Effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on artery elasticity for early carotid atherosclerosis.

Objectives: To observe the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on arterial elasticity in patients with early carotid atherosclerosis.

Methods: A total of 62 patients with early carotid atherosclerosis were randomly divided into a blank group (12 cases, 1 cases dropped-off), a sham-acupuncture group (25 cases, 5 cases dropped-off) and an acupuncture group (25 cases, 3 cases dropped-off). Patients in the acupuncture group received acupuncture treatment, including ①acupuncture：Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV24), Renying (ST9), Neiguan (PC6), Yanglingquan (GB34)；②moxibustion：Yinqiguiyuan (Zhongwan ［CV12］, Xiawan ［CV10］, Qihai ［CV6］, Guanyuan ［CV4］), Sihua (Geshu ［BL17］, Danshu ［BL19］)；③Intradermal needle：Xinshu (BL15), Danshu (BL19).

Fe-binding transferrin nanovesicles encapsulating sorafenib induce ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Ferroptosis, iron-dependent cell death, is an established mechanism for cancer suppression, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sorafenib (SOR), a frontline drug for the treatment of HCC, induces ferroptosis by inhibiting the Solute Carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), with inadequate ferroptosis notably contributing to SOR resistance in tumor cells.

Methods: To further verify the biological targets associated with ferroptosis in HCC, an analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was performed to find a significant co-upregulation of SLC7A11 and transferrin receptor (TFRC), Herein, cell membrane-derived transferrin nanovesicles (TF NVs) coupled with Fe and encapsulated SOR (SOR@TF-Fe NVs) were established to synergistically promote ferroptosis, which promoted the iron transport metabolism by TFRC/TF-Fe and enhanced SOR efficacy by inhibiting the SLC7A11.

NLRP3 mediates trophoblastic inflammasome activation and protects against infection during pregnancy.

Background: Intrauterine () infections pose a major threat during pregnancy via affecting placental immune responses. However, the underlying mechanisms of placental defense against this pathogen remain ill-defined. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the function and the mechanism of inflammasomes on against infection during pregnancy.

PD-1 Cellular Nanovesicles Carrying Gemcitabine to Inhibit the Proliferation of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell.

PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda combined with chemotherapy for Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has been approved for FDA, successfully representing the combination therapy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy for the first time in 2020. However, PD-L1 inhibitor Tecentriq combined with albumin paclitaxel using the similar strategy failed to achieve the expected effect. Therefore, it is still necessary to explore new effective immunotherapy and chemotherapy-based combined strategies.

Improved FCOS for Detecting Breast Cancers.

Purpose: Breast cancer ranks first among cancers affecting women's health. Our goal is to develop a fast, high-precision, and fully automated breast cancer detection algorithm to improve the early detection rate of breast cancer.

Methods: We compare different object detection algorithms, including anchor-based and anchor-free object detection algorithms for detecting breast lesions.

Differentially expressed miRNAs and potential therapeutic targets for asthenospermia.

Asthenozoospermia is detected in 40% of infertile men, and characterised by low sperm motility. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play essential roles in spermatogenesis, but little is known regarding the function of seminal plasma miRNAs in asthenozoospermia. In this study, we collected seminal plasma samples from patients with asthenospermia and healthy men and employed high-throughput sequence technology to identify differentially expressed miRNAs.

Single-course antenatal corticosteroids is related to faster growth in very-low-birth-weight infant.

Background: Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) treatment is critical to support survival and lung maturation in preterm infants, however, its effect on feeding and growth is unclear. Prior preterm delivery, it remains uncertain whether ACS treatment should be continued if possible (repeated course ACS), until a certain gestational age is reached. We hypothesized that the association of single-course ACS with feeding competence and postnatal growth outcomes might be different from that of repeated course ACS in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants.

Vancomycin-lock therapy for prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infection in very low body weight infants.

Background: This study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of vancomycin- lock therapy for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) in very low body weight (VLBW) preterm infant patients.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-seven cases of VLBW preterm infants who retained peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) were retrospectively reviewed, including 68 treating with heparin plus vancomycin (vancomycin-lock group) and 69 with heparin only (control group). The incidence of CRBSI, related pathogenic bacteria, adverse events during the treatment, complications, antibiotic exposure, PICC usage time, hospital stay, etc.

Early Use of Antibiotics Is Associated with a Lower Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm, Very Low Birth Weight Infants: The NEOMUNE-NeoNutriNet Cohort Study.

Objective: To determine whether commencement of antibiotics within 3 postnatal days in preterm, very low birth weight (VLBW; ≤1500 g) infants is associated with the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Study Design: Preplanned statistical analyses were done to study the association between early antibiotic treatment and later NEC development, using the NEOMUNE-NeoNutriNet cohort of VLBW infants from 13 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in 5 continents (n = 2831). NEC incidence was compared between infants who received early antibiotics and those who did not, with statistical adjustments for NICU, gestational age, birth weight, sex, delivery mode, antenatal steroid use, Apgar score, and type and initiation of enteral nutrition.

Time to Full Enteral Feeding for Very Low-Birth-Weight Infants Varies Markedly Among Hospitals Worldwide But May Not Be Associated With Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: The NEOMUNE-NeoNutriNet Cohort Study.

Background: Transition to enteral feeding is difficult for very low-birth-weight (VLBW; ≤1500 g) infants, and optimal nutrition is important for clinical outcomes.

Method: Data on feeding practices and short-term clinical outcomes (growth, necrotizing enterocolitis [NEC], mortality) in VLBW infants were collected from 13 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in 5 continents (n = 2947). Specifically, 5 NICUs in Guangdong province in China (GD), mainly using formula feeding and slow feeding advancement (n = 1366), were compared with the remaining NICUs (non-GD, n = 1581, Oceania, Europe, United States, Taiwan, Africa) using mainly human milk with faster advancement rates.

Global mRNA and Long Non-Coding RNA Expression in the Placenta and White Adipose Tissue of Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet During Pregnancy.

Background/aims: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication of pregnancy, but the mechanisms underlying the disorders remain unclear. The study aimed to identify mRNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) profiles in placenta and gonadal fat of pregnant mice fed a high-fat diet and to investigate the transcripts and pathways involved in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Deep and broad transcriptome profiling was performed to assess the expression of mRNAs and lncRNAs in placenta and gonadal fat from 3 mice fed an HFD and chow during pregnancy.

Pasteurization Procedures for Donor Human Milk Affect Body Growth, Intestinal Structure, and Resistance against Bacterial Infections in Preterm Pigs.

Holder pasteurization (HP) destroys multiple bioactive factors in donor human milk (DM), and UV-C irradiation (UVC) is potentially a gentler method for pasteurizing DM for preterm infants. We investigated whether UVC-treated DM improves gut maturation and resistance toward bacterial infections relative to HP-treated DM. Bacteria, selected bioactive components, and markers of antioxidant capacity were measured in unpasteurized donor milk (UP), HP-treated milk, and UVC-treated milk (all from the same DM pool).

Assessment of liver fibrosis in rats by MRI with apparent diffusion coefficient and T1 relaxation time in the rotating frame.

Purpose: To explore the value of T1 relaxation times in the rotating frame (T1 ρ or T1 rho) for evaluating liver fibrosis stage, compared to apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs).

Materials And Methods: Liver fibrosis in model rats (n = 50) was produced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) injection. Five rats died during the experiment.

[Dynamic changes of intestinal 16S rDNA metagenome in 5 infants].

Objective: To investigate the dynamic changes of intestinal 16S rDNA metagenome in healthy infants.

Methods: Seventeen fecal samples were collected at ages of 3 days, 1 month, 6 months and 1 year in 5 infants. Total bacterial DNAs were extracted and submitted high throughout sequencing on the V6 viable region of 16S rDNA.

[Influencing factors for lymphocyte subsets in children aged 0-6 years].

Objective: To investigate the influencing factors for lymphocyte subsets in children 0 to 6 years of age.

Methods: Umbilical artery blood samples from 45 healthy full-term infants and venous blood samples from 79 healthy children between 0 and 6 years were collected. According to the methods of delivery, the full-term infants were divided into vaginal delivery group (n=22) and cesarean section group (n=23).

Intravoxel incoherent motion MRI evaluation for the staging of liver fibrosis in a rat model.

Purpose: To explore the characteristics of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in various stages of liver fibrosis, and their relationships with fibrotic stages in rats.

Materials And Methods: Fifty rats were given various doses of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) to induce various fibrotic stages in rats; 15 untreated rats served as controls. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed and eight b-values (0-800 s/mm(2) ) were applied to obtain IVIM parameters (D, pure molecular diffusion; f, perfusion fraction; D*, pseudodiffusion).

Reduced NK cell percentage at birth is associated with late onset infection in very preterm neonates.

Immune status in the early life of preterm infants and its association with late onset infection has not been fully described. To investigate immune status of lymphocyte subsets in the first week in preterm neonates and its association with late onset infection, 143 preterm neonates (84 neonates ≤32 weeks, 59 neonates of 33-36 weeks) and 49 term neonates were recruited. Absolute counts and percentages of lymphocyte subsets were measured by flow cytometry in umbilical cord or venous blood at birth (in all neonates), on day 3 and 7 (in preterm neonates).

Reduction in mother-to-child transmission of syphilis for 10 years in Shenzhen, China.

Background: Untreated maternal syphilis can result in the fetuses being infected. Severe adverse pregnancy outcomes include stillbirth, perinatal death, low birth weight, and congenital syphilis (CS). The World Health Organization has already classified global elimination of CS as a priority.

Multiplex PCR targeting slpA: a rapid screening method to predict common Clostridium difficile ribotypes among fluoroquinolone resistant clinical strains.

Aims: Based on the relationship between Clostridium difficile surface layer protein A (slpA) sequence types (STs) and PCR-ribotypes (RTs), a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay was developed to rapidly confirm C. difficile toxigenicity and, simultaneously, to identify any of five slpA STs, gr, hr, fr, gc8 and 078, that usually correspond with globally distributed RTs, 001, 014, 017, 027 and 078, respectively.

Methods: The mPCR, containing five slpA type-specific primers, was developed using 46 well-characterised C.