Bone and joint infection complicated with sepsis in neonates and infants under three months of age

Abstract Objective: Studies focusing on bone and joint infections (BJIs) in young infants are rare. Some cases of BJI are accompanied by sepsis. This study aimed to identify the clinical and bacteriological features of sepsis in neonates and young infants with BJIs. Methods: Neonates and infants younger than 3 months diagnosed with BJI in the present institution from 2014 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient characteristics, clinical data, and outcomes were documented and compared between those with and without sepsis. Results: Twenty-five patients with a mean age of 34.8 days were included. Nine BJI cases had concomitant sepsis (group A), and 16 had BJI without sepsis (group B). Within group A, staphylococcus aureus was the major pathogenic germ (5 cases, of which 4 were of the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) type). There was no statistical difference in male-to-female ratio, age, history of hospitalization, anemia, birth asphyxia, peripheral leukocyte counts, C-reactive protein on admission, and sequelae between groups. Univariate analyses indicated a significant difference in the incidence of septic arthritis (SA) combined with osteomyelitis (OM) (88.9% vs 37.5%), congenital deformities (44.4% vs 0%), and mean duration of symptoms (2.83 days vs 9.21 days) in comparisons between groups A and B. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus is the main pathogenic bacteria in BJI cases complicated with sepsis in neonates and young infants. Among infants younger than 3 months diagnosed with BJI, those with concurrent SA and OM, MRSA infection, or congenital deformities are more likely to develop sepsis.

Epidemiological characteristics of a local cluster epidemic caused by the BA.2 evolutionary branch of Omicron variant / 中华预防医学杂志

Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the local cluster of COVID-19 in the logistic park of Yuhang District in Hangzhou in March 2022. The cluster epidemic was detected by a case who actively visited the fever clinic. The epidemic lasted for 8 days, and a total of 58 cases (53 workers, 2 students, 1 farmer, 1 teacher and 1 unemployed) were found, including 40 males and 18 females. The age was (33.29±12.22) years. There cases were mainly in Yuhang District (48 cases, 82.77%) and Shangcheng District (7 cases, 12.07%) of Hangzhou. The real-time regeneration number peaked at 2.31 on March 10th and decreased to 0.37 on March 15th. The sequencing result of the indicated case was 100% homologous with the sequence uploaded from South Korea on March 4th, 2022.

Epidemiological characteristics of a local cluster epidemic caused by the BA.2 evolutionary branch of Omicron variant / 中华预防医学杂志

Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the local cluster of COVID-19 in the logistic park of Yuhang District in Hangzhou in March 2022. The cluster epidemic was detected by a case who actively visited the fever clinic. The epidemic lasted for 8 days, and a total of 58 cases (53 workers, 2 students, 1 farmer, 1 teacher and 1 unemployed) were found, including 40 males and 18 females. The age was (33.29±12.22) years. There cases were mainly in Yuhang District (48 cases, 82.77%) and Shangcheng District (7 cases, 12.07%) of Hangzhou. The real-time regeneration number peaked at 2.31 on March 10th and decreased to 0.37 on March 15th. The sequencing result of the indicated case was 100% homologous with the sequence uploaded from South Korea on March 4th, 2022.

Rapid development and mass production of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing chicken egg yolk antibodies with protective efficacy in hamsters

Despite the record speed of developing vaccines and therapeutics against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it is not a given that such success can be secured in future pandemics. In addition, COVID-19 vaccination and application of therapeutics remain low in developing countries. Rapid and low cost mass production of antiviral IgY antibodies could be an attractive alternative or complementary option for vaccine and therapeutic development. In this article, we rapidly produced SARS-CoV-2 antigens, immunized hens and purified IgY antibodies in 2 months after the SARS-CoV-2 gene sequence became public. We further demonstrated that the IgY antibodies competitively block RBD binding to ACE2, neutralize authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus and effectively protect hamsters from SARS-CoV-2 challenge by preventing weight loss and lung pathology, representing the first comprehensive study with IgY antibodies. The process of mass production can be easily implemented in most developing countries and hence could become a new vital option in our toolbox for combating viral pandemics. This study could stimulate further studies, optimization and potential applications of IgY antibodies as therapeutics and prophylactics for human and animals.

Clinical evaluation of implant-supported prostheses for edentulous patients with ectodermal dysplasia / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of implant-supported prostheses for oral function rehabilitation in patients with ectodermal dysplasia.@*Methods @#Thirteen patients were included in the present study. After bone augmentation, zygomatic implants (ZIs) or regular implants (RIs) were placed, fabrication of dental prostheses were applied, and psychological and oral education was carried out. Implant survival rates, patient satisfaction and other related evaluation indicators were assessed. @*Results@#The ilium was chosen for autogenic bone grafts in two patients. The fibula was used in two other patients and the mandibular ramus in one other patient. One patient was treated through alveolar distraction osteogenesis of the mandible. Guided bone regeneration was applied in seven other patients. Bone graft resorption in the maxilla was observed in one patient; bone augmentation of the mandible was successful in all patients, and no obvious bone resorption was observed. One hundred and eighteen implants were placed, among which 22 were ZIs, and 96 were RIs. Five RIs failed and were removed. The survival rate for ZIs was 100%, and the survival rate for RIs was 94.79%, in a follow up after 3 years. All patients were satisfied with the restoration of their oral function. More than 50% of the patients exhibited self-confidence.@*Conclusion@# Oral function can be restored in edentulous ectodermal dysplasia patients using bone augmentation and implant-supported prostheses, and patient self-confidence can be enhanced. However, the resorption of grafted bone in the anterior region of the maxilla cannot be ignored.

The screening and the functional pathway analysis of differential genes correlated with coronary heart disease of blood stasis syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the function and target pathway of the correlated differential gene of coronary heart disease (CHD) of blood stasis syndrome (BSS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients of the genealogical CHD of BSS (group A) and the genealogical CHD of non-BSS (group B), the genealogical non-CHD of BSS (group C), the genealogical healthy subjects (group D), the non-genealogical CHD of BSS (group E), the non-genealogical healthy subjects (group F) were recruited in this study. The differential gene expression spectrums were studied using gene chip technique. The molecular functions of differential genes were analyzed and illustrated by gene ontology (GO) analysis. The differential gene pathways were found out at BioCarta and KEGG. The meaningful target pathways were screened by hypergeometric distribution statistical method. The differential genes were verified using Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) By screening the gene chip data (with FC > or =3), we found the expressions of differential genes of CHD of BSS were mainly involved in chemokine, interleukin cytokine, alexin system, matrix metal proteinase system, fibroblastic growth factor, endothelial cell adhesion molecule, and so on. (2) By GO analysis of related differential genes (P < 0.05), we found the molecular functions of differential genes associated with CHD BSS. (3) By BioCarta and KEGG pathway analysis, we found the target pathways of the hereditary correlated differential genes of CHD BSS with significance were mainly involved in inflammation, plaque formation, endothelial injury, and so on. The results of Real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR proved the accuracy of the gene chip.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The hereditary correlated differential genes of CHD BSS were closely associated with inflammation, plaque formation, and endothelial injury.</p>

Exploration of the research thought on the heart blood stasis syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

Syndrome is the core content of Chinese medicine. It is difficult to study in the present stage. The research thoughts on the heart blood stasis syndrome were explored in this paper by disease and syndrome combination, animal models, systems biology, and medical models, and so on.

Detection and analysis on plasma metabolomics in patient with coronary heart disease of Xin-blood stasis syndrome pattern / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To research the plasmic metabolites and metabolic pathway of Xin-blood stasis syndrome (XBSS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Plasma metabolic products in patients of coronary heart disease (CHD) with XBSS or non-XBSS and subjects in the control group were identified by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry (GC-MS) type QP2010, the changes of their main elements in different groups were analyzed by principal components analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PCA showed that as compared with that in the control group, in the CHD-XBSS group, contents of lactic acid, beta-hydroxy butanoic acid, urea, oleic acid, octadecanoic acid and arachidonic acid were higher and that of citric acid was lower. PLS analysis showed significant difference between the control group and the other two groups, and the latter two groups tend to be of a same category. The occurrence of XBSS was positively correlated with octadecanoic acid, arachidonic acid, urea, lactic acid and beta-hydroxy, butanoic acid contents, and negatively correlated with oleic acid, L-proline, glycine, and citric acid contents. According to VIP, the degree of correlation between variables with drug interven- tion, from high to low, were ranked as arachidonic acid, octadecanoic acid, lactic acid, urea, beta-hydroxy butanoic acid, linoleic acid, glucose, alanine, oleic acid and proline. Discrepancy analysis on 11 changeful metabolites showed that the contents of arachidonic acid, octadecanoic acid, lactic acid, urea, beta-hydroxy butanoic acid and oleic acid increased in CHD patients, especially in those with XBSS (P < 0.01). In CHD patients, contents of lactic acid, beta-hydroxy butanoic acid, linoleic acid and glucose in patients of XBSS pattern were higher than in non-XBSS pattern (P < 0.01); content of linoleic acid, glucose, alanine and proline decreased in non-XBSS pattern while increased in XBSS pattern. Content of glucose in CHD-XBSS patients was significantly higher than that in the healthy control (P < 0.01). Content of citric acid was lower in CHD patients, and showed significant difference between that in CHD-XBSS patients and healthy control (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The major plasmic metabolites in CHD-XBSS patients are arachidonic acid, octadecanoic acid, lactic acid, urea, citric acid, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, oleic acid, glucose, and alanine. Analyzed from plasmic metabolite spectrum view, CHD-XBSS is related with lipid metabolism and glyco-metabolism, also with the stress induced by hypoxia and agonia.</p>

Study on vitrification of porcine embryos by open pulled straw method / 生物工程学报

291 embryos (Blastocyst/Morula) from 20 donor sows were vitrified by two step method with OPS (open pulled straw) in solution I (TCM199 + 20% FBS + 10% EG + 10% DMSO) for 3min, and solution II (TCM199 + 20% FBS + 20% EG + 20% DMSO + 0.4mol/L SUC) for 1min, stored in liquid nitrogen for 3 months, and transferred into 8 recipient sows after warming, one recipient sow was pregnant and 8 alive piglets were born. This is the first paper to report getting alive piglets by vitrification in China.

Analysis of the function of vascular endothelial cells in coronary heart disease patients of blood-stasis syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the function of vascular endothelial cell (VEC) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) of Xin-blood-stasis syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Some vasoactive substances produced by VEC were detected and analyzed in patients with CHD of or without Xin blood stasis syndrome in group A (n=112) and group B (n=108) respectively, also in patients with non-CHD but of Xin-blood-stasis syndrome in group C (n=110), and healthy persons in group D (n=100), including nitric oxide (NO), endothelin (ET), angiotensin H (Ag II), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule -1 (sVCAM-1).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The abnormality degree of ET, Ag II , sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in various groups showed such a tendency as group A> group B> group D (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while no significant difference in these criteria between group A and group C was shown (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The vasoactive substances secreted by VEC are closely related to the formation and progression of CHD, and are likely to be important pathological markers of blood-stasis syndrome in CHD.</p>

Study on relationship between the polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme gene and blood stasis syndrome in patients with coronary heart disease / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and blood stasis syndrome (BSS) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The ACE gene type in 48 patients of CHD of BSS type, 52 CHD patients of non-BSS type and 54 healthy subjects (control) was determined by PCR assay, also levels of endothelin (ET), angiotensin II (Ag II), and nitric oxide (NO) were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Occurrence of DD genotype and allele genotype of ACE gene was higher in patients of BSS than that in patients of non-BSS and control (P < 0.01). ET/NO level was higher in patients of BSS than that in control (P < 0.01). ET and Ag II levels in patients of BSS were significantly higher than those in patients of non-BSS (P < 0.05) and control (P < 0.01). Levels of ET/NO and Ag II in subjects with DD genotype in various groups were higher than those in subjects with Ag II or ID genotype, the highest level occurred in patients of BSS with DD genotype, when compared with the other two groups, the difference in Ag II was significant (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), when compared with control, the difference in ET/NO was significant (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DD genotype of ACE gene may be the susceptible gene of CHD in patients of BSS type.</p>

Relationship between pathological development of phlegm-stasis and expression of actin in vascular smooth muscle cell in atherosclerosis rat model / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the dynamic change of Phlegm-stasis in the rat atherosclerotic model as the time goes on.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adopting high fat forage fed to develop the atherosclerotic model in rats, and the changes of blood lipid, hemorrheology, blood glucose, insulin and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) actin expression were detected by biochemical and immunohistochemical assay at various time points after modeling.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of VSMC actin gradually increased along with the change of model rats' Syndrome from Phlegm to stasis, i.e., the change of parameters, including blood lipid, hemorrheologic parameters, blood glucose, insulin and insulin sensitive indexes along with the aggravation of disease.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of VSMC actin could be the molecular mechanism for the Syndrome developing from Phlegm to stasis in atherosclerotic rats.</p>