Trend of Mortality Due to Congenital Anomalies in Children Younger Than 5 Years in Eastern China, 2012-2021: Surveillance Data Analysis.

BACKGROUND: As one of the leading causes of child mortality, deaths due to congenital anomalies (CAs) have been a prominent obstacle to meet Sustainable Development Goal 3.2. OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to understand the death burden and trend of under-5 CA mortality (CAMR) in Zhejiang, one of the provinces with the best medical services and public health foundations in Eastern China. METHODS: We used data retrieved from the under-5 mortality surveillance system in Zhejiang from 2012 to 2021. CAMR by sex, residence, and age group for each year was calculated and standardized according to 2020 National Population Census sex- and residence-specific live birth data in China. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the annual average change rate (AACR) of CAMR and to obtain the rate ratio between subgroups after adjusting for sex, residence, and age group when appropriate. RESULTS: From 2012 to 2021, a total of 1753 children died from CAs, and the standardized CAMR declined from 121.2 to 62.6 per 100,000 live births with an AACR of -9% (95% CI -10.7% to -7.2%; P<.001). The declining trend was also observed in female and male children, urban and rural children, and neonates and older infants, and the AACRs were -9.7%, -8.5%, -8.5%, -9.2%, -12%, and -6.3%, respectively (all P<.001). However, no significant reduction was observed in children aged 1-4 years (P=.22). Generally, the CAMR rate ratios for male versus female children, rural versus urban children, older infants versus neonates, and older children versus neonates were 1.18 (95% CI 1.08-1.30; P<.001), 1.20 (95% CI 1.08-1.32; P=.001), 0.66 (95% CI 0.59-0.73; P<.001), and 0.20 (95% CI 0.17-0.24; P<.001), respectively. Among all broad CA groups, circulatory system malformations, mainly deaths caused by congenital heart diseases, accounted for 49.4% (866/1753) of deaths and ranked first across all years, although it declined yearly with an AACR of -9.8% (P<.001). Deaths due to chromosomal abnormalities tended to grow in recent years, although the AACR was not significant (P=.90). CONCLUSIONS: CAMR reduced annually, with cardiovascular malformations ranking first across all years in Zhejiang, China. Future research and practices should focus more on the prevention, early detection, long-term management of CAs and comprehensive support for families with children with CAs to improve their survival chances.

Untargeted metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/MS reveals the lipid-lowering mechanism of taurine in hyperlipidemia mice.

Introduction: Taurine has a prominent lipid-lowering effect on hyperlipidemia. However, a comprehensive analysis of the effects of taurine on endogenous metabolites in hyperlipidemia has not been documented. This study aimed to explore the impact of taurine on multiple metabolites associated with hyperlipidemia. Methods: The hyperlipidemic mouse model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Taurine was administered via oral gavage at doses of 700 mg/kg/day for 14 weeks. Evaluation of body weight, serum lipid levels, and histopathology of the liver and adipose tissue was performed to confirm the lipid-lowering effect of taurine. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS)-based metabonomics analyses of serum, urine, feces, and liver, coupled with multivariate data analysis, were conducted to assess changes in the endogenous metabolites. Results and discussion: Biochemical and histological examinations demonstrated that taurine administration prevented weight gain and dyslipidemia, and alleviated lipid deposition in the liver and adipose tissue in hyperlipidemic mice. A total of 76 differential metabolites were identified by UPLC-MS-based metabolomics approach, mainly involving BAs, GPs, SMs, DGs, TGs, PUFAs and amino acids. Taurine was found to partially prevent HFDinduced abnormalities in the aforementioned metabolites. Using KEGG database and MetaboAnalyst software, it was determined that taurine effectively alleviates metabolic abnormalities caused by HFD, including fatty acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, diacylglycerol metabolism, amino acid metabolism, bile acid and taurine metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. Moreover, DGs, GPs and SMs, and taurine itself may serve as active metabolites in facilitating various anti-hyperlipidemia signal pathways associated with taurine. This study provides new evidence for taurine to prevent hyperlipidemia.

A real-world study on the changing characteristics of measles antibodies in premature infants in China.

The waning of maternal antibodies may cause infants to lose protection against measles before receiving measles-containing vaccine (MCV). The aim of this study is to investigate the changing characteristics and influencing factors of measles antibodies in preterm infants (PT), and to provide scientific basis for optimizing MCV vaccination strategy of the target population. Blood samples were collected from PT and full-term infants (FT) at the chronological age (CA) of 3, 6, and 12 months. Measles antibodies were quantitatively detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Demographic and vaccination information were both collected. Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used to compare the measles antibodies among different gestation age (GA) groups, and multiple linear regression was performed to identify the correlative factors for the antibodies. Measles antibodies of PT decreased significantly with age increasing before MCV vaccination. The positive rates of antibodies of PT were 10.80% and 3.30% at the age of 3 and 6 months, respectively (p < .001). At 12 months, the measles antibodies and seropositive rate in the infants who received MCV vaccination increased sharply (p < .001). Regression analyzes showed that the younger the GA or the older the age, the lower the antibodies at 3 months(p < .001，p = .018); while the lower measles antibody levels at 3 months and older age predicted the lower antibodies at 6 months(p < .001, p = .029). PT were susceptible to measles due to the low level of maternally derived antibodies before MCV vaccination. More efforts should be considered to protect the vulnerable population during their early postnatal life.

Artificial Periosteum with Oriented Surface Nanotopography and High Tissue Adherent Property.

Massive periosteal defects often significantly impair bone regeneration and repair, which have become a major clinical challenge. Unfortunately, current engineered periosteal materials can hardly currently focus on achieving high tissue adhesion property, being suitable for cell growth, and inducing cell orientation concurrently to meet the properties of nature periosteum. Additionally, the preparation of oriented surface nanotopography often relies on professional equipment. In this study, inspired by the oriented collagen structure of nature periosteum, we present a composite artificial periosteum with a layer of oriented nanotopography surface containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs), cross-linked with adhesive polydopamine (PDA) hydrogel on both terminals. An oriented surface structure that can simulate the oriented alignment of periosteal collagen fibers can be quickly and conveniently obtained via a simple stretching of the membrane in a water bath. With the help of CNTs, our artificial periosteum exhibits sufficient mechanical strength and desired oriented nanotopological structure surface, which further induces the directional arrangement of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) on the membrane. These oriented hBMSCs express significantly higher levels of osteogenic genes and proteins, while the resultant composite periosteum can be stably immobilized in vivo in the rat model of massive calvarial defect through the PDA hydrogel, which finally shows promising bone regeneration ability. We anticipate that the developed functional artificial periosteum has great potential in biomedical applications for the treatment of composite defects of the bone and periosteum.

Circulating Neuropeptide Y May Be a Biomarker for Diagnosing Atrial Fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Sympathetic nervous system disorder promotes atrial fibrillation (AF), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an important neurotransmitter. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of plasma NPY in patients with AF. METHODS: Five hundred seventy-six patients were divided into AF (including paroxysmal and long-standing persistent AF; 360) and sinus rhythm (SR) groups (216). NPY level was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and NPY mRNA expression level was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Logistic regression was used to analyse the risk factors for AF; the correlations between blood NPY level and age, body mass index (BMI), left ventricular ejection fraction, left atrial diameter (LAD), and European Heart rate Association (EHRA) score in patients with AF were determined. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilised to predict AF. RESULTS: Plasma NPY levels were found to be higher in patients with AF than in patients with SR and in patients with long-standing persistent AF than in patients with paroxysmal AF; blood NPY mRNA levels were higher in the paroxysmal and long-standing persistent AF groups compared to the SR group (p < 0.05). Increased age {odds ratio (OR) = 1.201 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.427)} and high NPY [OR = 1.239 (95% CI: 1.022, 1.501)] were factors found to affect AF detrimentally. NPY was associated with BMI (r = 0.5856, p < 0.05), LAD (r = 0.4023, p < 0.05), and EHRA score (r = 0.898, p < 0.05). The ROC curve for the predictive value of plasma NPY levels for AF showed an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.919 (p < 0.05), while that for long-standing persistent AF showed an AUC of 0.784 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Circulating NPY may be a promising molecular biomarker of AF.

Long noncoding RNA TUG1 promotes malignant progression of osteosarcoma by enhancing ZBTB7C expression.

BACKGROUND: Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is an important component of tumorigenesis. Aberrant expression of lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (lncTUG1) has been reported in various tumors; however, its precise role and key targets critically involved in osteosarcoma (OS) progression remains unclear. METHODS: The expression profiles of lncRNAs and its regulated miRNAs related to OS progression were assessed by bioinformatics analysis and confirmed by qRT-PCR of OS cells. The miRNA targets were identified by transcriptome sequencing and verified by luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays. Several in vivo and in vitro approaches, including CCK8 assay, western blot, qRT-PCR, lentiviral transduction and OS cell xenograft mouse model were established to validate the effects of lncTUG1 regulation of miRNA and the downstream target genes on OS cell growth, apoptosis and progression. RESULTS: We found that lncTUG1 and miR-26a-5p were inversely up or down-regulated in OS cells, and siRNA-mediated lncTUG1 knockdown reversed the miR-26a-5p down-regulation and suppressed proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of OS cells. Further, we identified that an oncoprotein ZBTB7C was also upregulated in OS cells that were subjected to lncTUG1/miR-26a-5p regulation. More importantly, ZBTB7C knockdown reduced the ZBTB7C upregulation and ZBTB7C overexpression diminished the anti-OS effects of lncTUG1 knockdown in the OS xenograft model. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that lncTUG1 acts as a miR-26a-5p sponge and promotes OS progression via up-regulating ZBTB7C, and targeting lncTUG1 might be an effective strategy to treat OS.

Real-world vaccination status of children with hematologic tumors before and after chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: There is a high incidence and mortality rate in children with hematologic tumors (CHT), who are more prone to various infectious diseases. This study aims to clarify the real-world National Immunization Program (NIP) vaccination status of CHT before and after chemotherapy. METHODS: Medical records, NIP vaccination data, and the Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) of CHT who were admitted to the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, from 1 January 2011 to 1 December 2021 were completely collected. RESULTS: A total of 2,874 CHT were included, and 1975 (68.7%) had vaccination records. Among the enrolled patients, the vaccination rate of all NIP vaccines was lower than 90% before diagnosis. Only 24.29% of CHT (410/1688) resumed vaccination after chemotherapy, and 69.02% (283/410) resumed vaccination more than 12 months after chemotherapy. No uncommon or serious side effects were reported. CONCLUSION: The vaccination rate of CHT after chemotherapy was lower than that before the disease was diagnosed. It is necessary to provide more evidence-based support and formulate specific regimens to perfect the vaccination procedure after chemotherapy so as to improve the quality of life of CHT.

Analysis of the difference between early-bolting and non-bolting roots of Angelica dahurica based on transcriptome sequencing.

Angelica dahurica (Fisch. ex Hoffm.) Benth.et Hook.f.var.formosana (Boiss.) Shan et Yuan (A. dahurica) is a well-known medicinal plant that has a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and other industries. However, the issue of early bolting has emerged as a major hindrance to its production. This problem not only reduces the yield of A. dahurica, but also has an impact on its active ingredients. To date, the molecular factors that contribute to early bolting and its impact on the growth of A. dahurica have not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, we conducted a transcriptome study using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 on two developmental types: early-bolting and non-bolting (normal) roots of A. dahurica. We obtained 2,185 up-regulated and 1,414 down-regulated genes in total. Many of the identified transcripts were related to genes involved in early bolting. The gene ontology analysis revealed several differentially expressed genes that are crucial in various pathways, primarily associated with cellular, molecular, and biological processes. Additionally, the morphological characteristics and coumarin content in the early bolting roots of A. dahurica were significantly altered. This study provides insight into the transcriptomic regulation of early bolting in A. dahurica, which can potentially be utilized to enhance its medicinal properties.

ZBTB7C m6A modification incurred by METTL3 aberration promotes osteosarcoma progression.

Aberrant N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of mRNAs contributes significantly to the epigenetic tumorigenesis, however, its precise role and the key targets in osteosarcoma (OS) are not defined. Here we reported that selective METTL3 (methyltransferase like 3) elevation and the consequential increase of m6A modification causally affect OS progression. The fast-growing OS cells displayed preferential upregulation of METTL3 and increased m6A modification. Conversely, m6A inhibition by 3-deazaadenosine, siRNA-mediated METTL3 knockdown or a METTL3-selective inhibitor STM2457 effectively inhibits OS cell growth and induced OS cell apoptosis. Further investigation revealed that an oncogenic protein ZBTB7C was likely a critical m6A target that mediated the oncogenic effects. ZBTB7C mRNA contains a typical m6A motif of high confidence and its mRNA and protein were enriched with increased m6A modification in OS samples/cells. In an OS xenograft model, STM2457 or siRNA-mediated METTL3 knockdown effectively lowed ZBTB7C abundance. More importantly, the anti-OS effects of STM2457 were significantly reduced when ZBTB7C was overexpressed by lentivirus. Together, our results demonstrate that the METTL3 aberration and the resultant ZBTB7C m6A modification form an important epigenetic regulatory loop that promotes OS progression, and targeting the METTL3/ZBTB7C axis may provide novel insights into the potential strategies for OS therapy.

The Proportion of Circulating CD45RO+CD8+ T Cells is Associated with the Coronary Slow Flow.

Background: Circulating memory CD8+ T cells have been shown to be a crucial mediator of chronic inflammation. This study investigated whether the baseline proportion of circulating CD45RO+CD8+ T cells was associated with the coronary slow flow (CSF) phenomenon. Methods: A total of 160 consecutive patients [mean (standard deviation (SD)) age, 67.86 (9.55) years; 51.25% male] who were admitted to our hospital between August 2020 and October 2020 for chest pain and underwent coronary angiography with the absence of coronary stenosis were enrolled in this cross-sectional analysis. The patients' admission CD45RO+ CD8+ T cell plasma levels were measured using flow cytometry. Angiographic CSF was defined as thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow of ≤ 2 without coronary stenosis, and non-CSF was defined as coronary arteries (< 50% stenosis) with TIMI 3 flow. Results: The incidence of angiographic CSF was 22.5%. Patients with angiographic CSF had higher levels of CD45RO+CD8+ T cells than those without CSF [56.18 (13.93) vs. 45.26 (16.45); p < 0.001]. After multivariable adjustment, the risk of incident CSF was 2.41 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46-3.97] per SD change in CD45RO+ CD8+ T cells. Further, coronary microvascular resistance was significantly higher in patients with CSF than in those without CSF. A positive linear relationship between CD45RO+CD8+ T cells and coronary microvascular resistance was observed. Conclusions: The proportion of circulating CD45RO+CD8+ T cells is an independent indicator of CSF. This observation may provide insights into the pathophysiological mechanism of CSF.

Effects of fruits and vegetables on gut microbiota in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome induced by high-fat diet.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fruit and vegetable intake on gut microbiota using a mouse model of metabolic syndrome (MS) induced by a high-fat diet. Forty-eight male mice were randomly divided into four groups, control group (C), high-fat diet-fed model group (H), high fat plus low intake of fruits and vegetables diet-fed group (H.LFV), high fat plus high intake of fruits and vegetables diet-fed group (H.HFV), and each group were fed for 60 days. During the experiment, mouse body weights were recorded and fecal samples were collected. Cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) method was used to extract fecal bacterial DNA, and the purity and concentration of the DNA were detected by electrophoresis. DNA samples underwent PCR amplification (primers in 16 S V4 (515F and 806R)). Raw sequencing data were processed, and sample complexity and multiple-sample comparisons were investigated. Mouse organ coefficient, serum lipid levels, fecal TC (total cholesterol) and TBA (total bile acid) levels, and hepatic glutathione and malondialdehyde levels were determined. Compared to the H group, the fecal TC and TBA levels decreased significantly in the H.HFV group (p < .05), and hepatic glutathione and malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly in both H.LFV and H.HFV groups (p < .05). Decreased abundance of Firmicutes, Burkholderiales, Syntrophomonas, and Pseudomonadales in gut microbiota was observed in H.LFV and H.HFV groups compared to the H group. The Anosim results showed significant differences in pairwise comparison between groups. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) results showed that k_bacteria not only exhibited statistically differences between H and C groups but also among H.LFV, H.LFV, and H groups, and hence, could be used as a biomarker between groups. To sum up, fruit and vegetable powder could increase the fecal excretion of TC and TBA, and the antioxidant capacity in C57BL/6N mice. Meanwhile, the mechanism that fruit and vegetable powder could prevent MS in C57BL/6N mice was related to the decreased abundance of gut microbiota, including Firmicutes, Syntrophomonadales, and Pseudomonadales. Hence, fruit and vegetable powder could be used as a recommended food to regulate gut microbiota and prevent the occurrence of MS-related diseases.

Is it feasible to measure pulmonary vein data using volume rendering images?

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein (PV) data are commonly measured on multiplanar image reformation (MPR) images and volume rendering (VR) images. PURPOSE: To compared and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of PV data based on VR images and MPR images. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 94 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with imaging data were included in the study. The respective image postprocessing time and the three surgical interventionists' preferences for the two images were recorded. A paired t-test or chi-square test was used to compare their difference, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the data values including the maximal and minimal ostial diameters of the left superior PV (LSPV), the left inferior PV (LIPV), the right superior PV (RSPV), and the right inferior PV (RIPV) obtained by VR and MPR images (P > 0.05). Yet, the mean postprocessing time of VR images (15.10 ± 3.05 min) was shorter compared to MPR images (16.54 ± 2.60 min) (t = 22.84, P < 0.05). All three surgical interventionists preferred VR images (accounted for 85.1%, 86.2%, and 84.0%, respectively), and there was no statistical difference in the degree of image preference among the three (chi-square = 0.596, P = 0.963). CONCLUSION: PV data measurement could be performed on both VR and MRP images; however, the data on VR images were more intuitive and more accessible for interventional surgeons.

Correlation between handgrip strength and pulmonary function in college students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the relationship between handgrip strength (HGS) and pulmonary function (PF) in college students with sedentary lifestyle, so as to provide a reference for taking HGS as an essential factor of PF.@*Methods@#In March 1-5, 2023, a total of 44 college students were recruited and were divided into the sedentary group (22) and exercise group (22) according to the International Physical Activity Questionaire (IPAQ), with 22 students in each group. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the indexes between groups, pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between HGS and PF. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictive model of PF.@*Results@#There were statistical significance of the correlations between HGS and FVC, MEP, PEF, FEV1, FIVC, MIP, and PIF ( r=0.79, 0.47, 0.44, 0.60, 0.72, 0.53 , 0.49, P <0.01). When gender, physical activity, age, height, weight, and HGS were included as predictors in the regression model, height and HGS had significant effects on FVC ( R 2=0.75, F= 60.55 , P <0.01), weight and HGS had a good predictive effect on FIVC ( R 2=0.67, F=41.77, P <0.01).@*Conclusion@#HGS is significantly associated with PF in college students with sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, HGS can be used as an important indicator to predict the PF status of habitual sedentary college students.

Profiling complex volatile components by HS-GC-MS and entropy minimization software: An example on Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.

Volatile oil, as an important bioactive fraction of medicinal herbs, is comprised of a diversity of compounds. At present, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is one of the mainstream approaches to profiling these complex components. However, GC-MS faces the major bottleneck in data analysis, such as co-elution of more than one compound, and interference caused by high background noise; this usually makes an operator have to spend a lot of time and effort in optimizing experimental conditions. Taking Chuanxiong Rhizoma (the dry rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., abbreviated as "CR") as an example, this study is intended to provide a feasible, quick and cost-effective solution for compound identification based on the chemometric method of entropy minimization (EM) algorithm. Ten batches of geo-authentic CR and eight batches of adulterants including Fuxiong (FX), Shanchuanxiong (SCX) and Cnidii Rhizoma (CNR) were determined by headspace GC-MS. FX and SCX were rhizomes of L. chuanxiong but subjected to improper harvest time. CNR was the dried rhizome of Cnidium officinale Makino. The co-eluting and overlapping peaks and low-concentration peaks with high background were precisely reconstructed by EM algorithm, and then the reconstructed pure mass spectra of each component were compared with the ion fragment information in NIST library for qualitative identification. EM algorithm proves to be capable of delivering results with increased accuracy and high confidence. Moreover, by the GC-MS approach established in this work, the volatile chemical profiles of FX, SCX, and CNR, were quite distinct from those of geo-authentic CR, suggesting that the adulterants should not be confused with CR in clinical practice and pharmaceutical industry. In brief, the advanced EM algorithm is envisioned to be applied to a variety of medicinal herbs, enabling rapid and accurate identification of volatile phytochemicals.

Mangiferin Alleviates Postpartum Depression-Like Behaviors by Inhibiting MAPK Signaling in Microglia.

Postpartum depression (PPD), a severe mental health disorder, is closely associated with decreased gonadal hormone levels during the postpartum period. Mangiferin (MGF) possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammation. Growing evidence has suggested that neuroinflammation is involved in the development of depression. However, the role of MGF in the development of PPD is largely unknown. In the present study, by establishing a hormone-simulated pregnancy PPD mouse model, we found that the administration of MGF significantly alleviated PPD-like behaviors. Mechanistically, MGF treatment inhibited microglial activation and neuroinflammation. Moreover, we found that MGF treatment inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in vivo and in vitro. Together, these results highlight an important role of MGF in microglial activation and thus give insights into the potential therapeutic strategy for PPD treatment.

[Effects of different field processing methods on volatile components of Chuanxiong Rhizoma: an exploration based on headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

The volatile oil of Chuanxiong Rhizoma(CX) is known as an effective fraction. In order to seek a suitable method for processing CX and its decoction pieces, this study selected 16 volatile components as indices to investigate how different processing methods such as washing/without washing, sun-drying, baking, oven-drying and far-infrared drying at different temperatures affected the quality of CX and its decoction pieces(fresh CX was partially dried, cut into pieces, and then dried) by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS), cluster analysis, principal component analysis and comprehensive weighted scoring. The results showed that the rapid washing before processing did not deteriorate the volatile components of CX. Considering the practical condition of production area, oven-drying was believed to be more suitable than sun-drying, baking, and far-infrared drying. The CX decoction pieces with a thickness of 0.3-0.4 cm were recommended to be oven-dried at 50 ℃. The integrated processing(partial drying, cutting into pieces, and drying) did not cause a significant loss of volatile components. For the fresh CX, the oven-drying at 60 ℃ is preferred. The temperature should not exceed 60 ℃, and drying below 60 ℃ will prolong the processing time, which will produce an unfavorable effect on volatile components. This study has provided the scientific evidence for field processing of CX, which is conducive to realizing the normalization and standardization of CX processing in the production area and stabilizing the quality of CX and its decoction pieces.

LncRNA PVT1 knockdown alleviated ox-LDL-induced vascular endothelial cell injury and atherosclerosis by miR-153-3p/GRB2 axis via ERK/p38 pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: LncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) plays a regulatory role in some cardiovascular diseases, but its role in atherosclerosis (AS) remains barely explored. The study aimed to investigate the effects of PVT1 on high fat diet-induced AS and its potential mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: ApoE -/- mice were fed with high fat diet for 8 weeks to establish an AS model. Lentiviral vectors containing PVT1 short hairpin RNA (PVT1-shRNA) or NC-shRNA were administered by tail vein injection. Cell viability, apoptosis, inflammatory factor secretion, and cellular oxidative stress were measured to evaluate oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) injury. Dual-luciferase reporter gene and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to confirm the interaction between miR-153-3p and PVT1 or growth factor receptor binding protein 2 (GRB2). Atherosclerotic lesions, lipid deposition, and cell apoptosis in aorta were analyzed by H&E, Oil Red O, and TUNEL straining. PVT1 knockdown alleviated ox-LDL-induced inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress in HUVECs. PVT1 acted as a sponge of miR-153-3p, and GRB2 was confirmed as a target of miR-153-3p. MiR-153-3p overexpression attenuated the enhanced effects of PVT1 on ox-LDL-induced cell damage. GRB2 overexpression reversed the mitigating effects of miR-153-3p on ox-LDL-caused injury. Inhibiting PVT1 restrained the activation of ERK1/2 and p38 pathway via miR-153-3p/GRB2 axis. Additionally, silencing PVT1 in vivo reduced atherosclerotic plaques, lipid deposition, inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in AS mice. CONCLUSION: PVT1 knockdown alleviated ox-LDL-induced vascular endothelial cell injury and atherosclerosis through miR-153-3p/GRB2 axis via ERK1/2 and p38 pathway.

Vaccination deferral among children with seizures in Zhejiang: influence, recommendation, safety and implications.

OBJECTIVES: Delayed vaccination in children with seizures was common in China. This study aims to describe the vaccination status, reasons for vaccination deferral, vaccination recommendations and the safety for these patients in Zhejiang. METHODS: 1539 children included were divided into febrile seizure (FS) group, epilepsy (EP) group, unclassified seizure group and other symptomatic seizure group. Medical records and reasons for the vaccination deferral were collected by questionnaire. Vaccination data and Adverse Event Following Immunization were retrieved from vaccination booklets. RESULTS: The main diseases of children enrolled were FS (756, 49.1%) and EP (443, 28.8%). Most of them (95.6%) were vaccinated on time before the onset of seizure, but their vaccination was delayed after seizure occurred. 76.1% were recommended to receive vaccines normally, of which the FS group accounted for the highest proportion (90.3%). 88.73% of them were vaccinated as recommended, and no serious side effects or seizure occurred. The main reason for vaccination deferral was providers' and parents' hesitation to have them vaccinated. CONCLUSION: Seizures were overestimated as a contraindication for vaccination in China. Routine vaccination was safe in most circumstances. It is essential to educate providers and parents about the benefits and contraindications of vaccination in children with seizures.

ABHD15 promotes cell viability, glycolysis, and inhibits apoptosis in cardiomyocytes under hypoxia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Myocardial infarction (MI) has been an important heart disease affecting human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effect of abhydrolase domain containing 15 (ABHD15) on hypoxic cardiomyocytes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hypoxic cardiomyocytes are commonly used as an vitro model for the study of MI. We found that cardiomyocyte viability was decreased under hypoxia, but cell glucose uptake, insulin receptor phosphorylation level and apoptosis were increased. Interestingly, ABHD15 expression was up-regulated in hypoxia-induced cardiomyocytes. Then, we identified the function of ABHD15 in hypoxic cardiomyocytes by using ABHD15 overexpression vector or short interfering RNA (siRNA) against ABHD15. The results showed that overexpression of ABHD15 promoted hypoxic cardiomyocyte viability, glucose uptake and IR phosphorylation (p-IR), and inhibited cell apoptosis. However, knockdown of ABHD15 attenuated hypoxic cardiomyocyte viability, glucose uptake and IR phosphorylation, and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, we found that ABHD15 promoted glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression, translocation and enhance rate-limiting enzyme activation of glycolysis, thereby affecting glucose uptake. Furthermore, our study suggested that ABHD15 may affect the viability and apoptosis of hypoxic cardiomyocytes through IR/Ras/Raf/ERK/MEK and IR/PI3K/AKT/Bcl2/Bad/caspase9 signaling pathways, respectively. When the phosphorylation of IR, Raf or ERK was blocked by inhibitors, the protective effect of overexpressing ABHD15 on the viability of hypoxic cardiomyocytes was eliminated. Furthermore, inhibiting the phosphorylation of IR, AKT or Bcl2 abolished the inhibitory effect of overexpressing ABHD15 on hypoxic cardiomyocyte apoptosis. CONCLUSION: ABHD15 regulated myocardial cell viability, glycolysis, and apoptosis under hypoxia, providing a novel potential therapeutic strategy for MI.

Prediction of adverse events in patients with initially medically treated type A intramural hematoma.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies provided limited data regarding natural history of initially medically treated type A intramural hematoma (IMH). OBJECTIVES: To develop predictive models for adverse aorta-related events in patients with type A IMH. METHODS: We performed a retrospective pooled analysis of individual patient data, including baseline clinical and CT characteristics. All patients enrolled were followed up for adverse aorta-related events, defined as a composite of aortic disease-related death and the presence of aortic complications that required aortic invasive treatment. RESULTS: A total of 172 patients (52.9% men) were included, with a mean age of 61.1 ± 11.2 years. During a median follow-up time of 770.5 (45.3-1695.8) days, 60 patients (34.9%) experienced adverse aorta-related events. In Cox regression model for predicting adverse aorta-related events, hypertension (HR = 3.78, p = .067), MAD (HR = 1.05, p = .018), presence of ULP (HR = 2.43, p = .002) and pericardial effusion (HR = 1.65, p = .061) were independently associated with adverse aorta-related events. A majority of the adverse aorta-related events (n = 46, 76.7%) occurred within acute and subacute phase (90 days) of IMH. In predictive model for 90 days aortic events, MAD≥50.7 mm (OR = 2.79, p = .006) and presence of ULP (OR = 3.20, p = .002) were independent predictors. C statistic of the predictive model were 0.71 (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Predictive models including baseline clinical and CT characteristics as predictors allow for accurate estimation of risk of adverse aorta-related events in patients with type A IMH. The proposed predictive models are helpful for risk estimates and decision making.