Maternal anaemia prevention and control in China: A policy review.

Maternal anaemia is a major public health problem. Developing maternal anaemia prevention and control policies is an important prerequisite for carrying out evidence-based interventions. This article reviews maternal anaemia prevention and control policies in China, identifies gaps, and provides references for other countries. We examined policies concerning maternal nutrition and other related literature in China, identified through key databases and government websites, and conducted a narrative review of the relevant documentations guided by the Smith Policy-Implementing-Process framework. A total of 65 articles and documents were identified for analysis. We found that Chinese government has committed to reducing maternal anaemia at the policy level, with established objectives and a clear time frame. However, most of policies were not accompanied by operational guidelines, standardized interventions, and vigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and 85% of the policies don't have quantifiable objectives on anaemia. Maternal anaemia prevention and control services offered in clinical settings were primarily nutrition education and anaemia screening. Population-based interventions such as iron fortification have yet to be scaled up. Furthermore, medical insurance schemes in some regions do not cover anaemia prevention and treatment, and in other regions that offer coverage, the reimbursement rate is low. The number and capacity of health professionals is also limited. Policy changes should focus on the integration of evidence-based interventions into routine antenatal care services and public health service packages, standardization of dosages and provision of iron supplementation, streamline of reimbursement for outpatient expenses, and capacity building of health professionals.

Vanadium Oxide Cathode Coinserted by Ni2+ and NH4+ for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Vanadium-based oxides have garnered significant attention as cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) because of their high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, the limited reaction kinetics and poor long-term cycle stability hinder their widespread application. In this paper, we propose a novel approach by coinserting Ni2+ and NH4+ ions into V2O5·3H2O, i.e., NNVO. Structural characterization shows that the coinsertion of Ni2+ and NH4+ not only extends the interlayer spacing of V2O5·3H2O but also significantly promotes the transport kinetics of Zn2+ because of the synergistic "pillar" effect of Ni2+ and NH4+, as well as the increased oxygen vacancies that effectively lower the energy barrier for Zn2+ insertion. As a result, the AZIBs with an NNVO electrode exhibit a high capacity of 398.1 mAh g-1 (at 1.0 A g-1) and good cycle stability with 89.1% capacity retention even after 2000 cycles at 5.0 A g-1. At the same time, a highly competitive energy density of 262.9 Wh kg-1 is delivered at 382.9 W kg-1. Considering the simple scheme and the resultant high performance, this study may provide a positive attempt to develop high-performance AZIBs.

Preliminary assessment of portable sleep monitoring for diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in children.

OBJECTIVE: By observing the differences in sleep parameters between portable sleep monitoring (PM) and polysomnography (PSG) in children, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic value and feasibility of PM in children with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study enrolled consecutive children (aged 3-14 years) with suspected OSA in Shenzhen Children's Hospital. They had PSG and PM in the sleep laboratory. Clinical parameters of the two sleep monitoring methods were compared. RESULTS: A total of 58 children participated. They were classified into two groups according to age: 28 children aged 3 to 5 years and 30 children aged 6 to 14 years. No significant differences were observed in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2), and mean oxygen saturation (MSaO2) between PM and PSG, but the sleep efficiency with PM was significantly higher (3-5 years age: 92.2 ± 11.3% vs 85.2 ± 14.3%, 6-14 years age: 93.2 ± 14.5% vs 84.8 ± 16.3%, both P < 0.05) than the sleep efficiency with PSG. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a strong correlation between AHI, LSaO2, MSaO2, and sleep efficiency measured by PSG and PM. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that PM was a reliable diagnostic tool for OSA. PM has high sensitivity (3-5 years age: 95.8%, 6-14 years age: 96.3%) and low specificity (3-5 years age: 25.0%, 6-14 years age: 33.3%) for OSA in children. Thus, there is a low rate of missed diagnoses, but there is some inaccuracy in excluding children who do not have OSA. CONCLUSION: The results showed that PM has a good correlation with the various parameters of PSG. PM may be a reliable tool for diagnosing moderate and severe OSA in children, especially those who cannot cooperate with PSG or who have limited access to PSG.

The role of adjuvant systemic corticosteroid in pediatric retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the potential benefits of systemic corticosteroids as an adjuvant treatment for pediatric retropharyngeal abscess (RPA) and parapharyngeal abscess (PPA). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients diagnosed with RPA and PPA who were admitted to Shenzhen Children's Hospital between January 2010 and January 2023. Data on demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, physical examination, laboratory data, use of corticosteroids, management, duration of hospital stay, need for surgical drainage, and complications were collected. Patients were divided into two groups: non-corticosteroid group (antibiotic only) and corticosteroid group (corticosteroid and antibiotic). RESULTS: A total of 111 patients were enrolled. There were 51 cases in non-corticosteroid group and 60 cases in corticosteroid group (10 cases received methylprednisolone and 50 cases received dexamethasone). There was no significant difference in sex, age, location of abscess, size of abscess and laboratory parameters at admission and discharge between the two groups. The surgical drainage rate was significantly lower in the corticosteroid group than in the non-corticosteroid group (p = 0.008). The hospital duration was also shorter in the corticosteroid group than in the non-corticosteroid group (p = 0.026). The hospitalization cost was significantly lower in the corticosteroid group than in the non-corticosteroid group (p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The use of systemic corticosteroids along with antibiotics in children with RPA and PPA may reduce the need for surgical drainage, shorten hospital duration, and decrease hospitalization cost. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine the optimal timing, duration, and route of administration of corticosteroids.

Castleman Disease of the Parapharyngeal Space in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report.

The Castleman Disease (CD), also recognized as giant lymph node hyperplasia or vascular follicular lymphoid hyperplasia, is an infrequent lymphoproliferative disorder with substantial clinical variability. Parapharyngeal location of this disease is very rare and in pediatric population it is even rarer. This article presents a case of Unicentric CD (hyaline vascular type) in an 8-year-old female, where the disease was localized within the parapharyngeal space. Clinical manifestations were limited to the presence of a local mass, with no other specific symptoms observed. Laboratory assessments revealed no significant abnormalities. She underwent surgery using a cervical-parotid approach and experienced a good postoperative recovery. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis. This case underscores the need for a comprehensive evaluation and consideration of uncommon etiologies in the assessment of parapharyngeal masses, even in pediatric patients.

Effects of drug-induced sleep endoscopy in children with conventional obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis and systematic review of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) in pediatric conventional obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) without previous upper airway surgery, or comorbidity, to evaluate the change in treatment strategies and to identify obstructive sites observed during DISE. This study aimed to explore the role of DISE in the management of pediatric conventional OSAHS. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted using both computerized and manual methods to retrieve relevant case studies on DISE-guided treatment of pediatric conventional OSAHS from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WF, and VIP database. The search period extended from database inception to January 2023. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select relevant literature, and data extraction was performed accordingly. Meta-analysis was conducted using the Stata 16.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 761 patients from four studies were included in the meta-analysis. All pediatric patients had no history of upper airway surgery, craniofacial abnormalities, or syndromes other than OSAHS. The quality assessment revealed that the included studies were of low methodological quality and consisted of non-randomized case studies. Meta-analysis results indicated that in pediatric patients with OSAHS, the obstruction rates observed during DISE were as follows: nasopharyngeal (adenoid) obstruction 93%, soft palate obstruction 35%, oropharyngeal (tonsil) obstruction 76%, tongue base obstruction 32%, supraglottic obstruction 31%, and multi-level obstruction 60%. DISE led to a change in the conventional surgical approach in 45% (95% CI: 29-60%) of patients with OSAHS, providing individualized treatment plans. Postoperative symptoms and sleep-related parameters improved significantly compared to preoperative values, with DISE findings possibly enhancing surgical success rates and potentially avoiding unnecessary procedures. CONCLUSION: In some cases, DISE may potentially lead to alterations in conventional surgical approaches for children with OSAHS who had no history of upper airway surgery, craniofacial abnormalities, or other syndromes.. The results of our meta-analysis were in favor of DISE-directed approach for pediatric conventional OSAHS. However, further high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are warranted in future research to investigate the role of DISE in the management of pediatric OSAHS.

BIRC5 Inhibition Is Associated with Pyroptotic Cell Death via Caspase3-GSDME Pathway in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a prevalent type of thoracic cancer with a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. However, the exact pathogenesis of this cancer is still not fully understood. One potential factor that can contribute to the development of lung adenocarcinoma is DNA methylation, which can cause changes in chromosome structure and potentially lead to the formation of tumors. The baculoviral IAP repeat containing the 5 (BIRC5) gene encodes the Survivin protein, which is a multifunctional gene involved in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells. This gene is elevated in various solid tumors, but its specific role and mechanism in lung adenocarcinoma are not well-known. To identify the potential biomarkers associated with lung adenocarcinoma, we screened the methylation-regulated differentially expressed genes (MeDEGs) of LUAD via bioinformatics analysis. Gene ontology (GO) process and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were applied to investigate the biological function and pathway of MeDEGs. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was employed to explore the key module and screen hub genes. We screened out eight hub genes whose products are aberrantly expressed, and whose DNA methylation modification level is significantly changed in lung adenocarcinoma. BIRC5 is a bona fide marker which was remarkably up-regulated in tumor tissues. Flow cytometry analysis, lactate dehydrogenase release (LDH) assay and Micro-PET imaging were performed in A549 cells and a mouse xenograft tumor to explore the function of BIRC5 in cell death of lung adenocarcinoma. We found that BIRC5 was up-regulated and related to a high mortality rate in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Mechanically, the knockdown of BIRC5 inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells and induced pyroptosis via caspase3/GSDME signaling. Our findings have unraveled that BIRC5 holds promise as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for lung adenocarcinoma. Additionally, we have discovered a novel pathway in which BIRC5 inhibition can induce pyroptosis through the caspase3-GSDME pathway in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Tracheostomy-Assisted Foreign Body Removal: Insights From a Case Series and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Foreign body aspiration into the trachea is a common occurrence in children. While most foreign bodies in the airways can be removed using rigid tracheoscopy, there are instances where tracheostomy or tracheotomy is needed. This article presents a series of cases in which tracheostomy was necessary to remove foreign bodies, and summarizes the relevant experiences and lessons learned. METHODS: We reviewed a total of 7 cases in which tracheostomy and rigid tracheoscopy were combined for foreign body removal out of a larger cohort of 1559 cases at Shenzhen Children's Hospital in Guangdong, China over a 20-year period. RESULTS: The combined use of tracheostomy and rigid tracheoscopy resulted in successful removal of foreign bodies in all 7 patients reviewed in this study. Six patients developed complications of tracheotomy, mainly including mediastinal emphysema (5/7), subcutaneous emphysema (3/7), and pneumothorax (1/7). Tracheotomy was temporary in all patients. CONCLUSION: In cases where a foreign body in the trachea is too large or has irregular, sharp edges, is embedded in submucosal tissues with edema, cannot be passed smoothly through the vocal cords, or local endoscopic facilities are inadequate, a tracheotomy may be necessary. However, this approach should be used with caution, and close collaboration with anesthesiologists and careful management of intraoperative emergencies are crucial for improving the success rate of the procedure. Additionally, the complications should be noted, paying particular attention to early complications such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and bleeding.

Aloe-Emodin Derivative, an Anthraquinone Compound, Attenuates Pyroptosis by Targeting NLRP3 Inflammasome in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is widely recognized as a major contributing factor to the development of heart failure in patients with diabetes. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of traditional herbal medicine for alleviating the symptoms of cardiomyopathy. We have chemically designed and synthesized a novel compound called aloe-emodin derivative (AED), which belongs to the aloe-emodin (AE) family of compounds. AED was formed by covalent binding of monomethyl succinate to the anthraquinone mother nucleus of AE using chemical synthesis techniques. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of AED in treating DCM. We induced type 2 diabetes in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by administering a high-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injections. The rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, DCM, AED low concentration (50 mg/kg/day), AED high concentration (100 mg/kg/day), AE (100 mg/kg/day), and positive control (glyburide, 2 mg/kg/day) groups. There were eight rats in each group. The rats that attained fasting blood glucose of ˃16.7 mmol/L were considered successful models. We observed significant improvements in cardiac function in the DCM rats with both AED and AE following four weeks of intragastric treatment. However, AED had a more pronounced therapeutic effect on DCM compared to AE. AED exhibited an inhibitory effect on the inflammatory response in the hearts of DCM rats and high-glucose-treated H9C2 cells by suppressing the pyroptosis pathway mediated by the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes showed a significant enrichment in the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway compared to the high-glucose group. Furthermore, overexpression of NLRP3 effectively reversed the anti-pyroptosis effects of AED in high-glucose-treated H9C2 cells. This study is the first to demonstrate that AED possesses the ability to inhibit myocardial pyroptosis in DCM. Targeting the pyroptosis pathway mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome could provide a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance our understanding and treatment of DCM.

Microwave Absolute Distance Measurement Method with Ten-Micron-Level Accuracy and Meter-Level Range Based on Frequency Domain Interferometry.

A microwave absolute distance measurement method with ten-micron-level accuracy and meter-level range based on frequency domain interferometry is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for the first time. Theoretical analysis indicates that an interference phenomenon occurs instantaneously in the frequency domain when combining two homologous broad-spectrum microwave beams with different paths, and the absolute value of the distance difference between the two paths is only inversely proportional to the period of frequency domain interference fringes. The proof-of-principle experiments were performed to prove that the proposed method can achieve absolute distance measurement in the X-band with standard deviations of 15 µm, 17 µm, and 26 µm and within ranges of 1.69 m, 2.69 m, and 3.75 m. Additionally, a displacement resolution of 100 microns was realized. The multi-target recognition performance was also verified in principle. Furthermore, at the expense of a slight decrease in ranging accuracy, a fast distance measurement with the single measurement time of 20 µs was achieved by using a digitizer combined with a Fourier transform analyzer. Compared with the current microwave precision ranging technologies, the proposed method not only has the advantages of high precision, large range, and rapid measurement capability, but the required components are also easily obtainable commercial devices. The proposed method also has better complex engineering applicability, because the ten-micron-level ranging accuracy is achievable only by using a simple Fourier transform without any phase estimation algorithm, which greatly reduces the requirement for signal-to-noise ratio.

Nanoscale ductile fracture and associated atomistic mechanisms in a body-centered cubic refractory metal.

Understanding the competing modes of brittle versus ductile fracture is critical for preventing the failure of body-centered cubic (BCC) refractory metals. Despite decades of intensive investigations, the nanoscale fracture processes and associated atomistic mechanisms in BCC metals remain elusive due to insufficient atomic-scale experimental evidence. Here, we perform in situ atomic-resolution observations of nanoscale fracture in single crystals of BCC Mo. The crack growth process involves the nucleation, motion, and interaction of dislocations on multiple 1/2 < 111 > {110} slip systems at the crack tip. These dislocation activities give rise to an alternating sequence of crack-tip plastic shearing, resulting in crack blunting, and local separation normal to the crack plane, leading to crack extension and sharpening. Atomistic simulations reveal the effects of temperature and strain rate on these alternating processes of crack growth, providing insights into the dislocation-mediated mechanisms of the ductile to brittle transition in BCC refractory metals.

Otolaryngology-related symptoms of COVID-19 in children in the post-epidemic era: a cross-sectional web-based survey study.

Purpose: China adjusted and optimized its prevention and control strategies in December 2022, and it entered a new era of the coronavirus epidemic. Here, we describe the general and otolaryngology-related symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children during the first pandemic in the post-epidemic era, focusing on the frequency and severity of smell and taste loss, as well as the recovery process and its influencing factors. Patients and methods: From 2 January to 7 January 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional online questionnaire survey through Questionnaire Stars in order to collect relevant information about COVID-19 in children in Shenzhen. Results: A total of 1,247 valid questionnaires were received, with an effective response rate of 78.72%. All of the diagnoses were confirmed by nucleic acid or antigen test for COVID-19. Among the subjects, the sex ratio of male to female was more inclined to male (1.35:1), and the age was 3-16 years, with an average of 10.13 ± 2.82 years old. The most common symptoms were cough (58.24%), stuffy nose (56.18%), headache (42.09%), fatigue (40.44%), and sore throat (31.63%). Approximately 6.43% of the children reported dysosmia, the mean time of the duration of dysosmia was 5.38 ± 2.92 days, and the mean score of the severity of the dysosmia as assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) was 4.63 ± 2.29. Approximately 13.34% reported dysgeusia, the mean time of the duration of dysgeusia was 4.77 ± 3.98 days, and the mean score of the severity of the dysgeusia as assessed by VAS was 5.12 ± 2.29. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the prevalence of taste and olfactory disorders increased with age, mainly in children with severe symptoms and older children. Conclusion: In the post-epidemic era, due to weakening of the pathogenicity of the subvariant of Omicron, overall condition of children with COVID-19 was mild, incidence of olfactory and taste disorders was low, recovery was faster, and prognosis was better. In our study, cough, runny nose, and sore throat were the most common symptoms, and the prevalence of taste and olfactory disorders increased with age, mainly in older children with severe symptoms.

Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty Combined With Ventilation Tubes Insertion in Children: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) combined with ventilation tube (VT) insertion in pediatric population and to identify the predictive factors for symptom recurrence. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study between August 2018 and February 2022 at Shenzhen Children's Hospital. The study analyzed the data of pediatric patients who underwent BET + VT insertion, as well as the data of pediatric patients who underwent VT insertion alone. The outcomes were efficacy, safety, and predictive factors of BET combined with VT. Kaplan‒Meier curves were used to examine the failure-free survival rate. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to identify the independent predictors of BET failure. Results: We evaluated the data of 29 pediatric patients (48 ears) who underwent BET with VT insertion (BET + VT group) and the data of 29 pediatric patients (46 ears) who underwent VT insertion alone (VT group). The total effectiveness rates at the first follow-up after VT removal and at 12 months in the BET + VT group were 90.9% and 84.6%, respectively. The decrease in the air-bone gap (ABG) was more significant in the BET + VT group at 12 months (13.7 ± 10.8 vs 6.4 ± 15.3, P < .05). The subgroup analyses did not show any significant difference between the groups in high-risk. For non-high-risk patients, the decrease in the ABG was more significant in the BET + VT group (14.2 ± 10.6 vs 4.3 ± 13.1, P < .05) at 12 months. The multivariate analysis showed that a history of VT insertion was independently associated with a higher rate of recurrence in the BET + VT group (hazard ratio 3.177; 95% CI, 1.027-9.826; P < .05). Conclusions: BET + VT insertion is an effective procedure to decrease the ABG in pediatric patients with eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) who have no risk factors for conventional therapy failure. Treatment of patients with ETDs who have coexisting risk factors remains a challenge that warrants further high-quality prospective research.

Molybdenum Phosphide Quantum Dots Encapsulated by P/N-Doped Carbon for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Acid and Alkaline Electrolytes.

A facile and eco-friendly strategy is presented for synthesizing novel nanocomposites, with MoP quantum dots (QDs) as cores and graphitic carbon as shells, these nanoparticles are dispersed in a nitrogen and phosphorus-doped porous carbon and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) substrates (MoP@NPC/CNT). The synthesis involves self-assembling reactions to form single-source precursors (SSPs), followed by pyrolysis at 900 °C in an inert atmosphere to obtain MoP@NPC/CNT-900. The presence of carbon layers on the MoP QDs effectively prevents particle aggregation, enhancing the utilization of active MoP species. The optimized sample, MoP@NPC/CNT-900, exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic activity and durability for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It demonstrates a low overpotential of 155 mV at 10 mA cm-2 , a small Tafel slope of 76 mV dec-1 , and sustained performance over 20 hours in 0.5 M H2 SO4 . Furthermore, the catalyst shows excellent activity in 1 M KOH, with a relatively low overpotential of 131 mV and long-term durability under constant current input. The exceptional HER activity can be attributed to several factors: the superior performance of MoP QDs, the large surface area and good conductivity of the carbon substrates, and the synergistic effect between MoP and carbon species.

Tetrahydroberberrubine prevents peritoneal adhesion by suppressing inflammation and extracellular matrix accumulation.

Peritoneal adhesion is a common abdominal surgical complication that induces abdominal haemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, infertility, and so forth. The high morbidity and recurrence rate of this disease indicate the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we revealed the protective roles of tetrahydroberberrubine (THBru), a novel derivative of berberine (BBR), in preventing peritoneal adhesion and identified its underlying mechanism in vivo and in vitro. Abrasive surgery was used to create a peritoneal adhesion rat model. We found that THBru administration markedly ameliorated peritoneal adhesion, as indicated by a lowered adhesion score and ameliorated caecal tissue damage. By comparison, THBru exhibited more potent anti-adhesion effects than BBR at the same dose. Mechanistically, THBru inhibited inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in the microenvironment of adhesion tissue. THBru suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), by regulating the transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and TAK1/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. However, THBru promoted the activation of MMP-3 by directly blocking the TIMP-1 activation core and subsequently decreased collagen deposition. Taken together, this study identifies THBru as an effective anti-adhesion agent that regulates diverse mechanisms, thereby outlining its potential therapeutic implications for the treatment of peritoneal adhesion.

Tetrahydroberberrubine retards heart aging in mice by promoting PHB2-mediated mitophagy.

Heart aging is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction, which in turn induces a variety of cardiovascular diseases. There is still no therapeutic drug to ameliorate cardiac abnormities in heart aging. In this study we investigated the protective effects of berberine (BBR) and its derivative tetrahydroberberrubine (THBru) against heart aging process. Heart aging was induced in mice by injection of D-galactose (D-gal, 120 mg · kg-1 · d-1, sc.) for 12 weeks. Meanwhile the mice were orally treated with berberine (50 mg · kg-1 · d-1) or THBru (25, 50 mg · kg-1 · d-1) for 12 weeks. We showed that BBR and THBru treatment significantly mitigated diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in D-gal-induced aging mice. Furthermore, treatment with BBR (40 µM) and THBru (20, 40 µM) inhibited D-gal-induced senescence in primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes in vitro. Overall, THBru exhibited higher efficacy than BBR at the same dose. We found that the levels of mitophagy were significantly decreased during the aging process in vivo and in vitro, THBru and BBR promoted mitophagy with different potencies. We demonstrated that the mitophagy-inducing effects of THBru resulted from increased mRNA stability of prohibitin 2 (PHB2), a pivotal factor during mitophagy, thereby upregulating PHB2 protein expression. Knockdown of PHB2 effectively reversed the antisenescence effects of THBru in D-gal-treated cardiomyocytes. On the contrary, overexpression of PHB2 promoted mitophagy and retarded cardiomyocyte senescence, as THBru did. In conclusion, this study identifies THBru as a potent antiaging medicine that induces PHB2-mediated mitophagy and suggests its clinical application prospects.

Single-Source-Precursor Derived Transition Metal Alloys Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbons as Efficient Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts.

Carbon supported metallic nanomaterials are of great interest due to their low-cost, high durability and promising functional performance. Herein, a highly active oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst comprised of defective carbon shell encapsulated metal (Fe, Co, Ni) nanoparticles and their alloys supported on in-situ formed N-doped graphene/carbon nanotube hybrid is synthesized from novel single-source-precursors (SSP). The precursors are synthesized by a facile one-pot reaction of tannic acid with polyethylenimine and different metal ions and subsequent pyrolysis of the SSP. Benefiting from the heteroatom doping of carbon and formation of well-encapsulated metal/alloy nanoparticles, the obtained FeNi@NC-900 catalyst possesses lowest overpotentials of 310 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2 for OER with a small Tafel slope value of 45 mV dec-1 , indicating excellent catalytic performance due to the following features: (1) A synergistic electronic effect among metal alloy nanoparticles, nitrogen-doped carbon, and entangled carbon nanotubes; (2) penetration of electrolyte is promoted towards the active sites through the porous structure of the formed mesoporous carbon clusters; (3) the unique core-shell nanostructure of the hybrid material effectively curbs the degradation of electrocatalyst by protecting the alloy nanoparticles from harsh electrolyte. This work advances an inexpensive and facile method towards the development of transition metal-based hybrid material for potential energy storage and conversion.

Clinical features of Kawasaki disease initially mimicking retropharyngeal abscess: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Incomplete Kawasaki disease (IKD) initially presenting as retropharyngeal abnormality is very rare and is prone to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis, often leading to poor prognosis. Most patients were misdiagnosed with retropharyngeal abscesses. Here, we describe and compare IKD patients initially presenting with retropharyngeal abnormalities, typical KD patients without retropharyngeal abnormalities and retropharyngeal abscess patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective case-control study comparing IKD patients initially presenting with retropharyngeal abnormalities to both KD patients without retropharyngeal abnormalities and retropharyngeal abscess patients admitted to Shenzhen Children's Hospital between January 2016 and December 2021. RESULTS: We evaluated data from 10 IKD patients initially presenting with retropharyngeal abnormalities (Group A), 20 typical KD patients (Group B) and 16 surgical drainage confirmed retropharyngeal abscess patients (Group C). Compared to Group B, we observed that Group A was older and had a more intense inflammatory response. On the day of admission, Groups A and C had similar early clinical presentations, and there were no significant differences in any major signs or symptoms. Close observation for the development of new KD signs and symptoms and unresponsiveness to empirical antibiotic therapy after 3 days is extremely important. The CRP (p = 0.011), AST (p = 0.002) and ALT (p = 0.013) levels were significantly higher and the WBC (P = 0.040) levels were significantly lower in Group A than in Group C. Neck radiological findings, such as the presence of ring enhancement (p = 0.001) and mass effects on the airway, are also useful tools for distinguishing these two diseases. CONCLUSION: The careful observation of the signs and symptoms of this disease and the comprehensive analysis of the laboratory tests and neck radiological findings may help clinicians become aware of retropharyngeal abnormality as an atypical presentation of KD. Then, unnecessary treatments could be reduced, and the occurrence of serious complications can be avoided.

Ultrahigh anisotropic carrier mobility in ZnSb monolayers functionalized with halogen atoms.

The experimental fabrication of novel two-dimensional ZnSb inspires us to explore the tunability of its fundamental physical properties. In this work, we present the density functional theory simulations on the mechanical, electronic and transport properties of the two-dimensional ZnSb monolayers functionalized with halogen atoms. It is found that the halogen atoms prefer to form ionic bonds with Sb atoms and these ZnSbX (X = Cl, Br and I) monolayers are very flexible with Young's moduli ranging from 24.02 N m-1 to 30.16 N m-1 along the armchair and zigzag directions. The pristine ZnSb monolayer sheet exhibits metallic phase while the functionalization can lead to a metal-to-semiconductor transition with band gaps as large as 0.55 eV. The transport study reveals a large tunability with the hole mobility reaching 43.44 × 103 cm2 V-1 s-1 along the armchair direction and the electron mobility as high as 36.99 × 103 cm2 V-1 s-1 along the zigzag direction. In contrast, the electron mobility along the armchair direction and the hole mobility along the zigzag direction are of relatively small magnitude. The ultrahigh carrier mobility together with the directional anisotropy can boost the separation of photo-excited electron-hole pairs. The finite band gaps and exceptional transport property of ZnSbX monolayers render them new materials with promising applications in flexible optoelectronic and nanoelectronic devices.

Characteristics and Treatment of Pediatric Tracheobronchial Foreign Bodies: A Retrospective Analysis of 715 Cases.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children in Shenzhen and to explore the diagnosis and treatment methods for special cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included a total of 715 children who were diagnosed with tracheobronchial foreign bodies at Shenzhen Children's Hospital between October 2016 and October 2021. Data on sex, age, inducement, symptoms, foreign body type, foreign body location, foreign body retention time, foreign body history, and complications were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS Tracheal foreign bodies were found to occur primarily in children aged 0-2 years (90.6%). The overall incidence rates were 69.1% and 30.9% in boys and girls, respectively. Among them, 42.5% of the foreign bodies were detected in the left bronchus and 45.6% in the right bronchus. Inducements included playing while eating (n=398, 55.7%) and also crying (n=209, 29.2%). Operations were performed on 710 (99.3%) children, including 80 (11.2%) immediate surgeries and 2 tracheotomies. One child had no vital signs upon admission and died after emergency foreign body removal. All of the other children who underwent surgery recovered well postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS This study presents the characteristics and methods of diagnosis and treatment of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in pediatric patients in Shenzhen. Tracheobronchial foreign bodies are a major cause of accidental injury in infants and young children. In critical cases, airways should be immediately and rapidly cleared with multidisciplinary collaboration. In addition, public safety awareness should be strengthened, particularly among parents, teachers, and other child caregivers, to reduce and prevent instances of tracheobronchial foreign body accidents in children.