Induction chemotherapy for the individualised treatment of hypopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical oesophageal invasion: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of induction chemotherapy as an indicator of the management of advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical oesophageal invasion. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients admitted to our hospital between February 2003 and November 2016 with stage IVB hypopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical oesophageal invasion were retrospectively analysed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment they selected following an explanation of the different treatments available. Patients in group A received induction chemotherapy and had (1) complete/partial remission following chemotherapy and radiotherapy/concurrent chemoradiotherapy or (2) stable disease following chemotherapy and surgery. Patients in group B underwent surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy/concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between the groups were evaluated using the log-rank test. Laryngeal and oesophageal retention rates were compared using the cross-tabulation test. RESULTS: The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 22.86% and 11.43% in group A and 24.25% and 6.06% in group B, respectively (all P > 0.05). The laryngeal and oesophageal retention rates were 40.0% and 74.3% in group A and 0.0% and 27.3% in group B, respectively (all P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of post-operative complications between the two groups (group A 8.6%, group B 12.1%; P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Induction chemotherapy may be an appropriate first choice to ensure laryngeal and oesophageal preservation in the individualised treatment of advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical oesophageal invasion.

[Study on lipid-lowering mechanism of active peptide DP17 from Eupolyphaga steleophaga in hyperlipidemia rats].

The aim of this paper was to investigate the mechanism of the active peptide DP17 of Eupolyphaga steleophaga in the treatment of hyperlipidemia rats. HPLC and MADIL-TOF/TOF-MS were used for the amino acid sequence analysis and solid-phase synthesis on the active peptide of E. steleophaga which were obtained by biomimetic enzymatic hydrolysis, separation and purification. The hyperlipidemia model was established by feeding with high-fat diet.Twenty days later, the rats in the blank group and the model group were given the saline and the rats in remaining groups were given the corresponding drugs by oral administration. After administration for 4 weeks, the levels of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC) and low density lipoprotein(LDL) in serum, the levels of TG, TC, adenosine monophosphate(AMP), adenosine triphosphate(ATP) in liver tissues and TG in feces were detected, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissues. The Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR method was used to detect the expression of acetyl coa carboxylase(ACC) and hydroxymethylglutaryl-coa reductase(HMGCR) mRNA in liver tissues. The expression of mammalian target of rapamycin(mTORC1) protein and adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK) in liver tissues were detected by Western blot. The analysis showed that the amino acid sequence of active peptide from E. steleophaga was DAVPGAGPAGCHPGAGP(DP17). The results of pharmacological experiments showed that after oral administration of DP17 in rats, the levels of TG, TC and LDL in serum as well as TG and TC levels in liver tissues were significantly decreased(P<0.05), while the levels of AMP, ATP in liver tissues and TG content in feces were significantly increased(P<0.05); the liver steatosis of rats was significantly relieved; the expression of ACC, HMGCR mRNA and mTORC1 protein in liver tissues were significantly reduced, while the expression of AMPK phosphorylated protein was significantly increased(P<0.05). DP17, the active peptide of E. steleophag can significantly reduce lipid accumulation in liver tissues, and it may play a role in reducing blood lipids by regulating the energy metabolism balance in the body and activating AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

A strategy for characterization of persistent heteroduplex DNA in higher plants.

Heteroduplex DNA (hDNA) generated during homologous recombination (HR) is an important component that shapes genetic diversity in sexually reproducing organisms. However, studies of this process in higher plants are limited. This is because hDNAs are difficult to capture in higher plants as their reproductive developmental model only produces normal gametes and does not preserve the mitotic products of the post-meiotic segregation (PMS) process which is crucial for studying hDNAs. In this study, using the model system for tree and woody perennial plant biology (Populus), we propose a strategy for characterizing hDNAs in higher plants. We captured hDNAs by constructing triploid hybrids originating from a cross between unreduced 2n eggs (containing hDNA information as a result of inhibition chromosome segregation at the PMS stage) with normal male gametes. These triploid hybrids allowed us to detect the frequency and location of persistent hDNAs resulting from HR at the molecular level. We found that the frequency of persistent hDNAs, which ranged from 5.3 to 76.6%, was related to locations of the simple sequence repeat markers at the chromosomes, such as the locus-centromere distance, the surrounding DNA sequence and epigenetic information, and the richness of protein-coding transcripts at these loci. In summary, this study provides a method for characterizing persistent hDNAs in higher plants. When high-throughput sequencing techniques can be incorporated, genome-wide persistent hDNA assays for higher plants can be easily carried out using the strategy presented in this study.

[The research on xiaochalhu decoction improving the inflammation of chronic glomerulonephritis patients and relieving the proteinuria].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the balance of T help cell1/2 (Th1/Th2), the changes of correlated proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-4), and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and the abnormal expression of IL-17, the effector of T help cell17 (Th17) in chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN)patients with Shaoyang disease, thus revealing the mechanisms of Xiaochaihu Decoction (XD) for treating proteinuria of CGN patients according to the theory of mediating Shaoyang meridian. METHODS: Totally 70 CGN patients with Shaoyang disease were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group (treated by XD) and the control group [treated by Shenyan Kangfu Tablet (SKT)], 35 in each group. Besides, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group. Besides, routine therapy of chronic kidney disease (CKD), patients in the treatment group and the control group were treated with XD and SKT respectively for 4 weeks. The changes of Chinese medical syndrome, the effectiveness, 24-h urinary protein, renal functions, the peripheral blood IFN-gamma, IL-4, Th1/Th2, IL-17, and RANTES were compared. RESULTS: Before treatment the Th1/Th2, IL-17, and RANTES of the two treated groups were higher, and the IL-4 level was lower than those of the healthy control group (P < 0.05). After treatment the improvement of Chinese medical syndrome, main symptoms, the effectiveness was better in the XD group than in the SKT group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The proteinuria obviously decreased in the treatment group, with the efficacy superior to the SKT group (P < 0.05). The Th1/Th2, IL-17, and RANTES decreased to various degrees when compared with the SKT group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The IL-4 level increased more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the improvement of the renal function (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The immune disorder of the CGN patients with Shaoyang disease was correlated with Th1/Th2 imbalance, and abnormal changes of Th17 cell functions and RANTES. XD could improve the inflammation by regulating the immune disorder of CGN patients with Shaoyang disease, which proved that the theory of mediating Shaoyang meridian could be used to improve the inflammation of CGN patients, thus relieving the proteinuria.

Effects of No.2 Renal Failure Recipe on expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 and -1 mRNAs in rats with chronic renal failure.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of No. 2 Renal Failure Recipe (No. 2RFR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) mRNAs in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF). METHODS: A rat model of CRF was successfully established by infarction of approximately two-thirds of the left kidney and removal of the right kidney (ablation/infarction, A/I). Thirty A/I rats were randomly divided into untreated group, celebrex group and No. 2RFR group. Another 10 SD rats were selected as normal control group. After 2-month treatment, the pathology of the nephridial tissue was observed with hematoxylin and eosin straining under a light microscope. Renal function including serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was determined by using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Expressions of COX-2 and COX-1 mRNAs in nephridial tissues were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: No. 2RFR could significantly decrease the levels of SCr and BUN. Renal function and morphology of CRF rats were ameliorated and the expressions of COX-2 mRNA were decreased significantly in the No. 2RFR group and the celebrex group, but the expressions of COX-1 mRNA had no differences among the four groups. CONCLUSION: No. 2RFR can improve renal function and reduce glomerular sclerosis and renal fibrosis by inhibiting the over-expression of the COX-2 mRNA.

Chinese Siblings with Prader-Willi Syndrome Inherited from Their Paternal Grandmother.

BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex neurobehavioral disorder caused by failure of expression of paternally inherited genes in the PWS region of chromosome 15. CASE CHARACTERISTICS: Two siblings who both met the inclusion criteria for clinical diagnosis of PWS during neonatal period. OUTCOME: Molecular genetic analysis demonstrated a 417-kb microdeletion within the 15q11.2 region inherited from siblings' paternal grandmother, involving key genes of PWS, except for UBE3A, which may explain why their father and paternal grandmother had a normal phenotype. CONCLUSION: The findings may be helpful for better understanding of the underlying mechanism of this rare imprinting defect.

Research Progress on Animal Models of Long Bone Fractures / 实验动物与比较医学

Traumatic fractures and stress fractures are common orthopedic diseases, and there is great potential in researching bone turnover, repair, and promotion of fracture healing. Basic medical experiments often use animal models of long bone fractures in limbs to study the mechanisms of various interventions on fracture healing. Fracture healing is a complex process influenced by multiple factors and involves multiple molecules and pathways. Therefore, to explore the mechanisms more deeply, accelerate the translation of results, and improve the clinical efficacy, it is particularly important to choose the appropriate animal fracture modeling methods in experimental research. Based on this, this paper conducts a literature review of animal species and modeling methods commonly used for long bone fracture models in experimental research. It summarizes five methods: bone defect method, physical impact method, mechanical bending method, open osteotomy method, and drilling method. A side-by-side comparison of their advantages, disadvantages, and scope of application is made, aiming to provide suitable fracture models for studying the mechanisms of fracture healing interventions.

Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) in Chinese children: genes and clinical phenotypes.

Background To investigate the clinical and molecular characteristics of Chinese children with maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY). Methods A total of 42 Chinese patients suspected MODY referred to our unit from 2014 to 2018 were enrolled. Mutational analysis of monogenic diabetes mellitus genes was performed by next-generation sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Results There were 28 males (66.7%) and 14 females (33.3%) with a mean age of 9.49 ± 3.46 years (range, 1.4-15.3 years) and a mean birth weight of 3.38 ± 0.49 kg (range, 2.55-4.90 kg). Among these patients, 15 patients had polyuria, polydipsia or weight loss. Two patients (4.8%) were obese and six (14.3%) were overweight. Moreover, 13 patients (30.9%) had a family history of diabetes. Thirty variants were identified in 28 patients. Twenty-six variants in 25 patients were pathogenic or likely pathogenic genes (59.5%, 25/42), including 15 patients (60.0%, 15/25) with GCK mutation, four (16.0%, 4/25) with PAX4 mutation, three (12.0%, 3/25) with HNF4A mutation, one (4.0%, 1/25) with INS mutation, one (4.0%, 1/25) with NEUROD1 mutation and one (4.0%, 1/25) with HNF1A mutation. Nine mutations (36.0%, 9/25) were novel. There was no difference between mutation-suspected patients and MODY-confirmed patients except for a 2-h glucose increment in an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), while the GCK-MODY had lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and a significantly smaller 2-h glucose increment in an OGTT compared with transcription factor MODYs. The GCK-MODY was identified by incidental hyperglycemia without glycosuria. GCK-MODY without drug management and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 alpha (HNF4A) or HNF1A-MODY with sulfonylurea therapy obtained good glucose controlling. Conclusions Mutation of the GCK gene is the most common in MODY patients in China followed by PAX4. The screening criteria can improve the cost-effectiveness of disease diagnosis and treatment. A precise molecular diagnosis would lead to optimal treatment of the patients.

Clinical observation of postoperative visual perceptual training in children with intermittent exotropia on the recovery of visual function at all levels / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the role of visual perception training on the recovery of visual function at all levels and the improvement of perceptual eye position in children with intermittent exotropia(IXT).METHODS: Prospective clinical study. A total of 74 patients with IXT who received corrective surgery for strabismus in the Ophthalmology Department of the First People's Hospital of Lanzhou City from January to June 2022 were collected and followed up for 3mo. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups at 1d after surgery: 35 patients in the training group received binocular visual perception training, and 39 patients in the control group did not receive visual training. The changes of visual function and perceived eye position at all levels were observed at 1d and 3mo after operation.RESULTS: There were 24 patients(69%)with simultaneous perception in the training group at 1d after surgery and 34 patients(97%)with recovered visual function at 3mo after surgery, which was significantly higher than 1d after surgery(P=0.002). Furthermore, there were 22 cases(56%)of fusion function in the control group at 3mo after surgery, 13 cases(33%)of far stereopsis, 20 cases(51%)of dynamic stereopsis and 17 cases(44%)of static fine stereopsis. In the training group, there were 31 cases(89%)of fusion function, 25 cases(71%)of far stereopsis, 30 cases(86%)of dynamic stereopsis and 27 cases(77%)of static fine stereopsis, which were significantly higher than those in the control group(all P&#x003C;0.05). The degree of perceived eye displacement in the training group decreased more significantly than that in the control group(all P&#x003C;0.05).CONCLUSION: Postoperative visual perceptual training in children with IXT can promote recovery of visual function at all levels, improve perceptual eye position and enhance the control of eye position at the perceptual level of the brain.

Antimicrobial resistance and genomic characterization of Campylobacter isolates recovered from retailed poultry meat samples in 20 provinces of China in 2020 / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To understand the antimicrobial resistance and genome characteristics of Campylobacter isolates recovered from retailed poultry meat samples in 20 provinces in China in 2020. Methods: In 2020, 265 Campylobacter strains including 244 Campylobacter jejuni and 21 Campylobacter coli collected from retailed poultry meat samples in China were tested for antimicrobial resistance to 9 antimicrobial compounds by using the agar dilution method. Forty-two selected isolates were sent for whole genome sequencing and 38 high-quality genomes were analyzed for their antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence genes, sequence types and genetic diversity. Results: The resistance rates of Campylobacter isolates from poultry meats to tetracycline, nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin were the highest (84%-100%), with 53.2% of the isolates showing multidrug resistance in this study. The resistance rates of C. coli to erythromycin, azithromycin, telithromycin, gentamicin and clindamycin were significantly higher than those of C. jejuni (P<0.05). The resistance genes conferring resistance to β-lactams (100%, 38/38), quinolones (94.7%, 36/38), tetracycline (81.6%, 31/38) and aminoglycosides (50%, 19/38) were the most frequently detected among 38 Campylobacter genomes. C. jejuni carried more virulence genes than C. coli. In total, 19 and 17 sequence types (ST) were obtained from 20 sequenced C. jejuni and 18 C. coli isolates, respectively, including 5 novel STs. The isolates showed a high genetic diversity based on their sequence types. Conclusion: The phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter from poultry meat sources in China is relatively serious, and resistance and virulence genes are widely distributed in Campylobacter. There is genetic diversity in Campylobacter.

Antimicrobial resistance and plasmid-mediated colistin resistance mechanism of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli recovered from foods in parts of China in 2020 / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of food-borne diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) and the prevalence of mcr genes that mediates mobile colistin resistance in parts of China, 2020. Methods: For 91 DEC isolates recovered from food sources collected from Fujian province, Hebei province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Shanghai city in 2020, Vitek2 Compact biochemical identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing platform was used for the detection of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) against to 18 kinds of antimicrobial compounds belonging to 9 categories, and multi-polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) was used to detect the mcr-1-mcr-9 genes, then a further AST, whole genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis were platformed for these DEC isolates which were PCR positive for mcr genes. Results: Seventy in 91 isolates showed different antimicrobial resistance levels to the drugs tested with a resistance rate of 76.92%. The isolates showed the highest antimicrobial resistance rates to ampicillin (69.23%, 63/91) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (59.34%, 54/91), respectively. The multiple drug-resistant rate was 47.25% (43/91). Two mcr-1 gene and ESBL (extended-spectrum beta-lactamase) positive EAEC (enteroaggregative Escherichia coli) strains were detected. One of them was identified as serotype of O11:H6, which showed a resistance profile to 25 tested drugs referring to 10 classes, and 38 drug resistance genes were predicted by genome analysis. The other one was O16:H48 serotype, which was resistant to 21 tested drugs belonging to 7 classes and carried a new variant of mcr-1 gene (mcr-1.35). Conclusion: An overall high-level antimicrobial resistance was found among foodborne DEC isolates recovered from parts of China in 2020, and so was the MDR (multi-drug resistance) condition. MDR strains carrying multiple resistance genes such as mcr-1 gene were detected, and a new variant of mcr-1 gene was also found. It is necessary to continue with a dynamic monitoring on DEC contamination and an ongoing research into antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.

Antimicrobial resistance and genomic characterization of Campylobacter isolates recovered from retailed poultry meat samples in 20 provinces of China in 2020 / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To understand the antimicrobial resistance and genome characteristics of Campylobacter isolates recovered from retailed poultry meat samples in 20 provinces in China in 2020. Methods: In 2020, 265 Campylobacter strains including 244 Campylobacter jejuni and 21 Campylobacter coli collected from retailed poultry meat samples in China were tested for antimicrobial resistance to 9 antimicrobial compounds by using the agar dilution method. Forty-two selected isolates were sent for whole genome sequencing and 38 high-quality genomes were analyzed for their antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence genes, sequence types and genetic diversity. Results: The resistance rates of Campylobacter isolates from poultry meats to tetracycline, nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin were the highest (84%-100%), with 53.2% of the isolates showing multidrug resistance in this study. The resistance rates of C. coli to erythromycin, azithromycin, telithromycin, gentamicin and clindamycin were significantly higher than those of C. jejuni (P<0.05). The resistance genes conferring resistance to β-lactams (100%, 38/38), quinolones (94.7%, 36/38), tetracycline (81.6%, 31/38) and aminoglycosides (50%, 19/38) were the most frequently detected among 38 Campylobacter genomes. C. jejuni carried more virulence genes than C. coli. In total, 19 and 17 sequence types (ST) were obtained from 20 sequenced C. jejuni and 18 C. coli isolates, respectively, including 5 novel STs. The isolates showed a high genetic diversity based on their sequence types. Conclusion: The phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter from poultry meat sources in China is relatively serious, and resistance and virulence genes are widely distributed in Campylobacter. There is genetic diversity in Campylobacter.

Comparison of the performance of chiral stationary phase for separation of fluoxetine enantiomers.

Separation of fluoxetine enantiomers on five chiral stationary phases (chiralcel OD-H, chiralcel OJ-H, chiralpak AD-H, cyclobond capital I, Ukrainian 2000 DM and kromasil CHI-TBB) was investigated. The optimal mobile phase compositions of fluoxetine separation on each column were hexane/isopropanol/diethyl amine (98/2/0.2, v/v/v), hexane/isopropanol/diethyl amine (99/1/0.1, v/v/v), hexane/isopropanol/diethyl amine (98/2/0.2, v/v/v), methanol/0.2% triethylamine acetic acid (TEAA) (25/75, v/v; pH 3.8) and hexane/isopropanol/diethyl amine (98/2/0.2, v/v/v), respectively. Experimental results demonstrated that baseline separation (R(S)>1.5) of fluoxetine enantiomers was obtained on chiralcel OD-H, chiralpak AD-H, and cyclobond capital I, Ukrainian 2000 DM while the best separation was obtained on the last one. The eluate orders of fluoxetine enantiomers on the columns were determined. The first eluate by chiralcel OJ-H and kromasil CHI-TBB is the S-enantiomer, while by chiralpak AD-H and cyclobond I 2000 DM is the R-enantiomer.

Mechanism study of neurofibromin 1 in gallbladder cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of neurofibromin 1 (NF1) in gallbla-dder cancer.Methods:The experimental study was conducted. Human gallbladder cancer cell lines, including GBC-SD, NOZ, SGC996, EH-GB1, ZJU0428, human embryonic kidneys cell line 293T and human cervical cancer cell line HELA, were cultured. The recombinant plasmids (mRFP-YAP1 FL-FLAG and eGFP-MYC-NF1 2650?2750-HA) were constructed for co-immunoprecipitation experiment. The truncated Yes associated protein 1(YAP1) and NF1 recombinant proteins were purified in vitro. The interaction between NF1 and YAP1 in vitro or in vivo were verified by isothermal titration calori-metry (ITC) assay, GST pull-down experiment, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, laser confocal microscopy, and the expression of NF1 protein in different gallbladder cancer cell lines was verified by Western blot experiments. Observation indicators: (1) interaction between NF1 and YAP1 in vitro; (2) interaction between NF1 and YAP1 in cells; (3) expression of NF1 protein in different human gallbladder cancer cell lines. The dissociation constants were exported from ITC 200 software and represented as Mean± SD. Count data were represented as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Interaction between NF1 and YAP1 in vitro. ① Results of ITC assay showed that there was interac-tion between PPQY and YAP1-WW1, between PPQY and YAP1 (Amino acid residues 162?275), and the dissociation constants between PPQY and YAP1-WW1, between PPQY and YAP1(Amino acid residues 162?275) were (0.42±0.06)mmol/L, (0.69±0.14)mmol/L, respectively. ② GST pull-down results indicated that the target protein His-Sumo-YAP1 WW1 was obviouly observed in protein lane of reaction system between GST-PPQY recombinant protein and His-Sumo-YAP1 WW1, relative to the reaction system between GST protein and His-Sumo-YAP1 WW1. The target protein His-Sumo-YAP1 WW2 was obviouly observed in protein lane of reaction system between GST-PPQY recombinant protein and His-Sumo-YAP1 WW2, relative to the reaction system between GST protein and His-Sumo-YAP1 WW2. (2) Interaction between NF1 and YAP1 in cells. ① Co-immunoprecipitation results indica-ted that NF1 protein was observed in cell lysis solution which was incubated by FLAG gel beads and cotransfected with mRFP-YAP1 FL-FLAG and eGFP-MYC-NF1 2650?2750-HA. ② Immuno-fluorescence and laser confocal microscopy results indicated that YAP1 and NF1 with obvious fluorescence were co-localized in the cytoplasm of human gallbladder cancer NOZ cells. However, YAP1 with obvious fluorescence was localized in the nucleus of human gallbladder SGC996 cells and NF1 showed weak fluorescence. (3) Expression of NF1 protein in different human gallbladder cancer cell lines. Western blot results showed that with the expression level of NF1 protein in HELA cell line as the standard, the relative expression levels of NF1 protein in EH-GB1, GBC-SD, NOZ, SGC996, ZJU0428 cell lines were 1.28, 0, 1.01, 0, 0, respectively. Conclusion:NF1 affects the gallbladder cancer by directly acting on YAP1 protein.

Shielding of the geomagnetic field reduces hydrogen peroxide production in human neuroblastoma cell and inhibits the activity of CuZn superoxide dismutase.

Accumulative evidence has shown the adverse effects of a geomagnetic field shielded condition, so called a hypomagnetic field (HMF), on the metabolic processes and oxidative stress in animals and cells. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we evaluate the role of HMF on the regulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We found that HMF exposure led to ROS decrease, and that restoring the decrease by additional H2O2 rescued the HMF-enhanced cell proliferation. The measurements on ROS related indexes, including total anti-oxidant capacity, H2O2 and superoxide anion levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and expression, indicated that the HMF reduced H2O2 production and inhibited the activity of CuZn-SOD. Moreover, the HMF accelerated the denaturation of CuZn-SOD as well as enhanced aggregation of CuZn-SOD protein, in vitro. Our findings indicate that CuZn-SOD is able to response to the HMF stress and suggest it a mediator of the HMF effect.

UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS/MS-based rapid identification of chemical components in substance benchmark of Kaixin San / 中国中药杂志

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS/MS) was used for rapid identification of the chemical components in Kaixin San substance benchmark. The gradient elution was performed through a Waters ACQUITY~(TM) BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.7 μm) with water-acetonitrile as mobile phase, a column temperature of 30 ℃, a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1), and a sample size of 1 μL. The scanning was performed in the negative ion mode. The complex component groups in Kaixin San substance benchmark were quickly and accurately identified and clearly assigned based on the comparison of the retention time and MS data with those of the reference substance as well as the relative molecular weight of the same or similar components in the mass spectrum database and literature. A total of 77 compounds were identified, including 26 saponins, 13 triterpenoid acids, 20 oligosaccharide esters, 5 xanthones, and 13 other compounds. The qualitative method established in this study can systematically, accurately, and quickly identify the chemical components in Kaixin San substance benchmark, which can provide a basis for the further analysis of its active components in vivo and the establishment of its quality control system.

Application of oral fluid in SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and antibody detection / 中华预防医学杂志

This study aimed to explore the application value of new biological specimen oral fluid in SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and antibody detection. Oral fluid and paired respiratory and blood specimens from 7 confirmed cases of two COVID-19 cluster epidemic were collected in Beijing from October to November 2021. SARS-CoV-2 virus and IgG antibody were detected by real time PCR kits and serum antibody detection reagents, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody in oral fluids was detected by a new established method of magnetic particle chemiluminescence. The results showed that the nucleic acid amplification test of SARS-CoV-2 on nasopharyngeal swabs, throat swabs and oral fluid specimens from 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19 was positive, among which the Ct value for ORF1a/b and N gene of oral fluid samples in 2 cases was close to that of throat swab, and the Ct value of oral fluid sample for 1 case was higher than that of throat swab. The complete genome sequence of one oral fluid specimen was obtained, which belonged to the VOC/Delta variant strain. The SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies of the paired oral fluid and serum were all positive, and the S/CO values of oral fluid were all lower than those of serum. The series of oral fluid results showed that SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody level increased from 11 to 32 days after the onset of the disease.

Relationship between body mass index and sexual development in Chinese children / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sexual development in Chinese children. Methods: A nationwide multicenter and population-based large cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on sex, age, height, weight were collected, BMI was calculated and sexual characteristics were analyzed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on age, including ages 3-<6 years, 6-<10 years, 10-<15 years and 15-<18 years. Multiple Logistic regression models were used for evaluating the associations of BMI with sexual development in children. Dichotomous Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the distribution of early and non-early puberty among normal weight, overweight and obese groups. Curves were drawn to analyze the relationship between the percentage of early puberty and BMI distribution in girls and boys at different Tanner stages. Results: A total of 208 179 healthy children (96 471 girls and 111 708 boys) were enrolled in this study. The OR values of B2, B3 and B4+ in overweight girls were 1.72 (95%CI: 1.56-1.89), 3.19 (95%CI: 2.86-3.57), 7.14 (95%CI: 6.33-8.05) and in obese girls were 2.05 (95%CI: 1.88-2.24), 4.98 (95%CI: 4.49-5.53), 11.21 (95%CI: 9.98-12.59), respectively; while the OR values of G2, G3, G4+ in overweight boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.38), 1.52 (95%CI: 1.36-1.70), 1.88 (95%CI: 1.66-2.14) and in obese boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.37), 1.59 (95%CI: 1.43-1.78), and 1.93 (95%CI: 1.70-2.18) (compared with normal weight Tanner 1 group,all P<0.01). Analysis in different age groups found that OR values of obese girls at B2 stage and boys at G2 stage were 2.02 (95%CI: 1.06-3.86) and 2.32 (95%CI:1.05-5.12) in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, respectively (both P<0.05). And in the age group of 6-10 years, overweight girls had a 5.45-fold risk and obese girls had a 12.54-fold risk of B3 stage compared to girls with normal BMI. Compared with normal weight children, the risk of early puberty was 2.67 times higher in overweight girls, 3.63 times higher in obese girls, and 1.22 times higher in overweight boys, 1.35 times higher in obese boys (all P<0.01). Among the children at each Tanner stages, the percentage of early puberty increased with the increase of BMI, from 5.7% (80/1 397), 16.1% (48/299), 13.8% (27/195) to 25.7% (198/769), 65.1% (209/321), 65.4% (157/240) in girls aged 8-<9, 10-<11 and 11-<12 years, and 6.6% (34/513), 18.7% (51/273), 21.6% (57/264) to 13.3% (96/722), 46.4% (140/302), 47.5% (105/221) in boys aged 9-<10, 12-<13 and 13-<14 years, respectively. Conclusions: BMI is positively correlated with sexual development in both Chinese boys and girls, and the correlation is stronger in girls. Obesity is a risk factor for precocious puberty in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, and 6-<10 years of age is a high risk period for early development in obese girls.

Clinical effect of different maintenance doses of caffeine citrate in the treatment of preterm infants requiring assisted ventilation: a pilot multicenter study / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To explore the optimal maintenance dose of caffeine citrate for preterm infants requiring assisted ventilation and caffeine citrate treatment.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 566 preterm infants (gestational age ≤34 weeks) who were treated and required assisted ventilation and caffeine citrate treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit of 30 tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu Province of China between January 1 and December 31, 2019. The 405 preterm infants receiving high-dose (10 mg/kg per day) caffeine citrate after a loading dose of 20 mg/kg within 24 hours after birth were enrolled as the high-dose group. The 161 preterm infants receiving low-dose (5 mg/kg per day) caffeine citrate were enrolled as the low-dose group.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the low-dose group, the high-dose group had significant reductions in the need for high-concentration oxygen during assisted ventilation (P=0.044), the duration of oxygen inhalation after weaning from noninvasive ventilation (P<0.01), total oxygen inhalation time during hospitalization (P<0.01), the proportion of preterm infants requiring noninvasive ventilation again (P<0.01), the rate of use of pulmonary surfactant and budesonide (P<0.05), and the incidence rates of apnea and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.01), but the high-dose group had a significantly increased incidence rate of feeding intolerance (P=0.032). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the body weight change, the incidence rates of retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage or necrotizing enterocolitis, the mortality rate, and the duration of caffeine use (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#This pilot multicenter study shows that the high maintenance dose (10 mg/kg per day) is generally beneficial to preterm infants in China and does not increase the incidence rate of common adverse reactions. For the risk of feeding intolerance, further research is needed to eliminate the interference of confounding factors as far as possible.

Analysis of clinical phenotype and genotype of Chinese children with disorders of sex development / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To explore the heterogeneity and correlation of clinical phenotypes and genotypes in children with disorders of sex development (DSD). Methods: A retrospective study of 1 235 patients with clinically proposed DSD in 36 pediatric medical institutions across the country from January 2017 to May 2021. After capturing 277 DSD-related candidate genes, second-generation sequencing was performed to analyzed the heterogeneity and correlation combined with clinical phenotypes. Results: Among 1 235 children with clinically proposed DSD, 980 were males and 255 were females of social gender at the time of initial diagnosis with the age ranged from 1 day of age to 17.92 years. A total of 443 children with pathogenic variants were detected through molecular genetic studies, with a positive detection rate of 35.9%. The most common clinical phenotypes were micropenis (455 cases), hypospadias (321 cases), and cryptorchidism (172 cases) and common mutations detected were in SRD5A2 gene (80 cases), AR gene (53 cases) and CYP21A2 gene (44 cases). Among them, the SRD5A2 mutation is the most common in children with simple micropenis and simple hypospadias, while the AMH mutation is the most common in children with simple cryptorchidism. Conclusions: The SRD5A2 mutation is the most common genetic variant in Chinese children with DSD, and micropenis, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias are the most common clinical phenotypes. Molecular diagnosis can provide clues about the biological basis of DSD, and can also guide clinicians to perform specific clinical examinations. Target sequence capture probes and next-generation sequencing technology can provide effective and economical genetic diagnosis for children with DSD.