Interlaboratory method validation of slope ratio determination for anticoagulant activity of leeches / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the slope ratio method for the determination of anticoagulant activity of leeches. Methods Three batches of leeches, four groups of Japanese medical vermiculite yinpian and fifteen groups of leech preparations were chosen, with contrast medicinal leeches herbs and Philippine cattle leech contrast medicinal materials, and different concentrations of leaching solutions were prepared in parallel. APTT value was determined after anticoagulant activity was determined by slope ratio method for the joint validation of laboratory, intermediate precision and accuracy between the linear range. Results The slope ratio method was accurate and accurate in the determination of anticoagulant activity of leeches, with linearity between 64% and 156% relative titer level. Conclusion Slope ratio method can be used to determine the anticoagulant activity of leeches.

Arctigenin attenuates airway inflammation in asthmatic mice via SIRT1/NLRP3 pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the efficacy of arctigenin on airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma and the mechanism related to the SIRT1/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Methods Forty female BALB/c mice of clean grade were selected and divided into control group, OVA model group and ATG group (5, 10 and 20 mg · kg

Effect of Zhenzhu Tiaozhi Capsule on HbA1c in Patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus： A Real-world Study / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the long-term effect of Zhenzhu Tiaozhi capsule（FTZ） on hemoglobin A1c（HbA1c）in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） based on real-world data. Method:T2DM patients who were provided with FTZ （FTZ group） and those receiving conventional hypoglycemic drugs （control group） were extracted from the hospital information system （HIS） of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University， followed by propensity score matching （PSM） for balancing the confounding factors between groups. With HbA1c as the efficacy evaluation index， the difference in efficacy between the two groups was compared using <italic>t</italic>-test and <italic>χ</italic>² test. For repeated measurement data of the same patient， the difference in efficacy and the stability of FTZ against HbA1c were analyzed by generalized estimating equation （GEE）. The factors that might affect the efficacy of FTZ against HbA1c were subjected to multivariate linear regression analysis （MLRA）， and the subgroup analyses were then conducted after the stratification of relevant factors. Result:There were 46 patients included in the FTZ group and 1 208 patients in the control group. PSM yielded 42 pairs of samples with balanced covariates between groups. As revealed by one-year observation， ① HbA1c in the FTZ group after treatment was 6.51%±1.09%. No significant difference was observed either in pre- and post-treatment comparison in the FTZ group or in its comparison with the control group. At the same time， the HbA1c compliance rate in the FTZ group was 73.8% after treatment. No significant difference was observed either in pre- and post-treatment comparison in the FTZ group or in its comparison with the control group. ② The GEE results showed that the post-treatment HbA1c levels in the two groups were not significantly different from each other. Moreover， the HbA1c level remained stable over treatment time. ③ MLRA and subgroup analyses results demonstrated that FTZ was more effective in patients with high baseline HbA1c ［<italic>β</italic>=-0.530，95% confidence interval（CI） -0.850～-0.209，<italic>P</italic><0.01］ or those who were complicated with hypertension （<italic>β</italic>=-0.918，95%CI -1.614～-0.222，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:In the real world， FTZ is able to control the blood sugar， and its effect is similar to those of conventional hypoglycemic drugs. Besides， it is capable of stabilizing the blood sugar for a long time.

Glaucocalyxin A attenuates allergic responses by inhibiting mast cell degranulation through HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways / 药学学报

The study is to investigate the effect of glaucocalyxin A (GLA) on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis. The animal welfare and experimental process of this experiment followed the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Yanbian University. BALB/c mice were used in the animal experiment and randomly divided into five groups, control group, model group, and GLA low, medium, and high dose groups (10, 20, and 40 mg·kg-1). Mice were sensitized by intradermal injection of anti-dinitrophenyl-immunoglobulin E (DNP-IgE) into the ears and challenged with a mixture of DNP-human serum albumin (HSA) and 4% evans blue into the tail veins to prepare an animal skin passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) model, which was collected from both ears for measurement of dye staining and histology. Rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs) were used in the cell experiment and divided into control, IgE + antigen (Ag), and IgE + Ag + GLA groups to determine histamine release as well as calcium influx levels. High-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI)-mediated signaling pathway proteins and HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB (high mobility group box 1/toll like receptor 4/nuclear transcription factor kappa B) signaling proteins were detected by Western blot. The results of animal experiments suggest that GLA inhibits PCA, reduces evans blue dye exudation, and reduces ear inflammation and ear thickness in mice. The results of cellular experiments suggested that GLA could reduce histamine release and calcium influx, and inhibit tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and IL-1β production; Western blot results showed that GLA inhibited FcεRI-mediated phosphorylation levels of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), Lck/Yes novel tyrosine kinase (Lyn), tyrosine kinase Fyn (Fyn), growth-factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Gab2), and phospholipase C (PLC) γ1, while GLA inhibited HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway to limit NF-κB p65 nuclear metastasis. The results indicate that GLA inhibits mast cell degranulation and attenuates allergic inflammation through the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Association between time of birth and resuscitation outcomes in extremely preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study whether there are differences in the resuscitation process and early outcomes between the extremely preterm infants delivered on off-hours (6 pm to 8 am of working days, weekends, and national holidays) and those delivered on working hours.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of extremely preterm infants who were born in the Peking University Third Hospital from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020 and transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). According to the time of birth, they were divided into two groups:working hours (@*RESULTS@#Compared with the working hours group, the off-hours group had a significantly lower proportion of infants with the use of full-dose dexamethasone before delivery (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Extremely preterm infants delivered on off-hours tend to have a low Apgar score at 1 minute after birth, with a higher proportion of infants requiring positive pressure ventilation or tracheal intubation during resuscitation than those delivered on working hours, and they tend to develop neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and intrauterine pneumonia. This suggests that it is important to make adequate preparations in terms of personnel and supplies for resuscitation of extremely preterm infants after birth and that NICUs should develop a detailed management plan for extremely preterm infants at each period of time before, during, and after birth.

Distribution of High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein Status in an Urban Population in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objectives@#To evaluate the distribution by age and sex of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in an urban Chinese population and to provide a profile prediction for the risk of bacterial infection, inflammatory diseases, or tissue damages in the body.@*Methods@#Serum hsCRP was determined using the Roche Tina-quant immuno-turbidimetric assay on a Hitachi 7600-010 automatic biochemical analyzer (Roche Diagnostics) in 1,572 males and 1,800 females, including 78 pregnant women, who were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2010-2012.@*Results@#The average hsCRP concentration in urban China was 0.68 mg/L for males and 0.65 mg/L for females. Significant differences in hsCRP were found among different age groups ( < 0.05). Monitoring results showed no significant differences among the 6-11, 45-59, and ≥ 60-year-old groups in the comparison of hsCRP between males and females in large cities. However, hsCRP concentration was significantly higher in men aged 12-17 and 18-44 years than in women.@*Conclusion@#The distribution of the hsCRP status of residents in large cities in China was influenced by age and gender, and the hsCRP levels of both sexes increased gradually with age. In addition, hsCRP concentration was higher in healthy pregnant women than in non-pregnant women. Basing on our results, we recommend that this parameter be included in future national and international screening for early detection of various illnesses.

Evaluation of Erythrocyte Iron Incorporation in Beijing Prepubertal Children Using a Single Stable Isotope Tracer Method / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#To analyze the rate of erythrocyte iron incorporation and provided guidance for the iron nutrition for prepubertal children.@*Methods@#Fifty-seven prepubertal children of Beijing were involved in this study and each subject was orally administered 3 mg of Fe twice daily to obtain a total of 30 mg Fe after a 5-d period. The stable isotope ratios in RBCs were determined in 14th day, 28th day, 60th day, and 90th day. The erythrocyte incorporation rate in children was calculated using the stable isotope ratios, blood volume and body iron mass.@*Results@#The percentage of erythrocyte Fe incorporation increased starting 14 th day, reached a peak at 60 d (boys: 19.67% ± 0.56%, girls: 21.33% ± 0.59%) and then decreased. The erythrocyte incorporation rates of Fe obtained for girls in 60th day was significantly higher than those obtained for boys ( < 0.0001).@*Conclusions@#The oral administration of Fe to children can be used to obtain erythrocyte iron incorporation within 90 d. Prepubertal girls should begin to increase the intake of iron and further studies should pay more attention to the iron status in prepubertal children.

Basal Energy Expenditure of Chinese Healthy Adults: Comparison of Measured and Predicted Values / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#This study aimed to measure the basal energy expenditure (BEE) of Chinese healthy adults and establish an accurate predictive equation for this population.@*Methods@#In total, 470 Chinese healthy adults had their BEE measured using the Cosmed K4b portable metabolic system. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to develop new optimal equations for predicting BEE. The bias, accuracy rate, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and root mean square error (RMSE) were used to evaluate the accuracy of the predictive equations.@*Results@#There was a significant difference in BEE between males and females, with 5,954 kJ/d and 5,089 kJ/d, respectively. People living in rural areas expended significantly higher BEE (5,885 kJ/d) than those in urban areas (5,279 kJ/d). Previous equations developed by Henry, Schofield, Harris-Benedict (H-B), and Liu overestimated the BEE of Chinese healthy adults. The new equations derived from the present study displayed the smallest average bias and RMSE from the measured basal energy expenditure (mBEE). The CCC of the new equations was higher than other predictive equations, but it was lower than 0.8. There was no significant difference in the accuracy rate among all predictive equations.@*Conclusions@#Sex and regional differences in BEE were observed in Chinese healthy adults. Neither the widely used previous predictive equations nor the one derived in the present study were accurate enough for estimating the BEE of Chinese healthy adults. Further study is required to develop more accurate equations for predicting the BEE of Chinese healthy adults aged between 20-45 years.

Glaucocalyxin A alleviates ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation through HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in asthmatic mice / 国际药学研究杂志

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of glaucocalyxin A(GLA)on airway inflammation in a mouse mod- el of ovalbumin(OVA)-induced asthma and whether the mechanism is associated with the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods: Forty BALB/c mice were divided into 5 groups(8 mice in each group):control group, OVA model group, GLA-L group (10 mg/kg), GLA-H group(40 mg/kg)and dexamethasone group(1 mg/kg). HE and PAS staining were used to observe the inflammatory infiltration and the number of goblet cells in mouse lung tissue;Diff-Quick staining was used to count various cell types in mouse bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF);ELISA was used to detect the content of inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines in mouse BALF;Western blotting(WB)was used to detect the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB(nuclear)and NF-κB(cytosol)in lung tissue;immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression level of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB p65 protein in mouse lung tissue. Results: GLA reduced inflammatory cell exudation and goblet cell proliferation in OVA-induced asthmatic model;GLA treatment significantly decreased eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes in BALF of asthmatic mice, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines(P<0.05);WB results showed that GLA inhibited the protein expression of HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB(nuclear)(P<0.05);immunohistochemistry results showed that GLA reduced the expression of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB p65 protein in lung tissue(P<0.05). Conclusion: GLA could ameliorate the OVA-induced airway inflammation in asthmatic mice, possibly via interfering in the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Prognosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants: a follow-up during infancy / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the physical development, incidence of common respiratory diseases, and motor development during infancy in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical features and infantile outcomes of preterm infants with BPD who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between January 2012 and December 2015. Preterm infants without BPD were used as controls who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit during the same period and had similar gestational age and birth weight. Physical development, number of hospital stays, the incidences of pneumonia and wheezing, and motor development during infancy were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, BPD infants had a significantly higher incidence of extrauterine growth retardation at discharge (48% vs 41%; P<0.05); BPD infants were more susceptible to pneumonia, wheezing, eczema and rhinitis; BDP infants also had a significantly higher number of readmissions due to respiratory tract infection (P<0.05). BPD infants had a significantly smaller head circumference than the control group at corrected ages of 3, 6, and 12 months (P<0.05). BPD infants had significantly delayed gross, fine, and overall motor development than the control group at corrected ages of 6 and 9 months (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Infants with BPD are susceptible to extrauterine growth retardation at discharge. Their head circumference growth is relatively slow. They are susceptible to pneumonia and wheezing during infancy. Moreover, they have delayed motor development when compared with those without BPD at corrected ages of 6 and 9 months.

Asymmetric crying facies and vocal cord paralysis accompanied by congenital heart disease in an infant / 中国当代儿科杂志

A female infant was admitted to the hospital due to perioral cyanosis two hours after birth. The infant was born at the gestational age of 35 weeks by cesarean section with a birth weight of 2 400 g. Physical examination revealed wry mouth to the left side while crying, small auricles, and high palatal arch; fibrolaryngoscopy suggested bilateral vocal cord paralysis; echocardiography suggested ventricular septal defect; single nucleotide polymorphism testing showed 22q11.21 microdeletion. Therefore, the infant was given a definite diagnosis of asymmetric crying facies syndrome accompanied by 22q11.21 microdeletion. After 8-month follow-up, the infant still had asymmetric crying facies with presence of growth retardation.

Persistent hypertension for two months in a preterm infant / 中国当代儿科杂志

A boy aged 2 months (born at 36 weeks of gestation) was admitted due to cough and dyspnea. After admission, he was found to have persistent hypertension, proteinuria, and persistent convulsion, and imaging examination showed extensive calcification of the aorta and major branches and stenosis of local lumens of the abdominal aorta and the right renal artery with increased blood flow velocity. The boy was admitted during the neonatal period due to wet lung and pulmonary arterial hypertension and was found to have hypertension and proteinuria. High-throughput whole-exome sequencing was performed and found two compound heterozygous mutations in the ENPP1 gene from his parents, c.130C>T (p.Q44X) and c.1112A>T (p.Y371F). c.130C>T was a nonsense mutation, which could cause partial deletion of protein from 44 amino acids, and was defined as a primary pathogenic mutation. c.1112A>T was a missense mutation which had been reported as a pathogenic mutation associated with idiopathic infantile arterial calcification (IIAC). Therefore, he was diagnosed with IIAC. He was given phosphonate drugs, antihypertensive drugs, anticonvulsion treatment, and respiratory support. Blood pressure was maintained at the upper limit of normal value. There was no deterioration of arterial calcification. It is concluded that IIAC should be considered for infants with persistent hypertension and extensive vascular calcification, and imaging and genetic examinations should be performed as early as possible to make a confirmed diagnosis.

Effect of intravitreal injection of conbercept on diabetic diffuse macular edema / 眼科新进展

Objective To investigate the effects of intravitreal injection of conbercept on diffuse macular edema (DME) of diabetes mellitus.Methods Together 51 diabetic patients (51 eyes) with diffuse macular edema were collected between July 2016 to July 2017,and randomly divided into three groups (n =17):group A,in which patients received solely intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg conbercept,group B,those who was intravitreally injected with 0.5 mg of conbercept and modified macular grating photocoagulation,and group C,patients undergoing modified grid photocoagulation (GPG).Then,before treatment and 1 week,1 month,3 months and 6 months after treatment,all patients were examined by optical coherence tomography for determining central macular thickness (CMT),followed by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA),the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA),slit lamp,intraocular pressure for compare the efficacy and safety of the three procedures.Results All the three treatments improved BCVA,CMT,retinal neovascularization (RNV) leakage in diffuse DME patients,but group A and B were better than group C (both P ＜ 0.05),while there was no significant difference in BCVA improvement between A and B group (P ＞ 0.05),whereas the improvement in CMT of group B patients was better than that of group A [(197.47 ±45.26) μm vs.(205.59 ± 47.33) μm] (P ＜ 0.001),and this was true of RNV leakage [(9.91 ±3.18)mm vs.(13.24 ±4.87) rnm] (P＜0.001),without related complications.Conclusion Combination of modified macular grid photocoagulation and intravitreal injection of conbercept can quickly relieve diabetic macular edema and alleviate neovascularization,thus improving the patients' vision acuity,of which the efficacy is superior to the pure modified macular grid photocoagulation and conbercept injection.

Baicalein, wogonin, and Scutellaria baicalensis ethanol extract alleviate ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation and mast cell-mediated anaphylactic shock by regulation of Th1/Th2 imbalance and histamine release / 대한해부학회지

Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia, the aberrant production of the Th2 cytokines, and eosinophil infiltration into the lungs. In this study, we examined the effects of baicalein, wogonin, and Scutellaria baicalensis ethanol extract on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma by evaluating Th1/Th2 cytokine levels, histopathologic analysis, and compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis and mast cell activation, focusing on the histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. Baicalein, wogonin, and S. baicalensis ethanol extract also decreased the number of inflammatory cells especially eosinophils and downregulated peribronchial and perivascular inflammation in the lungs of mice challenged by OVA. Baicalein, wogonin, and S. baicalensis ethanol extract significantly reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-5 and the production of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1, and upregulated the level of interferon-γ and OVA-specific IgG2a. In addition, oral administration of baicalein, wogonin, and S. baicalensis ethanol extract inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis and plasma histamine release in mice. Moreover, baicalein, wogonin, and S. baicalensis ethanol extract suppressed compound 48/80-induced mast cell degranulation and histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. Conclusively, baicalein and wogonin as major flavonoids of S. baicalensis may have therapeutic potential for allergic asthma through modulation of Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance and histamine release from mast cells.

Zinc Absorption from Representative Diet in a Chinese Elderly Population Using Stable Isotope Technique / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the dietary zinc absorption in a Chinese elderly population and provide the basic data for the setting of zinc (Zn) recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) for Chinese elderly people.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 24 elderly people were recruited for this study and were administered oral doses of 3 mg 67Zn and 1.2 mg dysprosium on the fourth day. The primary macronutrients, energy, and phytic acid in the representative diet were examined based on the Chinese National Standard Methods. Fecal samples were collected during the experimental period and analyzed for zinc content, 67Zn isotope ratio, and dysprosium content.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean (± SD) zinc intake from the representative Chinese diet was 10.6 ± 1.5 mg/d. The phytic acid-to-zinc molar ratio in the diet was 6.4. The absorption rate of 67Zn was 27.9% ± 9.2%. The RNI of zinc, which were calculated by the absorption rate in elderly men and women, were 10.4 and 9.2 mg/d, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study got the dietary Zn absorption in a Chinese elderly population. We found that Zn absorption was higher in elderly men than in elderly women. The current RNI in elderly female is lower than our finding, which indicates that more attention is needed regarding elderly females' zinc status and health.</p>

Two new conjugated ketonic fatty acids from the stem bark of Juglans mandshurica / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to isolate and characterize novel chemical constituents of the stem bark of Juglans mandshurica Maxim. (Juglandaceae). The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by various chromatographic techniques. The structures of the compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data (1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, CD, UV, and IR) and by the comparisons of spectroscopic data with the reported values in the literatures. Two long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (1 and 2) were obtained and identified as (S)-(8E,10E)-12-hydroxy-7-oxo-8,10-octadecadienoic acid (1) and (S)-(8E, 10E)-12-hydroxy-7-oxo-8,10-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester (2). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation and structural elucidation of the two new conjugated ketonic fatty acids from this genus.

Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells: a better cell source for nervous system regeneration / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>In order to suggest an ideal source of adult stem cells for the treatment of nervous system diseases, MSCs from human adipose tissue and bone marrow were isolated and studied to explore the differences with regard to cell morphology, surface markers, neuronal differentiation capacity, especially the synapse structure formation and the secretion of neurotrophic factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The neuronal differentiation capacity of human mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue (hADSCs) and bone marrow (hBMSCs) was determined based on nissl body and synapse structure formation, and neural factor secretion function. hADSCs and hBMSCs were isolated and differentiated into neuron-like cells with rat brain-conditioned medium, a potentially rich source of neuronal differentiation promoting signals. Specific neuronal proteins and neural factors were detected by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Flow cytometric analysis showed that both cell types had similar phenotypes. Cell growth curves showed that hADSCs proliferated more quickly than hBMSCs. Both kinds of cells were capable of osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. The morphology of hADSCs and hBMSCs changed during neuronal differentiation and displayed neuron-like cell appearance after 14 days' differentiation. Both hADSCs and hBMSCs were able to differentiate into neuron-like cells based on their production of neuron specific proteins including β-tubulin-III, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), nissl bodies, and their ability to secrete brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Assessment of synaptop hysin and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) suggested synapse structure formation in differentiated hADSCs and hBMSCs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our results demonstrate that hADSCs have neuronal differentiation potential similar to hBMSC, but with a higher proliferation capacity than hBMSC. Adipose tissue is abundant, easily available and would be a potential ideal source of adult stem cells for neural-related clinical research and application.</p>

Protein requirements in healthy adults: a meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The goal of this study was to analyze protein requirements in healthy adults through a meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A comprehensive search for nitrogen balance studies of healthy adults published up to October 2012 was performed, each study were reviewed, and data were abstracted. The studies were first evaluated for heterogeneity. The average protein requirements were analyzed by using the individual data of each included studies. Study site climate, age, sex, and dietary protein source were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Data for 348 subjects were gathered from 28 nitrogen balance studies. The natural logarithm of requirement for 348 individuals had a normal distribution with a mean of 4.66. The estimated average requirement was the exponentiation of the mean of the log requirement, 105.64 mg N/kg•d. No significant differences between adult age, source of dietary protein were observed. But there was significant difference between sex and the climate of the study site (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The estimated average requirement and recommended nutrient intake of the healthy adult population was 105.64 mg N/kg•d (0.66 g high quality protein/kg•d) and 132.05 mg N/kg•d (0.83 g high quality protein/kg•d), respectively.</p>

Physiological changes in serum procalcitonin concentrations in premature infants early after birth / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate serum procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations in premature infants with different gestational ages at different times after birth.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 217 neonates without infection, including 102 premature infants and 115 full-term infants, were enrolled in this study. The premature infants were further divided by gestational age into three subgroups: 30-32 weeks (n=30), 33-34 weeks (n=35) and 35-36 weeks (n=37). All the infants were studied to evaluate serum PCT concentrations at 0-12, 13-24, 25-36, 37-48, 49-72, 73-96, 97-120 and 121-144 hours after birth.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the newborns, serum PCT concentrations increased gradually after birth, reached peak values at about 24 hours after birth, and then gradually declined and dropped to normal values for children at about 96 hours after birth. In the premature infants, serum PCT concentrations reached peak values at about 36 hours after birth, later than in the full-term infants, then declined slowly and dropped to levels similar to the full-term infants at 96 hours after birth. Serum PCT concentrations in the 30-32 week subgroup remained at low levels after birth, and increased gradually, later than in other premature infants, at 37-48 hours after birth.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Early after birth, neonates have a changing serum PCT concentration, increasing first and then decreasing. Peak serum PCT levels appear later in premature infants than in full-term infants. Serum PCT concentrations of premature infants with a gestational age of under 32 weeks remain at relatively low levels within 36 hours after birth.</p>

Relationship between degree of white matter damage and EEG changes in premature infants early after birth / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the relationship between the degree of white matter damage and changes in brain function in premature infants early after birth according to amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) and raw EEG (with burst-suppression patterns).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-eight premature infants of less than 32 weeks' gestational age and with white matter damage, including 20 cases of mild white matter damage and 18 cases of severe white matter damage, were included in the study. Forty-two premature infants without white matter damage were selected as a control group. After birth, they were examined using aEEG and brain ultrasound once a week until four weeks after birth or a corrected gestational age of 32 weeks. The white matter damage and control groups were compared in terms of aEEG patterns and amplitudes and burst suppression ratio (BSR) on EEG.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The white matter damage and control groups had highly discontinuous patterns and had no complete sleep cycles. The lower amplitude was significantly smaller in the severe white matter damage subgroup than in the mild white matter damage subgroup and control group. There was alternating burst-suppression activity on the raw EEG in the white matter damage and control groups; and the severe white matter damage subgroup had a significantly longer suppression time and a significantly higher BSR on EEG compared with the mild white matter damage subgroup and control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Brain function monitoring should be performed in premature infants with white matter damage early after birth so as to detect cases of severe white matter damage in time.</p>