[The effects of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 inflammasome on obstructive sleep apnea and its complications].

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder with a high incidence and severe impact on the human body, which can induce systemic chronic inflammatory responses. Chronic inflammation is an important cause of exacerbation of OSA and its associated complications. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) is an inflammasome that is widely found in epithelial cells and immune cells and plays an important role in inflammatory diseases as an important component of innate immunity. Research evidence suggests that the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes can exacerbate the damage to neurons, endothelial cells, lung and kidney caused by OSA, and these effects can be eliminated by genetic or pharmacological deletion of NLRP3. Targeting inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome may serve as a co-therapeutic strategy for OSA-induced related complications. This article reviews NLRP3 inflammasome and its mechanism in OSA-related concurrent diseases, which can provide scientific basis for prevention and intervention of OSA and its related complications.

[Prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Chinese children from 2001 to 2021: Meta analysis].

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Chinese children from 2001 to 2021, in order to provide data support for the prevention and treatment of allergic rhinitis in children. Methods: "Allergic rhinitis" "children" "adolescent" "infant" "prevalence" "epidemiology" were used in the main search terms. The combination of Mesh words and free words was adopted. CNKI, CBM, VIP, WanFang Data, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and The Cochrane Library for publications between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2021 were searched systemically and data were extracted from eligible studies by two independent reviewers. Supplementary collection was made by identifying retrospective references from the included literature. After study quality assessment, Meta analysis was completed using Stata 16.0 software. Results: A total of 20 cross-sectional studies were included, involving 54 886 cases. Meta analysis results showed that the overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis among the participants was 18.46% (95%CI:14.34%-22.59%). Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of allergic rhinitis from 2012 to 2021 (19.75%) was higher than that from 2001 to 2011 (14.81%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The prevalence of different regions from high to low was East China (22.77%), North China (20.82%), Northwest China (17.77%), Central China (16.62%), Southwest China (16.33%), Northeast China (16.16%) and South China (7.29%) respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The prevalence of male (20.73%) was higher than that of female (16.34%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The prevalence of Han nationality(17.31%) was higher than that of ethnic minorities (15.93%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Chinese children is high and the prevalence in children varies by publication year, region, sex and nationality.

[Research progress of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in the regulation of liver microenvironment to affect liver fibrosis].

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are not only important intermediary cells for substance exchange between blood and hepatocytes, but also important hepatic non-parenchymal cells to cause liver fibrosis and cirrhosis because of chronic liver injury factors. It mainly regulates the liver microcirculation and participates in the development of hepatic fibrosis by interacting with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and mediating hepatic stiffness and hepatic angiogenesis. Hence, clarifying these mechanisms will help to explore new targets and strategies for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Predicting the maturity of haemodialysis arteriovenous fistulas with colour Doppler ultrasound: a single-centre study from China.

AIM: To explore the optimal vascular diameter and blood flow measured by ultrasound to predict fistula maturity in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-two patients were enrolled in the study. The blood flow and the diameters of the brachial artery, radial artery, and cephalic vein were analysed according to clinical outcomes. The performances of blood flow, cephalic vein diameter, and the two factors combined in predicting fistula maturity were evaluated and the optimal cut-off values for Chinese patients were determined. RESULTS: During a 6 month follow-up, 113 fistulas were classified as mature and 19 fistulas were classified as failure. In both groups, the diameters of the brachial and radial arteries increased gradually within 2 weeks post-surgery (p<0.05), and cephalic vein diameter and blood flow increased within 4 weeks post-surgery (p<0.05). The blood flow of the failure group was significantly lower than that of the mature group from the first day after creation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.95 (529 ml/min, the optimal cut-off value) for blood flow, 0.83 (5.2 mm) for cephalic vein diameter, and 0.96 for the two factors combined in predicting fistula maturity. CONCLUSIONS: For Chinese patients, blood flow >529 ml/min could be used to predict fistula maturity and cephalic vein diameter >5.2 mm could be a supplement when necessary.

[Analysis of clinical characteristics of children with adenoid hypertrophy and pharyngolaryngeal reflux].

Objectives: To explore the clinical characteristics of children with adenoid hypertrophy (AH) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) by detecting the expression of pepsin in adenoids as a standard for AH with LPR. Methods: A total of 190 children who were admitted for surgical treatment due to AH were included in the study. The main clinical symptoms of the patients were recorded, and the degree of adenoid hypertrophy was evaluated. Before the surgery, Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and Reflux Finding Score (RFS) were used to evaluate the reflux symptoms. After the surgery, pepsin immunohistochemical staining was performed on the adenoid tissue, and according to the staining results, the patients were divided into study group (pepsin staining positive) and control group (pepsin staining negative). SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Quantitative data conforming to normal distribution between the two groups were tested by two-independent sample t test, and quantitative data with skewed distribution were tested by Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The positive rate of pepsin staining in the 190 AH patients was 78.4% (149/190). The study group had higher levels of preoperative symptoms such as erythema and/or congestion of the pharynx(2.1±0.7 vs. 1.8±0.6,t=2.23), vocal cord edema[1.0(0, 1.0) vs. 1.0(0, 1.0), Z=2.00], diffuse laryngeal edema[0(0, 1.0) vs. 0(0, 0), Z=2.48], posterior commissure hypertrophy[(1.4±0.6 vs. 1.1±0.5), t=2.63], and a higher total score on the RFS scale than the control group(6.2±2.7 vs. 5.0±2.6, t=2.47), with statistical differences (P<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of RFS score in diagnosing AH with LPR were 24.8% and 80.5%, respectively. When RFS>5 was used as the positive threshold, the sensitivity and specificity of RFS score in diagnosing AH with LPR were 61.1% and 58.5%, respectively. There was a statistical difference in the number of positive cases of RFS score between the study group and the control group(91 vs. 17,χ2=5.04,P=0.032). Conclusions: LPR is common in AH children. Children with AH and LPR have specific performance in electronic laryngoscopy, such as erythema with edema in the pharynx, posterior commissure hypertrophy, and vocal cord edema.

Upregulated Hoxc6 expression is associated with poor survival in gastric cancer patients.

Human Hox genes (Homeobox) have crucial roles in development and differentiation, regulating numerous processes including apoptosis, receptor signalling, differentiation, motility and angiogenesis. Aberrant expression of Hoxc6 gene has been reported in several tumor tissues and cancer cell lines. The prognostic significance of Hoxc6 in gastric cancer remains largely unknown.This study was aimed to investigate the clinical significance of Hoxc6 in gastric cancer.Total RNA of paired tissue samples (n=25) and a tissue microarray containing 161 paired tissues from patients with gastric cancers at different stages were collected. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunochemistry assay were carried out to investigate the expression of Hoxc6. Hoxc6 mRNA was increased in gastric cancer tissues ( 16 of 25) compared with the adjacent normal mucosa (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical detection showed that expression of Hoxc6 was associated with the depth of tumor invasion (P<0.05). Patients with higher expression levels of Hoxc6 had a shorter overall survival rate (P<0.05).Hoxc6 might contribute to the progression of gastric carcinogenesis and may be a significant predictor of poor survival in patients with gastric cancer after curative operations.

[Effect of treating obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome on chronic cough in children].

Objective: To understand the effect of treating obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) on chronic cough in children. Methods: A total of 100 consecutive children with OSAHS diagnosed by polysomnography(PSG) and chronic cough were included in this study. All children underwent cough condition assessment, OSA-18 scales and MS-IOS before and after surgery, and all children were followed-up for 3 months. Children were separated into three groups according to the severity of OSAHS. Related parameters like Zr, Rf, R5, R20, X5, X35, Rc, Rp obtained from MS-IOS, OSA-18 scores and cough scores were compared between different groups using paired t-test or Wilcoxon sum test. Results: There existed significantly positive correlations between AHI and scores of OSA-18(r=0.653, P<0.01). AHI positively related to cough scores including diurnal(r=0.470, P<0.01)and nocturnal cough scores(r=0.459, P<0.01). Scores of OSA-18 had similarity in correlations with diurnal(r=0.527, P<0.01)and nocturnal cough scores(r=0.532, P<0.01). All children got improved in OSA-18 scales and cough scores after treatment. In details, the three groups were mild group(n=34), moderate group(n=37), severe group(n=29). OSA-18 scales decreased dramatically in each group after surgery, Z values were -5.014, -5.035, -4.624 respectively(P=0.000). Cough scores in day and night got reduced after treatment, Z values were -5.112, -5.102, -5.394, -5.374, -4.777, -4.770 in three groups. Rp in all children got alleviated after surgical management, Z were -3.150, -5.035, -5.374(P=0.000). Other parameters were analyzed using paired t test. Z5, R5, R20, R35 got reduced in all three groups.X5 got reduced in mild and moderate groups. Rc reduced only in the moderate group. Conclusions: OSAHS may be a trigger or inducer of chronic cough. Active treatment of OSAHS via surgery can improve the quality of children's life and alleviate the symptoms of cough in day and night.

[Study on the correlation between meteorological factors and acute otitis media in outpatients of children in Beijing].

Objective: To explore the characteristics of acute otitis media(AOM) in children in Beijing and its correlation with meteorological factors. Methods: Data were collected in 2011-2013 in the Otolaryngology Department of Capital Institute of Pediatrics. AOM in children with relevant information, such as age, sex and season, with the same period of the Beijing municipal meteorological data (the average temperature, average pressure, average wind speed, humidity and PM2.5) were compared to analysis the relationship of meteorological environmental parameters and the onset of AOM in children. Results: Annual morbidity of AOM was 7 589, 8 245, 7 242 respectively, no obvious difference(P=0.761). It was noted that one peak could be seen in December, and a valley in February, followed by August. Summer was less than the other three seasons (P<0.05). The morbidity of AOM had a small peak within one year after birth, then reached peak at the age of about 4, and then reduced gradually. In different age groups, male patients were higher than those of female. The incidence of AOM was positively correlation tendency with air pressure and PM2.5 (r=0.333, 0.093, P=0.000, 0.002), which was negatively correlation tendency with daily temperature or humidity (r=-0.327, -0.195, P=0.000, 0.000). Conclusions: The incidence of AOM of children in Beijing changes with age, and has obvious seasonal variation. There may be some correlation between the meteorological factors and the incidence of AOM in children.

Association between polymorphisms in the APOB gene and hyperlipidemia in the Chinese Yugur population.

We investigated the influence of apolipoprotein B gene (APOB) variants on the risk of hyperlipidemia (HL) in 631 middle-aged and elderly members of the Chinese Yugur population (HL, n=336; normolipidemia, n=295). APOB polymorphisms were identified using mass spectrometry, and five single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1042034, rs2163204, rs512535, rs676210, and rs679899) and serum lipids were further analyzed. rs1042034 and rs676210 were significantly associated with HL (P<0.05). Compared with the GG or AA genotype, individuals with AG and AG+AA in rs1042034 and with AG and AG+GG in rs676210 had a 1.67-fold (95%CI=1.20-2.33),1.63-fold (95%CI=1.19-2.24), 1.72-fold (95%CI=1.24-2.40), and 1.67-fold (95%CI=1.21-2.291) increased risk of high HL, respectively. rs2163204 was in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs1042034, rs676210, and rs679899, and strong disequilibrium was observed between rs1042034 and rs676210 (D'>0.9). Compared with the GTGAA haplotype, haplotypes ATGGA and ATAGG were more strongly associated with HL [odds ratio (OR)=1.46, 95%CI=0.02-2.11; OR=1.63, 95%CI=1.03-2.60, respectively]. The risk factors age (P=0.008), body mass index (P<0.0001), GA+GG genotype in rs676210 (P=0.009), and alcohol consumption (P=0.056) contributed strongly to HL development. The A allele of rs1042034 and the G allele of rs676210 may thus predispose middle-aged and elderly members of the Chinese Yugur population to HL in combination with other genetic or nutritional factors, and could be used as new genetic markers for HL screening.