the EA groups (P<0.01). Compared with the model group after intervention, the immediately after EA group and the 0.5, 1 and 2 hours after EA groups had a significant increase in heat pain threshold (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, immediately after EA, the 0.5, 1 and 2 hours after EA groups had a significant reduction in the protein expression of OX-42 (P<0.01), and immediately after EA, the 0.5 and 1 hour after EA groups had a significant reduction in the protein expression of P2X4 (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: EA at "Jiaji" points can significantly increase heat pain threshold and down-regulate the protein expression of OX-42 and P2X4 in the spinal cord of CCI rats. The analgesic effect can last for 2 h.

[Multivariate statistical analysis of Evans blue exudation spots and acupoint sensitization distribution in rats with acute intestinal mucosal injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the distribution characters of Evans Blue (EB) exudation spots in the abdominal area in acute intestinal mucosal injury (AIMI) rats by using latitude and longitude grid counting and multivariate statistical analysis and to explore the feasibility of these methods. METHODS: Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into blank control, 7.5%, 10%, and 12.5% mustard oil groups (n＝6 rats in each group). The AIMI model was established by mustard oil enema, followed by injection of EB (0.1 mL/100g) into the tail vein. At 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 h after EB injection, the rats under anesthesia were fixed in supine position for observing and photographing the abdominal subcutaneous EB exudation spots. The H．E. staining was used to observe histopathological changes of colonic mucosa. The longitude and latitude grids of the abdominal region were constructed (by taking the midpoint of the superior sternum as the origin) to determine the position of the blue spots. That the coordinate grids of the two regions can be connected geometrically is termed as "characteristic region". The data were processed by using multivariate statistical analysis. RESULTS: ① H．E. staining showed edema and inflammatory cell infiltration after colonic enema of different concentrations of mustard oil. ② Clustering analysis indicated that the distribution of exudation points in the "characteristic grid" had no temporal variation trend, and was not related with the concentration of mustard oil (P>0.05). ③ Factor analysis and contour analysis about the exudation spots of EB at 7.5% concentration showed that the "characteristic region Ⅱ" of different factors presented a tendency of time-dependent exudation, i．e. reduction of exudation degree along with time (P<0.05), and it is located near "Tianshu" acupoint. ④At 5 h after injection of EB, the 8 "characteristic regions" presented an EB-concentration-dependent tendency (reduction in exudation degree along with the increase of EB-concentration), among which the exudation degree of region C (near "Tianshu" acupoint) of the abdomen was higher (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The multivariate statistical analysis method can be used to identify the abdominal "characteristic regions" of exudation spots of EB in rats with AIMI, and the characteristic region has acupoint sensitization characteristics related to the time and severity of mucosal injury.

Exploring the factors affecting musculoskeletal disorders risk among hospital nurses.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is currently recognized as one of the most common occupational injuries for which nursing personnel in the medical service industry have been identified as a high-risk group. In this study, we explore the prevalence of MSD in various body parts as well as their risk factors among hospital nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive design with stratified cluster sampling was used to collect data from 1,803 nurses. The survey included a demographic questionnaire, and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed that the greatest prevalence of MSD symptoms by body regions were in the right shoulder (85.8%), the left shoulder (80.9%), the neck (62.4%), the right wrist (62.2%) and the lower back (60.4%). Risk factors for shoulder discomfort includes department type, exercise habits, and age (p < .05). Risk factors for neck discomfort includes seniority in the current unit, "job title, and "history of MDS (p < .05). Risk factors for upper back discomfort includes age and seniority in the current unit (p < .05). Risk factors for lower back discomfort including seniority in the current unit, department type, and number of days worked per week (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study can serve as a reference for nursing administration managers and decision-makers for reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among nurses and thereby achieving superior quality in clinical care.

Using Nonlinear Dynamics and Multivariate Statistics to Analyze EEG Signals of Insomniacs with the Intervention of Superficial Acupuncture.

OBJECTIVE: As a noninvasive and nonpharmacological therapeutic approach, superficial acupuncture (SA) is a special method of acupuncture. In this study, using nonlinear dynamics and multivariate statistics, we studied the electroencephalography (EEG) of primary insomnia under SA intervention to investigate how brain regions change. METHOD: This study included 30 adults with primary insomnia. They underwent superficial acupuncture at the Shangen acupoint. The EEG signals were collected for 10 minutes at each state, including the resting state, the intervention state, and the postintervention state. The data were conducted using nonlinear dynamics (including approximate entropy (ApEn) and correlation dimension (CD)) and multivariate statistics. RESULT: The repeated-measures ANOVA results showed that both ApEn and CD values were not significantly different at the three states (p > 0.05). The paired t-test results showed that the ApEn values of electrodes O2 (the right occipital lobe) at the postintervention state have decreased, compared with the resting state (p < 0.05), and no difference was detected in CD (p > 0.05). The cluster analysis results of ApEn showed that patients' EEG has changed from the right prefrontal lobe (electrode Fp2) to the right posterior temporal lobe (electrode T6) and finally to the right occipital lobe (electrode O2), before, during, and after the SA intervention. In addition, the factor analysis results of CD revealed that patients' EEG of all brain regions except for the occipital lobes has changed to the frontal lobes and anterior temporal and frontal lobes from pre- to postintervention. CONCLUSION: SA activated the corresponding brain regions and reduced the complexity of the brain involved. It is feasible to use nonlinear dynamics analysis and multivariate statistics to examine the effects of SA on the human brain.

Protective effects of betaglucin on myocardial tissue during myocardial infarction in rats and dogs.

AIM: To test the protective effects of betaglucin, a novel beta-glucan, on models of myocardial infarction (MI) in rats and dogs. METHODS: The left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery occlusion model was used to induce an MI in rats and dogs. Three doses of betaglucin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg), propranolol (positive control, 1 mg/kg) and vehicle alone (5% glucose solution) were administered before LAD occlusion, and characteristics of the resulting MI were subsequently assessed. In anesthetized dogs, blood pressure, heart rate, ventricular function, coronary artery blood flow and myocardial oxygen consumption were determined before and after the drug administration. RESULTS: The MI mass in both rats and dogs was significantly reduced by betaglucin (30 and 100 mg/kg, P<0.01) and propranolol (P<0.01). In anesthetized dogs, coronary artery blood flow was increased significantly by betaglucin (30 and 100 mg/kg, P<0.01), but blood pressure, heart rate and ventricular function were not changed (P>0.05). High-dose betaglucin (100 mg/kg) increased myocardial oxygen consumption, but not to a statistically significant level (P>0.05). The hemodynamic indexes were significantly changed by propranolol. CONCLUSION: Betaglucin has protective effects on myocardial tissue during MI in rats and dogs and has no influence on hemodynamic parameters at a therapeutic dose. The increase in coronary artery blood flow induced by betaglucin might be beneficial in the treatment of patients with MI.

Arterial baroreflex function is an important determinant of acute cerebral ischemia in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion.

AIMS: To clarify whether arterial baroreflex function is an important determinant of acute cerebral ischemia in rats. MAIN METHODS: Three animal models were used in this study. In the first, saponin conjugated with substance P (SP-SAP) was injected into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats to block the central baroreflex arc. In the second model, sinoaortic denervation (SAD) was performed to destroy the peripheral baroreflex arc in SD rats. In the third model, SD rats were divided into two groups according to their naturally occurring BRS values. After determining hemodynamic indexes and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), we subjected the animals to middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 were detected both in SAD/sham operation groups and low/high BRS groups. KEY FINDINGS: In all three animal models, baroreflex dysfunction significantly increased the infarct volume and weight. The levels of inflammatory factors were markedly elevated in SAD and low BRS groups. SIGNIFICANCE: These results demonstrate that the function of arterial baroreflex is an important determinant of acute cerebral ischemia in rats with MCA occlusion. Inflammation might be an important mechanism for the arterial baroreflex dysfunction-induced increase in brain damage in rats with MCA occlusion.