[Preliminary study on the relationship between biological rhythm changes and pregnancy complications during pregnancy]

To study the characteristics of heart rate rhythm in pregnant women at different trimester of pregnancy, and to explore the relationship between the basic rhythm of heart rate and pregnancy complications. Thirteen pregnant women who were diagnosed with normal early pregnancy in the Reproductive Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from June 2018 to December 2019 were prospectively selected. Personal files were created and the heart rate data of pregnancy women was collected 24 hours a day by wearable devices until delivery. Prenatal examination and pregnancy outcomes were surveyed at follow-up. The cosine analysis method and the designed statistical module were used to analyze the long-term rhythm of pregnant women's heart rate. The heart rate of pregnant women showed a significant rhythm at different gestational weeks. Compared with the gestational week of 12, the midline-estimating statistic of rhythm(MESOR) increased significantly at the gestational week of 28 and 32 (t=-2.751,P=0.013;t=-2.314,P=0.032).The phase of rhythm shifted from 14∶00 pm in the first trimester of pregnancy (12 weeks) to 16∶00 pm in the second trimester (24 weeks) (t=2.613,P=0.018) and returned to 14∶00 pm at the third trimester (32 weeks) (t=-2.176,P=0.046). Season had no significant effect on the changes of MESOR, amplitude and phase of maternal heart rate in the first trimester (t=-0.356,P=0.729;t=-0.777,P=0.464;t=-0.434,P=0.673), while season had no significant effect on the changes of MESOR, amplitude and phase in the third trimester (t=-0.663,P=0.532;t=-0.209,P=0.841;t=0.625,P=0.592). The heart rate of one pregnant woman with natural delivery had rhythm disorder from the start of labor to delivery. The heart rate of one pregnant woman with premature rupture of membranes showed rhythm disorder before and after the rupture of membranes, and smaller amplitude. Rhythm disturbance may play a suggestive role in preterm delivery and labor initiation. In conclusion, pregnancy may cause changes in the internal heart rate rhythm. Maternal internal rhythm disturbance may occur when delivery or premature rupture of membranes occurs. The heart rate rhythm of pregnant women may be related to some common complications of pregnancy such as premature rupture of membranes.

[Analysis of factors influencing radiation-induced liver injury caused by stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To analyze the factors influencing radiation-induced liver injury after receiving Cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: 278 cases with primary hepatocellular carcinoma from July 2016 to April 2019 were prospectively enrolled. Stereotactic radiosurgery with a prescription dose of 48-55gy/5-8 times were given. Liver function, coagulation function, Child-Pugh score, and liver imaging changes were dynamically observed before and after treatment to evaluate the occurrence of radiation-induced liver injury. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing radiation-induced liver injury. Results: Among 278 cases, 3 cases of tumor progression were excluded, and a total of 275 cases were included for analysis. The overall survival rate after 8 months of treatment was 100%. Among them, 22 cases were diagnosed as radiation-induced liver injury, with an incidence rate of 8%, and all cases were recovered after symptomatic treatment. Multivariate analysis result suggested that the peripheral white blood cell count was factors influencing the occurrence of radiation-induced liver injury. Conclusion: Cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy has a low incidence of radiation-induced liver injury in patients with liver cancer, and it is a relatively safe treatment method. Patients with low peripheral white blood cell counts before treatment should be closely monitored for early detection and treatment.

Enhanced high temperature ferromagnetism in Bi1-xRxFeO3(R= Dy, Y) compounds

In this work we report experimental evidence for the weak high-temperature ferromagnetism in Bi1-xRxFeO3(R= Dy, Y) compounds by systematic characterizations, excluding the possible side-effects from other iron-based impurities. Remarkable saturated magnetic moment was observed in the Y-substituted samples, Bi1-xYxFeO3, which is larger than the moment obtained in Bi1-xDyxFeO3, the Dy-substituted samples with antiferromagnetic background. The physical origin of the weak ferromagnetic transition is discussed and serious lattice distortions have been identified based on the x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering data, although the rhombohedral structure symmetry remains unchanged upon the substitutions. It is believed that the structural distortion suppressed cycloid spin structure is the main factor for the enhanced magnetization in Bi1-xRxFeO3compounds. Additionally, the Dy3+-Fe3+antiferromagnetic coupling, which strengthens the antiferromagnetic interaction in Bi1-xDyxFeO3compounds, acts as the driving force for the magnetic discrepancy between Bi1-xYxFeO3and Bi1-xDyxFeO3samples.

[Research progress of hepatocyte transplantation treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency]

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an autosomal codominant genetic disease characterized by low levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin in the blood. Clinically, in young patients, it mainly manifests as emphysema, acute/chronic liver injury and liver cancer. The treatment methods include symptomatic treatment and alpha -1 antitrypsin supplementation. However, the existing treatment cannot prevent the liver fibrosis progression. At present, more than ten cases of the disease have been reported in China, but the understanding of this disease is still indecisive. Moreover, there exists no biotherapy drug for this disorder. This article introduces the research progress of hepatocyte transplantation treatment for this disorder.

VKORC1 rs2359612 and rs9923231 polymorphisms correlate with high risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

We aimed to confirm the correlations between rs2359612 and rs9923231 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1) gene and the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs) using meta-analysis. Electronic databases were exhaustively searched for relevant case-control studies by employing stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. Manual retrieval was also conducted to obtain additional pertinent literature. The STATA statistical software was employed for the process of evidence synthesis. The initial literature search broadly identified 225 studies relevant to our topic of interest, and after multiple rounds of screening, 10 clinical case-control studies met the final inclusion criteria and were selected for this meta-analysis. The selected studies represented a combined total of 7329 patients with CCVD and 7951 healthy controls. Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the VKORC1 rs2359612 and rs9923231 SNPs were closely associated with high risk for CCVD (rs2359612: allelic: OR = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.00- 1.50, P = 0.047; dominant: OR = 1.32, 95%CI = 1.19-1.46, P < 0.001; rs9923231: allelic: OR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.63-0.87, P < 0.001; dominant: OR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.55-0.82, P < 0.001). Our meta-analysis provides strong evidence that two SNPs in the VKORC1 gene, rs2359612 and rs9923231, contribute to the risk of CCVD.

Clinical effects and cervical tissue changes after treatment with 16,16 dimethyl-trans delta 2 PGE1 methylester in the first trimester

Cervagem pessaries, containing 1 mg of 16,16-dimethyl-trans delta 2-PGE1 methylester, was administered in the posterior vaginal fornix 4 h before vacuum aspiration in the 1st trimester. The effects of cervical dilatation, cervical collagen metabolism and cervical smooth muscle activity were investigated. In treated women the mean cervical dilatation was 7.9 mm as compared with 3.9 mm in controls. The in vitro incorporation of 14C proline in cervical tissue as well as the hydrolytic activity against a synthetic "collagen-like" polypeptide was increased after treatment with cervagem. The cervical smooth muscle sensitivity to prostaglandins, as revealed by inhibition of muscle activity, was higher in treated women than in controls. It is concluded that cervical dilatation, as induced by cervagem, involves an adaptation of both connective tissue and smooth muscle components.