[Effects of simulated gas of thermobaric bomb charge explosion on Tau protein phosphorylation and cognitive function in rats].

Objective: To explore the effect of simulated gas of thermobaric bomb charge explosion on cognitive function and the related mechanism of damage. Methods: In January 2022, thirty-two SPF rats were selected and randomly divided into control group, exposed group 1, 2 and 3 (the exposure time of the simulated gas of the explosion of the thermobaric bomb charge was 5 min, 10 min and 15 min, respectively) according to random number table method, with 8 rats in each group. The simulated gas of the explosion of the thermobaric bomb charge were CO 0.15%, CO(2) 3%, NO 0.1%, O(2) 15%, and the rest were N(2). After 30 days of exposure, water maze was used to detect the learning and memory function of rats. Golgi staining was used to observe the number distribution and morphological structure of hippocampal neurons in rats. Western blot was used to detect the expression of Tau-5, pSer262, pSer396, pThr181 and pThr231 proteins in rats. Repeated measure ANOVA was used to compare the design data of repeated measure, one-way ANOVA was used for multi-group mean comparison, and LSD method was used for pound-wise comparison. Results: There were significant differences in the results of repeated measurement ANOVA of the water maze localization navigation test (F=80.98, P<0.001), and there was an interaction between the group and the training days (F=2.16, P=0.022). There were significant differences in escape latency of rats at the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th days among all groups (P<0.05). The results of spatial exploration showed that the frequency of rats crossing the platform was significantly different among all groups (F=4.49, P=0.011). The frequency of rats crossing the platform in exposed group 2 and exposed group 3 was lower than that in control group, and the frequency of rats crossing the platform in exposed group 3 was lower than that in exposed group 1 (P<0.05). With the increase of exposure time, the number of hippocampal neurons decreased, and the dendrite spine density of neurons in CA1 region decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the relative expression level of Tau-5 protein in all exposed groups (P>0.05), but the expression level of pSer262 protein was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the protein expressions of pSer396, pThr181 and pThr231 in exposed group 2 and exposed group 3 were significantly increased (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The simulated gas of the explosion of the thermobaric bomb charge may contribute to the development of cognitive dysfunction by damaging hippocampal neurons with aberrant phosphorylation of Tau proteins.

A Novel BCR::ABL1 Variant Detected with Multiple Testing Modalities.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is associated with several breakpoint regions that result in different BCR::ABL1 fusion transcripts. These include the major breakpoint region (M-BCR), minor breakpoint region (m-BCR), and mu breakpoint region (u-BCR) corresponding to p210, p190, and p230 fusion transcripts, respectively. This patient is a 38-year-old female with a new diagnosis of CML in chronic phase. A novel p210 fusion transcript splice variant was detected with qualitative reverse transcription PCR and capillary electrophoresis. Subsequent FISH study was performed, which revealed 86.5% positive for the BCR::ABL1 fusion. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed a negative result for the p210 fusion transcript. The variant was further characterized by Sanger sequencing. This variant is in-frame and predicted to be functional. This case illustrates the need for a combination of different testing techniques to fully characterize the rare BCR::ABL1 fusion transcripts.

Comparison of adipose derived stromal cells cultured on fibroin scaffolds fabricated by salt-leaching and by freeze-thawing.

Fibroin, the main structural protein of Bombyx mori silk, is known for its mechanical properties, its biocompatibility and degradation characteristics in vivo. Various studies investigate its uses as cell carrier and/or material for surgical implants. Multiple protocols have been established to isolate fibroin from silk fibers and to produce scaffolds and films from fibroin solution. There is only limited literature available on how fibroin scaffolds manufactured by different methods compare to each other in terms of performance as cell carriers. This study compares the behaviour of human adipose derived stromal cells (ADSC) seeded on fibroin scaffolds produced by (i) salt-leaching and (ii) freeze-thawing. One type of freeze-thawing scaffold (poresize â‰ª 315 µm) and three types of salt-leaching scaffolds (poresize ranging from 315 µm to 1000 µm) were used for this comparison. Measuring the DNA concentration on the seeded scaffolds as well as the seeded cells metabolic activity, we were able to determine freeze-thawed scaffolds to be superior for cell-seeding. ADSC seeded on salt-leaching scaffolds displayed a stronger downregulation of serum deprivation response gene than cells seeded on freeze-thaw scaffolds. In sum, our findings show that salt-leaching scaffolds offering different pore sizes differed much less among each other than salt-leaching from freeze-thawing scaffolds in terms of cell accommodation. Our work underlines the importance of physicochemical scaffold properties directly linked to different manufacturing methods and their influence on the cell seeding capacity of silk fibroin based carriers.

Precise Spectroscopy of the 3n and 3p Systems via the

To search for low-energy resonant structures in isospin T=3/2 three-body systems, we have performed the experiments ^{3}H(t,^{3}He)3n and ^{3}He(^{3}He,t)3p at intermediate energies. For the 3n experiment, we have newly developed a thick Ti-^{3}H target that has the largest tritium thickness among targets of this type ever made. The 3n experiment for the first time covered the momentum-transfer region as low as 15 MeV/c, which provides ideal conditions for producing fragile systems. However, in the excitation-energy spectra we obtained, we did not observe any distinct peak structures. This is in sharp contrast to tetraneutron spectra. The distributions of the 3n and 3p spectra are found to be similar, except for the displacement in energy due to Coulomb repulsion. Comparisons with theoretical calculations suggest that three-body correlations exist in the 3n and 3p systems, although not enough to produce a resonant peak.

[The prevention, diagnosis and management of pregnancy-associated pulmonary embolism].

Pregnancy-associated pulmonary embolism (PE) is a type of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that seriously threatens the lives of pregnant women and has gained more attention in clinical practice. Due to physiological and anatomical characteristics, the incidence of VTE during pregnancy and postpartum is significantly higher than that during non-pregnancy periods. Currently, guidelines widely acknowledge the exploration of appropriate risk assessment models to evaluate the risk of pregnancy-associated VTE and to take corresponding preventive measures from mechanical to medication methods according to different risk levels. For patients suspected of PE, initial assessments can be made based on whether they exhibit clinical manifestations of deep vein thrombosis, with options including vascular compression ultrasonography or chest X-ray examination. Confirmation relies on CT pulmonary angiography or V/Q imaging. For patients with shock, echocardiography can be quickly used for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of PE. The management of pregnancy-associated pulmonary embolism PE depends on the patient's hemodynamic status, with options including reperfusion therapy or anticoagulation therapy. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may also be beneficial in high risk patients. The overall evidence level for the prevention and management of pregnancy-associated PE is low, and further exploration in clinical practice is still needed to promote the safety of pregnant women.

[Tongyangxiao Lotion promotes postoperative wound healing in a rat model of anal fistula by downregulating inflammatory factors and suppressing inflammation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of Tongyangxiao Lotion (TYX) for promoting wound healing following surgery for anal fistula. METHODS: The active ingredients and drug targets of TYX were explored using TCMSP and BATMAN databases, and the targets associated with wound healing were screened using GeneCards and OMIM databases; the intersecting drug and wound-related targets were analyzed with protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. In 25 SD rat models with simulated anal fistula surgery, the effect of wound dressing with TYX at low, medium and high doses (once daily for 14 days) on wound healing were assessed in comparison with potassium permanganate (PP) solution. The granulation tissues collected from the wounds were examined for pathological changes with HE staining and for TNF-α expression using immunohistochemistry. The expressions of 1ß, TNF-α, IL-6 mRNA and proteins in the granulation tissue were detected using RT-qPCR, Western blotting or ELISA. RESULTS: Network pharmacology analysis yielded 156 common targets between TYX and wound healing, and among them IL-1ß, TNF- α, and IL-6 were identified as potential targets of TYX for promoting wound healing. Six core components of TYX were capable of binding to IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-6 with binding energies all below -6.0 Kcal/mol. In the rat models, the wounds with TYX and PP solution dressing showed significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and increased fibroblasts and collagen deposition. TYX at the 3 doses and PP solution all significantly reduced the expressions of IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α mRNA and IL-6 protein in the granulation tissues, but TYX at the medium and high doses produced significantly stronger effects than PP solution for lowering TNF-α protein expression and mRNA expressions of TNF- α and IL-6. CONCLUSION: TYX accelerates wound healing by down-regulating the inflammatory factors and reducing inflammation in the wounds.

[Clinical analysis of adverse reactions in patients with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis treated with delamanid-containing regimen].

Objective: To explore the characteristics of adverse drug reactions during the 24-week therapy with delamanid-containing regimen for patients with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR/RR-PTB). Methods: The prospective multicenter study was conducted from June 2020 to June 2023. A total of 608 eligible patients with MDR/RR-PTB were enrolled in 26 tuberculosis medical institutions in China including 364 males and 79 females, aged 39.6(19.0-68.0) years. Patients were treated with chemotherapy regimens containing delamanid. Patients were closely supervised during treatment of medication, and all adverse reactions occurring during treatment were monitored and recorded. The clinical characteristics of adverse reactions were evaluated by descriptive analysis. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the related factors of QTcF interval prolongation (QT corrected with Fridericia's formula). Results: Of the 608 patients enrolled in this study, 325 patients (53.5%) reported 710 adverse events within 24 weeks of treatment. The top 6 most common complications were hematological abnormalities (143 patients, 23.5%), QT prolongation (114 patients, 18.8%), liver toxicity (85 patients, 14.0%), gastrointestinal reaction (41 patients, 6.7%), peripheral neuropathy (25 patients, 4.1%) and mental disorders (21 patients, 3.5%). The prolongation of QT interval mostly occurred in the 12th week after the first dose of medication. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 21 patients (3.5%). There were 7 patients (1.2%) with mental disorders, including 2 patients (0.3%) with severe mental disorders. Conclusions: The safety of dalamanid-based regimen in the staged treatment of MDR/RR-PTB patients was generally good, and the incidence of adverse reactions was similar to that reported in foreign studies. This study found that the incidence of QT interval prolongation in Chinese patients was higher than that reported overseas, suggesting that the monitoring of electrocardiogram should be strengthened when using drugs containing delamanid that may cause QT interval prolongation.

[Association between body composition and coronary artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease].

Objective: To investigate the association between body composition and coronary artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with CKD hospitalized from May 2019 to April 2022 at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China. Skeletal muscle mass index and visceral fat area were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Coronary artery calcification was assessed by computed tomography. Patients were divided into coronary artery calcification group and non-coronary artery calcification group according to the incidence of coronary artery calcification. Patients were categorized into tertile groups according to their skeletal muscle mass index and visceral fat area levels ranging from the lowest to the highest levels (T1 to T3). We defined skeletal muscle mass index≤30.4% as low muscle mass and visceral fat area≥80.6 cm2 as high visceral fat based on the results of the restricted cubic spline graph. All individuals were divided into 4 phenotypes: normal body composition, low muscle mass, high visceral fat, and low muscle mass with high visceral fat. Spearman correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between skeletal muscle mass index, visceral fat area and coronary artery calcification. Results: A total of 107 patients with CKD were enrolled, with an age of (60.0±14.1) years, including 41 female patients (38.3%). Patients of coronary artery calcification group had lower skeletal muscle mass index ((32.0±4.8) vs. (34.3±4.8), P=0.016) and higher visceral fat area ((70.8±32.6) cm2 vs. (47.9±23.8) cm2, P<0.001) than those of non-coronary artery calcification group. Patients in the T3 group of skeletal muscle mass index had a lower prevalence of coronary artery calcification (17 (48.6%) vs. 28 (77.8%)) and a lower coronary artery calcification score (0.5 (0, 124.0) vs. 12.0 (0.3, 131.0)) than those in the T1 group (P<0.05). Similarly, patients in the T1 group of visceral fat area had a lower prevalence of coronary artery calcification (14 (40.0%) vs. 29 (80.6%)) and a lower coronary artery calcification score (0 (0, 3.0) vs. 37.0 (2.0, 131.0)) than those in the T3 group (P<0.05). Likewise, patients with both low muscle mass and low muscle mass with high visceral fat had a higher prevalence of coronary artery calcification (11(78.6%) vs. 33 (47.8%); 15 (83.3%) vs. 33 (47.8%)) and a higher coronary artery calcification score (31.1 (0.8, 175.8) vs. 0 (0, 16.4); 27.6 (6.4, 211.4) vs. 0 (0, 16.4)) than those with normal body composition (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that skeletal muscle mass index was inversely correlated with coronary artery calcification score (r=-0.212, P=0.028), and visceral fat area was positively correlated with coronary artery calcification score (r=0.408, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased skeletal muscle mass index was inversely associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (T2: OR=0.208, 95%CI: 0.056-0.770, P=0.019; T3: OR=0.195, 95%CI: 0.043-0.887, P=0.034), and reduced visceral fat area was inversely associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (T1: OR=0.256, 95%CI: 0.071-0.923, P=0.037; T2: OR=0.263, 95%CI: 0.078-0.888, P=0.031). Consistently, both low muscle mass and low muscle mass with high visceral fat were associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (OR=6.616, 95%CI: 1.383-31.656, P=0.018; OR=5.548, 95%CI: 1.062-28.973, P=0.042). Conclusion: Reduced skeletal muscle mass index and increased visceral fat area are significantly associated with both the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification in patients with CKD.

[Influence of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on peritoneal wound healing after abdominoperineal resection].

Objective: To study the influence of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on peritoneal wound recovery after abdominoperineal resection (APR). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of data of 219 patients who had been pathologically diagnosed with low rectal cancer and undergone APR in the Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology between January 2018 and December 2021. Of these patients, 158 had undergone surgery without any pre-surgical treatment (surgery group), 35 had undergone surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy group), and 26 had undergone surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy group). The primary outcome was perineal wound complications occurring within 30 days. The status of wound healing was classified into the following three levels: Level A: abnormal wound seepage that improved after wound discharge; Level B: wound infection and dehiscence; and Level C: Level B plus fever. The patients' general condition, tumor status, perianal wound healing level, and intra- and post-operative recovery were recorded. Results: None of the study patients had any complications during surgery. The duration of surgery was 240.0 (180.0-300.0) minutes, 240.0 (225.0-270.0) minutes and 270.0 (240.0-356.2) minutes in the surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy groups, respectively (H=6.508, P=0.039). The rates of perineal wound complications were 34.6% (9/26) and (22.9%, 8/35)in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy group and the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, being significantly higher than that in the surgery group (10.1%, 16/158). After adjusting for patient age and sex using a logistic regression model, the risk of complications was still higher in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy than in the surgery group (OR=4.6, 95%CI: 1.7-12.7; OR=2.6, 95%CI: 1.0-6.8), these differences being statistically significant (both P<0.05). The duration of hospital stay was 9.5 (7.0-12.0) days, 10.0 (8.0-17.0) days and 11.5 (9.0-19.5) days for patients in the surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy groups, respectively (H=0.569, P=0.752). However, after adjusting for patient age and sex by using a generalized linear model, hospital stay was longer in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy than in the surgery group (ß [95% CI]: 4.4 [0.5-8.4], P=0.028). After surgery, 155 of 219 patients required further adjuvant chemotherapy. A higher proportion of patients with than without wound complications did not attend for follow-up (32.2% [10/31] vs. 16.1% [20/124]); this difference is statistically significant (χ2=4.133, P=0.023). Conclusions: In patients with low rectal cancer, neoadjuvant radiotherapy may be associated with an increased risk of perineal wound infection and non-healing.

Chinese university students' help-seeking behaviors when faced with mental health challenges.

BACKGROUND: Mental illnesses and mental health challenges have become increasingly pervasive among Chinese university students. However, the utilization rate of mental health services is low among students. AIMS: We aimed to explore Chinese university students' help-seeking behaviors to understand how they deal with mental health challenges and use the results to inform the development of effective mental health promotion initiatives. METHODS: In this study, we conducted 13 focus group interviews with students in six universities in Jinan, China, including 91 (62%) female students and 56 (38%) male students. We drew on the Theory of Planned Behaviors to guide our thematic analysis to gain a contextual understanding of participants' accounts on help-seeking. RESULTS: Our results have depicted the help-seeking patterns of Chinese university students and show that there are four major behaviors which are self-reliance, seeking support from peers and families, seeking professional support, and accessing virtual mental health care. CONCLUSION: Results from this study can be used to inform the development of mental health literacy programming for students in universities that share similar contexts, and the study has also opened up a new space for using qualitative approaches to study mental health needs and access to care in diverse populations.

Effects of different mesh materials on complications after prophylactic placement for stoma formation: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: We primary aimed to synthesise the available data, assess the effectiveness of different mesh materials in prophylactic mesh placement, and rank these materials according to the incidence of parastomal hernia (PSH) and other stoma complications. METHOD: This network meta-analysis performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. Four databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of prophylactic mesh placement. The aggregated results were performed in the STATA routine for Bayesian hierarchical random effects models. RESULT: Thirteen randomised controlled trials from 1203 articles, met the inclusion criteria, including 681 cases without meshes, 65 cases with mesh material of xenogeneic acellular dermis (porcine/bovine), 27 cases with polypropylene/PG910, 114 cases with polypropylene/polyglecaprone (Monocryl), 117 cases with polypropylene/cellulose (ORC), 233 cases with polypropylene, and 35 cases with polypropylene/PVDF. In network A, compared with no mesh, only polypropylene (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.04-0.80) were significantly associated with a reduction in the incidence of PSH. In network B, no statistical difference regarding stoma complications was found between mesh and no mesh. CONCLUSION: Based on the network meta-analysis and ranking results, the polypropylene mesh material exhibited the best performance. However, this conclusion needs to be confirmed with larger sample sizes and high-quality randomised controlled trials.

Prediction of m6A and m5C at single-molecule resolution reveals a transcriptome-wide co-occurrence of RNA modifications.

The epitranscriptome embodies many new and largely unexplored functions of RNA. A significant roadblock hindering progress in epitranscriptomics is the identification of more than one modification in individual transcript molecules. We address this with CHEUI (CH3 (methylation) Estimation Using Ionic current). CHEUI predicts N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and 5-methylcytosine (m5C) in individual molecules from the same sample, the stoichiometry at transcript reference sites, and differential methylation between any two conditions. CHEUI processes observed and expected nanopore direct RNA sequencing signals to achieve high single-molecule, transcript-site, and stoichiometry accuracies in multiple tests using synthetic RNA standards and cell line data. CHEUI's capability to identify two modification types in the same sample reveals a co-occurrence of m6A and m5C in individual mRNAs in cell line and tissue transcriptomes. CHEUI provides new avenues to discover and study the function of the epitranscriptome.

Single-cell analysis reveals a unique microenvironment in peri-implantitis.

AIM: This study aimed to reveal the unique microenvironment of peri-implantitis through single-cell analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Herein, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of biopsies from patients with peri-implantitis (PI) and compared the results with healthy individuals (H) and patients with periodontitis (PD). RESULTS: Decreased numbers of stromal cells and increased immune cells were found in the PI group, which implies a severe inflammatory infiltration. The fibroblasts were found to be heterogeneous and the specific pro-inflammatory CXCL13+ sub-cluster was more represented in the PI group, in contrast to the PD and H groups. Furthermore, more neutrophil infiltration was detected in the PI group than in the PD group, and cell-cell communication and ligand-receptor pairs revealed most neutrophils were recruited by CXCL13+ fibroblasts through CXCL8/CXCL6-CXCR2/CXCR1. Notably, our study demonstrated that the unique microenvironment of the PI group promoted the differentiation of monocyte/macrophage lineage cells into osteoclasts, which might explain the faster and more severe bone resorption in the progression of PI than PD. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, this study suggests a unique immune microenvironment of PI, which may explain the differences between PI and PD in the clinic. These outcomes will aid in finding new specific and effective treatments for PI.

DPSCs regulate epithelial-T cell interactions in oral submucous fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a precancerous lesion characterized by fibrous tissue deposition, the incidence of which correlates positively with the frequency of betel nut chewing. Prolonged betel nut chewing can damage the integrity of the oral mucosal epithelium, leading to chronic inflammation and local immunological derangement. However, currently, the underlying cellular events driving fibrogenesis and dysfunction are incompletely understood, such that OSF has few treatment options with limited therapeutic effectiveness. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have been recognized for their anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis capabilities, making them promising candidates to treat a range of immune, inflammatory, and fibrotic diseases. However, the application of DPSCs in OSF is inconclusive. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the pathogenic mechanism of OSF and, based on this, to explore new treatment options. METHODS: A human cell atlas of oral mucosal tissues was compiled using single-cell RNA sequencing to delve into the underlying mechanisms. Epithelial cells were reclustered to observe the heterogeneity of OSF epithelial cells and their communication with immune cells. The results were validated in vitro, in clinicopathological sections, and in animal models. In vivo, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of DPSCs were characterized by histological staining, immunohistochemical staining, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. RESULTS: A unique epithelial cell population, Epi1.2, with proinflammatory and profibrotic functions, was predominantly found in OSF. Epi1.2 cells also induced the fibrotic process in fibroblasts by interacting with T cells through receptor-ligand crosstalk between macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-CD74 and C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Furthermore, we developed OSF animal models and simulated the clinical local injection process in the rat buccal mucosa using DPSCs to assess their therapeutic impact and mechanism. In the OSF rat model, DPSCs demonstrated superior therapeutic effects compared with the positive control (glucocorticoids), including reducing collagen deposition and promoting blood vessel regeneration. DPSCs mediated immune homeostasis primarily by regulating the numbers of KRT19 + MIF + epithelial cells and via epithelial-stromal crosstalk. CONCLUSIONS: Given the current ambiguity surrounding the cause of OSF and the limited treatment options available, our study reveals that epithelial cells and their crosstalk with T cells play an important role in the mechanism of OSF and suggests the therapeutic promise of DPSCs.

[Epidemiological investigation of iron deficiency among preschool children in 10 provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities in China].

Objective: To understand the current status of anemia, iron deficiency, and iron-deficiency anemia among preschool children in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a multi-stage stratified sampling method to select 150 streets or townships from 10 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities (East: Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Hainan; Central: Henan; West: Chongqing, Shaanxi, Guizhou, and Xinjiang; Northeast: Liaoning). From May 2022 to April 2023, a total of 21 470 children, including community-based children aged 0.5 to<3.0 years receiving child health care and kindergarten-based children aged 3.0 to<7.0 years, were surveyed. They were divided into 3 age groups: infants (0.5 to<1.0 year), toddlers (1.0 to<3.0 years), and preschoolers (3.0 to<7.0 years). Basic information such as sex and date of birth of the children was collected, and peripheral blood samples were obtained for routine blood tests and serum ferritin measurement. The prevalence rates of anemia, iron deficiency, and iron-deficiency anemia were analyzed, and the prevalence rate differences were compared among different ages, sex, urban and rural areas, and regions using the chi-square test. Results: A total of 21 460 valid responses were collected, including 10 780 boys (50.2%). The number of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers were 2 645 (12.3%), 6 244 (29.1%), and 12 571 (58.6%), respectively. The hemoglobin level was (126.7±14.8) g/L, and the serum ferritin level was 32.3 (18.5, 50.1) µg/L. The overall rates of anemia, iron deficiency, and iron-deficiency anemia were 10.4% (2 230/21 460), 28.3% (6 070/21 460), and 3.9% (845/21 460), respectively. The prevalence rate of anemia was higher for boys than for girls (10.9% (1 173/10 780) vs. 9.9% (1 057/10 680), χ2=5.58, P=0.018), with statistically significant differences in the rates for infants, toddlers and preschoolers (18.0% (475/2 645), 10.6% (662/6 244), and 8.7% (1 093/12 571), respectively, χ2=201.81, P<0.01), and the rate was significantly higher for children in rural than that in urban area (11.8% (1 516/12 883) vs. 8.3% (714/8 577), χ2=65.54, P<0.01), with statistically significant differences in the rates by region (χ2=126.60, P<0.01), with the highest rate of 15.8% (343/2 173) for children in Central region, and the lowest rate of 5.3% (108/2 053) in Northeastern region. The prevalence rates of iron deficiency were 33.8% (895/2 645), 32.2% (2 011/6 244), and 25.2% (3 164/12 571) in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, respectively, and 30.0% (3 229/10 780) in boys vs. 26.6% (2 841/10 680) in girls, 21.7% (1 913/8 821), 40.0% (870/2 173), 27.1% (2 283/8 413), 48.9% (1 004/2 053) in Eastern, Central, Western, and Northeastern regions, respectively, and each between-group showed a significant statistical difference (χ2=147.71, 29.73, 773.02, all P<0.01). The prevalence rate of iron-deficiency anemia showed a significant statistical difference between urban and rural areas, 2.9% (251/8 577) vs. 4.6% (594/12 883) (χ2=38.62, P<0.01), while the difference in iron deficiency prevalence was not significant (χ2=0.51, P=0.476). Conclusions: There has been a notable improvement in iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia among preschool children in China, but the situation remains concerning. Particular attention should be paid to the prevention and control of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia, especially among infants and children in the Central, Western, and Northeastern regions of China.

Multi-channel synthetic aperture infrared imaging and experimental research.

The synthetic aperture infrared radio imaging method based on laser local oscillator coherent detection has potential application value for astronomical observations. This paper studies the multi-channel synthetic aperture infrared imaging method and conducts experimental verification using a principle prototype. In the short-wave infrared band, five beam-expanding fiber collimators are used to build an observation structure of five laser local oscillator coherent detection channels at a near-field distance of 5 m to carry out physical experiments. The laser local oscillator wavelength is 1.55 µm, and the AD sampling rate is 4 GHz. For the infrared radiation source signal, the phase relationship of the infrared signals between channels acquired by the prototype principle is stable, and the five-channel synthetic aperture imaging results are consistent with the computer simulated results. The experiment verified the effectiveness of the laser local oscillator comprehensive aperture infrared radio imaging method.

Forb stability, dwarf shrub stability and species asynchrony regulate ecosystem stability along an experimental precipitation gradient in a semi-arid desert grassland.

Precipitation pattern changes may affect plant biodiversity, which could impact ecosystem stability. However, the effects of changes in precipitation regime on ecosystem stability and their potential mechanisms are still unclear. We conducted a 3-year field manipulation experiment with five precipitation treatments (-40%, -20%, 0% (CK), +20% and +40% of ambient growing season precipitation) in a semi-arid desert grassland to examine the effects of precipitation alterations on functional group stability, species asynchrony, and diversity, and the underlying mchanisms of ecosystem stability using structural equation modelling. Alterations in precipitation had different effects on community biomass and functional group biomass. Moreover, ecosystem stability was mainly driven by forb stability (path coefficient = 0.79). Changes in precipitation had significant effects on soil dissolved inorganic N (P < 0.01) further affecting ecosystem stability through species asynchrony (path coefficient = 0.25). Dwarf shrubs had a stabilizing effect on ecosystem stability (path coefficient = 0.32), mainly via deep roots. Ecosystem stability tended to be lower in the -40% (4.72) and +40% (2.74) precipitation treatments. The common reduction in species asynchrony and stability of forb and dwarf shrub functional groups resulted in lower ecosystem stability under the -40% treatment. The lower stability under the +40% treatment might be ascribed to unimproved dwarf shrub stability. Higher dwarf shrub and forb stability contributed to higher ecosystem stability under normal precipitation changes (±20% treatments) and CK. Species diversity was not a crucial driver of ecosystem stability. Our results indicate that precipitation alteration can regulate ecosystem stability via functional group stability (e.g. forb stability, dwarf shrub stability) and species asynchrony in a semiarid desert grassland.

Eicosapentaenoic Acid Alleviates Inflammatory Response and Insulin Resistance in Pregnant Mice With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

This study investigated the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on insulin resistance in pregnant mice with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and underlying mechanism. C57BL/6 mice fed with a high-fat diet for 4 weeks and the newly gestated were selected and injected with streptozotocin for GDM modeling. We demonstrated that the fasting insulin levels (FINS) and insulin sensitivity index (ISI) in serum and blood glucose level were significantly higher in GDM group than in normal control (NC) group. The low or high dose of EPA intervention reduced these levels, and the effect of high dose intervention was more significant. The area under the curve in GDM group was higher than that of NC group, and then gradually decreased after low or high dose of EPA treatment. The serum levels of TC, TG and LDL were increased in GDM group, while decreased in EPA group. GDM induced down-regulation of HDL level, and the low or high dose of EPA gradually increased this level. The levels of p-AKT2Ser, p-IRS-1Tyr, GLUT4, and ratios of pIRS-1Tyr/IRS-1 and pAKT2Ser/AKT2 in gastrocnemius muscle were reduced in GDM group, while low or high dose of EPA progressively increased these alterations. GDM enhanced TLR4, NF-kappaB p65, IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels in placental tissues, and these expressions were declined at different dose of EPA, and the decrease was greater at high dose. We concluded that EPA receded the release of inflammatory factors in the placental tissues by inhibiting the activation of TLR4 signaling, thereby alleviating the IR.