Diagnostic value of the hypertonic saline bronchial provocation test in children with asthma using the high-power aerosol provocation system.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of the modified hypertonic saline bronchial provocation test (HS-BPT) for children with asthma by using the high-power Aerosol Provocation System (APS).Methods: A total of 330 children suspected of having asthma and receiving HS-BPT-APS were included in this prospective survey conducted in Guangzhou, China from February 2017 to September 2018. The positive rate of HS-BPT-APS and the volume and types of adverse reactions were observed. There was also a retrospective cohort of 123 children with suspected asthma who underwent a methacholine BPT from 2015 to 2017. Using the method of nearest neighbor matching, a comparison was made of the positive rate and adverse reaction between the methacholine BPT group and HS-BPT-APS group.Results: The total positive rate of HS-BPT-APS was 43.9%. Common adverse reactions included cough, wheezing and chest tightness. There were no serious adverse reactions. Results of nearest neighbor matching showed a difference in the positive rate between the methacholine BPT group and HS-BPT-APS group (8.1% vs 18.2%, p = 0.026), but there was no statistically significant difference between the age groups in patients who received the methacholine BPT or HS-BPT-APS. There was a similar adverse reaction rate in the two groups (p = 0.609).Conclusions: HS-BPT-APS is simple, safe, and time-saving, with few adverse reactions. The positive rate of HS-BPT-APS was higher than that of methacholine BPT in children with asthma. HS-BPT-APS may be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of children with asthma, and further study is required.

Structure, Shift in Redox Potential and Li-Ion Diffusion Behavior in Favorite LiFe1⁻xVxPO4F Solid-Solution Cathodes.

Solid-solution Li-ion cathode materials transform through a single-phase reaction thus leading to a long-term structural stability and improved cyclability. In this work, a two- to single-phase Li+-extraction/insertion mechanism is studied through tuning the stoichiometry of transition-metal Fe/V cations to trigger a transition in the chemical reactivity path. Tavorite triclinic-structured LiFe1-xVxPO4F (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1) solid-solution powders were prepared by a facile one-step solid-state method from hydrothermal-synthesized and commercial raw materials. The broad shape of cyclic voltammetry (CV) peaks, sloping charge/discharge profiles and sloping open-circuit voltage (OCV) profiles were observed in LiFe1-xVxPO4F solid-solution cathodes while 0 < x < 1. These confirm strongly a single-phase behavior which is different from the two-phase behavior in the end-members (x = 0 or 1). The electronegativity of M (M = Fe1-xVx) for the redox potential of Fe2+/3+ couple or the M-O4F2 bond length for the V3+/4+ couple plays respectively a dominant role in LiFe1-xVxPO4F solid-solution cathodes.

[Heavy Metal Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Golden Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) Habitat in Shennongjia Mountains].

The golden snub-nosed monkey is one of the most endangered animal species endemic to China. In order to explore the characteristics and health risks of golden snub-nosed monkeys exposed to heavy metals, we collected the plant food sources, soil, and water samples from the golden snub-nosed monkey habitat in the Shennongjia Mountains; examined the contents of seven heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, and As); and adopted the comprehensive pollution index, potential ecological risk index, and Nemerow index to evaluate pollutants in the water, soil, and food plants. At the same time, the Target Hazard Quotient method was used to assess heavy metals in the food plants. The results showed that the heavy metal concentration of the habitat water was 0.004-1.220 µg·L-1. The water comprehensive pollution index showed that the habitat water was safe. In addition, the ω(Cd)(0.162-0.822 mg·kg-1) in the soil was 2.71 times the background value of the soil in Hubei province, indicating a moderate risk of ecological harm. The over-standard rates of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni in food plants were 29%, 29%, 18%, and 35%, respectively; the pollution indexes of lichen and bark were 6.038 and 7.709, which were at a heavy pollution level; and the pollution indexes of Abies fragesii and Vicia cracca were 2.716 and 2.034, which indicated a moderately polluted level. The rest of the plants were at a safe level. Our health risk analysis showed that the risk of lichen and bark were higher than that of leaves, followed by fruits. Among the seven metals, As most threatened the health of the golden snub-nosed monkeys (THQ>1). In general, heavy metals had polluted the habitats of the golden snub-nosed monkeys in the Shennongjia Mountains, and we are certain that the heavy metal pollution was associated with human activities. Thus, human activities in the Shennongjia Mountains should be reasonably restricted in the future. Our results can provide scientific support for the population conservation of golden snub-nosed monkeys in China and provide research samples in the health risk valuation of heavy metals in endangered animals through food plants.

Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Treat Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (hUC-MSC-NMOSD): A Study Protocol for a Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Neuromyelitis Optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is severe relapsing and disabling autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Its optimal first-line treatment to reduce relapse rate and ameliorate neurological disability remains unclear. We will conduct a prospective, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to study the safety and effectiveness of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) in treating NMOSD. Methods: The trial is planned to recruit 430 AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD patients. It consists of three consecutive stages. The first stage will be carried out in the leading center only and aims to evaluate the safety of hUC-MSCs. Patients will be treated with three different doses of hUC-MSCs: 1, 2, or 5 × 106 MSC/kg·weight for the low-, medium-, and high-dose group, respectively. The second and third stages will be carried out in six centers. The second stage aims to find the optimal dosage. Patients will be 1:1:1:1 randomized into the low-, medium-, high-dose group and the controlled group. The third stage aims to evaluate the effectiveness. Patients will be 1:1 randomized into the optimal dose and the controlled group. The primary endpoint is the first recurrent time and secondary endpoints are the recurrent times, EDSS scores, MRI lesion numbers, OSIS scores, Hauser walking index, and SF-36 scores. Endpoint events and side effects will be evaluated every 3 months for 2 years. Discussion: Although hUC-MSC has shown promising treatment effects of NMOSD in preclinical studies, there is still a lack of well-designed clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of hUC-MSC among NMOSD patients. As far as we know, this trial will be the first one to systematically demonstrate the clinical safety and efficacy of hUC-MSC in treating NMOSD and might be able to determine the optimal dose of hUC-MSC for NMOSD patients. Trial registration: The study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (CHICTR.org.cn) on 2 March 2016 (registration No. ChiCTR-INR-16008037), and the revised trial protocol (Protocol version 1.2.1) was released on 16 March 2020.

Effects of Dingchuan Decoction on Lung Function and Clinical Effectiveness Rate in Children with Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dingchuan decoction (DCD) is a traditional Chinese prescription for asthma that remains popular today. To systematically evaluate the effect of DCD on lung function, clinical effectiveness rate, and safety in children with asthma, significant databases were searched for randomized controlled trials from their inception to September 9, 2019. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of DCD on lung function and clinical effectiveness rate in children with asthma were included in this meta-analysis. The methodological quality of the included trials was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. RevMan 5.3 was used for data analysis. Fourteen studies with 1,384 children were reviewed. FEV1 improvement rate (mean difference [MD] 12.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.72-16.29), PEF improvement rate (MD 14.28, 95% CI 11.08-17.49), and clinical effectiveness rate (relative risk 1.19, 95% CI 1.14-1.25) significantly increased in the DCD group when compared to simple conventional medication. Four trials suggest that DCD is safe for children. In conclusion, the use of DCD combined with conventional medication improves lung function and clinical effectiveness rate better than simple conventional medication. However, the selected trials lack blinding and large-scale studies. Therefore, to better manage DCD in clinical practice, more randomized controlled trials and large-scale studies are required for further evaluation.

Black mulberry ethanol extract attenuates atherosclerosis-related inflammatory factors and downregulates PPARγ and CD36 genes in experimental atherosclerotic rats.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the pathological basis of various vascular diseases and currently is seriously affecting human health. Numerous studies have paid more attention to natural medicines with anti-AS properties. As a traditional Uygur folk medicine, black mulberry fruits are conventionally used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in southern Xinjiang of China, and their underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Our previous study revealed that the ethanol extract of black mulberry (EEBM) inhibited AS development by improving lipid metabolism abnormalities, enhancing anti-oxidative activities, and reducing atherosclerotic lesions of atherosclerotic rats. Based on this, our objective was to further investigate the effects of EEBM on the expression of AS-related inflammatory factors and the key genes PPARγ and CD36 of the ox-LDL-PPARγ-CD36 feed-forward cycle in experimental atherosclerotic rats. Black mulberry fruits were extracted with acid ethanol and chromatographed on an AB-8 macroporous resin to obtain EEBM. All experimental rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal, model, model plus simvastatin (5 mg/kg d·body weight), and model plus low-dose and high-dose EEBM groups (105 and 210 mg/kg d·body weight, respectively). Serum levels of the inflammatory factors were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA and protein expression of PPARγ and CD36 in atherosclerotic rats' liver tissue and thoracic aorta were determined by Q-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. EEBM at high dose effectively attenuated the abnormally expressed AS-related inflammatory factors of TNF-α, IL-6, MMP-9, and CRP in atherosclerotic rats by 41.5%, 66.1%, 77.5%, and 79.5%, respectively. After treatment with high dose EEBM, the elevated-expressions of PPARγ and CD36 at the mRNA and protein levels in atherosclerotic rats were found to be obviously downregulated at both levels. These results demonstrate that EEBM might lessen the AS-related inflammatory reaction, and then inhibit the formation of ox-LDL, consequently downregulating the expression of PPARγ and CD36 at the mRNA and protein levels, thus reducing macrophage-foam-cell formation and prohibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaque through the ox-LDL-PPARγ-CD36 feed-forward cycle, which can effectively prevent the occurrence and development of AS in atherosclerotic rats.

Familial progressive hyper- and hypopigmentation: a report on a Chinese family and evidence for genetic heterogeneity.

BACKGROUND: Familial progressive hyper- and hypopigmentation (FPHH) is a rare genodermatosis that is characterized by diffuse hyper- and hypopigmented spots on the skin and mucous membranes. It is caused by a pathogenic mutation of the KITLG gene. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features and mutation of the KITLG gene in a Chinese family with FPHH. METHODS: Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of lesions from the proband was performed. The KITLG gene was screened for the presence of mutations. RESULTS: A Chinese family containing 14 individuals with FPHH was described, and the proband was a 5-year-old girl showing diffuse hyper- and hypopigmented lesions on her extremities and trunk. Histopathological and immunohistochemical staining for S100 and HMB45 of skin biopsy specimens from the hyperpigmented areas showed a striking increase in melanin throughout the epidermis, especially in the basal cell layer, and staining of hypopigmented area specimens displayed lower levels of melanin in the epidermis. Mutation analysis of the KITLG gene was performed, but no mutation was found. STUDY LIMITATIONS: The new pathogenic gene was not found. CONCLUSION: A family with FPHH was described. Analysis revealed that its members did not have any mutations of the KITLG gene, which provided evidence for genetic heterogeneity of this genodermatosis.

Familial progressive hyper- and hypopigmentation: a report on a Chinese family and evidence for genetic heterogeneity

Abstract Background: Familial progressive hyper- and hypopigmentation (FPHH) is a rare genodermatosis that is characterized by diffuse hyper- and hypopigmented spots on the skin and mucous membranes. It is caused by a pathogenic mutation of the KITLG gene. Objectives: To investigate the clinical features and mutation of the KITLG gene in a Chinese family with FPHH. Methods: Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of lesions from the proband was performed. The KITLG gene was screened for the presence of mutations. Results: A Chinese family containing 14 individuals with FPHH was described, and the proband was a 5-year-old girl showing diffuse hyper- and hypopigmented lesions on her extremities and trunk. Histopathological and immunohistochemical staining for S100 and HMB45 of skin biopsy specimens from the hyperpigmented areas showed a striking increase in melanin throughout the epidermis, especially in the basal cell layer, and staining of hypopigmented area specimens displayed lower levels of melanin in the epidermis. Mutation analysis of the KITLG gene was performed, but no mutation was found. Study limitations: The new pathogenic gene was not found. Conclusion: A family with FPHH was described. Analysis revealed that its members did not have any mutations of the KITLG gene, which provided evidence for genetic heterogeneity of this genodermatosis.