Value of three-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging in evaluating left ventricular systolic function and its correlation with peripheral arterial elasticity in children with simple obesity: a prospective study / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the application of three-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging in evaluating left ventricular systolic function and its correlation with peripheral arterial elasticity in children with simple obesity.@*METHODS@#Random sampling combined with convenience sampling was used to obtain research samples, and then the samples were divided into an obesity group (23 cases), an overweight group (21 cases), and a normal group (24 cases). Three-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging was used to measure the global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain (GRS), and global circumferential strain (GCS) of the left ventricle. An automatic arteriosclerosis tester was used to measure ankle-brachial index (ABI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). These parameters were compared among the three groups. The correlation of three-dimensional speckle-tracking parameters with ABI and baPWV was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in GLS, GRS, and GCS between the obesity and normal groups (P>0.05). The overweight group had a significantly higher GLS than the normal group [(-24±7) vs (-19±12), P<0.05]. The obesity and overweight groups had a significantly lower ABI than the normal group [(1.00±0.09)/(1.09±0.13) vs (2.25±0.13), P<0.05). The obesity group had a significantly higher baPWV than the normal group [(978±109) vs (905±22), P<0.05]. In the children with obesity, GLS was positively correlated with baPWV (r=0.516, P<0.05) , but not correlated with ABI (P>0.05), and GCS and GRS had no significant correlation with ABI or baPWV (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#There are varying degrees of changes in left ventricular systolic function and peripheral arterial elasticity in children with simple obesity, and there is a certain correlation between them.

Identification of onco-miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma and analysis of their regulatory network / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To construct the regulatory network of survival-related onco-miRNAs and their target genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and verify the interactions between the key miRNAs and their targets.@*METHODS@#We screened survival-related miRNAs in HCC in OncomiR and Oncolnc databases, predicted their target genes using miRNet, and conducted survival and expression analysis using GEPIA2 and Ualcan, respectively. The miRNA-target gene co-expression analysis was performed and the miRNA-target network was constructed. Enrichment analysis was performed in Enrichr and protein-protein interaction analysis in STRING database. We tested the effects of transfection with the mimic or inhibitor of hsa-miR-1226-3p or hsa-miR-221-5p on proliferation of HepG2 cells using CCK8 assay and examined the changes in the expressions of the target genes using RT-qPCR. The effect of transfection with hsa-miR-221-5p mimic or inhibitor on protein expressions of the target genes was examined using Western blotting in. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to test the interaction between hsa-miR-221-5p and its potential target gene GCDH. We further examined the effect of transfection with hsa-miR-221-5p mimic and pEGFP N1-GCDH, alone or in combination, on proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells.@*RESULTS@#We identified 223 survival-related miRNAs in HCC from OncomiR and 146 miRNAs from Oncolnc with an intersection of 131 miRNAs, and 48 miRNAs were identified as onco-miRNAs in HCC after survival and expression analysis. Twenty-seven eligible target genes were identified after miRNA-mRNA co-expression analysis. The constructed miRNA-target gene network consisted of 25 miRNAs and 27 target genes. The most enriched term was fatty acid metabolism for the target genes. In HepG2 cells, transfection with the mimic or inhibitor of hsa-miR-1226-3p or hsa-miR-221-5p caused significant changes of the mRNA and protein levels of their respective target genes (P < 0.05). The results of dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed the targeting relationship between hsa-miR-221-5p and GCDH gene (P < 0.05). Transfection with hsa-miR-221-5p mimic significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells, but this effect was obviously relieved by co-transformation with pEGFP N1-GCDH (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Fatty acid metabolism might be one of the most crucial pathways that mediate the effect of the oncomiRNAs in HCC, and the hsa-miR-221-5p/GCDH axis is an important molecular mechanism for HCC progression.

WU Xu's experience of sequential therapy for peripheral facial paralysis / 中国针灸

The paper introduces professor WU Xu 's experience of sequential therapy for peripheral facial paralysis. The sequential therapy refers to a staging treatment, but not rigidly adheres to it. With this therapy, the acupuncture- moxibustion regimen is modified flexibly in line with the specific symptoms of illness. At the acute phase of peripheral facial paralysis, warm acupuncture at Wangu (GB 12) is predominated and electroacupuncture is not recommended at the acupoints on the face. At the recovery phase, warm acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) is the main therapy and electroacupuncture is applied to the acupoints on the face appropriately. Besides, for the intractable case, the tapping technique with plum-blossom needle or skin needle should be combined and exerted in the local affected region. At the sequelae phase, in order to shorten the duration of illness, depending on the different types of facial paralysis, i.e. stiffness type, spasmodic type and flaccid type, the corresponding needling techniques are provided, i.e. bloodletting and moxibustion, strong stimulation with contralateral acupuncture and the technique for promoting the governor vessel and warming up yang.

Identifying and Validating a Novel miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Prognosis in Lung Adenocarcinoma / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective Many studies have revealed the crucial roles of miRNA in multiple human cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we sought to explore new miRNA-mRNA pairs that are associated with LUAD prognosis. Methods A novel miRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with prognosis in LUAD was identified and validated using the bioinformatic tools including OncomiR database, StarBase, miRnet, GEPIA2, UALCAN. Results Twenty key miRNAs were compiled after the analysis of the expression and prognostic value in OncomiR and StarBase. Targeted mRNAs of these key miRNAs were predicted in miRnet, and the resulting mRNAs were also analyzed for their prognostic values and expression patterns in GEPIA2 and UALCAN, respectively. Further expression correlation analysis was performed in StarBase. Subsequently, a new miRNA-mRNA network was built, of which each RNA pair showed negative expression correlation, opposite expression pattern, and prognostic value. Protein-protein interaction network was under construction for the mRNAs, and 19 hub genes were determined. Enrichment analysis showed that "Cell Cycle, Mitotic" was the most significantly enriched term. Then, a miRNA-hub gene sub-network was built. We selected and validated the regulatory relationship of some miRNA-hub pairs, including hsa-miR-1976/RFC2, hsa-let-7c-5p/RFC2, hsa-let-7c-5p/ESPL1, hsa-let-7c-5p/CDC25A, and hsa-miR-101-3p/KIF2C. Moreover, over-expression of hsa-miR-1976 and hsa-let-7c-5p resulted in significant cell cycle arrest. Conclusions Our results determined new prognosis-associated miRNA-mRNA pairs and might shed further light on the mechanism via which miRNA-mRNA network influences prognosis in LUAD.

Establishment of normal reference system in pediatric echocardiography based on BigData / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective To establish a pediatric echocardiographic normal reference system based on clinical BigData and overcome limitations such as insufficient sample size and diverse in methods of normalization . Methods Measurements were extracted from total 71 831 pediatric echocardiography reports in the past 5 years by using the Natural Language Processing ( NLP) technology . Among them ,a total of 12 732 reports were labeled as normal and were used to establish the normal reference system . A local regression ( LOESS ) approach was used to optimize both the reference value and variance across 5 grow th variables ( aortic diameter ,left atrium diameter ,left ventricle end‐diastolic endocardial diameter ,left main coronary artery diameter ,and right main coronary artery diameter) . T wo Z scores adjusted for age/sex and body surface area ( BSA ) were established respectively . In addition , 4 459 echocardiography reports with BSA information were used to evaluate these two Z scores . Results T wo Z scores generated from 4 459 reports showed pretty good normal distribution . T here were close strong correlations among two Z scores with Z scores generated based on the Pediatric Heart Network ( PHN ) . T he average correlation coefficient between BSA‐adjust Z scores and PHN Z scores was 0 .954 . T he average correlation coefficient between age/sex‐adjust Z scores and PHN Z scores was 0 .895 . T he results of this project were available as Z score calculator using the following link :http ://hdb .nbscn .org/zscore . Conclusions BigData provides a more efficient and better approach to establish normal reference systems in pediatric echocardiography .

Therapeutic Observation of Plum Blossom Needle plus Oral Administration of Xiao Luo Li Wan for Nodular Prurigo / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of plum blossom needle plus oral administration of Xiao Luo Li Wan in treating nodular prurigo. Method Seventy patients with nodular prurigo were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 35 cases each. The control group was intervened by oral administration of Cetirizine hydrochloride tablets and external use of Mometasone furoate cream, while the treatment group was additionally treated with plum blossom needle plus orally taking Xiao Luo Li Wan. After 8-week treatment, the clinical efficacies of the two groups were observed and compared. Result The total effective rate was 91.4％ in the treatment group versus 62.9％in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion Plum blossom needle plus oral administration of Xiao Luo Li Wan can produce a significant efficacy in treating nodular prurigo.

Diagnostic value of ultrasonographic examination for hepatic steatosis in obese children / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of hepatic ultrasonography (US) for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in obese children, using ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H MRS) as the reference standard.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 162 obese children with age of 10.5 ± 2.2 years and BMI of 28 ± 4 were enrolled in this study. They accepted hepatic US and (1)H MRS examinations. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of US were calculated for the overall presence of hepatic steatosis by comparison with ¹H MRS results.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Using quantitative criteria of liver fat content (LFC) >5% determined by (1)H MRS, 95 children(58.6%)were diagnosed as having hepatic steatosis. The sensitivity and specificity of US in diagnosing steatosis were 91.6% (87/95) and 50.7% (34/67) respectively, with PPV of 72.5% (87/120), and NPV of 81.0% (34/42). Considerable overlap in LFC measured by ¹H MRS was observed between different grades from US findings: absent (LFC interquartile range: 1.3%-3.9%), mild (2.4%-10.7%), moderate (7.1%-20.2%) and severe (7.6%-28.8%) steatosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The US can yield a high sensitivity and low specificity in the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in obese children, suggesting it can be used as a screening tool for hepatic steatosis. To improve diagnostics, ¹H MRS is needed to determine LFC.</p>

Management of fungal pyelonephritis with percutaneous pyelostomy in infants / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the management of fungal pyelonephritis in infants.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Data from 5 cases with fungal pyelonephritis, including the clinical situation, laboratory examination, feature of imaging, and treatment were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>All the 5 cases were preterm and low birth weight infants. In 3 cases the disease was unilateral, in 2 cases were bilateral, and acute renal failure occurred. Fungus balls presented on imaging. Urine culture was positive of Candida albicans. Treatment with percutaneous nephrostomy, irrigation and antifungal agent were associated with good prognosis. Only 1 case died. The surviving patients were followed up for 10 - 20 months and the results showed normal growth and development. B-mode ultrasound examination did not show any malformation of the urinary system.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Fungal pyelonephritis was commom in preterm infants. Candida albicans was the major pathogenic microorganism. Percutaneous nephrostomy and drainage were effective in patients with urinary obstruction in relief of obstruction, early diagnosis and control of infection.</p>

Echocardiographic diagnosis of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) with echocardiography.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The right ventricular volume overload was detected by routine echocardiography in 37 child patients, who underwent further echocardiography to find the abnormal locations of pulmonary vein opening at superior, inferior vena cava and right atrium. The ultrasound results were compared with surgical findings.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 30 patients the ultrasound diagnosis was consistent with surgery results, 7 were misdiagnosed by ultrasound with a detective rate of 81.1 %. All 37 PAPVC patients presented varying degrees of right heart enlargement; PAPVC combined with atrial septal defect (ASD) was found in 34 cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The possibility of PAPVC should be considered when unexplained right heart volume overload was detected by echocardiography. Superior, inferior vena cava and right atrium should be inspected when the pulmonary veins were not seen in echocardiography.</p>

Transesophageal echocardiography-guided hybrid therapy for ventricular septal defects in children / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided periventricular device closure for treatment of ventricular septal defects (VSD) in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The Amplatzer device was applied, the size of which was 1 or 2 mm larger than the VSD size assessed by TEE. Via a small lower sternotomy, the device was introduced through right ventricular surface to close the VSD under continuous TEE guidance without cardiopulmonary bypass.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The procedures were successful in 6 cases, including 4 cases with muscular VSD and 2 cases with perimembranous VSD. The diameter of VSD was 3 mm to 10 mm and one case had pulmonary hypertension. One case of multi-muscular VSD with transposition of the great arteries failed to the treatment because the mitral open was interfered by the device. One case had bundle branch block in ICU stay and returned to normal without special therapy. The average operation time was 30 min and blood loss was 5 approximately 20 ml, no patients required blood transfusion; the average length of ICU stay was 24 h. Patients were discharged 1 to 2 d postoperatively. At a median follow-up for 12 months, all patients were asymptomatic and had no residual ventricular shunts.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>With the guide of TEE, intra-operative hybrid therapy is a safe and effective method for closure of muscular and perimembranous VSD without cardiopulmonary bypass in children.</p>

Study of fibrinolysis inhibitors in 117 acute leukemia patients / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical significance of fibrinolysis inhibitors including thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor(TAFI), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) and alpha2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha2-PI) in acute leukemia (AL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PAI-1 antigen and TAFI antigen were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and PAI activity, alpha2-PI activity, TAFI activity by chromatography substrate assay in 117 AL patients and 50 normal controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1) alpha2-PI activities in AL patients were reduced, especially in ALL patients [(96.8 +/- 21.2)%]; 2) PAI-1 antigens in AML patients [(37.8 +/- 9.2) microg/L] were significantly higher than that in normal controls [(33.8 +/- 4.9) microg/L]; 3) PAI-1 antigens in APL [(37.8 +/- 9.0) microg/L] and AML-M5 patients [(39.9 +/- 11.6) microg/L] were higher and TAFI activities in APL patients [(13.3 +/- 4.8) mg/L] were lower than that in normal controls [(16.9 +/- 2.6) mg/L]; 4) PAI-1 antigens of relapsed/refractory patients (39.6 +/- 11.6) microg/L) were significantly elevated; 5) TAFI activities in bleeding patients [(13.2 +/- 5.3) mg/L] were significantly lower than that in normal control as well as non-bleeding patients (17.0 +/- 4.6) mg/L); 6) The severity of bleeding was negatively correlated with TAFI activity (r = - 0.276, P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hyperfibrinolysis caused partially by decrease of alpha2-PI and TAFI activity takes part in the pathogenesis of bleeding in AL.</p>

Evaluation of right ventricular function by quantitative tissue velocity imaging and tissue tracking imaging in neonates with congenital hypothyroidism / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Although several reports documented the association of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and left ventricular (LV) function in infants or neonates, right ventricular (RV) function in neonates with CH has not been previously studied. The aim of the present study was to assess RV function in neonates with CH before and after thyroxine substitution therapy by quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI) and tissue tracking imaging (TTI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-two neonates aged 18-28 days (25 males and 27 females) with CH and 35 healthy neonates aged 18-28 days (16 males and 19 females) were studied by QTVI, TTI as well as conventional pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography (PWD). The standard apical four-chamber view for long-axis motion of the right ventricle was used for echocardiographic evaluation. Peak systolic displacement (D), peak systolic velocity (Vs), peak early (Ve) and late (Va) diastolic velocity of tricuspid annule were measured, Ve/Va ratio was calculated as well. Transtricuspid flow velocity during early diastole (E) and late diastole (A) were also measured by pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography. PWD and E/A ratio were calculated too. For each neonate, serum hormone levels of TSH, TT(3), TT(4), FT(3) and FT(4) were measured with a standard chemiluminescent immunoassay. After 1 month of levothyroxine (L-T(4)) substitution therapy in CH neonates, all the echocardiographic evaluations and biochemical tests were re-evaluated. Correlation analysis was also made between serum thyroid hormones levels and right ventricular function.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The indices of right ventricular diastolic function by PWD (E and E/A ratio) in CH group were (45 +/- 10) cm/s and (0.8 +/- 0.3), respectively. Compared with controls, E and E/A ratio in CH neonates were significantly lower (P < 0.001, respectively), while A did not differ between the two groups (P > 0.05). QTVI and TTI showed that right diastolic function (Ve and Ve/Va ratio) as well as right systolic function (Vs and D) in CH group were (3.69 +/- 1.38) cm/s, (0.74 +/- 0.19) cm/s, (4.38 +/- 0.63) cm/s and (0.52 +/- 0.12) cm, respectively. CH neonates had significantly lower Ve, Ve/Va ratio, Vs and D of tricuspid annular velocity (P < 0.001, respectively), whereas there was no significant difference in Va between the two groups (P > 0.05). After 1 month of substitutive therapy, CH neonates showed a significant increase of Ve, Ve/Va ratio, Vs, D, E, and E/A ratio, (6.92 +/- 1.86) cm/s, (1.13 +/- 0.22), (5.92 +/- 1.03) cm/s, (0.78 +/- 0.17) cm, (61 +/- 10) cm/s and (1.1 +/- 0.4), respectively (P < 0.001). Those parameters were positively correlated with serum TT(3), TT(4), FT(3) and FT(4) levels (P < 0.01, respectively), and were negatively correlated with serum TSH levels (P < 0.01, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our findings suggest that neonates with CH are associated with right ventricular subclinical systolic and diastolic dysfunction, which can be reversed by early L-T(4) substitution therapy. QTVI and TTI are valuable methods to evaluate right ventricular function in neonates. Systolic and diastolic velocities of the tricuspid annulus measured by QTVI and TTI are useful and accurate to assess RV function in neonates.</p>

Assessment of the characteristics of echocardiography in pediatric patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the accuracy of echocardiography in diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A combination of suprasternal, parasternal, subcostal and apical views were employed to diagnose TAPVC and to trace the course of the anomalous pulmonary venous connection, the direction of the inter-atrial shunt, enlargement of right atrium (RA) and right ventricle (RV), superior and inferior vena cava. All pediatric patients underwent surgical repair. The results of echocardiography were compared with surgical findings.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>A total of 28 consecutive pediatric patients with suspected TAPVC were included in this study. The TAPVC diagnosis was confirmed in 26 cases after surgery, partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) in one case, and Cor Triatriatum and possible TAPVC in another. The diagnostic accuracy of TAPVC by echocardiography in the study was 92.86%. There were 17 supracardiac TAPVC, 11 intracardiac TAPVC. In all patients, enlargement of the RA and RV, inter-atrial right-to-left shunt via atrial septal defects were documented in parasternal and subcostal views. Common pulmonary vein or four pulmonary vein direct to RA or via coronary sinus to RA were the draining sites of intracardiac TAPVC. The enlargement of left innominate vein-right superior vena cava draining to RA was seen in supracardiac TAPVC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A combination of suprasternal and subcostal multi-views in echocardiography can increase the diagnostic accuracy of TAPVC in pediatric patients.</p>

SCREENING FOR AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROBIAL FLOCCULANT / 微生物学通报

strain 49 #(BD-4),which had the highest flocculating activity among 752 strains,was picked out.The fermentation condi tions and the flocculating influence factors were studied.By testing,this cult ure broth had a much more ability to get rid of suspended materials in water and to decolourize the high-density dyestuff wastewater. In laboratory scale,bioflocculant was roughly extracted from culture broth by t he technological process,water extraction-organic solvent sediment-vacuum dry .The suitable work conditions of each step were set up through the tests.0 198 5g dry product was obtained from 100mL culture broth.