The impacts of early environmental adversity on cognitive functioning, body mass, and life-history behavioral profiles.

Early adverse experiences or exposures have a profound impact on neurophysiological, cognitive, and somatic development. Evidence across disciplines uncovers adversity-induced alternations in cortical structures, cognitive functions, and related behavioral manifestations, as well as an energetic trade-off between the brain and body. Based on the life history (LH) framework, the present research aims to explore the adversity-adapted cognitive-behavioral mechanism and investigate the relation between cognitive functioning and somatic energy reserve (i.e., body mass index; BMI). A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was performed with longitudinal self-reported, anthropometric, and task-based data drawn from a cohort of 2,607 8- to 11-year-old youths and their primary caregivers recruited by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCDSM) study. The results showed that early environmental adversity was positively associated with fast LH behavioral profiles and negatively with cognitive functioning. Moreover, cognitive functioning mediated the relationship between adversity and fast LH behavioral profiles. Additionally, we found that early environmental adversity positively predicted BMI, which was inversely correlated with cognitive functioning. These results revealed an adversity-adapted cognitive-behavioral mechanism and energy-allocation pathways, and add to the existing knowledge of LH trade-off and developmental plasticity.

Exosomes derived from vMIP-II-Lamp2b gene-modified M2 cells provide neuroprotection by targeting the injured spinal cord, inhibiting chemokine signals and modulating microglia/macrophage polarization in mice.

Inflammation is one of the key injury factors for spinal cord injury (SCI). Exosomes (Exos) derived from M2 macrophages have been shown to inhibit inflammation and be beneficial in SCI animal models. However, lacking targetability restricts their application prospects. Considering that chemokine receptors increase dramatically after SCI, viral macrophage inflammatory protein II (vMIP-II) is a broad-spectrum chemokine receptor binding peptide, and lysosomal associated membrane protein 2b (Lamp2b) is the key membrane component of Exos, we speculated that vMIP-II-Lamp2b gene-modified M2 macrophage-derived Exos (vMIP-II-Lamp2b-M2-Exo) not only have anti-inflammatory properties, but also can target the injured area by vMIP-II. In this study, using a murine contusive SCI model, we revealed that vMIP-II-Lamp2b-M2-Exo could target the chemokine receptors which highly expressed in the injured spinal cords, inhibit some key chemokine receptor signaling pathways (such as MAPK and Akt), further inhibit proinflammatory factors (such as IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-17, IL-18, TNF-α, and iNOS), and promote anti-inflammatory factors (such as IL-4 and Arg1) productions, and the transformation of microglia/macrophages from M1 into M2. Moreover, the improved histological and functional recoveries were also found. Collectively, our results suggest that vMIP-II-Lamp2b-M2-Exo may provide neuroprotection by targeting the injured spinal cord, inhibiting some chemokine signals, reducing proinflammatory factor production and modulating microglia/macrophage polarization.

Th1 cell immune response in Talaromyces marneffei infection with anti-interferon-γ autoantibody syndrome.

Anti-interferon-γ autoantibody (AIGA) syndrome may be the basis of disseminated Talaromyces marneffei infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative adults. However, the pathogenesis of Th1 cell immunity in T. marneffei infection with AIGA syndrome is unknown. A multicenter study of HIV-negative individuals with T. marneffei infection was conducted between September 2018 and September 2020 in Guangdong and Guangxi, China. Patients were divided into AIGA-positive (AP) and AIGA-negative (AN) groups according to the AIGA titer and neutralizing activity. The relationship between AIGA syndrome and Th1 immune deficiency was investigated by using AP patient serum and purification of AIGA. Fifty-five HIV-negative adults with disseminated T. marneffei infection who were otherwise healthy were included. The prevalence of AIGA positivity was 83.6%. Based on their AIGA status, 46 and 9 patients were assigned to the AP and AN groups, respectively. The levels of Th1 cells, IFN-γ, and T-bet were higher in T. marneffei-infected patients than in healthy controls. However, the levels of CD4+ T-cell STAT-1 phosphorylation (pSTAT1) and Th1 cells were lower in the AP group than in the AN group. Both the serum of patients with AIGA syndrome and the AIGA purified from the serum of patients with AIGA syndrome could reduce CD4+ T-cell pSTAT1, Th1 cell differentiation and T-bet mRNA, and protein expression. The Th1 cell immune response plays a pivotal role in defense against T. marneffei infection in HIV-negative patients. Inhibition of the Th1 cell immune response may be an important pathological effect of AIGA syndrome.IMPORTANCEThe pathogenesis of Th1 cell immunity in Talaromyces marneffei infection with anti-interferon-γ autoantibody (AIGA) syndrome is unknown. This is an interesting study addressing an important knowledge gap regarding the pathogenesis of T. marneffei in non-HIV positive patients; in particular patients with AIGA. The finding of the Th1 cell immune response plays a pivotal role in defense against T. marneffei infection in HIV-negative patients, and inhibition of the Th1 cell immune response may be an important pathological effect of AIGA syndrome, which presented in this research could help bridge the current knowledge gap.

The Value of Amide Proton Transfer MRI in the Diagnosis of Malignant and Benign Urinary Bladder Lesions: Comparison With Diffusion-Weighted Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has certain limitations in distinguishing between malignant and benign urinary bladder (UB) lesions. Amide proton transfer (APT) imaging may provide more diagnostic information than diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to distinguish between malignant and benign UB. PURPOSE: To investigate the potential of APT imaging in the diagnosis of malignant and benign UB lesions and to compare its diagnostic efficacy with that of conventional DWI. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. SUBJECTS: Eighty patients with UB lesions. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3.0 T/turbo spin echo (TSE) T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging, single-shot echo planar DWI, and three-dimensional TSE APT imaging. ASSESSMENT: Patients underwent radical cystectomy or transurethral resection of the bladder lesions within 2 weeks after CT urography and MRI examination. APT signal intensity in UB lesions was quantified by the asymmetric magnetization transfer ratio (MTRasym ). MTRasym and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured and compared between malignant and benign UB lesions. STATISTICAL TESTS: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), Delong test, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The significance threshold was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients had pathologically confirmed benign UB lesions, including 2 bladder leiomyomas, 1 submucosal amyloidosis, 1 inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and 28 inflammatory lesions, and 48 patients had pathologically confirmed urothelial carcinoma. Urothelial carcinomas showed significantly higher MTRasym values (1.53% [0.74%] vs. 0.85% [0.23%]) and significantly lower ADC values (1.24 ± 0.34 × 10-3 mm2 /s vs. 1.43 ± 0.22 × 10-3 mm2 /s) than benign UB lesions. The MTRasym value (AUC = 0.928) was significantly better in differentiating urothelial carcinoma from benign UB lesions than the ADC value (AUC = 0.722). DATA CONCLUSION: APT imaging may have value in discriminating malignant from benign UB lesions and has better diagnostic performance than DWI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Function of Cortactin/N-cadherin signal axis in pathological myocardial hypertrophy / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the regulatory effect of Cortaetin on pathological myocardial hypertrophy induced by isoprenaline (ISO) and the underlying mechanism. Methods ISO was used to stimulate neonatal rat cardiomyocytes for 24 h, and myocardial hypertrophy model was established at the cellular level. C57BL/6 mice were injected subcutaneously with ISO for one week to establish myocardial hypertrophy model at animal level. RT-qPCR was used to detect the changes of mRNA and Western blot was used to detect the changes of relative protein content. Immunofluorescence was used to measure the subcellular location of Cortaetin and the change of its expression. The overex-pression of Cortaetin by adenovirus infection and the knockdown of Cortaetin by transfection of small interfering RNA were studied. Results On the cellular and animal levels, ISO-induced myocardial hypertrophy models were successfully established, and it was observed that ISO caused the decrease of Cortaetin and N-cadherin protein levels. Overexpression of Cortaetin could reverse the decrease of N-cadherin protein level and myocardial hypertrophy caused by ISO. Knockdown of Cortaetin showed the opposite effect. Conclusion Cortaetin, in combination with N-cadherin, may play a role in combating myocardial hypertrophy by enhancing the connections between cardiomyocytes.

Application of xenotransplantation in clinical practice / 器官移植

Organ transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage organ failure. Nevertheless, organ shortage is a global problem, which limits further development of organ transplantation. Recent research shows that genetically modified pig may become a realistic alternative source of clinical organ transplantation donor. Xenotransplantation may serve as one of the effective measures to resolve the problem of organ shortage. Since 2021, 2 cases of living xenotransplantation and 6 cases of xenotransplantation in brain death recipients have been performed worldwide, and phase Ⅰ clinical trial of xenotransplantation has been launched, and the results have exceeded expectations. Therefore, in this article, recent clinical trial results of xenotransplantation in living and brain death recipients were retrospectively analyzed, and scientific, technical and ethical issues related to clinical research of xenotransplantation were illustrated, hoping to provide reference for clinical research of xenotransplantation in China and promote the development of xenotransplantation in clinical practice.

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Bioactive compounds derived from herbal medicinal plants modulate various therapeutic targets and signaling pathways associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the world's primary cause of death. Ginkgo biloba, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with notable cardiovascular actions, has been used as a cardio- and cerebrovascular therapeutic drug and nutraceutical in Asian countries for centuries. Preclinical studies have shown that ginkgolide B, a bioactive component in Ginkgo biloba, can ameliorate atherosclerosis in cultured vascular cells and disease models. Of clinical relevance, several clinical trials are ongoing or being completed to examine the efficacy and safety of ginkgolide B-related drug preparations in the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases, such as ischemia stroke. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic characteristics, and mechanisms of action of ginkgolide B in atherosclerosis prevention and therapy. We highlight new molecular targets of ginkgolide B, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NADPH oxidase), lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), platelet-activating factor (PAF), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and others. Finally, we provide an overview and discussion of the therapeutic potential of ginkgolide B and highlight the future perspective of developing ginkgolide B as an effective therapeutic agent for treating atherosclerosis.

Serum sphingolipids aid in diagnosing adult HIV-negative patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis: a clinical cohort study.

Background: Pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) contributes to the ongoing global disease burden in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative populations. Since some PC patients are misdiagnosed under existing diagnostic guidelines, new diagnostic markers are needed to improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy and reduce disease risk. Methods: Our previously established sphingolipidomic approach was employed to explore the use of serum sphingolipids (SPLs) in diagnosing HIV-negative patients with PC. A clinical cohort of PC, pulmonary aspergillosis (PA), and tuberculosis (TB) patients and healthy controls was assessed to identify SPL biomarkers. Results: A total of 47 PC, 27 PA, and 18 TB patients and 40 controls were enrolled. PC and TB patients had similar clinical features, laboratory test results and radiological features, excluding plural effusion. The serum ceramide [Cer (d18:1/18:0)] level showed a significant increase in PC patients compared to controls and PA and TB patients (P<0.05). Cer (d18:1/18:0) was identified as a specific diagnostic biomarker for PC. The optimal cut-off value of greater than 18.00 nM showed a diagnostic sensitivity of 76.60% and a specificity of 95.00% and better distinguished PC patients from PA and TB patients. Furthermore, the serum Cer (d18:1/18:0) level gradually decreased after 3 and 6 months of treatment, suggesting the prediction potential for therapeutic efficacy of this biomarker. In addition, Cer (d18:1/18:0) analysis presented a higher sensitivity than the cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) assay. Conclusions: This is the first study to report the use of the SPL Cer (d18:1/18:0) as a serum biomarker for diagnosing Cryptococcus spp. infection in HIV-negative patients.

Complement receptor 3-mediated neurotoxic glial activation contributes to rotenone-induced cognitive decline in mice.

Microglia-mediated chronic neuroinflammation has been associated with cognitive decline induced by rotenone, a well-known neurotoxic pesticide used in agriculture. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. This work aimed to elucidate the role of complement receptor 3 (CR3), a highly expressed receptor in microglia, in cognitive deficits induced by rotenone. Rotenone up-regulated the expression of CR3 in the hippocampus and cortex area of mice. CR3 deficiency markedly ameliorated rotenone-induced cognitive impairments, neurodegeneration and phosphorylation (Ser129) of α-synuclein in mice. CR3 deficiency also attenuated rotenone-stimulated microglial M1 activation. In microglial cells, siRNA-mediated knockdown of CR3 impeded, while CR3 activation induced by LL-37 exacerbated, rotenone-induced microglial M1 activation. Mechanistically, CR3 deficiency blocked rotenone-induced activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and STAT3 signaling pathways. Pharmacological inhibition of NF-κB or STAT3 but not STAT1 was confirmed to suppress microglial M1 activation elicited by rotenone. Further study revealed that CR3 deficiency or knockdown also reduced rotenone-induced expression of C3, an A1 astrocyte marker, and production of microglial C1q, TNFα and IL-1α, a cocktail for activated microglia to induce neurotoxic A1 astrocytes, via NF-κB and STAT3 pathways. Finally, a small molecule modulator of CR3 efficiently mitigated rotenone-elicited cognitive deficits in mice even administered after the establishment of cognitive dysfunction. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that CR3 is a key factor in mediating neurotoxic glial activation and subsequent cognitive impairments in rotenone-treated mice, giving novel insights into the immunopathogenesis of cognitive impairments in pesticide-related Parkinsonism.

Intracranial infection and sepsis in infants caused by Salmonella derby: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella derby (S. derby) is a Gram-negative diplococcus that is common in the digestive tract. Infected patients generally experience symptoms such as fever and diarrhea. Mild cases are mostly self-healing gastroenteritis, and severe cases can cause fatal typhoid fever. Clinical cases are more common in children. The most common form of S. derby infection is self-healing gastroenteritis, in which, fever lasts for about 2 d and diarrhea for < 7 d. S. derby can often cause bacterial conjunctivitis, pneumonia, endocarditis, peritonitis and urethritis. However, intracranial infections in infants caused by S. derby are rare in clinical practice and have not been reported before in China. CASE SUMMARY: A 4-mo-old female infant had recurrent fever for 2 wk, with a maximum body temperature of around 39.4°C. Treatment for infectious fever in a local hospital was ineffective, and she was admitted to our hospital. Before admission, there was one sudden convulsion, characterized by unclear consciousness, limb twitching, gaze in both eyes, and slight cyanosis on the face. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was positive for Gram-negative bacilli, which conformed to S. derby. After treatment with meropenem and ceftriaxone antibiotics, the patient was discharged home in a clinically stable state after 4 wk of treatment. CONCLUSION: We reported a rare case of S. derby cultured in CSF. S. derby enters the CSF through the blood-brain barrier, causing purulent meningitis. If not treated timeously, it can lead to serious, life-threatening infection.

Identification of characteristic aroma compounds for spicy in Iris lactea var. chinensis.

Iris lactea var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz has a unique floral fragrance that differs from that of other Iris spp.; however, its characteristic aroma composition remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the floral fragrance components of I. lactea var. chinensis during different flowering stages using headspace solid-phase microextraction in conjunction with gas chromatography mass spectrometry, electronic nose, and sensory evaluation. During the three flowering phases (bud stage, bloom stage, and decay stage), 70 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including 13 aldehydes, 13 esters, 11 alcohols, 10 alkanes, 8 ketones, 7 terpenes, 7 benzenoids, and 1 nitrogenous compound, were identified. According to principal component analysis, the primary VOCs were (-)-pinene, ß-irone, methyl heptenone, phenylethanol, hexanol, and 2-pinene. A comparison of the differential VOCs across the different flowering stages using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that 3-carene appeared only in the bud stage, whereas hexanol, ethyl caprate, ethyl caproate, linalool, (-)-pinene, and 2-pinene appeared or were present at significantly increased levels during the bloom stage. The phenylethanol, methyl heptenone, 3-methylheptane, and ß-irone reached a peak in the decay stage. The odor activity value and sensory evaluation suggested that "spicy" is the most typical odor of I. lactea var. chinensis, mainly due to 2-methoxy-3-sec-butylpyrazine, which is rare in floral fragrances.

Beyond Fear: Unveiling the Relationship Between Fear of Childbirth and Pharmacological Pain Relief.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacological analgesia is the dominant method for pain relief in labor. Fear of childbirth (FOC) may significantly affect women's preferences for and usage of pharmacological analgesia. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between FOC in late pregnancy and preferences for, as well as actual use of, pharmacological analgesia among nulliparous and multiparous women, accounting for confounding factors. METHODS: A total of 1,300 women participated in the study, completing questionnaires assessing preferences for pharmacological analgesia, FOC, perception of labor pain, social support, coping styles, and demographic variables. The actual use of pharmacological analgesia was followed up. The data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that women with moderate to severe FOC had a stronger preference for pharmacological analgesia compared to those with none to mild FOC. However, multivariate analysis showed no direct association between FOC and actual usage of pharmacological analgesia. Instead, a stronger preference for pharmacological analgesia increased the likelihood of its actual usage during labor. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underscores the effect of FOC on preferences for pharmacological analgesia and its potential influence on actual usage during labor. Healthcare providers should consider women's FOC and preferences when evaluating pain management options. Targeted interventions focusing on promoting non-pharmacological techniques should be implemented to optimize labor pain management for women, particularly nulliparous women.

Corrigendum: The value of HDL subfractions in predicting cardiovascular outcomes in untreated, diabetic patients with stable coronary artery disease: an age- and gender-matched case-control study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1041555.].

Exploring the correlation between serum fibroblast growth factor-21 levels and Sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) plays an important role in the growth and metabolism of skeletal muscle cells. This study aims to systemically review the evidence regarding the relationship between FGF-21 levels and Sarcopenia, as well as the related influential factors. METHODS: This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. We comprehensively searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Web of Science, Scopus, and Chinese Databases (CNKI, Wan Fang, VIP, and CBM) up to 1 May 2023. 3 investigators performed independent literature screening and data extraction of the included literature, and two investigators performed an independent quality assessment of case-control studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software. For continuous various outcomes, mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was applied for assessment by fixed-effect or random-effect model analysis. The heterogeneity test was performed by the Q-statistic and quantified using I2, and publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot. RESULTS: Five studies with a total of 625 cases were included in the review. Meta-analysis showed lower BMI in the sarcopenia group [MD= -2.88 (95% CI, -3. 49, -2.27); P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%], significantly reduced grip strength in the sarcopenia group compared to the non-sarcopenia group [MD = -7.32(95% CI, -10.42,-4.23); P < 0.00001; I2 = 93%]. No statistically significant differences in serum FGF21 levels were found when comparing the two groups of subjects [SMD = 0.31(95% CI, -0.42, 1.04); P = 0.41; I2 = 94%], and no strong correlation was found between the onset of sarcopenia and serum FGF21 levels. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of sarcopenia is followed by a more significant decrease in muscle mass and strength, but there is a lack of strong evidence to support a direct relationship between elevated organismal FGF21 and sarcopenia, and it is not convincing to use FGF21 as a biological or diagnostic marker for sarcopenia. The currently used diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia and setting of cut-off values for each evaluation parameter no longer seem to match clinical practice.

The polarization of microglia and infiltrated macrophages in the injured mice spinal cords: a dynamic analysis.

Background: Following spinal cord injury (SCI), a large number of peripheral monocytes infiltrate into the lesion area and differentiate into macrophages (Mø). These monocyte-derived Mø are very difficult to distinguish from the local activated microglia (MG). Therefore, the term Mø/MG are often used to define the infiltrated Mø and/or activated MG. It has been recognized that pro-inflammatory M1-type Mø/MG play "bad" roles in the SCI pathology. Our recent research showed that local M1 cells are mainly CD45-/lowCD68+CD11b+ in the subacute stage of SCI. Thus, we speculated that the M1 cells in injured spinal cords mainly derived from MG rather than infiltrating Mø. So far, their dynamics following SCI are not yet entirely clear. Methods: Female C57BL/6 mice were used to establish SCI model, using an Infinite Horizon impactor with a 1.3 mm diameter rod and a 50 Kdynes force. Sham-operated (sham) mice only underwent laminectomy without contusion. Flow cytometry and immunohistofluorescence were combined to analyze the dynamic changes of polarized Mø and MG in the acute (1 day), subacute (3, 7 and 14 days) and chronic (21 and 28 days) phases of SCI. Results: The total Mø/MG gradually increased and peaked at 7 days post-injury (dpi), and maintained at high levels 14, 21 and 28 dpi. Most of the Mø/MG were activated, and the Mø increased significantly at 1 and 3 dpi. However, with the pathological process, activated MG increased nearly to 90% at 7, 14, 21 and 28 dpi. Both M1 and M2 Mø were increased significantly at 1 and 3 dpi. However, they decreased to very low levels from 7 to 28 dpi. On the contrary, the M2-type MG decreased significantly following SCI and maintained at a low level during the pathological process.

[Characteristics of Ozone Pollution and High-impact Meteorological Factors in Urban Cities: A Case of Suzhou].

The problem of urban ozone (O3) pollution has become prominent in recent years. However, the meteorological factors associated with O3 pollution remain unclear. Analyzing the characteristics of O3 pollution in Suzhou, as a typical urban city, and exploring the high-impact meteorological factors with O3 pollution are crucial to the prevention and control of air pollution in this region. This study used correlation analysis and machine learning methods to analyze the variation in O3 concentration and the relationship between meteorological driving factors in Suzhou based on the O3 concentration data provided by Suzhou Environmental Monitoring Center and the contemporaneous meteorological observation data in Suzhou from April to September in 2015 to 2020. The results showed that: ① O3 pollution exceeding the standard rate was more than 20% in ozone seasons during the past six years; further, pollution days of O3 and the number of pollution days of O3 as the primary pollutant increased yearly. Evidently, the problem of O3 pollution has become increasingly prominent. ② The diurnal variations in O3 were unimodal with the valley point at 07:00 and the highest peak between 15:00 and 16:00. Similar trends were found in diurnal variations of both air temperature and solar radiation, but the daily highest peak came earlier than that of O3. The results also showed an apparent weekend effect of O3 concentration in 2017 and 2019 and a significant correlation between O3 concentration and solar irradiance during the week. In addition, the monthly variation in O3 concentration and pollution exceeding the standard rate was bimodal. ③The occurrence of ozone pollution was affected by various meteorological conditions. The maximum number of days appeared when daily sunshine hours lasted longer than 7 hours, with a daily maximum air temperature around 30℃, solar irradiance ranging from 350 to 440 kW·m-2, and relative humidity ranging from 50% to 75%, at which time the intensity of pollution was the strongest. When the wind speed of easterly wind was less than 1.5 m·s-1, or the wind speed of southwest wind was less than 3.5 m·s-1, moderate ozone pollution occurred. ④ An optimal prediction model of O3 concentration was established based on machine learning, which had good predictive ability for O3 concentration in April, May, July, and September but did not perform well when O3 concentration exceeded 200 µg·m-3. Meanwhile, it was found that solar radiation had the most obvious effect on O3 concentration, followed by relative humidity, whereas the temperature and wind were less important than the former two factors.

Efficacy of galantamine combined with Fufang Haishe Jiaonang in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in 52 patients / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of galantamine combined with Fufang Haishe Jiaonang in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and its effects on serum levels of inflammatory factors, Aβ1-42 protein, and Tau protein. Methods:A total of 104 patients with Alzheimer's disease who received treatment in Jiaozhou People's Hospital from January 2019 to January 2021 were included in this study. They were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group ( n = 52/group). The control group was given galantamine treatment. The observation group was given galantamine combined with Fufang Haishe Jiaonang. All patients were treated for 3 months. Clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups. Before and after treatment, serum inflammatory factor, Aβ1-42 protein, Tau protein, Mini-Mental State Examination score, and The Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease Seale score were compared between the two groups. Adverse reactions were observed during the treatment. Results:Total response rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [92.31% (48/52) vs. 76.92% (40/52), χ2 = 4.73, P < 0.05]. After treatment, serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and Tau protein in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and Aβ1-42 protein level in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( t = 16.78, 6.94, 5.16, 2.91, 2.55, all P < 0.05). After treatment, Mini-Mental State Examination score and The Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD) Seale score were increased in each group ( t = 13.48, 6.34, 18.58, 14.45, all P < 0.001), and they were significantly higher in the observation group than the control group ( t = 5.86, 7.25, both P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Galantamine combined with Fufang Haishe Jiaonang for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease can better reduce clinical symptoms and signs, regulate serum levels of inflammatory factors, Aβ1-42 protein, and Tau protein, and improve the mental state and quality of life.

Recent progress in aptamer-based microfluidics for the detection of circulating tumor cells and extracellular vesicles / 药物分析学报

Liquid biopsy is a technology that exhibits potential to detect cancer early,monitor therapies,and predict cancer prognosis due to its unique characteristics,including noninvasive sampling and real-time analysis.Circulating tumor cells(CTCs)and extracellular vesicles(EVs)are two important components of circu-lating targets,carrying substantial disease-related molecular information and playing a key role in liquid biopsy.Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides with superior affinity and specificity,and they can bind to targets by folding into unique tertiary structures.Aptamer-based microfluidic platforms offer new ways to enhance the purity and capture efficiency of CTCs and EVs by combining the advantages of microfluidic chips as isolation platforms and aptamers as recognition tools.In this review,we first briefly introduce some new strategies for aptamer discovery based on traditional and aptamer-based micro-fluidic approaches.Then,we subsequently summarize the progress of aptamer-based microfluidics for CTC and EV detection.Finally,we offer an outlook on the future directional challenges of aptamer-based microfluidics for circulating targets in clinical applications.

Research progress in the treatment of sleep disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome with external therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine / 国际中医中药杂志

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) external therapy for sleep disorder of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has good anti-fatigue effect and can improve sleep quality of patients. The treatment for sleep disorders of CFS with TCM external treatment mainly adopts acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, TCM bath, transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation and auricular point sticking, etc., or alone, or comprehensive application, or combined with oral Chinese materia medica. The appropriate treatment method can be selected according to the patients' condition and compliance, which reflects the unique advantages of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment and the treatment according to people and time. The existing research still needs to further form a standardized and recognized diagnosis and treatment system, so as to better guide clinical popularization and application.

Clinical characteristics of patients with multiple myeloma involving central nervous system / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics, treatment regimens and prognostic influencing factors of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) involving central nervous system (CNS).Methods:The clinical data of 18 MM patients involving CNS in Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from January 2014 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis were also analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to make survival analysis and log-rank was performed; Cox proportional risk model was used to make univariate and multivariate analysis.Results:The cohort of 18 patients included 12 males and 6 females; the median age of patients involving CNS was 54 years (38-71 years). The median time from diagnosis to the involvement of CNS was 22 months (0-126 months).Among 18 patients, 1 case was primary MM involving CNS, and 17 cases were secondary MM involving CNS. All patients had Durie-Salmon (DS) stage Ⅲ; 10 cases had international staging system (ISS) stage Ⅲ, 6 cases had ISS stage Ⅱ, and 2 cases had ISS stage Ⅰ. Involvement sites of CNS included 7 cases of involving the dura mater alone and 4 cases of involving the pia mater alone, 2 cases of involving brain parenchyma and 5 cases of involving both meninges and brain parenchyma. The most common neurological symptoms were headache and cranial nerve palsy, and 9 patients had multiple neurological symptoms. All patients received systemic therapy, 16 patients received an intrathecal injection and/or radiotherapy; and the overall effective rate was 66.7%, including 3 achieving strict complete remission (sCR), 1 achieving complete remission (CR), 3 achieving very good partial remission (VGPR), 5 achieving partial remission (PR). The median overall survival (OS) was 32.7 months. Counting from the point of CNS involvement, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and OS time was 7.5 months, 12.2 months, respectively. The median PFS of MM patients in the dura-involved alone group was longer than that in the non-dura-involved alone group (15.1 months vs. 5.9 months, P = 0.009); the median OS of MM patients in the dura-involved alone group was longer than that in the non-dura-involved alone group (16.9 months vs. 10.7 months, P = 0.175). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that dura mater involvement alone was an independent factor affecting PFS in MM patients with CNS involvement ( HR = 0.191,95% CI 0.038-0.952, P = 0.043). Conclusions:MM involving CNS is rarely found and has a very poor prognosis. Different sites of CNS involvement could affect the prognosis of patients. There is a lack of effective treatment regimens.