Diagnostic status and epidemiological characteristics of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in children from 2019 to 2020: a multicenter retrospective study.

Community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The epidemiology of CABM is regional and highly dynamic. To clarify the diagnostic status and epidemiological characteristics of children with CABM in this region, and pay attention to the disease burden, so as to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of CABM. By retrospective case analysis, the clinical data of 918 CABM cases in children aged 0-14 years in Zhejiang Province from January, 2019 to December, 2020 were collected. The etiological diagnosis rate of CABM in children was 23.1%, the annual incidence rate 4.42-6.15/100,000, the annual mortality rate 0.06-0.09/100,000,the cure and improvement rate 94.4%, and the case fatality rate 1.4%. The total incidence of neuroimaging abnormalities was 20.6%. The median length of stay for CABM children was 20(16) days, with an average cost of 21,531(24,835) yuan. In addition, the incidence rate was decreased with age. Escherichia coli(E.coli) and group B Streptococcus agalactiae(GBS) were the principal pathogens in CABM infant<3 months(43.3%, 34.1%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae(S. pneumoniae) was the most common pathogen in children ≥ 3 months(33.9%). In conclusion, the annual incidence and mortality of CABM in children aged 0-14 years in Zhejiang Province are at intermediate and low level. The distribution of CABM incidence and pathogen spectrum are different in age; the incidence of abnormal neuroimaging is high; and the economic burden is heavy.

[A multi-center epidemiological study on pneumococcal meningitis in children from 2019 to 2020]. / 2019­2020å¹´160ä¾‹å„¿ç«¥è‚ºç‚Žé“¾çƒèŒè„‘è†œç‚Žä¸´åºŠæµè¡Œç— å­¦å¤šä¸­å¿ƒç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis (PM), and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) isolates in Chinese children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information, laboratory data, and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country. RESULTS: Among the 160 children with PM, there were 103 males and 57 females. The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years, with 109 cases (68.1%) aged 3 months to under 3 years. SP strains were isolated from 95 cases (59.4%) in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases (35.6%) in blood cultures. The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87) and 27% (21/78), respectively. Fifty-five cases (34.4%) had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis, 113 cases (70.6%) had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci, and 18 cases (11.3%) had underlying diseases. The most common clinical symptoms were fever (147 cases, 91.9%), followed by lethargy (98 cases, 61.3%) and vomiting (61 cases, 38.1%). Sixty-nine cases (43.1%) experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization, with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication [43 cases (26.9%)], followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases (15.0%), brain abscess in 23 cases (14.4%), and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases (5.0%). Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old, with rates of 91% (39/43) and 83% (20/24), respectively. SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin (100%, 75/75), linezolid (100%, 56/56), and meropenem (100%, 6/6). High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin (81%, 22/27), moxifloxacin (82%, 14/17), rifampicin (96%, 25/26), and chloramphenicol (91%, 21/23). However, low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin (16%, 11/68) and clindamycin (6%, 1/17), and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin (100%, 31/31). The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160) and 66.2% (106/160), respectively, while 18 cases (11.3%) had adverse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years. Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old. Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM, and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications. Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates. Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases. SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin, linezolid, meropenem, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, rifampicin, and chloramphenicol.

Epidemiological features and viral shedding in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection broke out all over the world; however, epidemiological data and viral shedding in pediatric patients are limited. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study, and followed-up with all children from the families with SARS-CoV-2 infected members in Zhejiang Province, China. All infections were confirmed by testing the SARS-CoV-2 RNA with real-time reverse transcription PCR method, and epidemiological data between children and adults in the same families were compared. Effect of antiviral therapy was evaluated observationally and fecal-viral excretion times among groups with different antiviral regiments were compared with Kaplan-Meier plot. By 29 February 2020, 1298 cases from 883 families were confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 314 of which were families with children. Incidence of infection in child close contacts was significantly lower than that in adult contacts (13.2% vs 21.2%). The mean age of 43 pediatric cases was 8.2 years and mean incubation period was 9.1 days. Forty (93.0%) were family clustering. Thirty-three children had coronavirus disease 2019 (20 pneumonia) with mild symptoms and 10 were asymptomatic. Fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection was positive in 91.4% (32/35) cases and some children had viral excretion time over 70 days. Viral clearance time was not different among the groups treated with different antiviral regiments. No subsequent infection was observed in family contacts of fecal-viral-excreting children. Children have lower susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection, longer incubation, and fecal-viral excretion time. Positive results of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection were not used as indication for hospitalization or quarantine.

Progress on phage genomics of Pseudomonas spp.

Pseudomonas spp. are one of the most important ecological flora on the earth, widely distributed in freshwater, soil and other ecological environments. Pseudomonas phages are viruses hosted by Pseudomonas spp., which not only affect the survival and evolution of the hosts, but also play important roles in biomass circulation and energy flow. With the rapid development of genome sequencing technologies, the whole genome sequences of many Pseudomonas phages have been completed. As of July 2020, 247 Pseudomonas phage genomes were deposited in GenBank, accounting for 2.45% of the total 10,069 viral genomes. The genome sizes of Pseudomonas bacteriophages and the genetic contents are different, and the similarity between genomes is low, so the study on Pseudomonas bacteriophage genomes is relatively less. In this review, we summarize the characteristics, genetic diversity, and functional genes of Pseudomonas bacteriophages genomes in order to provide a reference for understanding the antagonistic coevolution of bacteria and phages and the genetic evolution of phages.

A multi-center clinical investigation on invasive Streptococcus pyogenes infection in China, 2010-2017.

BACKGROUND: Invasive S. pyogenes diseases are uncommon, serious infections with high case fatality rates (CFR). There are few publications on this subject in the field of pediatrics. This study aimed at characterizing clinical and laboratory aspects of this disease in Chinese children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted and pediatric in-patients with S. pyogenes infection identified by cultures from normally sterile sites were included, who were diagnosed and treated in 9 tertiary hospitals during 2010-2017. RESULTS: A total of 66 cases were identified, in which 37 (56.1%) were male. The median age of these patients, including 11 neonates, was 3.0 y. Fifty-nine (89.4%) isolates were determined from blood. Fever was the major symptom (60/66, 90.9%) and sepsis was the most frequent presentation (64/66, 97.0%, including 42.4% with skin or soft tissue infections and 25.8% with pneumonia. The mean duration of the chief complaint was (3.8 ± 3.2) d. Only 18 (27.3%) patients had been given antibiotics prior to the hospitalization. Among all patients, 15 (22.7%) developed streptococcal toxin shock syndrome (STSS). No S. pyogenes strain was resistant to penicillin, ceftriaxone, or vancomycin, while 88.9% (56/63) and 81.4% (48/59) of the tested isolates were resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin respectively. Most of the patients were treated with ß-lactams antibiotics and 36.4% had been treated with meropenem or imipenem. Thirteen (19.7%) cases died from infection, in which 9 (13.6%) had complication with STSS. CONCLUSIONS: Invasive S. pyogenes infections often developed from skin or soft tissue infection and STSS was the main cause of death in Chinese children. Ongoing surveillance is required to gain a greater understanding of this disease.

Bcl-2 inhibitors reduce steroid-insensitive airway inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Asthmatic inflammation is dominated by accumulation of either eosinophils, neutrophils, or both in the airways. Disposal of these inflammatory cells is the key to disease control. Eosinophilic airway inflammation is responsive to corticosteroid treatment, whereas neutrophilic inflammation is resistant and increases the burden of global health care. Corticosteroid-resistant neutrophilic asthma remains mechanistically poorly understood and requires novel effective therapeutic strategies. OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the underlying mechanisms of airway inflammation persistence, as well as corticosteroid resistance, and to investigate a new strategy of effective treatment against corticosteroid-insensitive neutrophilic asthma. METHODS: Mouse models of either eosinophil-dominated or neutrophil-dominated airway inflammation were used in this study to test corticosteroid sensitivity in vivo and in vitro. We also used vav-Bcl-2 transgenic mice to confirm the importance of granulocytes apoptosis in the clearance of airway inflammation. Finally, the Bcl-2 inhibitors ABT-737 or ABT-199 were tested for their therapeutic effects against eosinophilic or neutrophilic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. RESULTS: Overexpression of Bcl-2 protein was found to be responsible for persistence of granulocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after allergic challenge. This was important because allergen-induced airway inflammation aggravated and persisted in vav-Bcl-2 transgenic mice, in which nucleated hematopoietic cells were overexpressed with Bcl-2 and resistant to apoptosis. The Bcl-2 inhibitors ABT-737 or ABT-199 play efficient roles in alleviation of either eosinophilic or corticosteroid-resistant neutrophilic airway inflammation by inducing apoptosis of immune cells, such as eosinophils, neutrophils, TH2 cells, TH17 cells, and dendritic cells. Moreover, these inhibitors were found to be more efficient than steroids to induce granulocyte apoptosis ex vivo from patients with severe asthma. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis of inflammatory cells is essential for clearance of allergen-induced airway inflammation. The Bcl-2 inhibitors ABT-737 or ABT-199 might be promising drugs for the treatment of airway inflammation, especially for corticosteroid-insensitive neutrophilic airway inflammation.

The association between diurnal temperature range and childhood bacillary dysentery.

Previous studies have found that mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures were associated with bacillary dysentery (BD). However, little is known about whether the within-day variation of temperature has any impact on bacillary dysentery. The current study aimed to identify the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and BD in Hefei, China. Daily data on BD counts among children aged 0-14 years from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2012 were retrieved from Hefei Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Daily data on ambient temperature and relative humidity covering the same period were collected from the Hefei Bureau of Meteorology. A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used in the analysis after controlling the effects of season, long-term trends, mean temperature, and relative humidity. The results showed that there existed a statistically significant relationship between DTR and childhood BD. The DTR effect on childhood bacillary dysentery increased when DTR was over 8 °C. And it was greatest at 1-day lag, with an 8% (95% CI = 2.9-13.4%) increase of BD cases per 5 °C increment of DTR. Male children and children aged 0-5 years appeared to be more vulnerable to the DTR effect. The data indicate that large DTR may increase the incidence of childhood BD. Caregivers and health practitioners should be made aware of the potential threat posed by large DTR. Therefore, DTR should be taken into consideration when making targeted health policies and programs to protect children from being harmed by climate impacts.

The revised Atlanta criteria 2012 altered the classification, severity assessment and management of acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: The Atlanta criteria for acute pancreatitis (AP) has been revised recently. This study was to evaluate its practical value in classification of AP, the severity assessment and management. METHODS: The clinical features, severity classification, outcome and risk factors for mortality of 3212 AP patients who had been admitted in Ruijin Hospital from 2004 to 2011 were analyzed based on the revised Atlanta criteria (RAC) and the original Atlanta criteria (OAC). RESULTS: Compared to the OAC group, the incidence of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) was decreased by approximately one half (13.9% vs 28.2%) in the RAC group. The RAC presented a lower sensitivity but higher specificity, and its predictive value for severity and poor outcome was higher than those of the OAC. The proportion of SAP diagnosis and ICU admission in the early phase in the RAC group was significantly lower than that in the OAC group (P<0.05). Based on the RAC, the risk factors for death among SAP patients were older age, high CT severity index (CTSI), renal failure, cardiovascular failure, acute necrotic collection and walled-off necrosis. Compared to the OAC, the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, Ranson score, idiopathic etiology, respiratory failure and laparotomy debridement were not risk factors of death in contrast to walled-off necrosis. Interestingly, hypertriglyceridemia-related SAP had good outcomes in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The RAC showed a higher predictive value for severity and poorer outcome than the OAC. However, the RAC resulted in fewer ICU admissions in the early phase due to its lower sensitivity for diagnosis of SAP. Among SAP cases, older age, high CTSI, renal and cardiovascular failure, complications of acute necrotic collection and walled-off necrosis were independent risk factors for mortality.

[Differentiation Study of Chinese Medical Syndrome Typing for Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome Based on Information of Four Chinese Medical Diagnostic Methods and Brain-gut Peptides].

OBJECTIVE: To establish discriminant functions of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) by studying it from quantitative diagnosis angle, hoping to reduce interference of subjective factors in diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D. METHODS: A Chinese medical clinical epidemiological survey was carried out in 439 IBS-D patients using Clinical Information Collection Table of IBS. Initial syndromes were obtained by cluster analysis. They were analyzed using step-by-step discrimination by taking information of four Chinese medical diagnostic methods and serum brain-gut peptides (BGP) as variables. RESULTS: Clustering results were Gan stagnation Pi deficiency syndrome (GSPDS), Pi-Wei weakness syndrome (PWWS), Gan stagnation qi stasis syndrome (GSQSS), Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome (PSYDS), Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PWDHS), cold-damp disturbing Pi syndrome (CDDPS). Of them, GSPDS was mostly often seen with effective percentage of 34. 2%, while CDDPS was the least often seen with effective percentage of 5.5%. A total of 5 discriminant functions for GSPDS, PWWS, GSQSS, PSYDS, and PWDHS were obtained by step-by-step dis- crimination method. The retrospective misjudgment rate was 4.1% (16/390), while the cross-validation misjudgment rate was 15.4% (60/390). CONCLUSION: The establishment of discriminant functions is of value in objectively diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

Combined application of acellular bovine pericardium and hyaluronic acid in prevention of postoperative pericardial adhesion.

An experiment was designed to find the suitable acellular bovine pericardium (ABP) patch in pericardial cavity reconstruction and to evaluate the effect of sodium hyaluronic acid (NaHA) on inflammatory reaction in prevention of pericardial adhesions. The pericardial adhesion model was established in 20 rabbits, weighing from 3.2 to 3.6 kg. Groups were classified as follows: Group A (n = 5), the control group, the pericardium was directly closed; Group B (n = 5), 0.15% glutaraldehyde-treated ABP (low cross-link degree); Group C, 0.3% glutaraldehyde-treated ABP (middle cross-link degree); Group D, 0.15% glutaraldehyde-treated ABP + NaHA solution. Blood samples were collected at 6 h, 24 h, 3 days, and 5 days, to assay postoperative inflammatory reaction. The tenacity and severity of adhesions were evaluated 2 months after operation, by macroscopic and microscopic examinations, and Q-PCR (real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction) test was used to quantitatively analyze the associated genes with adhesion. Pericardium regeneration was demonstrated by immunohistochemical technique to identify mesothelial cells. In Group D, the serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was significantly lower in the early postoperative period, and the mean adhesion score (adhesion between the epicardium and ABP) was significantly lower compared with the control group (Groups D vs. A: 0.20 ± 0.45 vs. 2.00 ± 0.71, P = 0.009*). The signs of degradation of the ABPs were observed 2 months postoperation in Groups D and B. Immunohistochemically, the positive cytokeratin AE1 staining results demonstrated the relatively total regeneration of the pericardium in Group D. Signs of regeneration were observed in Group D. Compared with the control group, the level of TGF-ß2 in Group D was significantly lower (0.00132 ± 0.00114, P = 0.022*). The TGF-ß3 level was statistically significant, being highest in Group D (0.00805 ± 0.00136, P = 0.029*). The mean quantity of Smad6 in Group D was also lower than the other groups. Low cross-link degree ABP may be an efficient physical block between the epicardium and the sternum and also an ideal scaffold for pericardial tissue regeneration, whereas combined use with NaHA may significantly reduce postoperative pericardial adhesions. The signal transduction pathway of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) and Smad6 may play a key role in the formation of pericardial adhesion.

Prognostic and immunological roles of heat shock protein A4 in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Heat shock protein A4 (HSPA4) belongs to molecular chaperone protein family which plays important roles within variable cellular activities, including cancer initiation and progression. However, the prognostic and immunological significance of HSPA4 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has not been revealed yet. AIM: To explore the prognostic and immunological roles of HSPA4 to identify a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD. METHODS: We assessed the prognostic and immunological significance of HSPA4 in LUAD using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The association between HSPA4 expression and clinical-pathological features was assessed through Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Univariate/multivariate Cox regression analyses and Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to evaluate prognostic factors, including HSPA4, in LUAD. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify the key signaling pathways associated with HSPA4. The correlation between HSPA4 expression and cancer immune infiltration was evaluated using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). RESULTS: Overexpressing HSPA4 was significantly related to advanced pathologic TNM stage, advanced pathologic stage, progression disease status of primary therapy outcome and female subgroups with LUAD. In addition, increased HSPA4 expression was found to be related to worse disease-specific survival and overall survival. GSEA analysis indicated a significant correlation between HSPA4 and cell cycle regulation and immune response, particularly through diminishing the function of cytotoxicity cells and CD8 T cells. The ssGSEA algorithm showed a positive correlation between HSPA4 expression and infiltrating levels of Th2 cells, while a negative correlation was observed with cytotoxic cell infiltration levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate HSPA4 is related to prognosis and immune cell infiltrates and may act as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD.

Clinical features and outcomes of patients with severe acute pancreatitis complicated with gangrenous cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: The effects of gangrenous cholecystitis (GC) and consequent surgical interventions on the clinical outcomes and prognosis of patients with severe acute pancreatitis are not clear. The present study was to characterize the clinical outcomes of patients with severe acute pancreatitis complicated with GC. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 253 consecutive patients hospitalized for acute pancreatitis in intensive care unit. Among them, 68 were diagnosed as having severe acute pancreatitis; 10 out of the 68 patients had GC. We compared these 10 patients with GC and 58 patients without GC. The indices analyzed included sepsis/septic shock, pancreatic encephalopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and death. RESULTS: Specific CT images of GC in patients with severe acute pancreatitis included enlarged and high-tensioned gallbladder, wall thickening, lumenal emphysema, discontinuous and/or irregular enhancement of mucosa, and pericholecystic effusion. The rates of severe sepsis/septic shock (70.0% vs 24.1%, P<0.01), pancreatic encephalopathy (50.0% vs 17.2%, P<0.05), acute respiratory distress syndrome (90.0% vs 41.4%, P<0.01), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (70.0% vs 24.1%, P<0.01), acute renal failure (40.0% vs 27.6%, P<0.05), and death (40.0% vs 13.8%, P<0.05) were significantly higher in patients with GC than in those without GC. CONCLUSION: CT scans can help to identify early GC in patients with severe acute pancreatitis; early diagnosis and intervention for patients with GC can reduce morbidity and mortality.

[Research advances of porous organic framework materials on enrichment and detection of mycotoxins].

Mycotoxins are a class of toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. These substances are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic, and cause serious harm to the human body; thus, they have attracted wide attention worldwide. Establishing accurate, rapid, and sensitive methods for the detection of mycotoxins is of great significance. Chromatography is a commonly used technology for mycotoxin detection. However, it is challenging to use in the direct analysis of these metabolites because of the wide variety and distribution of mycotoxins, their complex sample matrix, and their very low content in actual samples. Therefore, the development of suitable sample pretreatment methods for the efficient separation and enrichment of mycotoxins is necessary. In recent years, porous organic framework materials, which are represented by metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), have been widely applied in the sample pretreatment of mycotoxins owing to their many advantages, which include a large specific surface area, high porosity, adjustable pore size, diverse frame structures, uniform active site distribution, and modifiable structures. In addition, MOF/COF materials feature excellent fluorescence and electrochemical properties, rendering them highly suitable for mycotoxin analysis and sensing. In this article, the recent applications of MOF/COF materials in conventional sample pretreatment methods (e. g., solid-phase extraction, dispersive solid-phase extraction, magnetic solid-phase extraction, and immunomagnetic bead separation) for mycotoxin separation and enrichment are reviewed. Research on the use of MOF/COF materials for the fluorescence and electrochemical sensing of mycotoxins is also summarized. Finally, the existing challenges and future development trends of these materials are discussed and prospected to provide a reference for future research on the applications of MOF/COF materials in mycotoxin detection and analysis.

Hydrazine-Halogen Exchange Strategy Toward N═N-Containing Compounds and Process Tracking for Mechanistic Insight.

An anhydride-promoted traceless hydrazine-I/Br exchange strategy is reported, where hydrazine hydrate and cyclic/linear iodonium, including rarely explored cyclic bromonium, are converted to benzo[c]cinnolines/azobenzenes in one pot. The reaction proceeds through diacylation (first and second C─N formation), N,N'-diarylation (third and fourth C─N formation), and deacylation/oxidation (2 C─N cleavages and 1 N═N formation). The reaction mechanism is investigated by isolating multiple intermediates and kinetic studies. Furthermore, time-dependent electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (TD ESI-MS) was applied to track the process by detecting most intermediates. The complex [CuIII(iodobiphenyl)(bipy)I]+ (Int-C) was detected for the first time, giving evidence for oxidative addition of cyclic iodonium to Cu catalyst. Another complex [CuI(PHA)(bipy)] (Int-B) via ligand-exchange between the hydrazide and Cu catalyst was also detected, indicating a two-path initial activation process.

MCC950 Ameliorates Acute Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia Induced by Sewing Machine Oil in Rats via the NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia (AELP) is a rare disorder caused by intake of lipid formulations and is often underdiagnosed. Meanwhile, the mechanism of AELP is still underlying. MCC950, was previously found to significantly suppress the release of inflammatory cytokines IL-18 and IL-1ß. However, the effect of MCC950 on AELP induced by sewing machine oil has not been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The NLRP3, NF-[Formula: see text]B p65, caspase-1 and IL-1ß expression in lung tissues were compared between a rat model of AELP and control rats using western blotting and real-time quantitative assay. Moreover, haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to elucidate the mechanisms by which MCC950 ameliorates sewing machine oil-induced AELP in vivo. RESULTS: MCC950 reduced the expression of NF-[Formula: see text]B p65 in the lung samples of the treatment group and further down-regulated the NLRP3 and caspase-1 levels while inhibited the production of IL-1ß. Besides, decreases in inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung were shown using H&E staining. CONCLUSION: MCC950 ameliorates sewing machine oil-induced acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia in rats through inhibition of the NF-[Formula: see text]B/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Protective Effects of NaHS/miR-133a-3p on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Cardiomyocytes Injury.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cardiomyocyte injury in H9c2 cells. Methods: H9c2 cardiomyocytes cultivated with medium containing 10 µg/mL LPS were used to recapitulate the phenotypes of those in sepsis. Two sequential experiments were performed. The first contained a control group, a LPS group, and a LPS + NaHS group, with the aim to assure the protective effects of NaHS on LPS-treated cardiomyocytes. The second experiment added a fourth group, the LPS + NaHS + miR-133a-3p inhibition group, with the aim to preliminarily explore whether miR-133-3p exerts a protective function downstream of NaHS. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) kit was used to detect ATP content; real-time quantitative polynucleotide chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure the levels of mammalian targets of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), and miR-133a-3p, and Western blot (WB) was used to detect protein levels of mTOR, AMPK, myosin-like Bcl2 interacting protein (Beclin-1), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3I/II), and P62 (sequestosome-1, sqstm-1/P62). Results: Compared with the control group, the expressions of miR-133a-3p (P < 0.001), P62 (P < 0.001), and the content of ATP (P < 0.001) decreased, while the expressions of Beclin-1 (P = 0.023) and LC3I/II (P = 0.048) increased in the LPS group. Compared with the LPS group, the expressions of miR-133a-3p (P < 0.001), P62 (P < 0.001), and the content of ATP (P < 0.001) in the NaHS + LPS group increased, while the expressions of Beclin-1 (P = 0.023) and LC3I/II (P = 0.022) decreased. Compared with the NaHS + LPS group, the expression levels of miR-133a-3p (P < 0.001), P62 (P = 0.001), and the content of ATP (P < 0.001) in the LPS + NaHS + miR-133a-3p inhibition group were downregulated, and the expression levels of Beclin-1 (P = 0.012) and LC3I/II (P = 0.010) were upregulated. The difference was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the expression of AMPK and mTOR between groups. Conclusion: Our research demonstrated that NaHS relieved LPS-induced myocardial injury in H9c2 by promoting the expression of miR-133a-3p, inhibiting autophagy in cardiomyocytes, and restoring cellular ATP levels.

Association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a meta-analysis.

The results of studies on association between the C677T polymorphism of the 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene and osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) are controversial. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ONFH, a meta-analysis was performed. Eight studies on MTHFR C677T association with ONFH were searched up to April 2011, and the genotype frequencies in control group were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The effect summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were obtained. Publication bias was tested by funnel plot, Egger's regression test, and heterogeneity was assessed. Eight studies containing 778 cases and 1,162 controls were included. Heterogeneity was observed (χ(2) = 18.58, P = 0.01). Under the random effects model, the common OR was 1.38 (95% CI: 0.92-2.08; P = 0.12). In the subgroup meta-analysis, there was an association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ONFH in non-Asian population for CT + TT vs. CC (OR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.21-2.43; P = 0.002; I(2) = 37.9%, P = 0.17), but not for Asian population (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.66-1.66; P = 0.35; I(2) = 45.4%, P = 0.16). There was heterogeneity between studies and no clear evidence of an association on a worldwide population. When stratifying for the race, this meta-analysis did not provide an evidence of confirming association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ONFH. The large sample and well-designed study based on different ethnic groups should be considered in future associated studies to clarify the association of MTHFR C677T polymorphism with ONFH susceptibility.

[Surgical repair of truncus arteriosus in children: early results and long-term outcomes].

OBJECTIVE: To recite early results and long-term outcomes after surgical repair of persistent truncus arteriosus (PTA). METHODS: The clinic data of 54 patients underwent surgical repair for PTA from January 1999 to December 2009 was analyzed retrospectively. There were 36 male and 18 female patients, with a mean age of (9 ± 10) months (range, 1 to 38 months; median, 5 months). Preoperative mechanical ventilation was required in 5 patients. The surgical procedures were closure of ventricular septal defect and re-establishment of continuity between right ventricle and pulmonary artery. The right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) was reconstructed by direct anastomosis pulmonary artery to right ventriculotomy with anterior wall patch enlargement (28 cases), or by inserting conduits (26 cases). Valvuloplasty were performed in 4 patients with truncal valves moderate to severe insufficiency and aortoplasty in 3 patients with interrupted aortic arch (IAA). RESULTS: There were 3 patients (5.6%) died of pulmonary hypertensive crisis in hospital. The mean duration of ventilation was 6.8 days in 5 patients who were intubated before operation, while the others were 3.6 days. Forty-seven (92.2%) patients were followed-up for mean (6.8 ± 2.5) years (from 2.5 to 11.0 years). There were 2 patients with mild to moderate aortic regurgitation. One patient with aortic arch obstruction underwent balloon dilatation 2 years postoperatively. Among those patients who underwent direct anastomoses, 8 (32.0%) patients had pulmonary branch stenosis at 7 months to 1.5 years postoperatively, 12 (48.0%) patients were freedom from surgical reintervention 5.0 to 11.0 years postoperatively. Among those inserting conduits, 7 patients (31.8%) had conduit stenosis at 2.8 to 7.0 years after operation. Reoperations were performed for RVOT in 15 patients and there was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: It is difficult to treat the PTA patients with IAA, intra-mural coronary artery or mechanical ventilation support before operation. The technique of direct anastomosis between pulmonary artery and right ventricle offers the potential growth for RVOT, but bilateral pulmonary branch stenosis may be occurred at earlier period of postoperation in some patients.

Gene mining of immune microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide with a poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that the occurrence, development and prognosis of liver cancer are closely related to tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor immune infiltration. METHODS: Therefore, important information on various diseases can be obtained from public databases such as The Cancer Gene Atlas (TCGA), and ideas or schemes that may be effective for the treatment of various diseases can be screened and analyzed by screening various conditions. In this study, 424 cases of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) in the TCGA database and CIBERSORT algorithm were used to calculate the proportion of tumor-invasive immune cells. Combined with the clinical data from TCGA database, it was concluded that T cells regulatory (Tregs) were correlated with the development and prognosis of HCC. Cox regression analysis was used to screen differentially expressed genes, and survival analysis was performed according to the screened differentially expressed genes to see whether there was a significant association with the prognosis of HCC. Then gene ontology and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis of differentially expressed genes were carried out to explore the possibility of differentially expressed genes becoming potential therapeutic targets of HCC. RESULTS: Finally, I identified the gene centromere protein o (CENPO), which is associated with immune cells and improve the prognosis of HCC. CONCLUSION: CENPO may be a potential biological therapeutic target for hepatocellular treatment.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Hemiclepsis yangtzenensis (Clitellata: Glossiphoniidae).

We present the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a recently described new leech species named Hemiclepsis yangtzenensis Yang & Bolotov 2021 collected in central China. The mitochondrial genome is 14,984 bp in length and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, all of which are encoded on a single strand. It exhibited a strong A + T bias of 72.87%. There is a large non-coding region (614 bp) located between the tRNA-Arg and tRNA-His genes, wherein we identified 40 short dispersed repeats, 13-22 bp long, 8 of which were direct, 20 inverted, and 12 palindromic. Phylogenetic analysis of 20 Hirudinea mitogenome sequences resolved monophyletic Glossiphoniidae, and H. yangtzenensis formed a sister lineage with Glossiphonia concolor.