Deferoxamine promotes recovery of traumatic spinal cord injury by inhibiting ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent novel cell death pathway. Deferoxamine, a ferroptosis inhibitor, has been reported to promote spinal cord injury repair. It has yet to be clarified whether ferroptosis inhibition represents the mechanism of action of Deferoxamine on spinal cord injury recovery. A rat model of Deferoxamine at thoracic 10 segment was established using a modified Allen's method. Ninety 8-week-old female Wistar rats were used. Rats in the Deferoxamine group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 mg/kg Deferoxamine 30 minutes before injury. Simultaneously, the Sham and Deferoxamine groups served as controls. Drug administration was conducted for 7 consecutive days. The results were as follows:(1) Electron microscopy revealed shrunken mitochondria in the spinal cord injury group.(2) The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating score showed that recovery of the hindlimb was remarkably better in the Deferoxamine group than in the spinal cord injury group.(3) The iron concentration was lower in the Deferoxamine group than in the spinal cord injury group after injury.(4) Western blot assay revealed that, compared with the spinal cord injury group, GPX4, xCT, and glutathione expression was markedly increased in the Deferoxamine group.(5) Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that, compared with the Deferoxamine group, mRNA levels of ferroptosis-related genes Acyl-CoA synthetase family member 2(ACSF2) and iron-responsive element-binding protein 2(IREB2) were up-regulated in the Deferoxamine group.(6) Deferoxamine increased survival of neurons and inhibited gliosis. These findings confirm that Deferoxamine can repair spinal cord injury by inhibiting ferroptosis. Targeting ferroptosis is therefore a promising therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury.     

Clinical clues for differential diagnosis between verruca plana and verruca plana‐like seborrheic keratosis

Sometimes the clinical differentiation between verruca plana (VP) and VP‐like seborrheic keratosis (SK) could be challenged. However, there have been no studies on this issue to date. The aim of this study was to elucidate clinical and dermoscopic differences between these two diseases, and also to suggest a diagnostic algorithm of VP and VP‐like SK without skin biopsy. The patients who had lesions clinically considered as VP or VP‐like SK were the target of our study. We took clinical and dermoscopic photos with informed consent and conducted a questionnaire. All patients had their diagnoses confirmed by biopsy. Thirty‐three patients were enrolled in our study. Seventeen patients were finally diagnosed with VP (51.5%) and 16 patients with VP‐like SK (48.5%). In clinical findings, VP‐like SK showed significantly more scattered distribution than VP (P = 0.039), which exhibited more clustered or grouped distribution (P = 0.039). In dermoscopic findings, brain‐like appearance was more commonly observed in VP‐like SK (P = 0.003) whereas VP showed more red dots or globular vessels (P = 0.017) and even‐colored light brown to yellow patch (P < 0.001). Sex, onset age, the size of each lesion, location, color and shape showed no significant differences between them (P > 0.05). Based on our results, we suggest a diagnostic algorithm using Koebner's phenomenon, dermoscopic findings, distribution of each lesion and biopsy for multiple VP‐like lesions in adults, and we think it will be a very useful diagnostic tool in daily clinical dermatological practice.     

Family Caregivers' Subjective Caregiving Burden,Quality of Life,and Depressive Symptoms Are Associated With Terminally Ill Cancer Patients' Distinct Patterns of Conjoint Symptom Distress and Functional Impairment in Their Last Six Months of Life

Context

Family caregivers constitute a critical component of the end-of-life care system with considerable cost to themselves. However, the joint association of terminally ill cancer patients' symptom distress and functional impairment with caregivers' subjective caregiving burden, quality of life (QOL), and depressive symptoms remains unknown.

黄石、荆门地区产妇母乳喂养自我效能影响因素分析

目的 探究黄石、荆门地区产后妇女母乳喂养自我效能的现状及影响因素,为改善母乳喂养率提供更多理论依据。方法 对2017年12月—2018年3月在湖北省黄石市、荆门市的三所医院住院分娩的产妇进行问卷调查,获得产妇社会人口特征、孕产相关资料、母乳喂养相关情况。采用多元线性回归分析母乳喂养自我效能的影响因素。结果 共1 023名产妇纳入分析,平均年龄(29.0±5.7)岁。已婚占98.3%,初产占54.0%,大专及以上学历占53.9%。研究对象的母乳喂养自我效能平均得分为(45.5±12.3)分。多元线性回归的结果显示:当前不存在乳腺问题(B=2.08,P=0.036)、有母乳喂养经历(B=3.62,P<0.001)、家人提供母乳喂养指导或经验(B=3.20,P=0.001)、丈夫支持母乳喂养(B=5.87,P=0.001)及产后30 min内有医护母乳喂养帮助(B=3.02,P=0.003)的产妇母乳喂养自我效能得分更高。结论 产后妇女的母乳喂养自我效能可能与其健康状况、母乳喂养经历、社会支持及母乳喂养卫生服务有关。应对产后妇女提供广泛的社会支持,加强母乳喂养卫生服务提供,以提高其母乳喂养的自我效能,促进母乳喂养。