The Effects of Crystalline Admixture on the Self-Healing Performance and Mechanical Properties of Mortar with Internally Added Superabsorbent Polymer.

Crystalline admixture (CA) can be incorporated into concrete to achieve self-healing of concrete cracks. In this study, both CA and superabsorbent polymer (SAP) were used as self-healing agents to investigate the effects of CA on the self-healing performance and mechanical properties of mortar with internally added SAP at different self-healing ages. The healing effect of cracks in mortar is assessed by crack observation and impermeability. The structure and composition of the filler in the cracks were analyzed by microscopic experiment. The experimental results indicate that CA enhances the healing of cracks in mortar specimens. The chemical reactions of CA primarily contribute to significantly improving the early-age crack-healing ability of the specimens, and the water absorption and expansion ability as well as the internal curing effect of SAP also facilitate the crack-healing process. Increasing the CA content leads to an increase in the Ca/Si ratio of C-S-H, causing a transition from a layered structure to a more compact needle-like structure. When 4% CA was added to the mortar, it resulted in an adequate formation of needle-like C-S-H structures, which eventually penetrate and fill the pits formed by SAP, compensating for the strength loss caused by SAP.

Effect of Dickkopf-1 regulated Wnt pathway on transdifferentiation of hypoxia-induced lens epithelial cells / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To scrutinize the role of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)of lens epithelial cells under hypoxic conditions, and to further analyze the effect of Dickkopf-1(DKK-1)expression on EMT of lens epithelial cells.METHODS: Human lens epithelial cells(HLEB3 cells)were propagated in vitro and then separated into two groups: one exposed to standard oxygen levels, added DMEM culture solution containing 10% FBS(normoxic group)and another subjected to low oxygen levels(hypoxic group). The hypoxic condition was emulated by applying a concentration of 100 μmol/L cobalt chloride(CoCl2)for 6, 12, 24, and 48h. The utilization of immunofluorescence staining enabled the detection of Wnt3a and DKK-1 expressions, along with the expression and localization of β-catenin protein in these groups. The expression of DKK-1 mRNA was discerned by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).RESULTS: Immunofluorescence assays indicated an escalating trend in the Wnt3a and DKK-1 protein expression, which corresponded with the increasing duration of hypoxia. Likewise, an intensified nuclear accumulation of β-catenin protein was observed to be directly proportional to the length of hypoxia treatment. The qRT-PCR demonstrated that the difference in DKK-1 mRNA expression between the normoxic group and the group exposed to hypoxia for 6h was not statistically significant(P>0.05), whereas the DKK-1 mRNA expression of the 12, 24, and 48h hypoxia groups were significantly increased(P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Hypoxia can activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway in lens epithelial cells and induce the expression of DKK-1, thus regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and affecting the EMT process.

Difference of lipid-lowering efficacy of "Xinjianqu" before and after fermentation and its mechanism based on LKB1-AMPK pathway and 16S rDNA sequencing technology / 中国中药杂志

On the basis of establishing the prescription of Xinjianqu and clarifying the increase of the lipid-lowering active ingredients of Xinjianqu by fermentation, this paper further compared the differences in the lipid-lowering effects of Xinjianqu before and after fermentation, and studied the mechanism of Xinjianqu in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Seventy SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups, including normal group, model group, positive drug simvastatin group(0.02 g·kg~(-1)), and low-dose and high-dose Xinjianqu groups before and after fermentation(1.6 g·kg~(-1) and 8 g·kg~(-1)), with ten rats in each group. Rats in each group were given high-fat diet continuously for six weeks to establish the model of hyperlipidemia(HLP). After successful modeling, the rats were given high-fat diet and gavaged by the corresponding drugs for six weeks, once a day, to compare the effects of Xinjianqu on the body mass, liver coefficient, and small intestine propulsion rate of rats with HLP before and after fermentation. The effects of Xinjianqu before and after fermentation on total cholesterol(TC), triacylglyceride(TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), creatinine(Cr), motilin(MTL), gastrin(GAS), and the Na~+-K~+-ATPase levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The effects of Xinjianqu on liver morphology of rats with HLP were investigated by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and oil red O fat staining. The effects of Xinjianqu on the protein expression of adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK), phosphorylated AMPK(p-AMPK), liver kinase B1(LKB1), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate monoacyl coenzyme A reductase(HMGCR) in liver tissues were investigated by immunohistochemistry. The effects of Xinjianqu on the regulation of intestinal flora structure of rats with HLP were studied based on 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that compared with those in the normal group, rats in the model group had significantly higher body mass and liver coefficient(P<0.01), significantly lower small intestine propulsion rate(P<0.01), significantly higher serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, ALT, AST, BUN, Cr, and AQP2(P<0.01), and significantly lower serum levels of HDL-C, MTL, GAS, Na~+-K~+-ATP levels(P<0.01). The protein expression of AMPK, p-AMPK, and LKB1 in the livers of rats in the model group was significantly decreased(P<0.01), and that of HMGCR was significantly increased(P<0.01). In addition, the observed＿otus, Shannon, and Chao1 indices were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01) in rat fecal flora in the model group. Besides, in the model group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes was reduced, while that of Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria was increased, and the relative abundance of beneficial genera such as Ligilactobacillus and Lachnospiraceae＿NK4A136＿group was reduced. Compared with the model group, all Xinjianqu groups regulated the body mass, liver coefficient, and small intestine index of rats with HLP(P<0.05 or P<0.01), reduced the serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, ALT, AST, BUN, Cr, and AQP2, increased the serum levels of HDL-C, MTL, GAS, and Na~+-K~+-ATP, improved the liver morphology, and increased the protein expression gray value of AMPK, p-AMPK, and LKB1 in the liver of rats with HLP and decreased that of LKB1. Xinjianqu groups could regulate the intestinal flora structure of rats with HLP, increased observed＿otus, Shannon, Chao1 indices, and increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Ligilactobacillus(genus), Lachnospiraceae＿NK4A136＿group(genus). Besides, the high-dose Xinjianqu-fermented group had significant effects on body mass, liver coefficient, small intestine propulsion rate, and serum index levels of rats with HLP(P<0.01), and the effects were better than those of Xinjianqu groups before fermentation. The above results show that Xinjianqu can improve the blood lipid level, liver and kidney function, and gastrointestinal motility of rats with HLP, and the improvement effect of Xinjianqu on hyperlipidemia is significantly enhanced by fermentation. The mechanism may be related to AMPK, p-AMPK, LKB1, and HMGCR protein in the LKB1-AMPK pathway and the regulation of intestinal flora structure.

Prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety status among elderly hypertensive patients in a district of Shanghai / 四川精神卫生

ObjectiveTo analyze the anxiety status among elderly hypertensive patients in Hongkou district of Shanghai city， and to screen the influencing factors. MethodsConvenience sampling method was adopted to enroll 265 hypertensive patients aged 60 years or above from 8 communities in Hongkou district of Shanghai city， and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 item （GAD-7） was used to assess their anxiety status， then Logistic regression analysis was applied to explore the influencing factors. ResultsAmong 265 patients with hypertension， 45 patients （17.0%） had anxiety symptoms. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that non-hypertensive chronic disease comorbidity in recent six months （OR=3.093， 95% CI： 1.075~8.898， P<0.05）， excessive alcohol consumption （OR=5.203， 95% CI： 1.407~19.234， P<0.05）， living with spouse （OR=0.061， 95% CI： 0.005~0.699， P<0.05） and regular exercise （OR=0.360， 95% CI： 0.167~0.775， P<0.01） were the factors affecting anxiety in hypertensive patients. ConclusionAnxiety symptoms are quite common among elderly hypertensive patients in community，among which comorbidities and excessive alcohol consumption are risk factors， while living with spouse and regular exercise are protective factors.

Recurrent epistaxis with coagulation disorders in a boy aged 2 years / 中国当代儿科杂志

A boy, aged 2 years and 5 months, had recurrent epistaxis, and the coagulation function examination showed that activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was significantly prolonged. Further laboratory examinations showed that the prolonged APTT was not immediately corrected in the APTT correction test, with positive lupus anticoagulant and low prothrombin activity. The boy was diagnosed with hypoprothrombinemia-lupus anticoagulant syndrome. The condition was improved after treatment with glucocorticoid, immunoglobulin, and vitamin K1. The boy has been followed up for 6 months, and no epistaxis was observed. Prothrombin activity returned to normal, and lupus anticoagulant remained positive. This is a relatively rare disease, and for patients with bleeding symptoms and coagulation disorders, it is recommended to perform the tests such as APTT correction test, lupus anticoagulant testing, and coagulation factor dilution test, which can improve the detection rate of this disease, so as to achieve early diagnosis, provide rational treatment in the early stage, and improve the prognosis.

A New Method Based on Time-Varying Filtering Intrinsic Time-Scale Decomposition and General Refined Composite Multiscale Sample Entropy for Rolling-Bearing Feature Extraction.

The early fault diagnosis of rolling bearings has always been a difficult problem due to the interference of strong noise. This paper proposes a new method of early fault diagnosis for rolling bearings with entropy participation. First, a new signal decomposition method is proposed in this paper: intrinsic time-scale decomposition based on time-varying filtering. It is introduced into the framework of complete ensemble intrinsic time-scale decomposition with adaptive noise (CEITDAN). Compared with traditional intrinsic time-scale decomposition, intrinsic time-scale decomposition based on time-varying filtering can improve frequency-separation performance. It has strong robustness in the presence of noise interference. However, decomposition parameters (the bandwidth threshold and B-spline order) have significant impacts on the decomposition results of this method, and they need to be artificially set. Aiming to address this problem, this paper proposes rolling-bearing fault diagnosis optimization based on an improved coyote optimization algorithm (COA). First, the minimal generalized refined composite multiscale sample entropy parameter was used as the objective function. Through the improved COA algorithm, optimal intrinsic time-scale decomposition parameters based on time-varying filtering that match the input signal are obtained. By analyzing generalized refined composite multiscale sample entropy (GRCMSE), whether the mode component is dominated by the fault signal is determined. The signal is reconstructed and decomposed again. Finally, the mode component with the highest energy in the central frequency band is selected for envelope spectrum variation for fault diagnosis. Lastly, simulated and experimental signals were used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The Local Anesthetic Bupivacaine Inhibits the Progression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Inducing Autophagy Through Akt/mTOR Signaling.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a prevalent malignancy with high mortality and poor prognosis. Bupivacaine serves as a widely used local anesthetic and presents potential anti-tumor activity. Nevertheless, the function of bupivacaine in the NSCLC development remains elusive. Here, we tried to investigate the impact of bupivacaine on the NSCLC progression. Significantly, we revealed that bupivacaine was able to reduce the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Bupivacaine could attenuate the invasion and migration in the cells. Mechanically, the treatment of bupivacaine increased the expression ratio of light chain 3B-II (LC3B-II)/LC3B-I and the expression of Beclin-1 in the NSCLC cells. Meanwhile, the expression of the autophagic adaptor protein p62 was decreased by bupivacaine treatment in the cells. The treatment of bupivacaine attenuated the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR in the NSCLC cells. The AKT activator SC79 and autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) reversed the bupivacaine-inhibited phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR and bupivacaine-induced autophagy, as well as the bupivacaine-attenuated NSCLC progression in the cells. Bupivacaine could inhibit the tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, we discovered that the local anesthetic bupivacaine inhibited the progression of NSCLC by inducing autophagy through Akt/mTOR signaling. Our finding provides new insights into the mechanism by which bupivacaine attenuates the development of NSCLC. Bupivacaine may serve as a potential anti-tumor candidate for the therapeutic strategy of NSCLC.

Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on Refined Composite Multi-Scale Approximate Entropy and Optimized Probabilistic Neural Network.

A rolling bearing early fault diagnosis method is proposed in this paper, which is derived from a refined composite multi-scale approximate entropy (RCMAE) and improved coyote optimization algorithm based probabilistic neural network (ICOA-PNN) algorithm. Rolling bearing early fault diagnosis is a time-sensitive task, which is significant to ensure the reliability and safety of mechanical fault system. At the same time, the early fault features are masked by strong background noise, which also brings difficulties to fault diagnosis. So, we firstly utilize the composite ensemble intrinsic time-scale decomposition with adaptive noise method (CEITDAN) to decompose the signal at different scales, and then the refined composite multi-scale approximate entropy of the first signal component is calculated to analyze the complexity of describing the vibration signal. Afterwards, in order to obtain higher recognition accuracy, the improved coyote optimization algorithm based probabilistic neural network classifiers is employed for pattern recognition. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of this method are verified by rolling bearing early fault diagnosis experiment.

Internal Curing Effect of Pre-Soaked Zeolite Sand on the Performance of Alkali-Activated Slag.

This study clarifies the effects of pre-soaked zeolite sand as an internal curing material on the hydration, strength, autogenous shrinkage, and durability of alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortars. The liquid-to-binder ratio (L/b) of all of the AAS mortars was 0.55. Sodium hydroxide solution was used as an alkali activator and an internal curing liquid. Calcined zeolite and natural zeolite sand replaced the standard sand at 15% and 30%, respectively. The setting time, autogenous shrinkage, compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and surface electrical resistivity were tested. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) The addition of zeolite significantly reduces the autogenous shrinkage of AAS mortar. Compared with the control group, 30% calcined zeolite reduced the autogenous shrinkage by 96.4%. Moreover, the autogenous shrinkage of the AAS mortars was noticed in two stages (a variable temperature stage and an ambient temperature stage), and the two stages split at one day of age. (2) The compressive strength of all of the specimens increased as the zeolite sand content increased, and the highest compressive strength was obtained for AAS combined with 30% natural zeolite sand. (3) Internal curing accelerated the formation of the second peak of heat flow and reduced the accumulated heat release. (4) Calcined zeolite sand delayed the setting time of the AAS mortars. (5) The addition of zeolite significantly reduced the surface electrical resistivity of the AAS mortars. In summary, zeolite sand is extremely useful as an internal curing agent to reduce autogenous shrinkage and to increase the compressive strength of AAS mortars.

Scientific Analysis of Processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma by Ancient Hot Water Washing Method / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the scientificity and feasibility of processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma by hot water washing （Tangxi）， and to provide reference for the development of related famous classical formulas. Method:Processing method of Pinelliae Rhizoma washed by hot water was established based on ancient Tangxi processing method， and the process conditions were optimized by single factor tests. The weight， moisture， ash， extract， total acid （calculated by succinic acid） contents and high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） fingerprint of Pinelliae Rhizoma were compared before and after processing. In addition， the rabbit eye irritation test was conducted to evaluate the toxicity changes. Result:The processing method of Pinelliae Rhizoma washed by hot water was as following：washed by 4 times the amount of hot water at 80 ℃ for 10 times until clear water， transfused cross-section after incision， no or slight numbness in the mouth. The average moisture， ash， extract contents of Pinelliae Rhizoma washed by hot water were 9.34%， 1.71% and 4.22%， respectively. After being processed， the decline rates of weight and total acid content of Pinelliae Rhizoma were 7.49% and 43.31%. The HPLC fingerprint of Pinelliae Rhizoma before and after washing showed a decrease in all components， but there was no new chromatographic peak， and peak 9 （adenosine） reduced significantly. The results of rabbit eye irritation test showed that there was no obvious eye conjunctival irritation after washing， indicating that the toxicity of Pinelliae Rhizoma decreased obviously after washing. Conclusion:The established method of Pinelliae Rhizoma by Tangxi processing is stable and feasible， the aqueous extract of Pinelliae Rhizoma has no obvious eye conjunctival irritation after washing.

Complex mechanisms of chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis identified by neuroimaging technology / 生理学报

Chronic pain of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) greatly affects the quality of life and functional activities of patients. It is important to clarify the underlying mechanisms of KOA pain and the analgesic effect of different therapies. Neuroimaging technology has been widely used in the basic and clinical research of pain. In the recent years, neuroimaging technology has played an important role in the basic and clinical research of KOA pain. Increasing evidence demonstrates that chronic pain in KOA includes both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. The neuropathic mechanism involved in KOA pain is complex, which may be caused by peripheral or central sensitization. In this paper, we review the regional changes of brain pathophysiology caused by KOA pain based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and other neuroimaging techniques. We also discuss the central analgesic mechanism of different KOA therapies, with a focus on the latest achievements in the evaluation and prediction of pain. We hope to provide new thoughts for the treatment of KOA pain, especially in the early and middle stages of KOA.

Effects of manual loading on calcitonin gene-related peptide and nerve growth factor in rats with chronic low back pain / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the analgesic effect of manipulation loading on chronic low back pain (CLBP) model rats and the expression of inflammatory factors in psoas major muscle tissue, and to explore the improvement of manipulation on local inflammatory microenvironment.@*METHODS@#Thirty two SPF male SD rats weighing 340-360g were randomly divided into blank group, sham operation group, chronic low back pain model group and treatment group, with 8 rats in each group. In the model group, L@*RESULTS@#There was no significant difference in PWT and PWL between the blank group and the sham operation group after modeling (@*CONCLUSION@#Local massage loading has analgesic effect on CLBP rats, at the same time, it can inhibit the content of CGRP and NGF in psoas muscle tissue of CLBP rats, and improve the local inflammatory microenvironment.

Clinical effect of multicenter multidisciplinary treatment in children with renal malignant tumors / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the long-term clinical effect of multicenter multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) in children with renal malignant tumors.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 55 children with renal malignant tumors who were diagnosed and treated with MDT in 3 hospitals in Hunan Province from January 2015 to January 2020, with GD-WT-2010 and CCCG-WT-2016 for treatment regimens. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to analyze the survival of the children.@*RESULTS@#Of the 55 children, 10 had stage I tumor, 14 had stage Ⅱ tumor, 22 had stage Ⅲ tumor, 7 had stage IV tumor, and 2 had stage V tumor. As for pathological type, 47 had FH type and 8 had UFH type. All children underwent complete tumor resection. Of the 55 children, 14 (25%) received preoperative chemotherapy. All children, except 1 child with renal cell carcinoma, received postoperative chemotherapy. Among the 31 children with indication for radiotherapy, 21 (68%) received postoperative radiotherapy. One child died of postoperative metastasis. The incidence rate of FH-type myelosuppression was 94.4%, and the incidence rate of UFH-type myelosuppression was 100%. The median follow-up time was 21 months and the median survival time was 26 months for all children, with an overall survival rate of 98% and an event-free survival rate of 95%.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Multicenter MDT has the advantages of high success rate of operation and good therapeutic effect of chemotherapy in the treatment of children with renal malignant tumors, with myelosuppression as the most common side effects, and radiotherapy is safe and effective with few adverse events. Therefore, MDT has good feasibility, safety, and economy.

Removal of heavy metals in medical waste incineration fly ash by Na2EDTA combined with zero-valent iron and recycle of Na2EDTA: Acolumnar experiment study.

In this study, an effective circulating system was developed to remove heavy metals in medical waste incineration (MWI) fly ash. MWI fly ash (MWIFA)-column experiments were performed to remove Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni from MWIFA using EDTA disodium (Na2EDTA). Iron-column experiments were conducted to study the removal effect of zero-valent iron on the five heavy metals from washing wastewater. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test method was employed to evaluate heavy metals toxicity of MWIFA residues generated after 0-0.2 mol/L Na2EDTA solution treated. After being washed by 0.2 mol/L Na2EDTA solution, TCLP leaching values of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni were the lowest and satisfied the standard (GB 5085.3-2007), and the leaching values were 58.4 ± 2.0 mg/L, 2.81 ± 0.14 mg/L, 64.3 ± 4.0 mg/L, 0.156 ± 0.005 mg/L, 0.381 ± 0.006 mg/L. Concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni in iron-column effluent were reduced by 99.7%, 91.6%, 91.6%, 75.4%, and 75.7%, respectively. Na2EDTA was recovered and recycled to the removal of heavy metals from MWIFA. Comparing new Na2EDTA solution with recycled Na2EDTA solution, recycled Na2EDTA and water could be reutilized to dispose MWIFA. The removal efficiencies of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni by recycled 0.2 mol/L Na2EDTA solution were 67.1%, 68.8%, 63.2%, 73.9%, 50.7%, respectively, the removal efficiencies using recovered Na2EDTA decreased by 2.6%, 3.9%, 3.3%, 4.2%, and 1.6%, respectively. Successive batch experiments were also conducted to evaluate industrialization potential and reusable times for recycled Na2EDTA. After four recirculation cycles, extraction efficiencies of Pb and Cd (removal efficiency at different cycles divided by removal efficiency of new Na2EDTA) declined toward 80%. Results from this research indicated that this circulating system possessed industrialization potential. Implications: An effective circulating system was developed to remove heavy metals in MWI fly ash (MWIFA). Integration of Na2EDTA with Fe0 promoted the removal of heavy metals from MWIFA. Na2EDTA, NaCl and water were stepwise extracted from iron-column effluent, respectively. Recovered Na2EDTA can still effectively remove heavy metals from MWIFA. Results from this research indicated that this circulating system possessed industrialization potential.

Effect of Pre-Wetted Zeolite Sands on the Autogenous Shrinkage and Strength of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete.

In this study, the carrier effect of zeolite sands in reducing the autogenous shrinkage and optimizing the microstructure of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is studied. Pre-wetted calcined zeolite sand (CZ), calcined at 500 °C for 30 min, and natural zeolite sand (NZ), with 15 wt.% and 30 wt.% in UHPC, are used to partially replace standard sands. On that basis, a series of experiments are executed on the developed UHPC, including compressive strength, autogenous shrinkage, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and isothermal calorimetry experiments. With the increase of the zeolite sand content, the autogenous shrinkage of UHPC decreases gradually. Moreover, when the added CZ content is 30 wt.% (CZ30 specimen), it is effective in reducing autogenous shrinkage. Meanwhile, at the age of 28 days, the compressive strength of CZ30 is 97% of the control group. In summary, it is possible to effectively reduce the autogenous shrinkage of UHPC containing 30 wt.% CZ, without sacrificing its mechanical properties.

Clinical features of neuroblastoma: an analysis of 44 children / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the clinical features of neuroblastoma (NB) and the factors influencing survival rate.@*METHODS@#A total of 44 children with NB who were admitted from April 2016 to February 2020 were enrolled as research subjects. A retrospective analysis was performed on their medical data and follow-up data.@*RESULTS@#The common clinical symptoms of these 44 children were fever (10/44, 23%), mass (9/44, 20%), abdominal pain (8/44, 18%), cough (7/44, 16%), pale complexion (3/44, 7%), claudication (2/44, 5%), and abnormal activity (2/44, 5%). According to the INSS stage, 2 children (4%) had stage I NB, 5 children (11%) had stage II NB, 5 children (11%) had stage III NB, and 32 children (73%) had stage IV NB. The mean follow-up time was (15.3±1.5) months, with a recurrence rate of 20% and an overall survival rate of 82%. Among the 44 children, 29 (66%) achieved event-free survival and 7 (16%) had survival with tumor. The univariate analysis showed that a pathological type of NB and an increase in serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) decreased the overall survival rate of children with NB (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The clinical symptoms of children with NB are not specific at the first visit. Fever, abdominal pain, and mass are common symptoms, and there is a high proportion of children in the advanced stage. The pathological type of NB and an increase in serum NSE may be associated with a reduction in the overall survival rate of children with NB.

ß-Dihydroartemisinin-Emodin Promotes Apoptosis by Activating Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways in Human Liver Cancer Cells.

Natural products isolated from Chinese herbs are promising anticancer therapeutic agents. In the current study, we explored the anticancer effect of a novel drug compound, ß-dihydroartemisinin-emodin (ß-DHA-emodin), on human liver cancer HepG-2 cells. The drug showed high suppressive activity against the proliferation of HepG-2 cells by inhibiting Ki-67 expression. ß-DHA-emodin treatment increased the apoptotic ratio of HepG-2 cells by preventing cell cycle progression from the G1 phase to the S phase. Cells treated with ß-DHA-emodin showed typical apoptotic morphological changes. ß-DHA-emodin also upregulated the expression of caspase-3/8/9 and Bax and downregulated the expression of Bcl-2. ß-DHA-emodin inhibited HepG-2 migration by decreasing the expression of Survivin. These results indicate that ß-DHA-emodin may be an efficacious apoptotic inducer in HepG-2 cells.

Research advances in influencing factors for immune tolerance to food allergens in children / 中国当代儿科杂志

Food allergen-specific immune tolerance is defined as nonresponsiveness of the adaptive immune system to food antigens. Failed development or inhibition of such tolerance may cause food allergy. With the increasing incidence rate of food allergy year by year, more and more studies have found the association between food allergy and various diseases. The development of food allergen-specific immune tolerance in childhood has been taken more and more seriously. In recent years, many studies have shown that the development of food allergen-specific immune tolerance is influenced by various factors, which can be roughly divided into antigens, organisms, and environment. This article reviews the influencing factors for the development of immune tolerance to food allergens in children, in order to provide help for reducing the incidence of food allergy and improving the prognosis of food allergy.

Clinical characteristics and genetic analysis of hereditary spherocytosis caused by mutations of ANK1 and SPTB genes / 中国当代儿科杂志

This study analyzed the clinical features of 5 children with hereditary spherocytosis (HS) and the characteristics of ANK1 and SPTB gene mutations. All 5 children were confirmed with HS by peripheral blood genetic detection. Anemia, jaundice and splenomegaly were observed in all 5 children. Three children had an increase in erythrocyte osmotic fragility. All 5 children had negative results of the Coombs test, glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase test, sucrose hemolysis test, acidified-serum hemolysis test and thalassemia gene test. Peripheral blood smear showed an increase in spherocyte count in one child. High-throughput sequencing revealed ANK1 gene mutations in patients 1 to 3, namely c.3398(exon29)delA, c.4306C>T and c.957(exon9)_c.961(exon9)delAATCT, among which c.3398(exon29)delA had not been reported before. Patient 4 had c.318delGExon3 mutation in the SPTB gene. Patient 5 had mutations in the SPTB and SLC4A1 genes, among which c.3484delC in the SPTB gene was a spontaneous mutation; the mutation site of the SLCA4A1 gene was inherited from the father and was a non-pathogenic gene. This study suggests that anemia, jaundice and splenomegaly are major clinical manifestations of HS children. Most children with HS do not have the typical spherocytic changes. Genetic detection may help with the accurate diagnosis of HS.

Phenotypic Character and HPLC Fingerprints of Radial Striations from Different Germplasms Rehmanniae Radix / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To discuss the phenotypic character and the HPLC fingerprints of radial striations from different germplasms Rehmanniae Radix. Method: The changes in the shape and column diameter of the radial striations of Rehmanniae Radix were observed and measured in the whole growth period. Besides,the HPLC fingerprints of the root,radial and un-radial striations were established to sign the chemical quality and analyzed by principal component analysis(PCA)and systematic cluster analysis. Result: There were significantly differences and regularities in the shape and proportion of the radial striations of different germplasms Rehmanniae Radix. The fingerprints showed the consistency between different types of chemical ingredients,and the differences in chemical quality characteristics mainly lay in the content of chemical compositions and theirs relative ratio. The results of PCA indicated that active ingredients, such as acteoside,catalpol,rehmaionoside D,rehmaionoside A and leonuride, were involved in the quality expression of different parts from various germplasms of Rehmanniae Radix,but each ingredient had a distinctive contribution rate to the differential quality expression between different parts from various germplasms of Rehmanniae Radix. However,the other components involved in the differential quality expression had different contribution rates in different germplasms.The systematic cluster analysis indicated that great differences in the chemical quality between the radial striations and un-radial striations of Beijing-1,Qinhuai,Qinhuai Zheng and 1706 germplasms,but with small differences in 85-5 and Baixuan germplasms. Conclusion: There are differences in phenotypic character of the radial striations and HPLC fingerprints between different germplasms Rehmanniae Radix.