Diagnostic accuracy of red blood cell distribution width for neonatal sepsis.

INTRODUCTION: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of many diseases. However, the relevance between RDW and neonatal sepsis (NS) have not reached a consensus yet; the perform of RDW in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is still not clear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the significance of RDW in neonatal sepsis and the perform of RDW in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We used Pubmed, Embase, Web of science, CNKI and Google academic database to find all articles that met the inclusion criteria until July 1, 2020. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Fifteen eligible studies involving 1362 newborns were included in the meta-analysis after two independent investigators read the title, abstract and full text in detail. The pooled result of this meta-analysis showed that RDW was significantly higher in the NS group than in the control group (WMD=3.224; 95%CI: 2.359-4.090, P<0.001). In addition, the overall pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR and DOR were 0.88 (95%CI:0.66-0.96), 0.90 (95%CI:0.65-0.98), 9.2 (95%CI:2.1-40.3), 0.14(95%CI:0.04-0.43) and 66.9 (95%CI:8.73-513.26), respectively. The area under the SROC curve (AUC) was 0.95 (95%CI:0.93-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis demonstrated that newborns with sepsis had an elevated RDW level than healthy controls. RDW levels have significant correlated with neonatal sepsis; and RDW can be used as a cheap and satisfactory diagnostic biomarker for neonatal sepsis with a relatively high performance.

Nutritional Signaling Regulates Vitellogenin Synthesis and Egg Development through Juvenile Hormone in Nilaparvata lugens (Stål).

Insect female reproduction which comprises the synthesis of vitellogenein (Vg) in the fat body and its incorporation into developing oocytes, needs a large amount of energy and food resources. Our previous studies found that juvenile hormone (JH) regulates vitellogenesis in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. Here, we report on the role of JH in nutrient-regulated Vg synthesis and egg development. We first cloned the genes coding for juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (JHAMT) which is involved in JH biosynthesis and methoprene-tolerant (Met) for JH action. Amino acids (AAs) induced the expression of jmtN, while showing no effects on the expression of met using an artificial diet culture system. Reduction in JH biosynthesis or its action by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing of jmtN or met led to a severe inhibition of AAs-induced Vg synthesis and oocyte maturation, together with lower fecundity. Furthermore, exogenous application of JH III partially restored Vg expression levels in jmtN RNAi females. However, JH III application did not rescue Vg synthesis in these met RNAi insects. Our results show that AAs induce Vg synthesis in the fat body and egg development in concert with JH biosynthesis in Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), rather than through JH action.

[Pathological changes of rectal cancer after irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil or combined short-term radiotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe and evaluate the pathologic changes and curative effects of irinotecan (CPT-11), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and combined short-term radiotherapy before low-set rectal cancer operation so as to provide a theoretic basis for formulating a new effective adjuvant therapeutic regimen. METHODS: A total of 41 patients of low rectal cancer were treated with CPT-11, 5-FU therapy or CPT-11 plus 5-FU combined short-term radiotherapy from April 2002 to April 2009. They were divided into 2 groups according to different treatment schemes, including irinotecan group (n = 18) and irinotecan combined short-term radiotherapy group (n = 23). The pathologic changes before and after treatment were observed and the differences of two treatment approaches compared. RESULTS: Tumor cells had different degrees of degeneration and necrosis under microscope in two groups. Compared with computed tomographic findings before therapy, tumor sizes of two groups were reduced by an average of 33.1% (13.5 mm vs 20.2 mm) and 34.4% (12.8 mm vs 19.5 mm) respectively. Two groups were graded according to the RCRG (rectal cancer regression grade) score: RCRG1: 7 cases vs 18 cases, RCRG2: 4 cases vs 3 cases and RCRG3: 7 cases vs 2 cases. According to the pathologic evaluation standard, 3-degree necrosis, cell interstitial fibrosis and intimal thickening in vessels were observed in two groups: 7 cases vs 17 cases, 6 cases vs 17 cases and 3 cases vs 14 cases respectively (all P < 0.05). Five patients achieved complete pathological remission in the irinotecan combined short-term radiotherapy group. CONCLUSION: Based on the pathological changes and mitigation results after treatment, CPT-11 and 5-FU may be used as neoadjuvant drugs for rectal cancer. If the above two drugs can be used in combination with short-term radiation, the curative effect will be better.