Clinical characteristics and outcomes of 111 neonates with upper airway obstruction admitted via transportation / 中华儿科杂志

Objectives: To analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of neonates with upper airway obstruction (UAO) who were admitted via transportation, hence to provide more evidence-based information for the clinical management of UAO. Methods: This was a single center retrospective study. Patients were hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital from January 1, 2016 to May 31, 2021 with age <28 days or postmenstrual age (PMA) ≤44 weeks, and UAO as the first diagnosis. The general information of patients, obstructed sites in the upper airway, treatment, complications and prognosis were analyzed. The outcomes of surgical UAO vs. non-surgical UAO were analyzed by 2 by 2 χ2 test. Results: A total of 111 cases were analyzed (2.3% of the total NICU hospitalized 4 826 infants in the same period), in which 62 (55.9%) were boys and 101 (91.0%) were term infants, and their gestational age was (38.7±2.0) weeks, birth weight (3 207±585) g, PMA on admission (40.8±2.5) weeks and weight on admission was (3 221±478) g. There were 92 cases (82.9%) with symptoms of UAO presenting on postnatal day 1, and 35 cases (31.5%) had extra-uterine growth retardation on admission. The diagnosis of UAO and the obstructive site was confirmed in 25 cases (22.5%) before transportation. There were 24 cases (21.6%), 71 cases (64.0%), and 16 cases (14.4%) who had UAO due to nasal, throat, and neck problems, respectively. The top 5 diagnosis of UAO were vocal cord paralysis (28 cases), bilateral choanal atresia (20 cases), laryngomalacia (15 cases), pharynx and larynx cysts (7 cases), and subglottic hemangioma (6 cases). The diagnosis and treatment of all the patients followed a multidisciplinary approach consisted of neonatal intensive care unit, ear-nose-throat department and medical image departments. A total of 102 cases (91.9%) underwent both bronchofiberscope and fiber nasopharyngoscope investigation. Seventy cases (63.1%) required ventilation. Among the 58 cases (52.3%) who required surgical intervention, 16 had tracheotomy. For cases with vs. without surgical intervention, the rate of cure and (or) improvement were 94.8% (55/58) vs. 54.7% (29/53), and the rate of being discharged against medical arrangement were 1.7% (1/58) vs. 45.3% (24/53) (χ²=24.21 and 30.11, both P<0.01). Conclusions: Neonatal UAO may locate at various sites of the upper airway. The overall prognosis of neonatal UAO is favorable. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary for efficient evaluation and appropriate surgical intervention.

Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Enhances Vasoconstriction by Altering Calcium Homeostasis in Cerebrovascular Smooth Muscle Cells under Simulated Microgravity / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#Exposure to microgravity results in postflight cardiovascular deconditioning in astronauts. Vascular oxidative stress injury and mitochondrial dysfunction have been reported during this process. To elucidate the mechanism for this condition, we investigated whether mitochondrial oxidative stress regulates calcium homeostasis and vasoconstriction in hindlimb unweighted (HU) rat cerebral arteries.@*Methods@#Three-week HU was used to simulate microgravity in rats. The contractile responses to vasoconstrictors, mitochondrial fission/fusion, Ca @*Results@#An increase of cytoplasmic Ca @*Conclusion@#The present results suggest that mitochondrial oxidative stress enhances cerebral vasoconstriction by regulating calcium homeostasis during simulated microgravity.

Impaired Hypothalamic Regulation of Sympathetic Outflow in Primary Hypertension / 神经科学通报·英文版

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a crucial region involved in maintaining homeostasis through the regulation of cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and other functions. The PVN provides a dominant source of excitatory drive to the sympathetic outflow through innervation of the brainstem and spinal cord in hypertension. We discuss current findings on the role of the PVN in the regulation of sympathetic output in both normotensive and hypertensive conditions. The PVN seems to play a major role in generating the elevated sympathetic vasomotor activity that is characteristic of multiple forms of hypertension, including primary hypertension in humans. Recent studies in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model have revealed an imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic inputs to PVN pre-sympathetic neurons as indicated by impaired inhibitory and enhanced excitatory synaptic inputs in hypertension. This imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic inputs in the PVN forms the basis for elevated sympathetic outflow in hypertension. In this review, we discuss the disruption of balance between glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs and the associated cellular and molecular alterations as mechanisms underlying the hyperactivity of PVN pre-sympathetic neurons in hypertension.

Advances in regulation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on fat metabolism / 第二军医大学学报

Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and various cancers. The prevention and treatment of obesity have become the focus of public health. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are polyunsaturated fatty acids extracted from deep-sea fish. The anti-inflammatory and triglyceride-lowering properties of n-3 PUFA are well known, but its role in the treatment of obesity is still controversial. In animal models, n-3 PUFA can effectively reduce fat. However, in humans, existing studies have shown that n-3 PUFA may not contribute to weight loss, but may slow down weight gain. N-3 PUFA can improve the metabolic changes associated with obesity by regulating intestinal flora, regulating lipid metabolism, suppressing appetite, alleviating adipose tissue inflammation and altering epigenetic mechanisms, thus playing an important role in the prevention and treatment of obesity and the related metabolic diseases.

Association of serum vitamin D level with severity and treatment in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of serum vitamin D [25-(OH)D] level with the severity and treatment in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 50 children with newly-diagnosed HSP between January and December, 2015 were enrolled as HSP group, and 49 healthy children were enrolled as control group. Fasting serum samples were collected, and ELISA was used to measure serum 25-(OH)Dlevel. According to the serum 25-(OH)Dlevel, the HSP group were further divided into normal group (>20 ng/mL) (n=9), insufficiency group (15-20 ng/mL) (n=15), deficiency group (≤15 ng/mL) (n=25), and severe deficiency group (≤5 ng/mL) (n=1). The general data, clinical manifestations, hormone therapy, course of disease before admission, and length of hospital stay were compared between groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The HSP group had a significantly lower serum 25-(OH)Dlevel than the control group (16±6 ng/mL vs 29±5 ng/mL; P<0.01). Compared with the normal and insufficiency groups, the deficiency and severe deficiency groups had significant increases in the incidence rate of renal involvement, rate of hormone application, and median length of hospital stay (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in course of disease before admission (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Children with HSP have a low serum 25-(OH)Dlevel, and such children may have a high risk of renal involvement, a high rate of hormone application, and a prolonged length of hospital stay. However, further studies are needed to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation is helpful to the treatment of HSP and can shorten the course of disease in children with HSP.</p>

Clinical effect of cyclopentolate hydrochloride on cycloplegia in children / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To explore the application of 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride eye drops in children, and to compare the different effectiveness of cycloplegia between 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride and atropine in Chinese children.METHODS:A total of 236 eyes of 118 children aged 3~12 years old were enrolled in this study including 80 eyes of 40 children with myopia, 156 eyes of 78 children with hyperopia and 146 eyes of 73 children combined with astigmatism. 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride eye drops were used once per 5min for 3 times and refractive diopter was obtained 1h after the last drop of cyclopentolate. Three days after that, 10g/L atropine was then used 1 time per night for 1wk and optometry was performed again. The children were divided into 3 groups ( myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism group ) according to the refractive status, in which astigmatism was independent of the degree of separation of cylinder statistics. The results of retinoscope refraction were then compared between 10g/L cyclopentolate and 10g/L atropine. RESULTS:The refractive diopter was -2. 25±1. 31D after 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops and -2. 23±1. 32D after 10g/L atropine in myopic group. The refractive diopter was 1. 35±1. 19D and 1. 38±2. 00D in astigmastic group. No significant difference was found in myopic group and astigmastic group (P= 0. 109, P= 0. 374). While in the hyperopic group, the refractive diopter was 3. 76±2. 4D after 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops, which was lower than that after 10g/L atropine 4. 39±2. 6D (P=0. 000). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride eye drops can be used in myopia and astigmatism children, and 10g/L atropine should be used in hyperopia children.

Comparative analysis of variable region of white spot syndrome virus genome in Penaeus vannamei in Guangxi, China / 病毒学报

Comparative analysis of variable region ORF14/15 genes of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) genome in Guangxi Penaeus vannamei (P. vannamei) could provide useful information for the evaluation of genetic diversity and genetic evolutionary relationship among WSSV isolates from Guangxi, China and other places. Based on geographical and temporal considerations, 40 WSSV-positive P. vannamei samples were collected during the period between May 2010 and July 2013 from Beihai, Qinzhou, and Fangchenggang, which were the main P. vannamei production areas in Guangxi, and the variable region ORF14/15 genes of the WSSV genome from all infected samples were amplified by PCR and then subjected to cloning and sequence analysis. Pairwise and multiple alignment analysis was then conducted to evaluate the degree of genetic divergence between different strains. The variable region ORF14/15 genes from 25 of 40 WSSV positive samples were successfully cloned and sequenced; among the ORF14/15 genes of 25 WSSV-positive strains, 22 was 619 bp in length and 3 was 620 bp. All the 25 Guangxi strains carried a 5949-bp deletion in the ORF14/15 region relative to TH-96-II, which has the longest nucleotide sequence in this region; the deletion of Guangxi strains occurred in the middle region of ORF14/15 gene, with only 190 bp and 429 bp/ 430 bp at 5' and 3' ends, respectively, which were coincident with WSSV-IN-05-I in deletion length and position. Sixteen of 25 Guangxi strains had completely identical nucleotide sequences in the variable re gion, and the homology between other strains also exceeded 97.9%. There were single nucleotide substi tution, deletion, and insertion in the ORF14/15 region of Guangxi strains compared with other strains in GenBank. In the phylogenetic tree based on WSSV variable region ORF14/15, the Guangxi strains were closely related and formed a separate branch with Indian strain IN-05-I, but far from other strains in GenBank. The ORF14/15 gene of WSSV isolates in cultured P. vannamei in Guangxi has a large deletion in the middle of the variable region, and the Guangxi WSSV strains show no significant spatio-temporal differences; the Guangxi strains are closer in genetics to Indian strain IN-05-I than other strains in GenBank.

Inhibitory effects of endocannabinoid on the action potential of pacemaker cells in sinoatrial nodes of rabbits / 生理学报

Endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) has protective effect on the heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury and arrhythmia, but the electrophysiological mechanism is unclear yet. In this study, the sinoatrial node (SAN) samples from New Zealand rabbits were prepared, and intracellular recording technique was used to elucidate the effect of AEA on the action potential (AP) of SAN pacemaker cells of rabbits and the mechanism. Different concentrations of AEA (1, 10, 100, 200, 500 nmol/L) were applied cumulatively. For some SAN samples, cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor antagonist AM251, cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptor antagonist AM630, potassium channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA) and nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-nitro-arginine methylester (L-NAME) were used before AEA treatment, respectively. We found that: (1) AEA (100, 200 and 500 nmol/L) not only shortened AP duration (APD), but also decreased AP amplitude (APA) (P < 0.05). (2) AM251, but not AM630, abolished the effect of AEA on APD shortening. (3) TEA and L-NAME had no influence on the AEA effect. These findings suggest that anandamide can decrease APA and shorten APD in SAN pacemaker cells of rabbits, which may be mediated by activation of CB1 receptors, and is related to blockade of calcium channels but not potassium channels and NO.

Enhancement of polydatin on inward rectifier potassium channel current in rat ventricular myocytes / 生理学报

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of polydatin on transient outward potassium channel current (Ito), steady-state outward potassium channel current (Iss) and inward rectifier potassium channel current (IK1) in ventricular myocytes of rat using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. The results showed: (1) Polydatin (above 10 µmol/L) increased IK1 of ventricular myocytes in a non-concentration dependent manner. (2) Polydatin neither had any effect on Ito peak current of ventricular myocytes, nor changed activation, inactivation and recovery kinetics of Ito. (3) Polydatin had no effect on Iss of ventricular myocytes. These results suggest that polydatin enhances IK1 channel activity, but has no effect on Ito and Iss channels in rat ventricular myocytes, which might be one of the ionic mechanisms for antiarrhythmic effect of polydatin.