Establishment and characterization of a golden pompano (Trachinotus blochii) fin cell line for applications in marine fish pathogen immunology.

Pompano fishes have been widely farmed worldwide. As a representative commercial marine species of the Carangidae family, the golden pompano (Trachinotus blochii) has gained significant popularity in China and worldwide. However, because of rapid growth and high-density aquaculture, the golden pompano has become seriously threatened by various diseases. Cell lines are the most cost-effective resource for in vitro studies and are widely used for physiological and pathological research owing to their accessibility and convenience. In this study, we established a novel immortal cell line, GPF (Golden pompano fin cells). GPF has been passaged over 69 generations for 10 months. The morphology, adhesion and extension processes of GPF were evaluated using light and electron microscopy. GPF cells were passaged every 3 days with L-15 containing 20 % fetal bovine serum (FBS) at 1:3. The optimum conditions for GPF growth were 28 °C and a 20 % FBS concentration. DNA sequencing of 18S rRNA and mitochondrial 16S rRNA confirmed that GPF was derived from the golden pompano. Chromosomal analysis revealed that the number pattern of GPF was 48 chromosomes. Transfection experiments demonstrated that GPF could be utilized to express foreign genes. Furthermore, heavy metals (Cd, Cu, and Fe) exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against GPF. After polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) treatment, transcription of the retinoic acid-inducible gene I-like receptor (RLR) pathway genes, including mda5, mita, tbk1, irf3, and irf7 increased, inducing the expression of interferon (IFN) and anti-viral proteins in GPF cells. In addition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation up-regulated the expression of inflammation-related factors, including myd88, irak1, nfκb, il1ß, il6, and cxcl10 expression. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the immune response signaling pathways of the golden pompano using an established fin cell line. In this study, we describe a preliminary investigation of the GPF cell line immune response to poly I:C and LPS, and provide a more rapid and efficient experimental material for research on marine fish immunology.

[Research summary of chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Panax notoginseng and predictive analysis on its Q-markers].

Panax notoginseng contains triterpene saponins, flavonoids, amino acids, polysaccharides, volatile oil and other active components, which have the effects of promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, removing blood stasis, etc. This study summarized the herbal research, chemical constituents and main pharmacological activities of P. notoginseng, and based on the theory of Q-markers of traditional Chinese medicine, predicted and analyzed the Q-markers of P. notoginseng from the aspects of plant kinship, efficacy, drug properties, measurability of chemical components, etc. It was found that ginsenosides Rg_1, Re, and Rb_1 with specific content ratio, ginsenosides Rb_2, Rb_3, Rc, Rd, Rh_2, and Rg_3, notoginseng R_1, dencichine and quercetin could be used as potential Q-markers of P. notoginseng, which facilitated the formulation of quality standards reflecting the efficacy of P. notoginseng.

[Risk factors and prognosis of hypotension within 72 hours after birth in extremely preterm infants]. / è¶ æ—©äº§å„¿ç”ŸåŽ72 hå† ä½Žè¡€åŽ‹å‘ç”Ÿçš„å±é™©å› ç´ åŠé¢„åŽåˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk factors and prognosis of hypotension within 72 hours after birth in extremely preterm infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of extremely preterm infants admitted to the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2019 to April 2022. Based on the presence of hypotension within 72 hours after birth, the eligible infants were divided into a hypotension group (41 cases) and a normotension group (82 cases). The clinical characteristics, echocardiographic parameters within 72 hours after birth, and early complications were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors for hypotension within 72 hours after birth, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of relevant indicators for the occurrence of hypotension within 72 hours after birth in the preterm infants. RESULTS: The proportion of infants who required medication or surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), the proportions of infants with intraventricular hemorrhage ≥ grade III and severe pulmonary hemorrhage, and the mortality rate within 7 days in the hypotension group were significantly higher than those in the normotension group (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lower birth weight, larger PDA diameter, and hemodynamically significant PDA were risk factors for the occurrence of hypotension within 72 hours after birth in extremely preterm infants (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the combination of birth weight, PDA diameter, and hemodynamically significant PDA had an area under the curve of 0.873 (95%CI: 0.802-0.944, P<0.05) for predicting hypotension within 72 hours after birth, with a sensitivity of 73.2% and specificity of 91.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Hypotension within 72 hours after birth is closely related to birth weight and PDA, and increases the risk of early severe complications and mortality in extremely preterm infants.

Maternal Ureaplasma exposure during pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth and BPD: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Perinatal Ureaplasma infection is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes and neonatal diseases. This meta-analysis is to evaluate current evidence evaluating the association between Ureaplasma and adverse pregnancy outcomes and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. METHODS: We searched for published articles on Ureaplasma, preterm and BPD in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase databases posted before August 28, 2021. In addition, the references of these articles were screened. A random/fixed-effect model was used to synthesize predefined outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 19 cohort studies involving 11,990 pregnancy women met our inclusion criteria. Pregnancy Ureaplasma positive increased the risk of preterm birth [odds ratios (OR) 2.76, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.63-4.68], BPD (OR 2.39 95% CI 1.73-3.30), chorioamnionitis (OR 2.71, 95% CI 2.02-3.64) and premature rupture of membranes (PROM, OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.34-3.58). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy Ureaplasma positive may increase the risk of developing preterm birth, chorioamnionitis, PROM and BPD in the preterm infant. The evidence base is, however, of low quality and well-designed studies are needed.

[Timing of surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus in very low birth weight infants]. / æžä½Žå‡ºç”Ÿä½“é‡å„¿åŠ¨è„‰å¯¼ç®¡æœªé—­æ‰‹æœ¯ç»“æ‰Žæ—¶æœºçš„ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of timing of surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) on the prognosis of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI). METHODS: The medical data of VLBWI who underwent transthoracic ligation for PDA from June 2018 to May 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. The infants were divided into early ligation group (≤21 days of age) and late ligation group (>21 days of age) based on the age of ligation. The two groups were compared in terms of perioperative clinical features, complications, and mortality. The risk factors for early surgical ligation were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 72 VLBWI were enrolled, with 19 infants (26%) in the early ligation group and 53 infants (74%) in the late ligation group. There were significant differences in birth weight, gestational age, weight at operation, days of age at operation, rates of preoperative invasive and noninvasive mechanical ventilation, incidence rate of pulmonary hemorrhage, incidence rate of hypotension, preoperative PDA internal diameter (mm/kg), intraoperative PDA external diameter (mm/kg), incidence rate of post-ligation cardiac syndrome, and duration of postoperative invasive mechanical ventilation between the two groups (P<0.05). A binary logistic regression analysis showed that pulmonary hemorrhage was an indication of early surgical ligation of PDA (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of post-operative complications and the mortality rate between the early ligation and late ligation groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early surgical ligation may be performed for VLBWI who are experiencing pulmonary hemorrhage and hemodynamically significant PDA confirmed by cardiac ultrasound after birth. However, post-ligation cardiac syndrome should attract enough attention. In addition, early surgical ligation of PDA does not increase the risk of surgery-related and long-term complications or death, indicating that it is a safe and feasible treatment option.

Risk factors for peripherally inserted central catheterization-associated bloodstream infection in neonates. / ç»å¤–å‘¨é™è„‰ç©¿åˆºä¸­å¿ƒé™è„‰ç½®ç®¡æ‚£å„¿ç›¸å ³æ€§è¡€æºæ„ŸæŸ“çš„å±é™©å› ç´ åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the features of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) or central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) after peripherally inserted central catheterization (PICC) in neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the risk factors for CRBSI or CLABSI. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of the neonates who were treated and required PICC in the NICU of the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from June 1, 2018 to May 1, 2020. The catheterization-related data were collected, including placement time, insertion site, removal time, and antimicrobial lock of PICC. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to investigate the risk factors for CRBSI or CLABSI in the neonates. RESULTS: A total of 446 neonates were enrolled, with a mean gestational age of (30.8±4.0) weeks, a mean birth weight of (1 580±810) g, a median age of 9 days, and a median duration of PICC of 18 days. The incidence rates of CLABSI and CRBSI were 5.6 and 1.46 per 1 000 catheter days, respectively. Common pathogens for CLABSI caused by PICC included Staphylococcus epidermidis (n=19) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=11), and those for CRBSI caused by PICC included Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=6). The risk of CLABSI caused by PICC increased significantly with prolonged durations of PICC and antibiotic use, and the PICC-related infection probability at head and neck was significantly lower than that in the upper and low limbs (P<0.05), while the above conditions were more obvious in neonates with a birth weight of <1 500 g. The risk of CRBSI caused by PICC decreased with the increase in gestational age (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CRBSI and CLABSI remain serious issues in NICU nosocomial infection. The identification of the risk factors for CRBSI and CLABSI provides a basis for improving the quality of clinical care and management.

Value of bedside echocardiography in predicting persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus during the early postnatal period in very low birth weight infants. / ç”ŸåŽæ—©æœŸåºŠæ—å¿ƒè„è¶ å£°é¢„æµ‹æžä½Žå‡ºç”Ÿä½“é‡å„¿åŠ¨è„‰å¯¼ç®¡æŒç»­å¼€æ”¾çš„ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the value of bedside echocardiography in predicting persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus during the early postnatal period in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 51 VLBW infants who were admitted from March 2020 to June 2021, with an age of ≤3 days and a length of hospital stay of ≥14 days. According to the diameter of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) on days 14 and 28 after birth, the infants were divided into three groups: large PDA group (PDA diameter ≥2 mm), small PDA group (PDA diameter <2 mm), and PDA closure group (PDA diameter =0 mm). The echocardiographic parameters measured at 72 hours after birth were compared among the three groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of the echocardiographic parameters in predicting persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus (PDA≥2 mm) at the ages of 14 and 28 days. RESULTS: On day 14 after birth, there were 17 infants in the large PDA group, 11 in the small PDA group, and 23 in the PDA closure group. On day 28 after birth, there were 14 infants in the large PDA group, 9 in the small PDA group, and 26 in the PDA closure group. There were significant differences in gestational age, birth weight, rate of pulmonary surfactant use, and incidence rate of hypotension among the three groups (P<0.05). PDA diameter, end-diastolic velocity of the left pulmonary artery, left ventricular output, and left ventricular output/superior vena cava flow ratio measured at 72 hours after birth were associated with persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus at the ages of 14 and 28 days (P<0.05), and the ratio of the left atrium to aorta diameter was associated with persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus at the age of 28 days (P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve that the PDA diameter measured at 72 hours after birth predicting the persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus at the ages of 14 and 28 days was the largest (0.841 and 0.927 respectively), followed by end-diastolic velocity of the left pulmonary artery, with the area under the curve of 0.793 and 0.833 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The indicators obtained by beside echocardiography at 72 hours after birth, especially PDA diameter and end-diastolic velocity of the left pulmonary artery, can predict persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus at the ages of 14 and 28 days in VLBW infants, which provides a basis for the implementation of early targeted treatment strategy for PDA.

Bioequivalence of daclatasvir hydrochloride tablets in healthy Chinese subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence and safety of two types of daclatasvir hydrochloride tablets administered to healthy Chinese subjects under fasting and postprandial conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 72 healthy Chinese subjects were randomly divided into two groups: the fasting group (n = 36) and the postprandial group (n = 36). A dose of 60 mg of both the test and reference preparations of the daclatasvir hydrochloride tablets was taken orally under fasting and postprandial conditions. RESULTS: The main plasma pharmacokinetic parameters of the test and reference preparations in the fasting group were as follows: T1/2 was 9.82 ± 1.00 and 9.67 ± 0.99 hours, respectively; tmax was 1.00 hour in both; Cmax was 1,528.25 ± 428.80 and 1,504.25 ± 414.50 ng/mL-1, respectively; AUC0-t was 14,553.04 ± 4,013.26 and 14,391.97 ± 4,078.18 h/ng/mL-1, respectively; the AUC0-∞ was 14,660.80 ± 4,018.37 and 14,494.85 ± 4,095.57 ng/mL-1, respectively. Meanwhile, the main plasma pharmacokinetic parameters of the test and reference preparations in the postprandial group were as follows: T1/2 was 10.18 ± 1.38 and 10.18 ± 1.69 hours, respectively; tmax was 2.00 and 1.75 hours, respectively; Cmax was 974.92 ± 248.50 and 981.44 ± 237.11 ng/mL-1, respectively; AUC0-t was 9,597.00 ± 3,094.28 and 9,982.83 ± 3,512.07 h/ng/mL-1, respectively; AUC0-∞ was 9,712.92 ± 3,130.43 and 10,113.97 ± 3,593.47 ng/mL-1, respectively. CONCLUSION: Both types of daclatasvir hydrochloride tablets demonstrated good safety levels in healthy Chinese subjects under both fasting and postprandial conditions. Moreover, the two preparations were bioequivalent.

Effects and mechanisms of ziqi ruangan decoction on hepatic fibrosis.

To investigate effect and mechanism of Ziqi Ruangan Decoction (ZQRGD) on hepatic fibrosis in rats. Rats were randomly assigned to blank group, model group, colchicine group, ZQRGD high-dose group, ZQRGD middle-dose group, and ZQRGD low-dose group. All groups except group A were intraperitoneally injected with 40% CCl4/olive oil for 8 weeks; group C was then given intragastric colchicine administration. Groups D, E, and F were intragastrically dosed with ZQRGD. Compared with the colchicine group, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of each dose group of ZQRGD significantly increased. TNF-α and IL-6 concentration significantly decreased in each drug intervention group, while these significantly decreased in the high-dose and medium-dose ZQRGD groups. The expression of α-SMA and collagen I significantly decreased in the drug treatment group compared with the model group, as did the expression of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR. Ziqi Ruangan Decoction had a favorable anti-liver fibrosis effect and the mechanism is related to anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and the inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation.

[Clinical effect of multi-oil fat emulsion for parenteral nutrition support in extremely low birth weight infants].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effect of multi-oil fat emulsion for parenteral nutrition support in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 49 ELBW infants who were admitted from January 1, 2018 to July 30, 2020, with an age of ≤14 days on admission and a duration of parenteral nutrition of > 14 days. According to the type of lipid emulsion received, the ELBW infants were divided into two groups: soybean oil, medium-chain triglycerides, olive oil, and fish oil (SMOF) (n=26) and medium-chain triglycerides/long-chain triglycerides (MCT/LCT) (n=23). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical features, complications, nutrition support therapy, and outcome. RESULTS: The 49 ELBW infants had a mean birth weight of (892±83) g and a mean gestational age of (28.2±2.3) weeks. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence rates of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), grade Ⅲ BPD, sepsis, and pneumonia (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in the duration of parenteral nutrition, the age of total enteral nutrition, and head circumference/body length/body weight at discharge between the two groups (P > 0.05). Of all the infants, 22 (45%) had parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis (PNAC), with 13 (50%) in the SMOF group and 9 (39%) in the MCT/LCT group but there was no significant difference in the incidence of PNAC between the two groups (P > 0.05); however, the infants with PNAC in the SMOF group had significantly lower peak values of direct bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase than those in the MCT/LCT group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of multi-oil fat emulsion in ELBW infants does not reduce the incidence rate of complications, but compared with MCT/LCT emulsion, SMOF can reduce the severity of PNAC in ELBW infants.

[Clinical features of neonatal enterovirus infection].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of neonatal enterovirus infection, especially severe enterovirus infection. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 244 neonates with enterovirus infection. According to the severity of infection, they were divided into a common infection group with 231 neonates and a severe infection group with 13 neonates. Clinical features were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 244 neonates, 207 (84.8%) developed the disease in May to October, with the highest number of patients in June to July. Compared with the common infection group, the severe infection group had a significantly lower gestational age at birth and a significantly higher proportion of preterm infants (P<0.05). Compared with the common infection group, the severe infection group had a significantly earlier onset time (P<0.05) and significantly higher incidence rates of skin petechiae and ecchymosis, respiratory symptoms, sepsis-like manifestations (poor appetite, crying less, and less movement), concomitant diseases (such as pneumonia, myocarditis, necrotic hepatitis, and coagulation disorder), thrombocytopenia, prolonged prothrombin time, elevated creatine kinase-MB, and elevated alanine aminotransferase (P<0.05). The severe infection group had a significantly higher mortality rate than the common infection group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in onset time, common clinical manifestations, and concomitant diseases between the neonates with common and severe enterovirus infection. In the enterovirus epidemic season, if the neonates have rashes and/or sepsis-like manifestations such as poor appetite and less movement, especially if the laboratory tests suggest liver damage and coagulation dysfunction, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the possibility of severe enterovirus infection.

[Emergency plan for inter-hospital transfer of newborns with SARS-CoV-2 infection].

Since December 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become the most serious public health issue. As the special population with immature immune function, newborns with COVID-19 have been reported. Newborns with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be transferred to designated hospitals for isolation treatment. An emergency transfer response plan for newborns with COVID-19 has been worked out. This plan puts forward the indications for neonatal COVID-19 transfer, organization management, protection strategies for medical staff, work procedures, and disinfection methods for transfer equipment, in order to provide guidance and suggestions for the inter-hospital transfer of suspected or confirmed neonatal COVID-19.

Atypical CHARGE associated with a novel frameshift mutation of CHD7 in a Chinese neonatal patient.

BACKGROUND: CHARGE syndrome is an autosomal dominant malformation disorder caused by heterozygous loss of function mutations in the chromatin remodeler CHD7, which has been estimated to occur in 1:10,000 births worldwide. It is a genetic disorder closely resembles other pattern of anomalies. Genetic testing should be pointed out as a useful method for clinical diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A female infant was the second child born to a 33-year-old, gravida 3, para 2 mother. The infant was born at 37 + 4 weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 2440 g (- 1.1 S.D.). Clinical examination showed atypical CHARGE syndrome, with choanal atresia, a heart defect, and sensorineural deafness. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood sample using molecular biological technique. We used the Illumina TruSigt One sequencing panel on the MiSeq next- generation sequencing (NGS) platform for mutation screening and found a novel frameshift mutation in chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 (CHD7; c.4656dupT). This mutation results in a new reading frame ending in p.(Ile1553fs). At the first month of age, the patient had a posterior nostril plasty operation by nasal endoscope. At the second month of age, she had patent ductus arteriosus ligation surgery. At the 4th month of age, she was discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings further reveal that patients should not be rejected for CHD7 mutational analysis even if they do not fulfill CHARGE syndrome Verloes criteria.

[Long-term prognosis of neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term prognosis of neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). METHODS: A total of 83 preterm infants with NEC who survived and were discharged between December 2014 and September 2016 were enrolled and divided into surgery group (n=57) and non-surgery group (n=26). There were 0, 33 and 24 cases of stage I, II and III NEC respectively in the surgery group and 7, 19 and 0 cases respectively in the non-surgery group. The physical development and neurodevelopmental outcomes of the infants were followed up after discharge. RESULTS: Of the 83 infants, the mean corrected age at the end of follow-up was 21±6 months. Of the 83 infants, 31 (37%) had subnormal body weight, and the surgery group had a higher rate of subnormal body weight than the non-surgery group (P<0.05). Twenty-two infants (27%) had subnormal body length and 14 children (17%) had subnormal head circumference among the 83 infants. Eighteen infants (22%) had motor developmental delay/developmental disorders, and the surgery group had a higher incidence rate of the disorders than the non-surgery group (28% vs 8%; P<0.05). Five infants (6%) were diagnosed with cerebral palsy, among whom 4 were in the surgery group and 1 was in the non-surgery group. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term physical development and neurodevelopmental outcomes may be adversely affected in neonates with NEC, in particular in those with severe conditions who need surgical treatment, suggesting that long-term follow-up should be performed for neonates with NEC.

[Clinical features and prognosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia complicated by pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features and prognosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH) in preterm infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 191 preterm infants with BPD. RESULTS: In the 191 preterm infants with BPD, 37 (19.4%), all with moderate or severe BPD, developed PH beyond 36 weeks' corrected age. The incidence rates of PH in infants with moderate and severe BPD were 5.7% (5/87) and 47.8% (32/67) respectively. Gestational age and birth weight were lower in infants with PH than in those without PH (P<0.01). Infants with PH had higher incidence rates of small for gestational age (SGA), severe BPD, surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, hemodynamically significant PDA, and pneumonia than those without PH (P<0.01). Durations of oxygen therapy, intubation, and positive pressure ventilation were longer in infants with PH than in those without PH (P<0.01). Infants with PH had higher incidence rates of retinopathy of prematurity and extrauterine growth retardation, a higher mortality, and a longer length of hospital stay compared with those without PH (P<0.01). In the 37 infants with PH (6 with mild PH, 14 with moderate PH, and 17 with severe PH), those with mild or moderate PH all survived; 15(88%) out of 17 infants with severe PH died. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PH is high in preterm infants with moderate or severe BPD. Regular screening of pulmonary artery pressure is recommended for infants with BPD. Infants with low gestational age and birth weight, SGA, and severe BPD are more likely to develop PH. Infants with BPD complicated by PH have relatively high incidence rates of complications, high mortality, and poor prognosis.

Changes in the Expression of Serum MiR-887-5p in Patients With Endometrial Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine whether miR-887-5p could be used as a diagnostic marker for endometrial cancer. METHODS: In the first stage, differentially expressed serum micro-RNAs (miRNAs) in the sera of 50 healthy subjects and 50 patients with endometrial cancer were screened by performing Solexa sequencing. In addition, differential expression of these serum miRNAs in endometrial cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 3 patients with endometrial cancer was examined. Comparison of the differentially expressed miRNAs showed that miR-887-5p was significantly expressed in the sera of patients with endometrial cancer as well as in endometrial cancer tissues. In the second stage, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to verify the levels of miR-887-5p in the sera of 20 patients with endometrial cancer and of 20 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Expression of miR-887-5p was significantly increased in the sera of patients with endometrial cancer (P < 0.05) compared with that in the sera of healthy subjects. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area of miR-887-5 under the ROC curve for endometrial cancer diagnosis was 0.728, specificity was 0.60, sensitivity was 0.95, and 95% confidence interval was 0.563-0.892. Besides, with strict screen, we eliminate the other risk factors of endometrial cancer in our healthy donors and cancer patients. Statistical analysis of data obtained for patients in the 2 stages by using SPSS version 17.0 indicated that menarche age (P = 0.47, P = 0.49), body mass index (P = 0.313, P = 0.749), history of hypertension (P = 0.517, P = 0.058), and diabetes (P = 0.205, P = 0.507) had no correlation with endometrial cancer. CONCLUSION: Serum miR-887-5p levels were significantly increased in patients with endometrial cancer. Therefore, serum miR-887-5p could be used as a potential biomarker for endometrial cancer.

[The Treatment of Major Burn Injuries].

Major burn injuries constitute a systemic disease. In addition to completely understanding the mechanisms of wound healing, precise burn depth and area assessment is critical to the successful management of burn injuries. The recent advancements in post-burn fluid resuscitation, tangential burn excision and grafting, effective enteral tube feeding, and aggressive sepsis treatment have helped greatly increase the survival rates for major burn injuries. However, the restricted joint motion that results from hypertrophic scar contracture remains the main challenge facing burn survivors. In conclusion, as the course of the treatment and rehabilitation is prolonged and multifaceted, a complete treatment plan is always necessary in addition to teamwork among physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and psychologists. Finally, social return is the final goal of treatment and may be achieved only through mutual support and understanding among the members of the burn treatment and rehabilitation team.

[Factors influencing the prognosis of patent ductus arteriosus in very low birth weight infants].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors influencing the prognosis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS: A total of 194 VLBW infants who were admitted from January 2012 to December 2014 were enrolled as study subjects. According to cardiac ultrasound findings and treatment outcome, these infants were divided into non-PDA group, spontaneous closure group, pharmaceutical closure group, and surgical closure group. Their clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: The spontaneous closure rate of PDA was 58.7%. The spontaneous closure group showed significantly higher gestational age, birth weight, and proportion of small-for-gestational-age infants than the pharmaceutical and surgical closure groups (P<0.05). The pharmaceutical and surgical closure groups had a significantly higher incidence rate of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and a significantly higher proportion of infants who were given pulmonary surfactant (PS) than the spontaneous closure group (P<0.05). During different periods of time, the spontaneous closure group had a significantly smaller ductus arteriosus diameter than the pharmaceutical and surgical closure groups (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gestational age, application of PS, and ductus arteriosus diameter at 48 hours were significantly associated with the prognosis of PDA. The major transductal flow pattern in the spontaneous closure group was closing pattern, while in the pharmaceutical and surgical closure groups, the main flow patterns were pulmonary hypertension and growing patterns within 48 hours and growing pattern on days 4 and 7. CONCLUSIONS: The VLBW infants have a high spontaneous closure rate of PDA. A decreased closure rate of PDA is associated with the lower gestational age and the application of PS. PDA with a large ductus arteriosus diameter and a growing or pulsatile flow pattern cannot easily achieve spontaneous closure.

Isothiafludine, a novel non-nucleoside compound, inhibits hepatitis B virus replication through blocking pregenomic RNA encapsidation.

AIM: To investigate the action of isothiafludine (NZ-4), a derivative of bis-heterocycle tandem pairs from the natural product leucamide A, on the replication cycle of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: HBV replication cycle was monitored in HepG2.2.15 cells using qPCR, qRT-PCR, and Southern and Northern blotting. HBV protein expression and capsid assembly were detected using Western blotting and native agarose gel electrophoresis analysis. The interaction of pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) and the core protein was investigated by RNA immunoprecipitation. To evaluate the anti-HBV effect of NZ-4 in vivo, DHBV-infected ducks were orally administered NZ-4 (25, 50 or 100 mg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹) for 15 d. RESULTS: NZ-4 suppressed intracellular HBV replication in HepG2.2.15 cells with an IC50 value of 1.33 µmol/L, whereas the compound inhibited the cell viability with an IC50 value of 50.4 µmol/L. Furthermore, NZ-4 was active against the replication of various drug-resistant HBV mutants, including 3TC/ETV-dual-resistant and ADV-resistant HBV mutants. NZ-4 (5, 10, 20 µmol/L) concentration-dependently reduced the encapsidated HBV pgRNA, resulting in the assembly of replication-deficient capsids in HepG2.2.15 cells. Oral administration of NZ-4 dose-dependently inhibited DHBV DNA replication in the DHBV-infected ducks. CONCLUSION: NZ-4 inhibits HBV replication by interfering with the interaction between pgRNA and HBcAg in the capsid assembly process, thus increasing the replication-deficient HBV capsids. Such mechanism of action might provide a new therapeutic strategy to combat HBV infection.

[Study on method and its optimization of improving seed germination of Astragalus membranaceus as gansu traditional medicinal herb].

OBJECTIVE: To break the hard testa and improve seed germination situation of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, in order to solve the problems of low success rate of seed germination and seedling. METHODS: Longxi Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seed was treated by soaking seed with 75% alcohol and concentrated sulfuric acid, warm-water incubating, grinding and comprehensive treating with warm-water incubating, grinding and sand culture. Its seed germination situation was evaluated by germination potential, germination rate and germination index. RESULTS: Different processing methods significantly improved seed germination with different effect. Comprehensive treatment with warm-water incubating, grinding and sand culture was the best one on Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seed germination. Its germination potential, germination rate and germination index was 66.04%, 87.70% and 1.34,respectively. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive treatment with warm-water incubating, grinding and sand culture is an economic and effective processing method, which is suitable for actual production.