Diagnostic value of triglyceride/cystatin C ratio combined with three indicators in patients with diabetic kidney disease / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of triglyceride/cystatin C (TG/Cys-C) ratio combined with diabetic retinopathy, diabetes course and systolic pressure in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Methods:Patients with type 2 diabetes and renal insufficiency, who underwent renal biopsy in four Grade A tertiary hospitals in Xuzhou from January 2013 to February 2021 were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into DKD group ( n=51) and non-DKD (NDKD) group ( n=49) based on renal biopsy results. Another 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without renal dysfunction were selected as control group. The first admission information and blood biochemical indexes were collected, and the TG/Cys-C ratio was calculated. The differences of clinical indexes between the DKD and NDKD groups were compared. The correlative factors of DKD in type 2 diabetes patients with renal dysfunction were analyzed by logistic regression. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of TG/Cys-C ratio, diabetic retinopathy, duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure and combined detection for DKD in patients with type 2 diabetes and renal dysfunction. Results:Among patients with type 2 diabetes with renal dysfunction, renal biopsy results showed that membranous nephropathy was the most common pathological type in NDKD group, accounting for 63.3% (31/49) of all NDKD patients. Compared with Type 2 diabetes mellitus without renal injury, type 2 diabetic patients with kidney injury had higher systolic blood pressure, higher total cholesterol, higher low-density lipoprotein, higher cystatin, higher creatinine, higher uric acid, higher fibrinogen level, more hypertension, more changes of urinary active sediment, lower hemoglobin, lower albumin, and the lower the glomerular filtration rate (all P<0.05). Compared with NDKD group, patients in DKD group had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, higher cystatin C and creatinine, more hypertension, more diabetic retinopathy, longer course of diabetes, lower concentration of hemoglobin, lower glomerular filtration rate, lower triglyceride and lower TG/Cys-C ratio (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TG/Cys-C ratio was associated with DKD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and renal impairment ( OR=0.298, P=0.007), diabetic retinopathy ( OR=12.209, P=0.005), duration of diabetes ( OR=1.016, P=0.034) and systolic blood pressure ( OR=1.049, P=0.006) were independent risk factors for DKD in type 2 diabetic patients with renal dysfunction. The ROC curve showed that AUC of the TG/Cys-C ratio was 0.866 (the cot-off point was 2.06), and the sensitivity was 88.2% and the specificity was 71.4% for the diagnosis of DKD, and AUC of the TG/Cys-C ratio in combination with diabetic retinopathy, diabetes duration and systolic blood pressure was 0.952, and the sensitivity was 92.2% and the specificity was 89.8% for the diagnosis of DKD. Conclusion:TG/Cys-C ratio has significant clinical value in the diagnosis of DKD. Combined detection of TG/Cys-C ratio with diabetic retinopathy, course of diabetes and systolic blood pressure could further improve the diagnostic efficacy of DKD.

Clinical Efficacy of Tongxie Yaofang on Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome （IBS-D） Patients with Liver Depression and Spleen Deficiency / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Tongxie Yaofang in treating diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome（IBS-D） patients with liver depression and spleen deficiency. MethodA total of 168 IBS-D patients with liver depression and spleen deficiency who were treated from August 2017 to June 2021 were divided into observation group and control group by random number table，84 in each group. The observation group was administrated with Tongxie Yaofang decoction-free granules orally，and the control group received oral treatment of pinaverium bromide，both for 4 weeks. The main symptoms of IBS were compared before and after treatment，such as the degree of abdominal pain，stool changes，traditional Chinese medicine pattern curative effect scoring system（TCM-PES），IBS quality of life questionnaire （IBS-QOL），IBS symptom severity scale（IBS-SSS），self-rating anxiety scale （SAS），and self-rating depression scale（SDS）. Nimodipine was used to evaluate the efficacy based on TCM syndrome score of liver depression and Qi stagnation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was conducted to detect the plasma interleukin-10（IL-10）and IL-12 before and after treatment. ResultAfter 4 weeks of treatment， the response rate of abdominal pain in observation group was 92.86% （78/84）， higher than that in control group （82.14%， 69/84）（χ2=6.254，P<0.05）. The response rates of diarrhea in observation group and control group were 91.67% （77/84）and 77.38% （65/84）， respectively（χ2=8.214，P<0.01）. TCM-PES and IBS-QOL scores of observation group after treatment were higher and IBS-SSS score was lower than those of control group （P<0.05）. The efficacy rate of TCM syndromes in observation group was higher than that of control group （P<0.05）. Additionally， after treatment， the observation group had lower SAS and SDS scores （P<0.05）and IL-12 level（P<0.05）and higher plasma IL-10 level than the control group （P<0.05）. ConclusionTongxie Yaofang can relieve abdominal pain and diarrhea in IBS-D patients with liver depression and spleen deficiency，reduce negative emotion，and improve the quality of life of patients，which may be related to alleviating the visceral hypersensitivity.

Short needling for knee osteoarthritis with blood stasis obstruction and its effect on serum inflammatory factors / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical efficacy and its effect on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), interleukin 1β(IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) between short needling (close-to-bone needling) and conventional acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with blood stasis obstruction.@*METHODS@#A total of 68 KOA patients with blood stasis obstruction were randomized into a short needling group (34 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a conventional acupuncture group (34 cases, 3 cases dropped off). The same acupoints (Dubi [ST 35], Neixiyan [EX-LE 4], Binzhong [Extra], Liangqiu [ST 34], etc. on the affected side) were selected in the two groups. In the short needling group, short needling technique was adopted, the needles were slowly inserted and the needle bodies were shaken, thus gradually penetrated to the bone. In the conventional acupuncture group, conventional acupuncture was adopted, the needles were penetrated to the muscle. After qi-arrival, Dubi (ST 35) and Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Liangqiu (ST 34) were connected with CMNS6-1 electronic acupuncture instrument, with disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/10 Hz in frequency, the current intensity was based on patients' feeling, the needles were retained for 30 min, at the same time, the knee joint was irradiated for 30 min with a special electromagnetic wave apparatus in the two groups. Once every other day, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) score, knee joint pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, inflammatory response related indexes (serum TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6 and PGE2) and knee joint ultrasound were observed，and the clinical effect was evaluated in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment，the pain, stiffness, function scores and total scores of WOMAC were decreased as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), except for the pain score, the changes of above scores in the short needling group were greater than the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores, serum levels of TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6, PGE2 and knee joint synovium thickness, intra-articular effusion were decreased as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), the levels of TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6 in the short needling group were lower than the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the short needling group was 87.1% (27/31), which was superior to 83.9% (26/31) in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Short needling could improve the knee joint function, relieve the pain and inflammatory response, improve the knee joint synovium inflammatory response, reduce the knee joint intra-articular effusion for KOA patients, its effect is better than conventional acupuncture.

Relationships between lead-induced learning and memory impairments and gut microbiota disturbance in mice / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To explore the effect of lead exposure on the neurobehavior and gut microbiota community structure in mice. Methods: In August 2019, 64 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (0 ppm) , low lead exposure group (20 mg/l) , medium lead exposure group (100 mg/l) and high lead exposure group (500 mg/l) . During the experiment, they were free to eat and drink. The drinking water of the lead exposure group was mixed with lead acetate, and sodium acetate was added in the control group. After 10 weeks of exposure, the Morris water maze was used to test the learning and memory ability of each group of mice, and then they were sacrificed for sampling. ICP-MS was used to detect lead content in whole blood and brain tissue. ELISA was used to determine the level of IL-1β in mouse serum. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to detect the structural diversity of the intestinal flora in feces, and then the correlation between the flora and behavior indicators was analyzed. Results: In the Morris water maze experiment, compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the body weight and swimming speed of the mice in the lead exposure groups. The escape latency of the mice in the 100 mg/l and 500 mg/l dose groups was prolonged, and the number of platform crossings decreased (P<0.05) ; meanwhile, the staying time of the mice in the 500 mg/l Pb-treated group in the target quadrant was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the blood lead content of the mice in each lead exposure group was significantly increased, and the brain lead content of mice in the 500 mg/l dose group was significantly elevated (P<0.05) . The serum IL-1β levels of mice in each lead exposure group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05) . At the phylum level, the relative abundance of the Proteobacteria phylum in all of Pb-treated groups was significantly increased (P<0.05) ; at the genus level, Allobaculum, Desulfovibrio, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Turicibacter and Ureaplasma were significantly increased (P<0.05) . Among them. The relative abundance of Desuffaoibrio, Turici bacter, and Ureaplasma was negatively correlated with the residence time of mice in the quadrant of the platform (r=-0.32, -0.29, -0.44, P<0.05) . Conclusion: Lead exposure induced learning and memory impairments in mice, which may be related to the disturbance of the gut microbiota.

Captopril related kidney damage: renal afferent arteriolar responses to angiotensin II and inflammatory signaling / 生理学报

Captopril can have nephrotoxic effects, which are largely attributed to accumulated renin and "escaped" angiotensin II (Ang II). Here we test whether angiotensin converting enzyme-1 (ACE1) inhibition damages kidneys via alteration of renal afferent arteriolar responses to Ang II and inflammatory signaling. C57Bl/6 mice were given vehicle or captopril (60 mg/kg per day) for four weeks. Hypertension was obtained by minipump supplying Ang II (400 ng/kg per min) during the second 2 weeks. We assessed kidney histology by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Masson staining, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by FITC-labeled inulin clearance, and responses to Ang II assessed in afferent arterioles in vitro. Moreover, arteriolar H2O2 and catalase, plasma renin were assayed by commercial kits, and mRNAs of renin receptor, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the renal cortex, mRNAs of angiotensin receptor-1 (AT1R) and AT2R in the preglomerular arterioles were detected by RT-qPCR. The results showed that, compared to vehicle, mice given captopril showed lowered blood pressure, reduced GFR, increased plasma renin, renal interstitial fibrosis and tubular epithelial vacuolar degeneration, increased expression of mRNAs of renal TGF-β and COX-2, decreased production of H2O2 and increased catalase activity in preglomerular arterioles and enhanced afferent arteriolar Ang II contractions. The latter were blunted by incubation with H2O2. The mRNAs of renal microvascular AT1R and AT2R remained unaffected by captopril. Ang II-infused mice showed increased blood pressure and reduced afferent arteriolar Ang II responses. Administration of captopril to the Ang II-infused mice normalized blood pressure, but not arteriolar Ang II responses. We conclude that inhibition of ACE1 enhances renal microvascular reactivity to Ang II and may enhance important inflammatory pathways.

Effects of chronic lead acetate exposure on neurobehavior and serum metabolomics in mice / 环境与职业医学

Background Chronic low-level exposure to lead can damage the central nervous system and cause anxiety-like behavior. However, whether changes of blood metabolites occur in this process and its relationship with lead-induced neurobehavioral disorder remain unclear. Objective To explore the effects of chronic lead acetate (PbAc) exposure at different concentrations on anxiety-like behavior and serum metabolites and their relationships in mice, as well as the mechanism of lead exposure on neurobehavioral injury in mice from the perspective of metabolomics. Methods A total of 64 healthy 4-week-old C57BL/6J mice, half male and half female, were randomly divided into four groups: control group (normal drinking water), 20 mg·L−1 PbAc group, 100 mg·L−1 PbAc group, and 500 mg·L−1 PbAc group. After 10 weeks of free drinking of water containing designed concentrations of PbAc, the mice were tested for anxiety-like behavioral changes by open field experiment. After the mice were anesthetized, blood was collected from the eyes, the serum was separated, and the effects of designed doses of lead exposure on metabolites in the serum of mice were compared by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry combined with principal component analysis and partial least squares discrimination analysis. Results The results of the open field experiment showed that the reductions in movement time spent in central area in the 100 mg·L−1 and 500 mg·L−1 PbAc groups compared with the control group were of statistical significance (P<0.05); the reduction in crossing times of central region in the 500 mg·L−1 PbAc group was statistically significant compared with the control group (P<0.05); the increases in defecation frequency in the 100 mg·L−1 and 500 mg·L−1 PbAc groups were statistically significant compared to the control group (P<0.05). In both positive and negative ion modes, compared with the control group, 157 differential metabolites were screened out in the 20 mg·L−1 PbAc group, of which 80 were up-regulated and 77 were down-regulated; 172 differential metabolites were screened out in the 100 mg·L−1 PbAc group, of which 57 were up-regulated and 115 were down-regulated; 119 differential metabolites were screened out in the 500 mg·L−1 PbAc group, of which 42 were up-regulated and 77 were down-regulated. The results of the KEGG enrichment analysis on the differential metabolites revealed alterations in metabolic pathways mainly involving primary bile acid biosynthesis, bile secretion, and cholesterol metabolism. Among the differential metabolites, norethisterone was positively correlated with the number of central region crossings (r=0.406, P<0.05); dihydrothymine was negatively correlated with the number of central region crossings (r=−0.346, P<0.05); lysophosphatidylcholine 22∶1 and lysophospholipid 14∶0 were negatively correlated with time spent in central region (r=−0.429, P<0.05; r=−0.374, P<0.05). Conclusion Chronic lead exposure induces anxiety-like behavior in mice, and this altered behavior is associated with altered metabolites in serum, with differential metabolites enriched primarily in the metabolic pathways of primary bile acid biosynthesis, bile acid secretion, and cholesterol metabolism.

Risk factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in thyroid micropapillary carcinoma / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To study the clinicopathological features of thyroid micropapillary carcinoma and the risk factors of cervical lymph node metastasis.Methods:Two hundred and ninty-eight thyroid micropapillary carcinoma patients diagnosed by postoperative pathology at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from Sep 2018 to Jun 2021 were retrospectively divided into metastasis group and non metastasis group according to whether there were cervical lymph node metastasis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in thyroid micropapillary carcinoma.Results:The cervical lymph node metastasis rate was 41.3%. Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in patient's height, maximum tumor diameter, calcification, capsule infiltration and Hashimoto thyroiditis (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that height ≥ 160.5cm, maximum tumor diameter ≥5.5 mm, capsule infiltration and Hashimoto thyroiditis were independent risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis. Conclusion:Cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with thyroid micropapillary carcinoma is related to the maximum diameter, height, capsule infiltration and Hashimoto thyroiditis.

Perioperative rehabilitation of children undergoing lingual frenoplasty under dexmedetomidine nasal drip combined with esketamine anesthesia / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To observe the perioperative rehabilitation of children undergoing lingual frenoplasty under dexmedetomidine nasal drip combined with esketamine anesthesia.Methods:100 children who underwent lingual frenoplasty in Changsha Maternal and Child Health Hospital from 2020 to 2021 were randomly divided into two groups: the esketamine group (E group, 50 cases) and the dexmedetomidine nasal drip combined with esketamine group (DE group, 50 cases). The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) , blood oxygen saturation (SpO 2) and respiratory rate (RR) were measured, and the patients were admitted to the post anesthesia recovery unit (PACU) after operation. The modified Aldrete score, Visual Analogue Score (VAS), Wake-up Restlessness Score, food intake (clear water) time and hospital leaving time were observed at 10 min, 30 min, 60 min and 120 min after operation. Results:There was no significant difference in SpO 2 and RR, MAP and HR at T 0 and T 6 between the two groups (all P>0.05). The MAP and HR at T 1, T 2, T 3, T 4 and T 5 in DE group were lower than those in E group (all P<0.05). The modified Aldrete score of DE group was higher than that of E group, and the VAS and Wake-up Restlessness Score were lower than that of E group (all P<0.05); The time of food intake (clear water) and leaving hospital were shorter than those in Group E, with statistically significant difference (all P<0.05). Conclusions:In children′s lingual frenoplasty, dexmedetomidine nasal drip combined with esmketamine can more effectively relieve postoperative pain and agitation than esmketamine alone, shorten children′s postoperative eating time, leave the hospital earlier, and enhance recovery of children.

Donor-derived cell-free DNA can discriminate acute rejection types after kidney transplantation / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To explore the value of detecting plasma donor-derived free DNA (dd-cfDNA) fraction in distinguishing antibody mediated-rejection (ABMR) and T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) of renal allografts.Methods:Patients with acute rejection confirmed by allograft biopsy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Zhejiang University from December 1, 2017 to July 18, 2019 were retrospectively included. Based on pathological classification of Banff renal allograft rejection in 2017, the patients were divided into ABMR group and TCMR group, and the latter was subdivided into TCMR Ⅰ subgroup and TCMR Ⅱ subgroup. The second generation sequencing and target region capture were used to detect candidates' peripheral blood dd-cfDNA. The demographic and clinicopathological data of the two groups were compared. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the differential value of plasma dd-cfDNA and serum creatinine levels in two kinds of acute renal allograft rejection.Results:A total of 60 patients with acute rejection of renal transplantation were enrolled in this study, including 42 patients in TCMR group and 18 patients in ABMR group. The plasma dd-cfDNA percentage (%) in the ABMR group was significantly higher than that in the TCMR group [2.33(1.19, 4.30)% vs 0.98(0.50, 1.82)%, P=0.001]. The absolute value of dd-cfDNA in ABMR group was obviously higher than that in TCMR group [0.94(0.60, 2.27) ng/ml vs 0.43(0.20, 0.96) ng/ml, P=0.003]. ROC analysis to discriminate TCMR from ABMR showed that, the area under the curve ( AUC) of dd-cfDNA% was 0.76(95% CI 0.64-0.88), when the threshold was 1.11%, the sensitivity and specificity were 88.89% and 59.52%, respectively; the AUC of absolute value of dd-cfDNA was 0.74(95% CI 0.61-0.86), when the threshold was 0.53 ng/ml, the sensitivity was 88.89% and the specificity was 54.76%. TCMR subgroups were further analyzed, there was no significant difference between TCMR subgroups on the absolute value and percentage of dd-cfDNA (both P>0.05); dd-cfDNA% in ABMR group was apparently higher than that in TCMRⅠ subgroups ( P=0.008) and TCMRⅡsubgroup ( P=0.030). The absolute value of dd-cfDNA in ABMR group was significantly higher than that in TCMRⅠsubgroups ( P=0.003). Conclusion:Plasma dd-cfDNA level may help to distinguish between ABMR and TCMR rejection.

Effects of intrathecal injection of resveratrol on sense of pain and OPG/RANK/RANK-L signal pathway in rats with bone cancer pain / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of intrathecal injection of resveratrol on sense of pain and OPG/RANK/RANK-L signal pathway in rats with bone cancer pain. METHODS After treatment via intrathecal tube ，the rats were randomly divided into sham operation group ，model group ，resveratrol low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （0.25，1，2 mg/kg），with 8 rats in each group. Except for sham operation group ，other groups were given Walker 256 breast cancer cell suspension on the right hind limb tibia to induce bone cancer pain model. After 12 days of modeling ，intrathecal administration was performed in resveratrol groups. The model group and sham operation group received the same volume of dimethyl sulfoxide ，10 μL，once a day ，for 5 days. The paw withdrawal mechanical threshold （PWMT）and paw withdrawal thermal latency （PWTL）were measured at 3 d，5 d after administration. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α（TNF-α），interleukin 6（IL-6），IL-1β and chemokine ligand 2 （CCL2）were determined after last medication ，and the protein expressions of RANK ，RANK-L and OPG in tibia were also determined. RESULTS Compared with sham operation group ，PWMT and PWTL were significantly decreased in the model group 12 days after operation （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group ，PWMT and PWTL were significantly increased in resveratrol medium-dose and high-dose groups at 3 d and 5 d after administration （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group ，the levels of TNF-α，IL-6，IL-1β and CCL2 in serum were significantly decreased in resveratrol middle-dose and high-dose groups at 5 d after administration（P＜0.05）；the expression of IL- 6 in serum was significantly decreased in resveratrol low-dose group （P＜0.05）； the protein expressions of RANK-L and RANK in tibia were significantly decreased ，while the protein expression of OPG was increased significantly in resveratrol middle-dose group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Resveratrol by intrathecal injection can relieve the inflammation caused by bone cancer pain of rats ， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the activity of OPG/RANK/RANK-L signal pathway.

Expression of LINC00638 in rheumatoid arthritis patients with damp-heat obstruction syndrome and the regulatory mechanisms for inflammation and oxidative stress / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and joint destruction. Both inflammatory response and oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenesis of RA. Oxidative damage can induce and aggravate the imbalance of immune inflammation and promote cell and tissue damage. In this study, the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00638 in peripheral blood of patients with RA damp-heat arthralgia syndrome was observed, and the correlation between LINC00638 and disease activity, immune inflammation and oxidative stress indicator was investigated. Subsequently, the mechanisms for LINC00638 in regulating the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in RA fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) under the condition of overexpression and interference were further explored.@*METHODS@#In this study, 48 RA patients with damp-heat arthralgia syndrome and 27 normal healthy subjects, who came from Department of Rheumatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, were included; and they were divided into a RA group and a control group. The expression of LINC00638 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the subjects was detected by real-time PCR. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) expression. Spearman method was used to study the relationship between LINC00638 and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP), and to observe the relation between LINC00638 and the Disease Activity Score of 28 Joint (DAS28), Quantitative Score of Damp Heat Syndrome, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). RA-FLS was induced by RA-PBMC, and the RA in vitro cell experimental model was established. LINC00638 overexpression plasmid and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were constructed and transfected into RA-FLS. The cell experiments were divided into 4 groups: a pcDNA3. 1- control group, a pcDNA3.1-LINC00638 group, a siRNA-control group, and a siRNA-LINC00638 group. The transfection efficiency of overexpression plasmid and siRNA was detected by real-time PCR, the expression of TNF-α and IL-10 was detected by ELISA, and the expression of antioxidant proteins HO-1 and SOD2 was detected by immunofluorescence.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the expression of LINC00638 in the RA group was lower (P<0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of LINC00638 was 0.9271. The DAS28 in RA group was 5.70 (5.40-6.50), the Quantitative Score of Damp-heat Syndrome was 20.0 (17.0-23.0), and the VAS score was 7.0 (6.3-8.0). Compared with the control group, the ESR, CRP, RF, anti-CCP, SAS and SDS scores in the RA group were significantly increased (all P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis showed that: LINC00638 was negatively correlated with ESR (r=-0.532, P<0.01), CRP (r=-0.367, P<0.05), TNF-α (r=-0.375, P<0.01), MDA (r= -0.295, P<0.05), DAS28 (r=-0.450, P<0.01), and which was positively correlated with SOD2 (r=0.370, P<0.05). After the induction of RA-FLS, the expression level of LINC00638 was significantly decreased (P<0.01), indicating that the stimulation of PBMC could effectively reduce the expression of LINC00638 in RA-FLS, so the experimental model of RA-FLS-induced by PBMC was utilized. Compared with the pcDNA3.1-control group, the expressions of LINC00638, IL-10, SOD2, and HO-1 in the pcDNA3.1-LINC00638 group were significantly increased (all P<0.01), and the expression of TNF-α was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with siRNA-control group, LINC00638, IL-10, SOD2 and HO-1 in the siRNA-LINC00638 group were significantly decreased (all P<0.01), and TNF-α was significantly increased (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#LINC00638 is down-regulated in the peripheral blood of RA patients with damp-heat arthralgia syndrome, which is correlated with disease activity, immune inflammation and oxidative stress. Overexpression of LINC00638 can down-regulate pro-inflammatory factors, up-regulate anti-inflammatory factors, and increase antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby improving inflammation and oxidative stress in RA. LINC00638 is the differential lncRNA obtained by the research group's previous high-throughput sequencing of the whole transcriptome of peripheral blood PBMCs in RA patients and validation of clinical samples. In order to deepen the molecular biology research of this gene, the microRNA and mRNA targeted by LINC00638 can be further studied from the perspective of competing endogenous RNAs.

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.

A multicenter retrospective study on survival rate and complications of very preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the survival rate and the incidence of complications of very preterm infants and the factors influencing the survival rate and the incidence of complications.@*METHODS@#The medical data of the very preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks and who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology in 11 hospitals of Jiangsu Province in China from January 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Their survival rate and the incidence of serious complications were analyzed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors for death and serious complications in very preterm infants.@*RESULTS@#A total of 2 339 very preterm infants were enrolled, among whom 2 010 (85.93%) survived and 1 507 (64.43%) survived without serious complications. The groups with a gestational age of 22-25@*CONCLUSIONS@#The survival rate is closely associated with gestational age in very preterm infants. A low 1-minute Apgar score (≤3) may increase the risk of death in very preterm infants, while high gestational age, high birth weight, and prenatal use of glucocorticoids are associated with the reduced risk of death. A low 5-minute Apgar score (≤3) and maternal chorioamnionitis may increase the risk of serious complications in these infants, while high gestational age and high birth weight may reduce the risk of serious complications.

Genetic diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from Zanthoxylum nitidum / 中国中药杂志

In order to reveal the distribution and population characteristics of endophytic fungi from Zanthoxylum nitidum and the antibacterial potential,this study performed molecular identification and analyzed the genetic diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from Z. nitidum in Guangxi. Through culture and molecular identification,35 strains,belonging to 15 genera,12 families,10 orders,4 classes,and 2 phyla,were isolated from various tissues of Z. nitidum,of which Colletotrichum and Fusarium were the dominant genera,respectively accounting for 20% of total strains. The diversity of endophytic fungi was significantly different among roots,stems,and leaves,as manifested by the significantly higher Shannon index( H') in stems( 1. 678) than in roots( 0. 882 1) and leaves( 0. 515 4). The antimicrobial activity analysis showed that 14. 28% of endophytic fungi inhibited at least one indicator pathogen. Among them,Fusarium sp. ZN-34 and Fusarium sp. ZN-26 separately demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In general,Fusarium sp. ZN-26 and Phialemoniopsis plurioloculosa ZN-35 were advantageous in suppressing the two bacteria owing to the broad spectrum and strong efficacy. In summary,Z. nitidum in Guangxi boasts rich endophytic fungi with the majority showing strong antibacterial activity,which can be used as candidates for the extraction and separation of basic antibacterial substances and the development of natural antibacterial agents.

Application of bedside transthoracic echocardiography in volume response assessment of children with septic shock / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To investigate the value of bedside transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) in volume reactivity assessment of children with septic shock.Methods:A total of 41 children aged from 1 to 5 years with septic shock requiring mechanical ventilation admitted to PICU from January 2017 to June 2020 were prospectively included.Under the condition of complete mechanical ventilation, full sedation and analgesia, and no spontaneous breathing(tidal volume 8 to 10 mL/kg), volume expansion was given to children.Hemodynamic indexs such as cardiac index(CI), stroke volume index(SVI) and stroke volume variability(SVV) were measured before and after volume expansion by noninvasive cardiac output monitoring(NICOM) and TTE.Moreover, aortic flow velocity time integral variable degrees(ΔVTI), inferior vena cava variability(ΔIVC) and inferior vena cava dilation index(dIVC) were also measured by TTE.Patients were considered to be responsive to volume expansion if SVI NICOMincreased≥15%.Based on the responsiveness of volume expansion, all the patients were divided into response group and non-response group.The value of SVV TTE, ΔVTI, ΔIVC, dIVC, ΔCVP and SVV NICOMin predicting volume responsiveness were analysed. Results:(1) There were 23 cases in response group and 18 cases in non-response group.Before volume expansion, there were no statistically significant differences in general hemodynamic indexes HR, MAP, CVP, EF, CI NICOM, and CI TTEbetween two groups( P>0.05). (2) In response group, HR, MAP, CI, SVI and CVP were all improved after volume expansion( P<0.001). In non-response group, only CVP was significantly increased after volume expansion, while other indexes were not improved( P>0.05). (3)Before the volume expansion, SVV TTE, ΔVTI, ΔIVC, and dIVC in response group were higher than those in non-response group( P<0.001). After volume expansion, these indicators were significantly reduced in response group.In non-response group, only ΔIVC significantly reduced after volume expansion.(4) The receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of SVV TTEand ΔVTI was 0.971, with 12.04% as the threshold, the sensitivity was 0.957 and the specificity was 0.944. The area under the curve of ΔIVC was 0.981, with 25.98% as the threshold, the sensitivity was 0.870 and the specificity was 1.000.The area under the curve of dIVC was 0.980, with 29.86% as the threshold, the sensitivity was 0.870 and the specificity was 1.000. The area under the curve of ΔCVP was 0.778, with 2.5 cmH 2O(1 cmH 2O=0.098 kPa) as the threshold, the sensitivity was 0.913 and the specificity was 0.556. The area under the curve of SVV NICOMwas 0.874, with 12.50% as the threshold, the sensitivity was 0.869 and the specificity was 0.778. Conclusion:The dynamic indexes SVV, ΔVTI, ΔIVC and dIVC monitored by TTE have good accuracy in evaluating children′s volume responsiveness, among which the accuracy of ΔIVC and dIVC is relatively the highest; the value of ΔCVP in predicting volume responsiveness is limited.

Epidemiological survey of childhood asthma in Wuxi and its relation to outdoor environmental factors / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To investigate the incidence of asthma and the characteristics of acute attacks in children aged 3-14 in different administrative areas of Wuxi, and to analyze the correlation of asthma with the outdoor environmental factors.Methods:A total of 10 175 children aged 3-14 were randomly selected from 5 different administrative regions in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province for childhood asthma epidemiological survey from January to December in 2017.Results:The complete questionnaires were collected from 8 318 children with a response rate of 81.70%.There were 6 734 valid questionnaires.Asthma occurred to 259 children, and the prevalence rate was 3.84%.The prevalence of asthma in male and female children was 4.89% (163 cases) and 2.82% (96 cases), respectively.The ratio of male patients to female patients was 1.70∶1.00, and the difference was significant ( χ2=19.72, P<0.01). Children were most prone to suffer from asthma attacks at the turn of seasons (87/259 cases, 33.59%). The frequency of asthma was the lowest from June to August (9/259 cases, 3.47%). Among 244 cases attacked by acute asthma, the prevailing time period of acute attacks was irregular in 88 patients (36.07%), bedtime in 64 cases (26.23%). In different regions of the city, the lowest prevalence rate of asthma was found in Binhu District (50/1 830 cases, 2.73%), the highest prevalence rate of asthma was found in Xinwu District (71/1 502 cases, 4.72%), the difference between the highest and lowest prevalence rates of asthma was significant ( χ2=13.19, P<0.05). In terms of the air quality in different admi-nistrative regions of Wuxi, the nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) concentration, the carbon monoxide (CO) concentration, PM 10 and PM 2.5 in Binhu District were lower than other 4 regions.In different seasons in Wuxi city, the sulfur dioxide(SO 2) concentration, the NO 2 concentration, the CO concentration, PM 10 and PM 2.5 from June to August were significantly lower than those in other months.The prevalence of asthma in children in different administrative districts of Wuxi was weakly positively correlated with the SO 2 concentration, the NO 2 concentration and PM 10 ( r=0.10, P<0.01; r=0.22, P<0.01; r=0.06, P<0.01, respectively). The prevalence of asthma was weakly negatively associated with the ozone(O 3) concentration ( r=-0.06, P<0.01). Acute asthma attacks were weakly positively correlated with the SO 2 concentration ( r=0.22, P<0.01), the NO 2 concentration ( r=0.28, P<0.01), the CO concentration ( r=0.23, P<0.01), PM 10 ( r=0.18, P<0.01) and PM 2.5 ( r=0.18, P<0.01), and weakly negatively correlated with the O 3 concentration ( r=-0.40, P<0.01). Conclusions:The prevalence of asthma in Wuxi is higher in boys than in girls, and the frequency of asthma attacks is related to the season.The SO 2, NO 2, CO, PM 10, PM 2.5 and O 3 concentration affect the prevalence and acute attacks of asthma.

Modulatory Potential of LncRNA Zfas1for Inflammation and Neuronal Apoptosis in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Purpose@#This study aimed to elucidate whether lncRNA ZFAS1 is involved in neuronal apoptosis and inflammation in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). @*Materials and Methods@#Ninety-six TLE patients were recruited, and their peripheral venous blood was gathered to determine Zfas1 expression with polymerase chain reaction. Neurons were separated from hippocampal tissue of newborn SD rats, and siZfas1 or pcDNA3.1-Zfas1 was transfected into the neurons. Inflammatory cytokines released by neurons were determined, and neuronal activities were evaluated through MTT assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. @*Results@#Serum levels of Zfas1 were higher in TLE patients than in healthy controls (p<0.05). Furthermore, Zfas1 expression in neurons was raised by pcDNA3.1-Zfas1 and declined after silencing of Zfas1 (p<0.05). Transfection of pcDNA-Zfas1 weakened the viability and proliferation of neurons and increased neuronal apoptosis (p<0.05). Meanwhile, pcDNA3.1-Zfas1 transfection promoted lipopolysaccharide-induced release of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p<0.05), and boosted NF-κB activation by elevating the expression of NF-κB p65, pIκBα, and IKKβ in neurons (p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#Our results indicated that lncRNA ZFAS1 exacerbates epilepsy development by promoting neuronal apoptosis and inflammation, implying ZFAS1 as a promising treatment target for epilepsy.

Efficacy and safety of 0.05% atropine eye drops for retarding myopia progression in Chinese primary school students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.05% atropine eye drops for retarding myopia progression and ocular axial elongation in school children,and to provide a reference for the relevant prevention and control measures of myopia.@*Methods@#A total of 188 children with myopia were randomly assigned to the experimental group(93) or to the control group(95). During the phase (first 24 months) I,children received treatment in each eye once a day. During the phase II (from 25th to the 36th month),no treatment was given. Standardized eye examinations including spherical equivalent(SE),axial length(AL),intraocular pressure(IOP) and potential atropine-related side effect assessment were performed every 6 months.@*Results@#In phase I, the annual progression rates of equivalent spherical degree [(-0.35±0.21)D/year] and axial length [(0.11±0.07)mm/year] in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(-0.83±0.26)D/year and (0.37±0.22)mm/year] (P<0.05). After withdrawal of atropine eye drops (phase II), the equivalent spherical degree progression rate [(-0.40±0.29)D/year] and axial length progression rate [(0.10±0.04)mm/year] in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(0.73±0.40)D/year and (0.30±0.11)mm/year]. No serious adverse events associated with atropine were found during the follow up period. After the withdrawal of atropine, the pupil size, near visual acuity and adjustment gradually returned to the pre-treatment level.@*Conclusion@#0.05% atropine eye drops may not only maintain the efficacy and reduce potential side effects of atropine but also significantly increase the compliance of children,0.05% atropine is a safe and effective treatment for retarding myopic progression in moderate myopia.

Urinary donor-derived cell-free DNA as a non-invasive biomarker for BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is a common cause of allograft failure. However, differentiation between BKPyVAN and type I T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) is challenging when simian virus 40 (SV40) staining is negative, because of the similarities in histopathology. This study investigated whether donor-derived cell-free DNA (ddcfDNA) can be used to differentiate BKPyVAN. Target region capture sequencing was applied to detect the ddcfDNAs of 12 recipients with stable graft function, 22 with type I TCMR, 21 with proven BKPyVAN, and 5 with possible PyVAN. We found that urinary ddcfDNA levels were upregulated in recipients with graft injury, whereas plasma ddcfDNA levels were comparable for all groups. The median urinary concentrations and fractions of ddcfDNA in proven BKPyVAN recipients were significantly higher than those in type I TCMR recipients (10.4 vs. 6.1 ng/mL,

The expression and significance of TRPM8 among chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To compare the expression and difference of melastatin-related transient receptor potential 8(TRPM8) among chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps and normal mucosa tissues. And to explore the significant expression of TRPM8 among CRSwNP. Methods: Fifty-one patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from February 2019 to January 2020 were recruited, including 33 males and 18 females, aged from 14 to 65 years old (34.55±1.689).Immunohistochemistry was used to detected the expression of TRPM8 protein among CRSsNP(17),CRSwNP (17) and control tissuses(17). In addition, the correlation between the expression of TRPM8 protein in CRSwNP patients and preoperative CT Lund-Mackay scores and preoperative VAS scores and sinonasal outcome test-20 scores was analyzed, respectively. The primary human nasal epithelial cells were cultured in vitro and the expression of TRPM8 was detected by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting . The tissue in control group, chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) group and the CRSwNP group were collected and grinded into tissue homogenized. The expression of TRPM8 protein was detected by western blotting after 24 h stimulation after homogenate was added into the medium of RPMI 2650 and primary nasal epithelial cells. Results: Compared with the control, the expression of TRPM8 was significantly up-regulated in nasal polyps (t=6.852, P<0.05). TRPM8 was mainly expressed in epithelial cells. The expression of TRPM8 in the epithelial cells of CRSsNP had no difference with the control group (t=1.980, P>0.05). In addition, the expression of TRPM8 in CRSwNP patients was positively correlated with the preoperative CT Lund-Mackay scores and VAS scores and SNOT-20 scores (r=0.512, P<0.05;r=0.853, P<0.01;r=0.814, P<0.01). After cultured primary epithelial cells in vitro, the expression level of TRPM8 in epithelial cells derived from nasal polyp was significantly higher than that in control group (t=8.845, P<0.05). By adding the homogenization of control and CRSsNP and CRSwNP tissues, the expression of TRPM8 in RPMI 2650 cells and primary nasal epithelial cells was changed and that was significantly increased after adding the homogenization of the group of CRSwNP. Conclusion: TRPM8 is highly expressed in nasal polyps epithelial cells, suggesting that TRPM8 may be involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps regulated by nasal epithelial cells.