Large skin defect in Type V aplasia cutis congenita treated with conservative treatment: a case report.

Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a congenital disorder that can be classified into nine types, with Type I ACC being the most common. Type V ACC associated with fetus papyraceus is a rare subtype of ACC. We report the case of a Type V ACC in a male newborn with extensive abdominal skin defects. The patient received conservative treatment using hydrogel foam and silicone foam dressings. Approximately five weeks later, the patient was discharged when more than 60% of the skin had completed epithelialization. After discharge from West China Second University Hospital, Chengdu , the patient continued to be followed up regularly at the Burns and Plastic Surgery Clinic at local hospital in Gansu. We followed up the child by telephone. After 4 months of follow-up, scar tissue formation was observed in the trunk area. The infant is 2 years and 5 months old now, physical examination did not reveal any organ problems.

The relationship between family function and the incidence of overweight/obesity in children and adolescents in Chengdu city, Sichuan province of China: based on latent profile analysis.

BACKGROUND: Overweight/obesity in children and adolescents has become a global health problem, and family function may be associated with its occurrence. Studies exploring the association between family function and overweight/obesity in children and adolescents were performed in Western and Taiwan, China. To date, related studies haven't been conducted in Mainland China. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the current status of overweight, obesity, and family function among children and adolescents in Chengdu, China, and to explore their associations. METHODS: Children and adolescents in five primary and middle schools were chosen by cluster sampling. Body Mass Index was used to measure the status of overweight and obesity, and the Chinese family assessment instrument was adopted to assess family function. Latent profile analysis and stepwise logistic regression were applied to identify family classification and explore the relationships between family function and overweight/obesity. RESULTS: A total of 7616 (84.92%) children and adolescents out of 8968 completed the study with qualified-filled questionnaires. Nine hundred and sixty-six (12.68%)participants were overweight and 656 (8.61%) were obese. The family function was categorized into three profiles: mild (63.93%), moderate (12.32%), and severe (23.75%) dysfunction. The prevalence of overweight was 12.16%, 14.71%, and 13.05% for mild, moderate, and severe family dysfunction, respectively. And the prevalence of obesity was 8.19%, 10.77%, and 8.62% respectively. Participants in moderate and severe dysfunction families were more likely to be overweight (moderate: OR = 1.27, 95% CI:1.01 ~ 1.59, P = 0.04; severe: OR = 1.38, 95% CI:1.15 ~ 1.66, P = 0.001) and obese (moderate: OR = 1.35, 95% CI:1.02 ~ 1.79, P = 0.03; severe: OR = 1.55, 95% CI:1.23 ~ 1.96, P < 0.001). Sociodemographic data such as gender, residence, grade, pocket money per week, the number of siblings, and the education level of the mother were all associated with the risk of being overweight/obese in children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The problems of being overweight or obese exist among children and adolescents in Chengdu. And the risk of being overweight or obese increases along with the decrease in family function.

Performance, comparison and utilization of reduced sulfur (-2) compounds (S2-, FeS and SCN-) in autotrophic denitrification process by thiosulfate-driven autotrophic denitrifier.

The coexistence of reduced sulfur (-2) compounds (S2-, FeS and SCN-) are found in some industrial wastewaters due to pre-treatment of Fe(II) salts. These compounds as electron donors have attracted increasing interest in autotrophic denitrification process. However, the difference of their functions still remain unknown, which limit efficient utilization in autotrophic denitrification process. The study aimed to investigate and compare utilization behavior of these reduced sulfur (-2) compounds in autotrophic denitrification process activated by thiosulfate-driven autotrophic denitrifiers (TAD). Results showed that the best denitrification performance was observed in SCN-; while the reduction of nitrate was significantly inhibited in S2- system and the efficient accumulation of nitrite was observed in FeS system with cycle experiments continuing. Additionally, intermediates containing sulfur were produced rarely in SCN- system. However, the utilization of SCN- was limited obviously in comparison with S2- in coexistence systems. Moreover, the presence of S2- increased the accumulation peak of nitrite in coexistence systems. The biological results indicated that the TAD utilized rapidly these sulfur (-2) compounds, in which genus of Thiobacillus, Magnetospirillum and Azoarcus might play main roles. Moreover, Cupriavidus might also participate in sulfur oxidation in SCN- system. In conclusion, these might be attributed to the characteristics of sulfur (-2) compounds including the toxicity, solubility and reaction process. These findings provide theoretical basis for regulation and utilization of these reduced sulfur (-2) compounds in autotrophic denitrification process.

The efficient utilization of thiocyanate on simultaneous removal of ammonium and nitrate through thiosulfate-driven autotrophic denitrifiers and anammox.

The efficient utilization of thiocyanate remain be an important bottleneck in the low-cost nitrogen removal for wastewaters containing thiocyanate. The study aimed to investigate the feasibility of thiocyanate in removal of nitrate and ammonium through anammox (AN) and thiosulfate-driven autotrophic denitrifiers (TSAD). The results showed that removal of nitrate and ammonium were achieved rapidly utilizing thiocyanate, which was attributed to degradation of thiocyanate by TSAD and cooperation with AN. The utilization efficiency of thiocyanate in nitrogen removal was increased by 250% due to the microbial cooperation. Excess thiocyanate and ammonium did not influence the nitrogen removal amount. However, the nitrogen removal were affected obviously by the biomass ratio (XAN/XTSAD) between AN and TSAD Moreover, the dynamics related to removal of pollutants was described successfully by a modified Monod model with time constraints. These findings offer an insight for efficient utilization of thiocyanate in nitrogen removal via microbial cooperation.

Adsorption mechanism of trace heavy metals on microplastics and simulating their effect on microalgae in river.

Microplastics (MPs) and heavy-metal contamination in freshwater is an increasing concern. Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cd are common heavy metals that can easily flow into rivers causing water pollution. Microplastics act as carriers for heavy metals and increase the transport of contaminants in freshwater systems. We investigated the adsorption mechanisms of three kinds of MPs having similar particle sizes, namely polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), with respect to trace heavy metals of Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd under different temperature and salinity conditions. The reaction kinetics of the adsorption of different trace heavy metals on different MPs were consistent with both the quasi primary and quasi secondary kinetic models, indicating the complexity of heavy metal adsorption by MPs. The adsorption rate of heavy metal on MPs was mainly controlled by intra-particle diffusion, and the isotherm model indicated that the adsorption of Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd by MPs occurred in the form of monolayer physical adsorption. Additionally, an increase in temperature and decrease in salinity were favourable to improve the affinity of MPs toward heavy metals (through adsorption). Zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated that electrostatic force interaction was the main mechanism of the adsorption process; oxygen-containing functional groups, π-π interaction, and halogen bonds played important roles in the process of adsorption. Furthermore, the growth inhibition and oxidative stress of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris (GY-D27) due to PP, PS, and PVC were analysed; notably, MPs or Pb inhibited the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. However, the reduced toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris, with respect to a mixture of Pb and MPs, was confirmed using superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activities. Our results can be applied for the risk assessment of heavy metals and MPs in aquatic environments.

Microbial compositions, ecological networks, and metabolomics in sediments of black-odour water in Dongguan, China.

Black-odour water with organic compounds and heavy metals caused by domestic and industrial activities has aroused people's attention in recent years, yet little is known about the ecological effects on aquatic organisms, especially microorganisms in sediments. To explore the response of microbial communities to environmental factors, the community and metabolites of nine river sediments with different pollution in Dongguan city, China were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography tandem-mass. The results revealed that the composition and structure of sedimentary microbial communities significantly changed in rivers with varying pollution levels. Cyanobacteria were the most abundant organisms in the sediment of black-odorous rivers, while the relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota was gradually increased with the river quality gets better. The relative abundance of organic acids (including amino acids), alcohols, esters, and ketones associated with microbial metabolism in sediments of polluted rivers was increased. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based molecular ecological network analysis indicated that the interactions amongst bacteria were enhanced in severely contaminated communities. Sphingomonadaceae and Cyanobacteria have important roles in bacterial community structures of polluted rivers and those with ongoing treatment. The correlation analysis showed significant metal resistance and/or tolerance of the following bacteria species Thalassiosira weissflogii, Aminicenantes bacterium clone OPB95, 'Candidatus Halomonas phosphatis', and archaeal species Methanolinea and unidentified Thermoplasmata. These results indicated that sedimentary microbial communities may shift in composition and structure, as well as their interaction network, to adapt and resist environmental contamination and promote restoration.

Readiness for hospital discharge in primary caregivers for children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

AIM: To investigate existing status and factors affecting the readiness for hospital discharge in primary caregivers for children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in China. BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, but there is not enough research on the readiness for hospital discharge. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed by convenience sampling and questionnaire survey. METHODS: A self-developed questionnaire of general and clinical characteristics of patients, self-developed questionnaire of general status of family and primary caregivers, questionnaire of readiness of hospital discharge scale and social support rating scale for primary caregivers were delivered to 264 primary caregivers of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients. Data collection was carried out 24 h before discharge at bedside. In this study, the STROBE checklist was followed. RESULTS: In total, 253 patients aged 0-16 years, including their primary caregivers in the hospital, were included from November 2016 to August 2017. Based on the readiness scale, the total mean score of readiness was 157.36. Based on the social support scale, the total mean score was 42.17. According to multivariate analysis, periods of chemotherapy (p < .001), complications (p = .019), family economic situation (p = .023), understanding of leukaemia (p < .001), objective support (p = .004), subjective support (p < .001) and availability of support (p = .045) were the main influencers of readiness. CONCLUSIONS: The readiness for hospital discharge in primary caregivers for childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia patients is not satisfactory in China. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study has implications for public health administration, asking for better community services and disease education. In addition, more effort should be made to provide high-quality family and primary caregiver assessments and discharge education by nurses.

Distribution and Potential Sources of OCPs and PAHs in Waters from the Danshui River Basin in Yichang, China.

To investigate the concentrations, spatial distribution, potential sources and mass fluxes of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in waters from the Danshui River Basin, a total of 20 water samples were collected and analyzed from a karstic river in Western Hubei of Central China. The average concentrations of total OCPs and PAHs in the river water were 4719 pg·L-1 and 26.2 ng·L-1, respectively. The characteristic ratios of different isomers and the composition analysis of individual OCPs and PAHs revealed that HCHs originated from a mixed input of technical HCHs and Lindane, DDTs were mainly from technical DDTs, and PAHs mainly originated from biomass and coal combustion. The mass flux analysis showed that PAHs had a higher emission and heavier burden than OCPs in the Danshui River Basin. OCPs and PAHs emitted from agricultural or other human activities could enter the groundwater and then be transported to the surface/river water in the karst area. The adsorption of OCPs and PAHs by particles and the sedimentation of particles could be the primary processes to intercept these pollutants in the water of the karstic river system.

A randomized interventional study to promote milk secretion during mother-baby separation based on the health belief model: A consort compliant.

BACKGROUND: Breast milk is the most important nutrition for premature babies, but mothers of premature infants have difficulty in initiating and sustaining lactation. Breastfeeding infants who are separated with mothers have decreased morbidity. Nevertheless, such decrease is limited due to insufficient milk supply resulting from mother-baby separation during lac. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intervention methods based on the health belief model on promoting the secretion of milk among mothers who were separated with their babies. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial, we enrolled 260 separation mothers between September 26, 2016 and March 7, 2017, in a 3rd-grade women and children hospital of Chengdu. The mothers all had cesarean delivery and were randomized into 2 groups: the intervention group (educated by investigators based on the health belief) and the control group (routinely educated by obstetric nurses). Data on the onset of lactation and the milk volume during 3 days postpartum were collected. The breast swelling rate within 3 days postpartum and the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 42 days postpartum were compared. The psychologic scores of separation maternal in both groups were assessed with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory at the 3rd day postpartum. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly earlier lactation time (P < .01), significantly larger milk volume (P < .01) during 24, 24 to 48, and 48 to 72 hours, and significantly lower psychologic scores (P < .01) at the 3rd-day postpartum.The onset of lactation among mothers who initiated milk expression within 1 hour after childbirth were earlier than those who initiated milk expression between 1 and 6 hours (P < .01); the milk volume within 24-hour postpartum did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P > .05). However, the milk volume of the early-expression group (<1 hour) was significantly higher than that of the late-expression group (1-6 hours) during 24 to 48 and 48 to72 hours (P < .05).The breast swelling rate of separation mothers within 3 days postpartum in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group (P < .05). The exclusive breastfeeding rate of mothers in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group (59% vs 35%; P < .01) at 42 days postpartum. CONCLUSION: Nursing intervention based on the health belief model can stimulate milk secretion in mothers who were separated with their babies.

Risk factors for episiotomy during vaginal childbirth: A retrospective cohort study in Western China.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence rates and risk factors for episiotomy during vaginal childbirth in a Western China context. METHODS: A retrospective hospital-based cohort study was conducted using computerized data of 3721 singleton vaginal deliveries after 28 weeks of gestation. Women who underwent episiotomy were compared with those who did not. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of episiotomy was 44.0% (1636/3721); 52.9% (1458/2756) among primiparas and 18.4% (178/965) among multiparas (P < 0.001). Adjusted risk factors significantly associated with episiotomy included primiparity, prolonged second stage of labor, and labor-management personnel. Risk factors specific to primiparas were increasing maternal age (per year) (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.07, P = 0.035), increasing biparietal diameter (per centimeter) (OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.84, P = 0.017), first stage of labor beyond 10-hour (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.68, P = 0.005), and birth weight (per 100 g) (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.09, P < 0.001). Birth weight resulted in an adjusted risk increase of 6.1% among primiparas for every 100 additional grams of birth weight. For the analysis stratified by labor-management personnel, moderately experienced midwifery was a risk factor of episiotomy (OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.56, P = 0.003); midwives with bachelor's degree (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.88, P = 0.002), and obstetricians with doctor's degree (OR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.39, P = 0.010) were most likely to perform episiotomy. CONCLUSION: Episiotomy is still commonly performed in Western China. A survey of maternity care professionals' knowledge of and attitudes towards episiotomy is urgently required to explore the complex reasons for conducting episiotomy.

The association between obstructive sleep apnea and shortened telomere length: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to provide a more precise estimate of the relationship between telomere length and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by systematically reviewing evidence. METHOD: We conducted a systematic electronic search in the databases of the PUBMED, PsycINFO, OVID (Medline), EMBASE and other resources (such as Google Scholar). The methodological quality of the articles was assessed according to the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Heterogeneity was assessed using the chi-square test for Cochrane's Q statistic and I-squared. When heterogeneity was found to be reasonably high between studies, the random-effects model with the mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) was conducted using RevMan 5 software by using the inverse variance method (P < 0.05; chi-square test). By contrast, the fixed-effects model was carried out. RESULTS: Eight eligible studies involving 2639 participants were included in our meta-analysis. Shortened telomere length was significantly associated with OSA with mean difference of -0.03 (95% CI: -0.06, -0.00; P = 0.003 with I-square of 85%）. The results of subgroup analysis preformed by age and sample number suggested that shorter telomere length was significantly associated with OSA, with mean difference of -0.07 (95% CI: -0.07, -0.01; P = 0.005) for adult group and -0.04 (95% CI: -0.02, -0.06; P = 0.005) for large-sample studies. CONCLUSION: Compared to healthy people, individuals with OSA have shorter telomere lengths which implicates early intervention and timely treatment for preventing future adverse outcomes.

Factors affecting breastfeeding adherence among Chinese mothers: A multicenter study.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for both infant and mother, but discontinuation of breastfeeding is very common.To investigate maternal breastfeeding intention and the rate of breastfeeding based on the theory of reasoned action, and analyze the predominant factors associated with breastfeeding and breastfeeding problems.This observational study was conducted in 3 hospitals. Three researchers recruited women at 3 time points in the hospitals: initial documentation of pregnancy at the outpatient department, prenatal admission, and postpartum discharge. SPSS version 21 was used for statistical analyses. Significance was set at P < .05. In the multivariate analysis, binary logistic regression was used and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.We recruited 1260 women, with 420 pregnant women at each time point. 55.1% of the infants were exclusively breastfed, 40.6% were mixed fed, and 4.3% were formula fed when discharged from hospital. A total of 53.8% of the mothers declared having breastfeeding problems. The multivariate analysis showed that nonsuccessful breastfeeding was associated with neonatal birth length, food intake before breastfeeding, infrequent sucking, the intention of breastfeeding, understanding level of the benefits of breastfeeding and that breastfeeding problems were related with the understanding level of the benefits of breastfeeding, neonatal birth length, normal vaginal delivery, breast size, the experience of breastfeeding, use of pacifier and the needs of family member's support in breastfeeding.Most mothers who intended to practice exclusive breastfeeding initially chose to add formula and had breastfeeding problems when discharged from hospital. Successful breastfeeding depends on antenatal and postnatal breastfeeding education and on support provided by healthcare professionals.

Oral CoQ10 attenuates high salt-induced hypertension by restoring neurotransmitters and cytokines in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

High salt intake leads to an increase in some proinflammatory cytokines and neurotransmitters involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The purpose of this work was to know if oral administration of anti-oxidant and free-radical scavenger CoQ10 may attenuate high salt-induced hypertension via regulating neurotransmitters and cytokines in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed with a normal salt diet (NS, 0.3% NaCl) or a high salt diet (HS, 8% NaCl) for 15 weeks to induce hypertension. These rats received CoQ10 (10 mg/kg/day) dissolved in olive oil was given by gavage (10 mg/kg/day) for 15 weeks. HS resulted in higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA). These HS rats had higher PVN levels of norepinephrine (NE), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), interleukin (IL)-1ß, NOX2 and NOX4, lower PVN levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), IL-10, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and the 67-kDa isoform of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67), as compared with NS group. CoQ10 supplementation reduced NE, TH, IL-1ß, NOX2 and NOX4 in the PVN, and induced IL-10, Cu/Zn-SOD and GAD67 in the PVN. These findings suggest that CoQ10 supplementation restores neurotransmitters and cytokines in the PVN, thereby attenuating high salt-induced hypertension.

Comparability of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pediatric short form symptom measures across culture: examination between Chinese and American children with cancer.

PURPOSE: Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric forms measure symptoms and function of pediatric patients experiencing chronic disease by using the same measures. Comparability is one of the most important purposes of the PROMIS initiative. This study aimed to test the factorial structures of four symptom measures (i.e., Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, and Pain Interference) in the original English and the Chinese versions and examine the measurement invariance of the measures across two cultures. METHODS: Four PROMIS Pediatric measures were used to assess symptoms, respectively, in Chinese (n = 232) and American (n = 200) children and adolescents (8-17 years old) in treatment for cancer or in survivorship. The categorical confirmatory factor analysis (CCFA) model was used to examine factorial structures, and multigroup CCFA was applied to test measurement invariance of these measures between the Chinese and American samples. RESULTS: The CCFA models of the four PROMIS Pediatric symptom measures fit the data well for both the Chinese and American children and adolescents. Minor partial measurement invariance was identified. Factor means and factor variances of the four PROMIS measures were not significantly different between the two populations. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that the four PROMIS Pediatric symptom measures have valid factorial structures and a statistical property of measurement invariance across American and Chinese children and adolescents with cancer. This means that the items of these measures were interpreted in a conceptually similar manner by two groups. They could be readily used for meaningful cross-cultural comparisons involving pediatric oncology patients in these two countries.

Targeting Interleukin-1 beta to Suppress Sympathoexcitation in Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Hypertensive Rats.

Findings from our laboratory indicate that expressions of some proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6 and oxidative stress responses are increased in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and contribute to the progression of salt-sensitive hypertension. In this study, we determined whether interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) activation within the PVN contributes to sympathoexcitation during development of salt-dependent hypertension. Eight-week-old male Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats received a high-salt diet (HS, 8 % NaCl) or a normal-salt diet (NS, 0.3 % NaCl) for 6 weeks, and all rats were treated with bilateral PVN injection of gevokizumab (IL-1ß inhibitor, 1 µL of 10 µg) or vehicle once a week. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and plasma norepinephrine (NE) were significantly increased in high-salt-fed rats. In addition, rats with high-salt diet had higher levels of NOX-2, NOX-4 [subunits of NAD (P) H oxidase], IL-1ß, NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3), Fra-LI (an indicator of chronic neuronal activation) and lower levels of IL-10 in the PVN than normal-diet rats. Bilateral PVN injection of gevokizumab decreased MAP, HR and NE, attenuated the levels of oxidative stress and restored the balance of cytokines. These findings suggest that IL-1ß activation in the PVN plays a role in salt-sensitive hypertension.

Pretreatment with pPolyHb attenuates H2O2-induced endothelial cell injury through inhibition of JNK/p38 MAPK pathway by upregulation of heme oxygenase-1.

Polymerized porcine hemoglobin (pPolyHb) exhibits a protective effect on ischemia/reperfusion of organ grafts. A series of experiments were performed to explore the underlying cytoprotective mechanisms of pPolyHb pretreatment on H2O2-induced cell death and apoptosis. The results showed that the pretreatment augmented heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, and at the same time, decreased the phosphorylation of JNK/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and intracellular ROS generation in H2O2-treated HUVECs. Moreover, the inhibition of HO-1 expression by tin porphyrin (SnPP) abolished the protective effects of pPolyHb, which suggested that the cytoprotective effect of pPolyHb involves upregulating HO-1 and subsequently decreasing the phosphorylation of the JNK and p38 MAPK and ROS generation.

The emotional distress of children with cancer in China: an item response analysis of C-Ped-PROMIS Anxiety and Depression short forms.

PURPOSE: The pediatric patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) was developed to provide self-reported item banks and short forms for children and adolescents (aged 8-17 years) experiencing a chronic illness to assess their quality of life and symptoms. The pediatric PROMIS short forms have been translated into Chinese and applied in children with cancer in China. This study aimed to describe psychometric properties of the Anxiety and Depression measures. METHODS: A total of 232 children and adolescents with cancer were recruited in hospital-based inpatient and outpatient clinics. Eight Chinese versions of pediatric PROMIS (C-Ped-PROMIS) measures were administered. Categorical confirmatory factor analysis (CCFA) were conducted to evaluate scale dimensionality and item local dependence of the C-Ped-PROMIS Anxiety and Depression items. Multiple indicator multiple cause models were used to analyze differential item functioning (DIF), item response theory parameters were calculated, and test information against T scores was reported for each measure. RESULTS: The results of the CCFA confirmed that both C-Ped-PROMIS Anxiety and Depression scales appropriately measure the theoretical constructs as designed. No significant DIF was found for the items of the two scales according to age and gender. Both scales have high test reliability as long as their T scores are not on the low or high extremes. CONCLUSIONS: The pediatric PROMIS Anxiety and Depression measures were developed to provide efficient and flexible assessment of emotional distress domains. Our results provide evidence that the two C-Ped-PROMIS measures can be readily applied to measure anxious and depressive symptoms in Chinese children with cancer.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray study of a (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase from Bacillus coagulans 2-6.

(2R,3R)-2,3-Butanediol dehydrogenase (R,R-BDH) from Bacillus coagulans 2-6 is a zinc-dependent medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase. Recombinant R,R-BDH with a His6 tag at the C-terminus was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells and purified by Ni2+-chelating affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals were grown by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 289 K. The crystallization condition consisted of 8%(v/v) Tacsimate pH 4.6, 18%(w/v) polyethylene glycol 3350. The crystal diffracted to 2.8 Šresolution in the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a=88.35, b=128.73, c=131.03 Å.

[Correlation study between OPN, CD44v6, MMP-9 and distant metastasis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). METHOD: The expression of OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 in the 47 cases of LSCC and 10 cases normal mucosa were detected by immunohistochemical method. The correlation between OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 proteins expressions and the correlation between them and clinicopathological feature were also studied. RESULT: (1) The positive expression rates of OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 were 63.8%, 76.6% and 68.1% in LSCC of 47 cases and, and 10%, 30% and 0 in the tumor adjacent issue. (2) The positive rate of OPN and CD44v6 was significantly correlated with the clinical staging, the pathological grading and the metastasis of cervical lymph node (P < 0.05). The positive rate of MMP-9 was correlated with the clinical staging and the metastasis of cervical lymph node (P < 0.05). The positive rates of OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 were not correlated with patient's age, sex and tumor location (P > 0.05). (3) The expression of OPN was well correlated with the positive rate of CD44v6 and MMP-9 in LSCC (r = 0.421, P < 0.01, r = 0.340, P < 0.05). The expression of positive rate of CD44v6 and MMP-9 was well related in LSCC as well (r = 0.376, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: There is a high level of expression of OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 in LSCC. OPN, CD44v6 and MMP-9 are positively related and involved in the invasion and metastasis of LSCC.

Paraventricular nucleus corticotrophin releasing hormone contributes to sympathoexcitation via interaction with neurotransmitters in heart failure.

Recent studies indicate that systemic administration of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α induces increases in corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and CRH type 1 receptors in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). In this study, we explored the hypothesis that CRH in the PVN contributes to sympathoexcitation via interaction with neurotransmitters in heart failure (HF). Sprague-Dawley rats with HF or sham-operated controls (SHAM) were treated for 4 weeks with a continuous bilateral PVN infusion of the selective CRH-R1 antagonist NBI-27914 or vehicle. Rats with HF had higher levels of glutamate, norepinephrine (NE) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and lower levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the 67-kDa isoform of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67) in the PVN when compared to SHAM rats. Plasma levels of cytokines, NE, ACTH and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were increased in HF rats. Bilateral PVN infusions of NBI-27914 attenuated the decreases in PVN GABA and GAD67, and the increases in RSNA, ACTH and PVN glutamate, NE and TH observed in HF rats. These findings suggest that CRH in the PVN modulates neurotransmitters and contributes to sympathoexcitation in rats with ischemia-induced HF.