Clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 in different age groups during the epidemic of Omicron variant / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the differences in the clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different age groups during the epidemic of Omicron variant.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 211 children with COVID-19 who were admitted to the Department of General Pediatrics, Zhongshan People's Hospital, from December 9, 2022 to January 8, 2023. According to their age, they were divided into 4 groups: 1 month-<1 year (n=84), 1-<3 years group (n=64), 3-<5 years (n=29), and ≥5 years (n=34). The above groups were compared in terms of general status, clinical features, ancillary examination results, treatment, and outcome.@*RESULTS@#The children aged <3 years accounted for 70.1% (148/211) of all hospitalized children with COVID-19, and the 3-<5 years group and the ≥5 years group had a significantly higher proportion of children with underlying diseases than the 1 month-<1 year group and the 1-<3 years group (P<0.05). Compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had significantly higher incidence rates of dyspnea, nasal congestion/nasal discharge, diarrhea and significantly lower incidence rates of convulsion and nervous system involvement (P<0.05). Moreover, compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had significantly higher incidence rates of increases in bile acid and creatine kinase isoenzyme and significantly lower incidence rates of decreased platelet count, increased neutrophil percentage, and decreased lymphocyte percentage (P<0.05). The 1 month-<1 year group had a significantly higher incidence rate of mild COVID-19 than the 1-<3 years group and a significantly lower incidence rate of severe/critical COVID-19 than the other three groups (P<0.05). Compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had a significantly higher proportion of children receiving oxygen inhalation therapy (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Children with COVID-19 in different age groups have different clinical features during the epidemic of Omicron variant, especially between the children aged 1 month to <1 year and those aged ≥1 year.

Effects of Toluene on the Development of the Inner Ear and Lateral Line Sensory System of Zebrafish / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#The aim of this study was to explore the ototoxicity of toluene in the early development of zebrafish embryos/larvae.@*Methods@#Zebrafish were utilized to explore the ototoxicity of toluene. Locomotion analysis, immunofluorescence, and qPCR were used to understand the phenotypes and molecular mechanisms of toluene ototoxicity.@*Results@#The results demonstrated that at 2 mmol/L, toluene induced zebrafish larvae death at 120 hours post fertilization (hpf) at a rate of 25.79% and inhibited the rate of hatching at 72 hpf. Furthermore, toluene exposure inhibited the distance travelled and average swimming velocity of zebrafish larvae while increasing the frequency of movements. As shown by fluorescence staining of hair cells, toluene inhibited the formation of lateral line neuromasts and middle line 1 (Ml @*Conclusion@#This study indicated that toluene may affect the development of both the inner ear and lateral line systems in zebrafish, while the lateral line system may be more sensitive to toluene than the inner ear.

Repairing peripheral nerve injury with nerve conduits / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the rapid development of medical and tissue engineering has provided more choices for making nerve conduit preparation. OBJECTIVE: To review the application of nerve conduits in the repair of peripheral nerve injury. METHODS: The first author retrieved the CNKI and PubMed databases to search relevant articles published from 2010 to 2016. The key words were "nerve conduit, peripheral nerve" in Chinese and English, respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The nerve conduit materials are mainly classified into biotype and non-biotype. Biotype materials mainly include muscle, amniotic membrane, vein and small intestinal submucosal layer. The non-biotype materials include chitosan, collagen, silk fibroin, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyaniline and silicone tubes. Some materials currently have been approved to enter the clinical stage. There are more or less problems in the clinical application of nerve conduits in the repair of peripheral nerve injury. For example, the length of a defect that can be repaired is limited; the mechanical properties and mechanical properties are not exactly matched with nerve regeneration; the degradation rate is inconsistent with the rate of nerve regeneration; and poor biocompatibility exists.

Repairing peripheral nerve injury with nerve conduits / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the rapid development of medical and tissue engineering has provided more choices for making nerve conduit preparation. OBJECTIVE: To review the application of nerve conduits in the repair of peripheral nerve injury. METHODS: The first author retrieved the CNKI and PubMed databases to search relevant articles published from 2010 to 2016. The key words were "nerve conduit, peripheral nerve" in Chinese and English, respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The nerve conduit materials are mainly classified into biotype and non-biotype. Biotype materials mainly include muscle, amniotic membrane, vein and small intestinal submucosal layer. The non-biotype materials include chitosan, collagen, silk fibroin, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyaniline and silicone tubes. Some materials currently have been approved to enter the clinical stage. There are more or less problems in the clinical application of nerve conduits in the repair of peripheral nerve injury. For example, the length of a defect that can be repaired is limited; the mechanical properties and mechanical properties are not exactly matched with nerve regeneration; the degradation rate is inconsistent with the rate of nerve regeneration; and poor biocompatibility exists.

Observation on therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture combined with local blocking therapy on acute gouty arthritis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To search for a new method for treatment of acute gouty arthritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred cases of acute gouty arthritis were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group. The observation group were treated with local blocking and electroacupuncture at Yinbai (SP 1), Taichong (LR 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Ashi points, and the control group were treated with oral administration of 25 mg Indomethacin, thrice each day, and 100 mg Allopurinol, thrice daily. The therapeutic effects and changes of pain score, serum uric acid were observed in the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The effective rate was 96.4% in the observation group and 84.1% in the control group, the former being better than the later (P < 0.05). Before and after treatment, pain scores were 3.48 +/- 1.05 and 0.94 +/- 10.85, 3.45 +/- 1.07 and 2.11 +/- 0.91, and serum uric acid contents were (539.16 +/- 34.49) micromol/L and (376.30 +/- 52.85) micromol/L, and (552.29 +/- 46.15) micromol/L and (425.79 +/- 48.69) micromol/L in the two group, respectively. After treatment, pain score and serum uric acid content very significantly decreased in the two groups (both P < 0.01) and the observation group in the analgesic effect and the effect in decreasing serum uric acid content was better than the control group (both P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electroacupuncture combined with local blocking is an effective method for treatment of acute gouty arthritis and it can decrease blood uric acid level.</p>

Observation on therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture at points Baliao and Huiyang (BL 35) on retention of urine induced by spinal cord injury / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore a more effective therapy for retention of urine induced by spinal cord injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-four cases were randomly divided into a treatment group of 46 cases and a control group of 38 cases. The treatment group were treated with electroacupuncture at Baliao and Huiyang (BL 35), and the control group with electroacupuncture at acupoints routinely selected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate and the cured rate were 82.6% and 43.5% in the treatment group and 63.2% and 23.7% in the control group respectively, with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electroacupuncture at Baliao and Huiyang (BL 35) has obvious therapeutic effect on retention of urine induced by spinal cord injury.</p>